Chapter 23 Bouncing Back
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Julissa was puzzled. “Why?”
“Well, I’ve been paying attention to you since the very beginning with ‘Harvest‘. Later, you retired, made a comeback, unearthed a gem, and designed new pieces, I’ve been keeping an eye on your every step.”
As Karlie spoke, her face grew redder and redder..
“I… I have liked you for many years!”
The sudden declaration startled Julissa so much that she couldn’t help but spit out the water she had just drunk.
a
“Ah!” Karlie was taken aback and frantically grabbed tissues to wipe Julissa’s face. “Did I scare you? I’m so sorry.”
Karlie was flustered, her hand trembling as she held the tissues.
Julissa found her somewhat endearing.
“I’m just … a bit nervous being this close to my idol.”
The word “idol” made Julissa feel a bit dazed.
“I can’t be anyone’s idol.”
“Who says you can’t?” As soon as Karlie blurted this out, she became anxious. “Look at your dedication and insight into jewelry, your unwavering commitment to love, and your ability to rise to fame overnight yet withdraw gracefully from the limelight. Someone like you deserves to shine!”
Julissa didn’t even know she had so many excellences.
“I don’t know the real story behind this news, but I believe that the Julissa I like would never do such a thing.”
”
Julissa thought, “So this is how it feels to be trusted.”
Julissa felt a bit bitter, but mostly she felt relieved.
“Thank you.”
“Um…” Karlie took out her phone from her pocket. “Can I add you on WhatsApp?”
Julissa smiled warmly, “Sure.”
“Yay!”
Karlie’s WhatsApp profile picture turned out to be a photo of Julissa wearing “Harvest” back in the day,
“Karlie,” Julissa said. “I want to get out of the hospital. Can you help me?”
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Chapter 23 Bouncing Back
“But Mr. Fowler told us to take good care of you.”
“I want to do something,” Julissa replied. “I shouldn’t just sit here and let people keep bullying me.“.
Karlie’s eyes lit up as she heard this.
“Okay! Anything you need, I’ll do it. To be burned, to be bound…”
Julissa’s head was buzzing, and she covered Karlie’s mouth.
“You’re so talkative.”
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Julissa changed into casual clothes, fully equipped with a hat and mask, and followed Karlie, preparing to sneak out through the hospital’s back door.
But little did they know, the hospital had already been staked out by reporters and fans, and many people lurked at the
back door.
As soon as Julissa came out, someone shouted, “Julissa! It’s her! She came out!”
A crowd quickly surrounded her.
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At first, they were polite. Even though the reporters‘ microphones almost reached Julissa’s face, at least they were not
sulting her.
What do you have to say about being a homewrecker?”
“Is it true that you were the top girl at Neo Club as rumored online?”
“Is it because you’re unhappy with the property division that you don’t want to divorce Mr. Diaz and are clinging on?”
Julissa was cornered, and though Karlie tried her best to stop them, she was too frail to block anything.
Suddenly, a flip–flop flew out from the crowd and hit Julissa’s head.
“Bitch!”
The second and the third things came after the first one.
Flip–flops, water bottles, chips, and all sorts of things were thrown at Julissa.
Karlie shielded Julissa with her body and got hit a few times too.
.
“Get out of the way.”
“No!”
Karlie was thin but stubborn, making Julissa’s nose twitch with emotions.
“Go call the police,” Julissa whispered to Karlie. “Get guards to come and surround them. Don’t let anyone leave.”
“But what about you?”
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“I’ll be fine.” Julissa glanced around. “They won’t dare to kill me.”
Although Karlie’s heart ached for Julissa, she knew it was the only option.
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Julissa’s frail figure was surrounded by the crowd. In the Maybach quietly parked across the street, the atmosphere
was tense.
James couldn’t bear to watch it any longer and turned to Reece.
“Mr. Diaz, can I go and help Ms. Rivera?”
Reece didn’t even open his eyes as he coldly refused. “No.”
Reece thought, “She thinks she’s so tough, doesn’t she? She won’t listen to advice.
“Then she has to face the consequences of her foolishness!”
In a short while, security guards rushed over and pulled the out–of–control crowd away to protect Julissa.
In the crowd, someone who had vented his anger and tried to run was stopped by Julissa.
“Stop him!” She straightened her body slowly. “None of you are allowed to leave.”
“What do you think you are?” A reporter in the crowd stepped forward. “You scandalous bitch. How dare you stop
us?”
Julissa looked up at the reporter’s press badge.
“Archdale Daily?” Julissa sneered. “As a reporter, you couldn’t report the incident fairly. On the contrary, you cursed. and attacked me with strong personal emotions. Is that appropriate?”
“Fairly? Cursing you is all about justice.”
Julissa sneered again, “Archdale Daily claims to be the most impartial official media. Now, you’re making personal attacks without any evidence and blindly siding with the Diaz Group just because they hold a high position and have great influence in Archdale. Are you also a lackey of capital, too afraid to rebel?”
The conversation escalated and implicated Archdale Daily, and the reporter became flustered. He looked around. When he spoke again, he began to stammer.
“Don’t try to change the subject. Everyone in Archdale knows about you being a homewrecker.”
Julissa was silent, looking into the distance at the police car that had just pulled into the hospital.
“What happened here?”
The police rushed over and took control of the crowd.
Julissa’s cold eyes swept over everyone and finally rested on the Archdale Daily reporter.
She thought, “You’re the most foolish, so I’ll start with you.”
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Chapter 23 Bouncing Back
“Officer, I want to report him for defamation.”
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“You’re talking nonsense!” The reporter’s forehead veins bulged, but with the police present, he didn’t dare to contin- ue cursing.
“He called me a homewrecker and insulted me. I’ve suffered great physical and emotional trauma. I demand a psycho- logical trauma assessment and a thorough investigation into all the articles published by Archdale Daily. I suspect they have a private deal with someone to frame me.”
Julissa spoke each word with emphasis. “I want to sue Archdale Daily.”
“You!” The reporter’s face turned red with anger. “How dare you!”
“All their reports are false, baseless, or based on rumors, without any evidence.”
Julissa and Reece had not officially divorced, so she couldn’t be called a homewrecker anyway.
Julissa could win lawsuits against these people.
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The remaining people, seeing the Archdale Daily reporter being taken to the police station for questioning, thought they could finally breathe a sigh of relief and leave. Just as they were about to go, Julissa suddenly spoke up.
