Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 175 X81% Emma's chest began to tighten. "What video? Send it toright now," she demanded. But before he could utter another word, she hung up, her trembling hands already working at uncovering the source of this new disaster.

Her phone flickered on as the link to the trending topic clicked open. There, right on her screen, was a video that hit her like a tidal wave.

Annie, dressed in a blood-soaked white gown, lay weakly on the floor with barely opened eyes, her voice faint and broken as she whispered, "... I'm sorry... Emma..." Emma's blood boiled as she replayed the video, her rage building with every passing second.

The video was horrific, indeed. Its views were growing abnormally by the second. It has already hit millions of views already.

Protests started all over the two countries, demanding justice for Annie and condemnation of Emma and her family.

Emma bit her teeth as her hands quivered around her phone. This wasn't just an attack on her character; it was a direct threat to everything she had worked for.

Her business, her reputation, her family's prestige-everything was now hanging by a thread.

She started pacing the room as her mind raced, trying to piece together a response.

Annie has overstepped her boundary this taround.

Her gaze fell on Alexander, who was busy with his phone with a dark expression.

It was obvious she had been informed too.

His jaw was clenched, his shoulders tight, and his eyes ablaze with anger and frustration.

"Have you seen it?" Emma's voice cut into the air.

Alexander looked up, his face grim.

Emma's heart and liver were switching places with anger, the walls closing in on her.

The stakes had never been this high. "She's framing me," Emma said, her voice trembling with rage and the hope that Alexander at least would believe her if the world didn't. "I had nothing to do with her kidnapping." Alexander said nothing.

Emma swallowed hard, her fear returning full force.

She held her tears back, and with her trembling hands, she quickly dressed up.

Whether he believes her or not is irrelevant now; she has much to protect, and she couldn't afford to waste another second.

She walked past Alexander, who was still standing in the middle of the room without uttering a single word, but just as she reached the door, his hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist and stopping her in her tracks.

"Emma," he called softly, his voice laced with concern.

17:43 Sat, Feb 1 BO Chapter 175 She turned her head toward him, her face a mask of anger, frustration, and deep sadness.

81% The tears that had been threatening to spill were on the edge now. "I just can't sit here and do nothing," she said, her voice shaking with emotion. "My mother is at home. The protesters are marching to my house right this minute. She has no idea what is going on. I'm not just going to leave her. And besides that my company, my name, and YOUR name-it's all being dragged through the mud. I have to do something. I cannot just sit around." Alexander's eyes softened, but his hold on her wrist didn't. "Emma," he whispered, with utter conviction. "I know you do it. I believe you." didn't Her lips quivered as she looked at him, her emotions too raw to ask. "Thank you for believing me," she whispered and nodded.

Wiping off her tears, she jerked her wrist free and turned around toward the door, ready to leave, but Alexander grabbed her wrist again.

"Whatever you're going to do, do it from here," he insisted in a tone that could not be challenged. "I'll go get your mother myself." "Alexander, you really don't have to..." He silenced her before she could finish her sentence.

"I have to," he replied shortly, and before she could say another word, he was already out of the room.

Emma barely had tto process his words when Vivian stormed in, her face a storm of fury.

"Have you seen this?" she said, her voice shaking with anger.

Emma nodded, her fingers flying across her phone's keyboard as she worked furiously. "Yes, I have seen it. I am reaching out to people and trying to work out what my next move is." Vivian stared at her a while. "After working really hard for your company to reopen, Annie is trying her best to destroy everything it was. She wants to close it for good this time." Emma's fingers paused for a moment, her shoulders slumping under the weight of it all. She had no idea that Vivian knew the type of person Annie was until now.

So, Annie's crazy way of acting was no longer a secret after all. "I know," she whispered. Her voice was filled With frustration. "I don't know what to do yet. I'm trying to get advice on the best course of action." T

Vivian sighed. Her hands clenched at her sides. "I'll pull whatever strings I can to help you," she said, turning to leave. But then Vivian hesitated, as if En weighing on whether to say something or not. Finally, she turned back to Emma. "There's something you should know." Emma looked up from her phone, confused by the shift in Vivian's tone.

Silence reigned for a moment, "When you were in the hospital. When you were on oxygen, Annie tried to kill you." Emma momentarily froze. Her eye widened in shock. "What?" She exclaimed.

"If I hadn't walked into your room when I did, she would've succeeded," Vivian said, her tone loaded with the weight of a memory. "She was Rfa tampering with your oxygen supply. I don't want your gratitude; I'm not telling you this for a thank you. I'm telling you because.... I don't know.

Maybe it will help you somehow." 17:43 Sat, Feb 1 BO Chapter 175 18281% Emma's breath hitched, and tears streamed down her face. She tried to wrap her brain around what Vivian had just said.

As the horrifying reality of Annie's hatred for her began to sink in. She slowly said, "Thank you." Vivian gave her a small, almost reluctant nod. "You would have done the sfor me," she said, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.

17:43 Sat, Feb 1 Chapter 176