Chapter 22 Who Is Behind It

• They were photographs taken from various angles of a woman who was almost entirely naked in a dimly-lit alley. She was leaning against a red trashcan with a dazed expression, and her body was covered in dirt.
• Some of the guests who stood close to where Cindy was picked up the photographs and started speaking.
• “What is this?”
• “Is that Elena?”
• “Oh my goodness. When did this happen? There is more than one man there! Was she...”
• “Then, doesn't this mean that the girl is...”
• Elena quickly squatted down and covered Sevyn's ears before her relatives mentioned “bastard.” She hugged Sevyn tightly and protected the latter from hearing what everyone was saying and looking at the photos.
• Elena was trembling all over, and her legs felt weak. She could hardly squat anymore as she kept her head down. She didn't dare to look at anyone or let anyone see her face for fear that they would compare her current face and the face in the photographs.
• With a single glance, she knew the pictures were taken from that rainy night seven years ago.
• She remembered every single detail of the place. When she woke up that morning, she realized that she was in a dirty alley surrounded by red trash cans. Stacked-up planks and glass were everywhere too, and there was a puddle of water from the rain. Not only that, her body was a mess too.
• Although she couldn't exactly remember what had happened the night before, everything she saw told her what she had gone through.
• She could hear the sound of thunder from that night seven years ago. It was as if the scene was replaying in her mind. Several figures were approaching her, and the sounds of their lewd laughter echoed in her ears.
• All of a sudden, her mind went black, and her ears were buzzing.
• “What are these, Elena?” Cindy asked in surprise.
• She really didn't know about the pictures. All she did was get someone to bring the child there so that Elena would get humiliated in front of everyone. But now, the situation had gotten out of hand, and the Truman family's reputation was tarnished.
• David was scowling so bad that the butler who stood at the side quickly got someone to pick up all the pictures on the ground.
• Nonetheless, it wasn't easy to keep it a secret anymore since most of them had seen the pictures.
• Cindy was very annoyed when she heard what everyone else said too. “Elena! Elena Truman, explain yourself! What did you do?”
• “Ms. Elena, please explain yourself.”
• “Elena, are you trying to ruin our family's name?”
• “You shouldn't have returned! Why did you even bring this child here?”
• “Have you got no shame? Are you trying to make Dad sick again?”
• At that moment, Elena hugged Sevyn tightly, and she kept hiding her face in Sevyn's arms. She didn't even dare to lift her head. She couldn't stand hearing those accusing words and facing those judgmental eyes.
• Besides, she could only think of the phone call from seven years ago. “If you dare come back, the entire world will see everything that happened that night. I will be watching you, always!”
• The words “I will be watching you” kept haunting her.
• This is the second time since I came back! It's like someone's watching me from the shadows! If I don't leave, that person will continue doing this until I'm ruined! Who is behind this? Who?
• Elena was completely overwhelmed by helplessness, fear, and shame. Everything in front of her looked dark. It was as if she was in an endless pit where she would be buried alive.
• The voice of a little child suddenly rang out amidst the sounds of gossip. “Sevyn, slow down! Why are you running so quickly? Daddy and I can't even catch up.”
• The crowd looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall man who wore a sophisticated tailored suit.
• “Who is that?”
• “I don't know. I've never seen him.”
• The man looked cold, and his presence was so intimidating that no one dared to speak loudly. On his side was a little boy around seven or eight years old. He was adorable, but the composed look in his big eyes made him more mature than he appeared to be.
• The little boy was the one who spoke earlier.
• Cindy's face lit up immediately when she saw Raphael. “Mr. Gardner.”
• She had met him once before at a dinner among investors. Despite knowing that he didn't attend banquets much, she still sent him an invitation. I can't believe he actually came!
• Raphael didn't even look at her. From the moment he walked in, his gaze had been set on the trembling figure on the ground who was hugging a girl.
• Eventually, Elena lifted her head, looking depressed. She turned in Raphael's direction out of surprise. Her hair was a mess, and she felt like a clown in the middle of the hall with well-dressed guests.
• At that time, Raphael couldn't bear to look at her as he found the sight to be extremely painful.
• Why? I hate her, don't I?