Chapter 237 The disgrace
Chapter 237 The disgrace
The media is in a frenzy about the video. Even though bodyguards already started warding them off the vicinity, the interviewers and the paparazzi stood their ground as they did their best to stay in the area, making sure they would get the scoop of the launch.
As Lei Zhao was gently leading Yan Mei out of the area, her eyes were dazed and blanked as she repeatedly mumbled to herself, "That's not me, that's not me, that's not me..."
Lei Zhao's family followed behind them as Lei Zhao turned back to look at them briefly--his eyes worried for his wife.
Lei Zhao's parents and grandparents were shocked when they saw the video play before them. They wondered if that happened to Yan Mei in the past, making them think if what they saw in the video is indeed true or only a fabrication.
Lei Zhao opened the door of the passenger's seat and made Yan Mei sit down. He then closed the door as he looked at his family, looking at Lei Zhao in discombobulation.
"Yan Mei's under mental and emotional stress," he said, his family intently listening to him. "I had no choice but to take her away. I have to protect my wife."
Lei Xiao Tong nodded as she held his son's shoulder, comforting him.
"Go home to our place first. Paparazzi may wait at your place," she said, Lei Zhao, nodding as he looked at his family one by one before he went inside of his car.
Lei Zhao's family then entered their vehicle as well, the two cars already driving off to go to the Lei residence.
***
Everyone was already in the living room. Yan Mei sat on the couch, still shaken as she drank the water given to her in one down.
Water dripped from her lips, making Lei Zhao bend down to wipe the corners of her lips with his handkerchief.
"Don't worry, Yan Mei. I'm here," he gently said, comforting his wife. "We will be staying here until it is safe to go to our home, alright?"
Yan Mei looked embarrassingly on the floor. With his family looking at her after they watched the video that played in the launch, she felt ashamed of herself even though she knew that it was not her in the video.
But then, she knew that it would be difficult for her to convince them that it isn't her. She desperately wished that they believed her even though she still could not show the evidence that it wasn't her in the video.
"Yan Mei, deary."
Lei Xiao Tong bent down, looking up to meet Yan Mei's face. The moment their eyes met, Yan Mei felt her eyes water as she looked at Lei Zhao's mother, utterly embarrassed of herself.
Seeing the uneasiness in her eyes, Lei Xiao Tong furrowed her brows. She held both of her hands and felt that it was cold, making her worry for her daughter-in-law.
"Yan Mei, sweetheart... I'm sorry to ask this, but is the woman in the video you?"
Yan Mei's eyes widened as some tears escaped from her eyes. She furiously shook her head as her voice broke the word she uttered.
"N-no... th-that's not me. Y-you have to believe me. It's not me."
With Yan Mei's whole body trembling, Lei Xiao Tong slowly stood up as she looked at Lei Zhao, her worry deepening.
With Yan Mei's reaction, Lei Xiao Tong knew that she should not probe Yan Mei further or else, it might trigger something in her, making her unstable.
The living room silenced. Lei Zhao could no longer help it as he remembered what he promised himself days ago. He promised that if the time were to come to tell Yan Mei that he received the parcel, he would tell her.
Now that this had happened in the launch, it was a signal for Lei Zhao to tell his wife what he knows.
"Yan Mei," Lei Zhao said, his hand holding hers. "I saw the video days ago, but the faces were not clear because they're blurred."
Yan Mei turned her head to look at her husband in horror.
"Wh-what?"
At the same moment, Ye Xing came. Ye Xing rushed to investigate the video given to him, and now that it came to this, he had sped up his work, already confirming the authenticity of the video.
"Excuse me, Mr. Lei Zhao," he called out, also giving a small bow to his boss's family, "The video is real. It is not edited and not photoshopped."
Lei Zhao's family members gasped. Even Yan Mei widened her eyes as they heard their expression, their gazes dropping on her as if they were looking for an explanation from her.
Lei Zhao nods in understanding. Now all the clues he had in his mind made sense with the video and with the confirmation coming from Ye Xing.
"En," Lei Zhao said flatly, "Continue to investigate. You may go."
With his signal, Ye Xing gave another bow to bid his farewell. He then left, leaving the Leis and Yan Mei alone in the living room.
Yan Mei looked at Lei Zhao.
"Believe me, Lei Zhao, that's not me!" Uncontrollable tears already escaped from her eyes. "The woman in the video is not me! I'm not lying!"
She then faced Lei Zhao's family members. She could not help but tell them through words that it's not her. How could she prove to them that it is not her when the woman looked exactly like her? How could she convince them through her words that it's not her?
Yan Mei felt scared here and then that her image in Lei Zhao's family is now ruined because of a video that was taken five years ago!
"It's not me... it's not me, I swear!"
Yan Mei's whole body was shaking. Lei Zhao sighed as he stared blankly at the floor, his right arm wrapping around Yan Mei's shoulders. Yan Mei shook as she sobbed, Lei Xiao Tong kneeling in front of Yan Mei as she wiped her tears with her thumbs.
"Don't worry, Yan Mei," she said sweetly, "We believe you," she added, not wanting to trigger Yan Mei's anxiety furthermore.
Lei Xiao Tong then turned to her son then held his hand, getting his attention.
"Take Yan Mei out of the city. She needs to get out of here. If she stays, who knows what would happen." Lei Xiao Tong gave a small smile to her son, "I'll take care of things here. You two don't have to worry."
Lei Zhao frowned slightly. Even though he wanted to solve this issue by himself he knew he had to think about Yan Mei first.
"Alright".
With that, the ring on Yan Mei's phone surprised everyone. Her hands shakily opened her purse to get her phone and when she opened the message, the phone immediately dropped from her hands as her body started trembling in fear.
With her reaction, Lei Xiao Tong and Lei Zhao looked at each other. Lei Zhao stood up as he picked up his phone, Lei Xiao Tong and Lei Zhao reading the message that had scared Yan Mei to death.
"Little kitty, I hope you like my gift~!"