CHAPTER 166
Arianna didn’t need to search far. As soon as she opened GossipNet, her name was all over the trending headlines.
She skimmed through the articles and pieced together the situation.
The uproar stemmed from an interview Simon and Margaret had given that morning. They had used the opportunity to make several serious allegations against her.
The first accusation was that Arianna had met a wealthy man through her parents and secretly married him. Despite enjoying the luxury and status that came with the marriage, she allegedly refused to support her parents, abandoning them completely.
The second claim was even more damning: not only had Arianna abandoned her parents, but she had also forcibly taken Charlie away from them. The supposed reason? To leave her parents lonely, childless, and without anyone to care for them in their old age, ensuring they would have no one by their side when they passed away.
The third allegation targeted her personal life, painting a picture of scandal and betrayal. According to them, Arianna had led a promiscuous life even before marriage.
After tying the knot, she was accused of squandering her husband’s wealth while engaging in numerous affairs. Despite their attempts to guide her back to the right path, Arianna had allegedly cut ties with her parents. They claimed they were now coming forward, prioritizing justice over family loyalty, to expose her true nature and prevent her from continuing down a destructive path.
Fourth, they expressed a desire for Arianna to come to her senses, publicly acknowledge her mistakes, and fulfill her duty to support them in the future. They also demanded that she return custody of Charlie. If she complied, they promised that the door to the Johnon home would always be open to her.
After reading those words, Arianna was overcome with rage, trembling so violently that she nearly dropped her phone.
She had thought they had already hit rock bottom the last time they tormented her, but she had clearly underestimated them.
People like them had no sense of decency or morality!
Arianna began to seriously question whether they were truly her parents.
Even though Arianna had always known her parents to be greedy, their behavior had typically been limited to constantly asking her for money. But that day, it was clear they wanted to ruin her completely.
She had come to terms with the fact that they didn’t love her or Charlie, but how could they twist the truth so viciously and be so heartless?
Arianna was not just furious—she was deeply saddened as well.
Just then, a beep signaled the door unlocking, and Rochelle walked in, not even bothering to change out of her high heels. When she saw Arianna safe and sound, she finally exhaled a sigh of relief.
Rochelle kicked off her heels, sat down on the sofa, and noticed the phone in Arianna's hand. Without a word, she opened her arms and pulled Arianna into a tight embrace.
Arianna closed her eyes and allowed herself to be held, finding comfort in the silent support.
Rochelle gently patted Arianna’s back, her normally harsh and indifferent voice softened to a soothing tone. “It’s alright. I’m here with you.”
Arianna sniffled for a few minutes. As her emotions settled, she straightened up and said, “You’re the best, Rochelle.”
Rochelle tossed her hair back with a touch of her usual flair and responded, “Of course!”
She then grabbed a wet tissue from the table and gently wiped Arianna’s cheeks. After that, she went to the kitchen, poured a glass of warm water, and brought it over. “Here, drink this.”
Arianna took the glass and sipped the water slowly. Once she had calmed down completely, the sadness in her eyes was replaced by a renewed sense of composure.
Arianna knew she had to face the situation head-on.
She picked up her phone and called the nurse to check on the hospital’s situation.
The nurse, sounding stressed, replied, “It’s not looking great, Ms. Johnson. Although security has managed to drive most of the reporters away, it seems like a few are still slipping through. They keep sneaking in and knocking on the door. Every knock startles me because I’m worried they might get desperate and break in.”
Arianna had suspected that this might be the case.
With the news going viral, Arianna knew reporters would be relentless, trying to get every possible angle for publicity. She also suspected that her parents were behind many of the reporters, hoping to create sensational stories with fabricated details and incriminating photos.
“Lock the door,” Arianna instructed. “If they try to break in, call the police. I’ll sort this out as quickly as I can. We can’t let them disrupt Charlie’s life!”
“I understand,” the nurse replied.
After ending the call, Arianna’s anger intensified. It was one thing for her parents to attack her, but involving Charlie crossed a line that she could not tolerate.
Her parents had already put Charlie’s life in jeopardy not long ago, and now they were targeting him once more while he remained unconscious.
Arianna clenched her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. She picked up her cell phone and prepared to check the latest updates on GossipNet.
