Chapter 169

Cordelia had eyes like a hawk, and she never forgot a single detail, be it something she yearned foror something she wished to forget. It was only last night, while horsing around with Merry, that sherealized how much fun they could have with their playful banter.

But it was in that fleeting moment that she’d memorized Merry’s body. That was why, the instantshe saw that photo, she instinctively saved it to her phone.

But if the girl in the photo wasn’t Merry, then who could it be?

Could it be doctored?

That was what she pondered as she followed Merry and her group, catching up and asking her,“Think hard, Merry. What were you doing when the picture was taken?”

Cordelia’s question was overheard by Yates, who was tagging along. His eyes widened in disbeliefat her words.

Wasn’t Cordelia just making things harder for Merry?

Sure enough, Merry’s eyes flickered with conflict and fear. She began to shake her head, about tospeak, when Cordelia pressed on, “What pose were you in when the picture was taken?”

Yates usually went along with whatever Cordelia said, rarely objecting. But at this moment, healmost couldn’t help himself. Cordelia was so headstrong, and she probably didn’t realize howpainful it could be for Merry to revisit such a painful memory.

However, before he could say anything, Merry seemed to snap out of her daze.

Her head shot up, the despondency vanishing as she exclaimed, “That’s not my photo.”

When she had been coerced into taking photos, she was crouching, never standing.

Cordelia nodded in acknowledgment.

Merry, confused, said, “But if it’s not mine, what’s going on with this photo? Is it Photoshopped? Butwhy would someone do that?”

She picked up her phone again, reopening the forum post.

The photo–sharing site had been taken down, but the internet was already in an uproar.

Most people were blasting the school for its lack of humanity, but a vocal minority began to toss outsnide remarks, “Just saw those pictures, number 3’s pretty hot.”

“Number 4’s got the bigger rack, shame no one knows who she is. Her friends and family must,though.”

“Pro here to judge the pics, they’re not shopped. Looks like the real deal, folks. Come claim them.”

Merry read these comments, stunned, “They’re saying it’s real, so what’s happening?”

Cordelia fell silent for a moment, “Right now, we can only wait for the police to give us their side ofthe story, and see what’s really going on.” She had faith in Skyler and felt that Skyler couldn’tpossibly leave such a loophole open. If only she had Skyler’s contact, she could call him directly.

Merry calmed down, the more she thought about it, the stranger it.

Chapter 16y seemed. She composed herself and said, “It’s not me. I didn’t take such a photo.”

The speculations online were just that, speculations. The people involved would never admit toanything.

Cordelia nodded, suggesting, “Maybe you should go home for today.”

But Merry shook her head, her gaze resolute, “Lia, you’re right. I haven’t done anything wrong. If Iwent home now, it’d look like I’m guilty. I can’t be that weak, and I need to face this head–on.”

After finishing her statement, Cordelia looked at her hesitantly, asking convinced, “Are you sure youcan handle it?”

Merry nodded firmly.

Cordelia tried to comfort her again, “You don’t have to force yourself.”

Not everyone was like her, indifferent and aloof, unbothered by societal norms. She understood thiscrowd’s pursuit of reputation and recognition.

Merry shook her head and continued towards the classroom.

Her phone chimed. It was a message from Bland, “Whatever happens, remember, I am with you.”

It was a message from her guiding light.

Right. How could she have ever considered giving up? With such a perfect friend like Lia, and heridol, how could she bear to leave them? Bland’s words filled her with courage.

She put away her phone and entered the classroom.

The post had been deleted as soon as it was up, which only fueled the discussions. Merry enteredthe classroom.

Just as she entered, someone looked at her.

Their whispers found their way to Merry.

Daniel, the class president, seemed afraid to look directly at the look and inquired, “Merry, are youokay?

Merry said, “I’m fine.”

After she said that, she looked fixedly at everyone in the classroom as she slowly opened hermouth, “That picture wasn’t of me. I didn’t take that kind of picture. Everyone doesn’t need to thinktoo much.”

After saying that, she sat directly on her seat.

The class whispered again.

Meanwhile, in Midnight Scent.

After Skyler rushed in and saw the post, he was instantly a bit angry, “Boss, this is too much. Theyare simply insulting my hacking skills. With me around, these pictures can’t even be circulated. Ihave already found them on the internet and deleted them. Those photos that are being releasednow are partly from downloading images from the internet, and only one of these photos is real.”

Everard looked at him coolly, “But this matter has spread out, and it has had a very bad influenceon Cordelia’s girlfriend. What are you going to do about this?”

Skyler heard Everard’s dissatisfaction with these words, he stared up and suddenly opened hismouth, “Boss, don’t worry, and I have a solution.”

People from other classes flocked during breaks to sneak a peek at Merry in high school junior yearsection one.

“She’s got a nice figure, huh?”

*Chapter 169 “Such a shame. Even though it’s not her fault, it’s heartbreaking to see her like this.”

“If I were her, I don’t know how I’d go on. Anyone would struggle to cope with something like this.”

“Let’s keep it down. It’s just too sad.”

As these murmurs reached Merry, she clenched her jaw.

During the big recess, everyone went to the field for exercises. Junior year sections one and twowere adjacent, and Leila, seeing Merry, offered words of comfort, “Merry, don’t worry. No one hereis going to gossip about you. You’re the victim in all this. Look, even if those photos got leaked, it’snot your fault, Merry. You’ve got to keep your spirits up. No one here is looking down on you.”

When Leila said this, there was a mocking glint in her eyes.

Merry caught the look and knew Leila was just spouting lip service. She finally spoke up, “The girlyou see in those photos isn’t me.”

Leila let out a sigh, “Merry, you don’t have to…”

Her words trailed off as a sudden commotion erupted from the stage up ahead.