Araceli POV
"Mr. Lancaster, I went back to Eclipse this evening."
I put down my glass of water and continued, "I've wondered before why Ramon would suddenly find me after five years. And without hesitation, he was about to fight me for custody of my children. I only found out today that it was Melany who told Ramon all about me."
Raphael frowned slightly.
"Melany? How did she know Ramon?"
My eyes slowly turned cold.
Five years ago, my life was ruined by Ramon. And the person behind all this was Melany.
They had known each other for a long time.
However, it was five years ago. I didn't want to bring it up again.
I calmly said, "Mr. Lancaster, I am trying to tell you that if Melany wants to hurt me and ruin my life now, I will also fight back. I want you to stay out of what's going on between the two of us."
Raphael frowned and his eyes were cold, as if he wanted to devour me. I couldn't help but shiver.
"What do you mean?"
I took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Lancaster, I know you and Eclipse are very close. You and Melany..."
I paused, with a hint of sarcasm. "I've heard it said that you're engaged to Melany. If Melany is your fiancée, I think you'll help her."
Raphael's expression turned fiercely cold.
He tapped his fingers against the car and said, word for word, "Who told you that Melany was my fiancée?"
I pursed my lips.
I didn't actually want to ask what Melany's relationship with Raphael was, but I don't know why, I've always been curious about it.
So what if Melany was Raphael's fiancée? I wouldn't be afraid of Melany for that reason at all.
"Ms. Chancey, she's not my fiancée."
Raphael said coldly.
Hearing this answer, my tense body somehow relaxed a lot.
I smiled, "Okay. Mr. Lancaster. I'm fine now. I can drive back myself."
Raphael stared at my cheek for a few seconds and turned around and headed for the driver's seat.
"Get in. I'll drive you and the kids back."
I watched as he opened the door without hesitation, got in the car, and put on his seat belt.
There was an unquestionable tone in his voice. I sighed slightly and got in the passenger seat.
The car drove towards my house. On the way, we didn't speak again.
...
It was slightly dawn. I was awakened by the ringing of my cell phone.
I closed my eyes and felt under my pillow. I took the phone out and pressed the answer button a few times before I got to it.
"Araceli, are you still sleeping?"
Reynaldo's slightly anxious voice came over the phone.
I rubbed my hair and said in a hoarse voice, "It's only a little after six. Of course I'm sleeping!"
"Something's wrong!" Reynaldo raised his voice. "I saw the news about you online! How many times a month are you on trending topics? Araceli, to be honest, I think you could be a starlet. My company has invested in the entertainment industry..."
"Shut up."
My brain hurt from all the noise he was making.
I lifted the covers, sat up, and said calmly, "Gotta go."
I hung up the phone and opened Twitter, and before I could search for my own name, I saw a constant stream of news boxes popping up.
"New York's rich girl, Araceli Chancey gave birth to two kids five years ago!"
"Araceli Chancey's two children are fathered by the Fleming Group's chairman, Ramon Fleming!"
"What did Araceli Chancey do all those years ago?"
I clutched my phone tightly.
The only person who would reveal this information was Melany.
I took a breath and tapped on the news.
"Ramon Fleming and Araceli Chancey are in litigation over the custody of their children. The two are at odds over child custody..."
There were tens of thousands of comments below this story.
"Shit, Araceli actually has two kids already?"
"Araceli was caught on camera having a one-night stand with a man five years ago! There's nothing strange about her having two kids. Isn't Ramon known to be a good husband and father? He cheated on his wife five years ago! And that bitch turned out to be Araceli!"
"The Fleming Group's stock is going to plummet! Dudes, sell your shares! Immediately!"
I scrolled through the comments of the netizens.
Ramon started his business at a young age and was a famous entrepreneur. He had been interviewed a lot, so he was much more famous than I was.
The revelation obviously had a bigger impact on Ramon.
Outside the window, the sky was dusky. The faint light of dawn could not break through the lowest level of gloom.
I stared at it all in silence.
I knew that if I didn't get this out of the way in time, the two kids, especially Krish, would soon find out.
The internet was now focused on Ramon. After that, countless entertainment reporters would likely find Krish and Valeria...
I got up and walked to the toilet. As I washed up, I was thinking of a response in my mind.
After washing my face, I sat on the balcony, sipped my coffee, and dialed a phone number.
The phone rang several times before it was answered.
"Mr. Fleming, good morning."
At the sound of my voice, Ramon burst into a rage.
"Araceli, you bitch! It's you! You're the one who exposed this, aren't you? You are insane! You went so far as to expose your two children to get back at me! You don't deserve to be their mother! They will be approached by the press. Don't think you can get off easy! Even if I die, I will drag you to hell!"
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Mr. Fleming, do you think I'm the one who exposed this matter?"
"Are you fucking kidding me? Who else would it be but you?"
Ramon's every word was wrapped in a deep sense of anger.
The Fleming Group's stock price had dropped 30% since the story was broken in the media. In just two or three hours, his group had inexplicably lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The situation was now out of control and he could do nothing but watch it get worse and worse.
I took a sip of coffee and calmly said, "Mr. Fleming, the Fleming family has a reputation in New York. After the matter comes to light, your family will surely force me to take my children back. When the time comes, the Fleming family will put pressure on me and it will be very troublesome for me. There is no way I can expose this. Do you think I'm that stupid to ask for trouble?"
He didn't say anything.
I continued, "Besides, if I wanted to expose this, I would have done it five years ago. Mr. Fleming, I can help you take care of this for the sake of you being the father of my children, but..."