Ex husband's Plea for Forgiveness

When the next press conference was called for, Melinda put all her chips on the line like a seasoned gambler sure of her victory. Husband and wife appeared together as they took their seats.

"Let me make the introductions," Jonas started. "Everyone, this is my wife, Melinda."

"Hello, everyone." Melinda smiled warmly at the crowd. They laid their linked hands on the table, and the diamond ring on her left finger caught the raging flashes of the camera.

The conference commenced.

"I know there have been various speculations on the internet about my relationship with Miss Emily Bai," Jonas said.

The room quieted. He had decided to take the bull by the horns, and didn’t wait for the press to ask their questions before diving right into the issue.

"I will clarify this for you for the last time. Miss Bai and I were playmates in childhood. The love of my life is right here beside me." He turned to look at Melinda, and the cameras went wild again.

"I will not stand for my wife getting slandered and maligned by strangers who know nothing about our lives and only have too much time on their hands.

If the ugly rumors do not stop after this, I will not hesitate to use legal means to give pursuit to the defamers."

The authority in Jonas's voice sent a chill to everyone who listened. There was no mistaking the man’s serious attitude regarding attacks against his wife.

The members of the press twittered among themselves, and then suddenly a murmur of praises for the couple circled around.

After such a revelation, only fools would still think that the rumors were true, let alone think of spreading it even further. They knew all too well their careers would be over if they crossed the Gu family.

However, nobody knew of the "fake" members of the press that Emily’s team had planted in the conference. Their only purpose for being in attendance was to sow conflict and doubt, and reaffirm the rumors between Emily and Jonas.

And one of them was now raising his hand to pose his question. "Mr. Gu, this is your second press conference. All this time, we’ve only ever heard from you. Miss Bai has yet to tell her side of the story.

Why do you seem so eager to put a stop to the inquiries before she could do so? Are there perhaps secrets that you are anxious might leak into the public?"

Before anyone could even react to that, another of Emily’s cahoots shot a question. "There have also been talks that you and your wife didn’t actually get along well for many years. And this is the first time that you appeared together and acknowledged her in public.

One can’t help but think it’s a little bit staged. Aren’t you just forcing yourselves to display your so-called affections to the media?"

"Forced?" It was Melinda, and her sudden interjection obviously took the press aback. "Do you really think Jonas is the kind of person who would settle down when he is being pressured to do something he doesn’t want?"

Beside her, Jonas was quiet, and his face bore no emotion. But his grip tightened around his wife’s hand.

Melinda gave him a little nudge, and he turned to look at her. When he did, the cold wall melted, and his face took on a gentle and warm expression.

smiled down at his wife, and when he looked ahead to address the press once more, his tone was much calmer. "I believe Miss Bai will explain it all very clearly

at that moment, Emily was cooped up in their agency with her assistant. Her team had come up with a plan to use the rumor mill to take

a statement to the press, and instead would milk the hype for all that it was worth. Publicity was publicity, no matter

was going to cause the agency problems. "Some of the fans and netizens are now in favor of

to make a press release and devise a script that

actress only nodded in assent. She had no qualms in taking such a drastic step. Before she could get excited over the impending publicity, however,

with pleasantries, and his tone was curt and authoritative. "Deal with the media immediately." She gripped her phone tightly and bit her lower lip. She could feel herself shaking a little, her emotions a mix of anger and humiliation. "I

dumb with me. I know you know exactly what I mean." Emily scrambled for an excuse. Jonas had yet to threaten her, but she could already feel the heavy

anything yet because I’ve been

like you have too many projects in your hands. Perhaps I should take some of it off,

threat was that he was going to

no longer believed anything she said, and Emily doubted that she could still persuade him if

she bit out her

A piece of advice, Emily: you’d better make your explanations clear and precise, and soon, too. Otherwise, there’s no telling what other things the media could dig up. They might even find out you’re not as perfect as

breath hitched at his last sentence. She really couldn’t trifle

to not only take away her current projects, but keep her out of the entertainment industry

eyes in defeat, and took a deep breath. She had to bite the bullet. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Jonas. I never

were exchanged after that; he had hung up the phone. Emily paced back and

and all her favorable options flew out the window. Whatever might happen in the future, her only

refuted the rumors. She made sure to mention that she had

and at the same time apologized for her fans for their cyber-attacks

stood then, she could not afford to lose any amount of support; she had to make sure she didn’t offend anyone any further,

countless times. Pretty soon, netizens on various online forums were apologizing

Melinda and Jonas. And thus, the crisis passed smoothly. More or less. Emily’s agency was angered by her Weibo video. They had

Emily screamed at them when the management called for her. "If I didn’t make that damn

tension that had

I need to get back to my shoot. I advise

added to the publicity of the rumors. She had

her connections with Jonas would probably have a big impact on her popularity afterwards, but she

to the set, calculating the possibilities. It was dark by the time

the same project, only he was represented

the opportunity she was looking for. If she was linked romantically with this guy, she knew she would have better chances at maintaining her popularity, perhaps

distress. "I guess I caught a cold, but I’m fine. Thank you for your concern." She gave him a coy

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