Chapter 385: The Siant and the Serpent
Micah lowered his head, angling the brim of his cap to hide his face, keeping in character. The woman glanced around the cafe sharply, scanning each corner before finally stopping on him. She walked quickly, her messy black hair swinging. She stopped at Micah’s table, knocking her knuckles against the wooden surface. "Are you SugerFairy?"
Micah peeked at her, nodding.
The woman exhaled sharply and sank into the chair opposite him. She hunched slightly forward, studying Micah with scrutiny. "I’m SunshineSparkle." she paused as her gaze narrowed on his mask and cap. "Why are you hiding your face? Are you famous or something?"
Micah changed his voice to a girly one and spoke softly. "No. I’m just not an outgoing person."
"Seriously? After all that talk online... about a powerful family, about sending a lawyer’s letter, you can’t even look me in the eye?" she said, annoyed.
Micah shifted in his seat, feigning awkwardness. "It’s not me, but my family’s money and influence that could help you."
"Fine," Azalea Garnet said, arms crossing over her chest. "You know my name already. Probably more than that. What’s your deal?" She ran a hand through her messy dark hair. "I don’t have time to waste on a childish ruse."
"Why do you hate Leo?" he asked, keeping his tone low but steady. "Is he really... like what you say? Do you really have proof against him?"
"Why?" Azalea’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Do you want to destroy them? Helping your junk idol?"
"No...I just... You know I’m new to this... I was confused by the whole fiasco on the net. I only want to know the truth." Micah whispered.
Azalea’s expression softened slightly. She looked down at her hands for a long second before muttering. "I didn’t tell anyone. But I was also one of his victims."
"Really? Then why didn’t you at least leak it online before?"
Azalea’s jaw tightened. Her hand drifted upward, tugging at her sleeve. "Because of my ex-boyfriend. He had foolishly supported that son of a bitch for many years. I didn’t have the heart to..." Her voice trailed off, a bit shaky.
"Manager Hurt..." Micah whispered.
Azalea’s expression shifted. "What about him?"
Micah looked at how defensive the woman became the moment he talked about him. "Is he like the news says?"
"Of course not!" Azalea snapped. "He’s...he is gentle. Clumsy. Shy. You don’t understand...He was the one who saved me from that bastard’s clutch!" Her low growl filled the corner where they sat.
Micah tilted his head, blinking rapidly. "Huh?"
What the fuck was this woman saying? That rapist... a saviour?! Who? Were they even talking about the same person?
Azalea glanced at him, then looked down, her eyes turned distant, haunted. "I got nearly..." she stopped, swallowing hard, "once, after a fan meeting. I drank too much and wandered off, looking for a restroom. Then a hand shoved me to a utility room from behind, trying to..." she cut herself off, biting her lip until it turned white.
Micah curled his fingers into fists under the table. That piece of shit! He was one hundred per cent sure that it was that fucking manager. He should have kicked him right in his balls, making sure he could never get it up again in his life.
Azalea continued. "Well... if I hadn’t knocked over the mops by accident, it would’ve been worse. Denis, I mean Manager Hurt, found me a while later...." Her voice trembled. "I didn’t know who he was at that time. But I had a piece of fabric from the attacker’s clothes after struggling. Later, I saw Leo wearing a jacket with the same fabric..." She shook her head, like wanting to erase that image from her mind. "I was too shaken. Who would believe me if I said someone tried to assault me, and that someone was Leo, the star I used to stan? Nobody. So I just said I was too drunk and stumbled in there."
"Oh..." Micah’s eyes widened listening to her story. He had a bad feeling about it. "Then why didn’t you go to the authorities? Especially now that the manager Hurt is in prison?"
Azalea’s expression crumbled into frustration. "I tried. I was ready to clarify for him, pointing at the real culprit. But Denis refused. He said he didn’t want me to get involved. He worried about my reputation."
"Sounds like he really cared about you. Then why did you break up?" Micah asked.
"I couldn’t stand Leo... every time his name came up when I was with Denis... I hated it. So he suggested we separate. He is too selfless..." she sighed, her voice heavy with regret.
Micah looked at the silly woman in front of him with equal parts pity and incredulity. But still, he was puzzled about one thing.
"Why did you open up to me then?"
"Because...You threatened to charge me with defamation!" she snapped, her gaze defensive.
Micah nodded slowly. "Can I at least know where and when that happened? or see the fabric you had?"
For the first time, Azalea hesitated. She shifted awkwardly, her teeth sinking into her lip again. Finally, instead of answering, she threw the question back at him. "I am not just handing it over."
"How much do you want? What’s your term?" Micah fired back.
"Oh, so you are not that naive."
"I grew up in a family where everyone was fighting over inheritance. I am not that gullible. I just don’t like to talk to strangers."
"Alright, I get it. My condition is you have to release the manager Hurt," she said with an air of determination.
Micah felt his head throb. He shut his eyes for a moment, pressing his fingers lightly against his brow as if soothing a headache. Really? This woman was that far gone? That much brainwashed by him?
Micah glanced at her, eyes full of pity. But he lowered his gaze again. "After I verify your words, you can decide what you want. If you said it is true, my family would protect your privacy and your name. But let me make this clear...I don’t like to be played by others."
The woman stared at him for a long moment before she gave a small nod.
"My personal lawyer will contact you shortly," Micah said, voice low, devoid of any interest.
Azalea rose from her seat. "No problem. I’ll organise everything I remember," she said before grabbing her handbag and leaving the cafe. The bell above chimed faintly as her dark figure vanished into the street.
Left behind, Micah sighed loudly. He couldn’t imagine her reaction when she learned the truth, that the man she thought of as the saint was nothing but a pure evil rapist.