Ghost Exorciser: Is Loved By All
Chapter 643: Manipulation

Chapter 643: Chapter 643: Manipulation

Meanwhile, in her lavish mansion, Yu Mei sat fuming as she refreshed her social media feed. The positive comments for Holea and the backlash against herself were relentless.

"Yu Mei’s fake act isn’t fooling anyone anymore."

"She’s just a step-sister trying to hog the spotlight. Sad!"

Her carefully constructed image was crumbling, and she could feel her grip on public opinion slipping away.

"Damn it!" Yu Mei muttered, slamming her phone onto the table. She grabbed her glass of wine, but the taste felt bitter now.

A soft knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Come in," she said sharply.

Young Master Bai entered, his expression hesitant. "Mei-Mei, I came to check on you. Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she snapped, her tone venomous.

Bai flinched but quickly recovered. "Don’t worry, Mei-Mei. I’ll find a way to fix this. We can hire more people to turn the narrative back in your favor."

Mei shook her head, her lips curling into a sneer. "That won’t work this time. Holea’s image is too strong now, thanks to Sicong’s livestream. We need something bigger—something that will completely destroy her credibility."

Bai hesitated. "But... what could we do?"

Mei’s eyes narrowed as she picked up her phone. A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

"You don’t need to do anything for now. I already have a plan."

Yu Holea heard Yu Mei’s plan and for a moment she was speechless.

Ah...If Yu Mei wants to dig her grave, she can only wish her good luck.

This time Yu Holea decided to ignore Yu Mei. She expected something grand from Yu Mei, however, the plan that Yu Mei came up with this time made her feel as if she was overestimating Yu Mei.

......................

The receptionist at Qiao Corporation glanced nervously at the striking woman standing in front of her desk.

Yu Mei’s perfect smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but it was still dazzling enough to make anyone uneasy.

"I need you to tell your CEO that Yu Holea is here to see him," Yu Mei said sweetly, but her tone left no room for argument.

The receptionist hesitated. "Ms. Yu Holea? Are you sure?"

Yu Mei’s smile tightened. "Yes, I’m sure. Now, do it."

The receptionist nodded quickly, picking up the phone and dialing the number to the CEO’s secretary.

..................

Upstairs, in a sleek, intimidating conference room, Qiao Heng sat at the head of the table. His sharp eyes scanned the room, and his stern expression was enough to make every executive squirm.

"This is what you call a performance review?" he snapped, his deep voice cutting through the tense silence.

"You’re wasting time, resources, and my patience! If you can’t meet these deadlines, why are you even here?"

No one dared to respond.

Just then, Qiao Heng’s secretary, Mr. Lin, stepped into the room. He moved cautiously, sensing his boss’s foul mood.

"Mr. Qiao," he said softly, leaning close to Qiao Heng’s ear, "there’s a call from the reception desk. They say Yu Holea is here to see you."

Qiao Heng froze. For a moment, the storm cloud on his face lifted.

"Yu Holea?" he repeated, his voice quieter now. His piercing gaze softened, and the corner of his mouth twitched upward, almost into a smile.

"Yes, sir," Mr. Lin confirmed.

Qiao Heng straightened in his chair, his cold demeanor shifting into something lighter.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he said briskly. "Call her up."

Mr. Lin nodded and stepped out of the room to relay the instructions.

Qiao Heng turned back to the room, addressing the executives with one final remark.

"Meeting adjourned," he said curtly, standing up. "We’ll continue this discussion later."

He didn’t wait for anyone to respond before leaving the room.

In his private office, Qiao Heng paced briefly, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit.

He hadn’t seen Yu Holea for a few weeks now, not since she stopped visiting the Qiao Mansion after his son foolishly ended their engagement.

To Qiao Heng, Yu Holea was like a daughter—smart, poised, and someone he’d always admired.

He never blamed her for staying away; his son was to blame for the mess.

But hearing her name now brought a wave of warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time.

When there was a soft knock on the door, Qiao Heng took a deep breath.

"Come in," he called, his voice steady.

But when the door opened, and Yu Mei stepped in, his expression froze. The warmth in his eyes turned cold in an instant.

Qiao Heng’s sharp eyes narrowed the moment Yu Mei stepped into his office. His initial warmth vanished like a flame snuffed out by a cold wind.

"Miss Yu," he said icily, his voice low and commanding. "You have no business here. Leave immediately, or I’ll call security to escort you out."

Yu Mei didn’t flinch. Instead, she shut the door behind her and faced him with a calm expression, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Mr. Qiao," she said smoothly, "I believe you’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s about Yu Holea."

Qiao Heng’s eyes darkened at the mention of Holea’s name.

"I have no time for your nonsense," he snapped, pointing to the door. "Out!"

Yu Mei didn’t budge. Her calmness unnerved him, especially when she said, "If you don’t let me speak, I’ll tell Yu Holea the truth about her father."

Qiao Heng’s entire body stiffened, and his piercing glare turned even colder.

"What did you just say?" he growled, his voice dangerously low.

Yu Mei’s smile returned, faint and smug. "You heard me. If you don’t want her to know, you’d better let me talk."

There was a long silence. Qiao Heng’s jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. Finally, he stepped back and motioned to the chair across from his desk.

"Speak," he said through gritted teeth.

Yu Mei strode into the room confidently and sat down. She crossed her legs elegantly, as though she wasn’t standing on thin ice.

"Mr. Qiao, I’ve always respected your family," she began with a serious tone, "which is why I think it’s only fair to tell you the truth about Yu Holea."

Qiao Heng leaned against his desk, his arms crossed, his expression cold and unreadable. "Get to the point."

Yu Mei’s expression darkened, her voice lowering as if she were sharing a terrible secret.

"Yu Holea isn’t the person you think she is," she said.

"She’s a gold digger. Always has been. She only got close to your family for your money and power.

Do you really think she rescued Cai Bao out of the goodness of her heart? That was all part of her plan."

Qiao Heng’s sharp eyes flickered with anger, but he said nothing.

Yu Mei leaned forward, her tone more insistent.

"She’s been scheming from the very beginning. I heard rumors—" she paused for effect, "—that she was actually the mastermind behind Cai Bao’s kidnapping."

That accusation made Qiao Heng’s hand clench into a fist, the veins on his arm visible.

"Watch your words," he warned, his voice dangerously low.

"I know it’s hard to believe," Yu Mei said quickly, pretending to look concerned.

"But it makes sense if you think about it. Cai Bao’s rescue conveniently made Holea look like a hero. What better way to secure a place in your family?"

Qiao Heng glared at her, his patience wearing thin. "Do you have proof, or are you just here to spread lies?"

Yu Mei hesitated for a brief moment but then shook her head. "I don’t have solid proof," she admitted, "but you should investigate. You’ll see the truth for yourself."

When Qiao Heng didn’t respond, Yu Mei leaned back in her chair and sighed dramatically.

"And that’s not all," she added, her voice dripping with false pity.

"Yu Holea has... other affairs. I’ve heard whispers about her being involved with multiple men at once. She plays the innocent card well, but trust me, she’s far from it."

The silence in the room was heavy. Qiao Heng stared at Yu Mei with a look so cold it could freeze fire.

Finally, he straightened up, his voice like steel. "Are you finished?"

Yu Mei blinked, surprised by his calmness. "Yes, I’ve told you everything I came to say."

Qiao Heng walked to the door and opened it, his meaning clear. "Then get out."

Yu Mei frowned, clearly displeased. "Mr. Qiao, I only told you this because I care—"

"Out," Qiao Heng interrupted, his voice cutting through her words like a blade.

"So you won’t believe me?" Yu Mei asked in a calm voice.

"Believe you?" Qiao Heng said coldly, his tone cutting like a blade.

"Why should I believe a single word from someone like you? You’ve proven time and again that you’ll do anything to ruin Yu Holea. Your jealousy blinds you, and your lies are as pathetic as your schemes."

Yu Mei’s calm expression faltered for just a second, but she quickly composed herself.

She met his harsh gaze with a steady one of her own, her lips curling into a faint smile.

"Mr. Qiao," she said softly, almost too gently.

"You’re a smart man. Surely you know that I wouldn’t risk coming here without a good reason."