Not even half an hour later, Gracielle arrived together with Elena. Along the way, she made a draft of Cayenne's response to the possible questions relevant to Diana's case. She knew that this issue would leave a big impact on Stefan's business and Cayenne's foundation, and it was her job to make sure that the effect wouldn't be negative.
"Good morning, Miss Yen," Gracielle greeted as soon as she stepped inside the mansion and saw Cayenne sitting on the couch with her little princess sitting on her lap.
Cayenne looked up and saw the beautiful middle-aged woman who had been working for Stefan since the establishment of his company. She smiled and returned the greeting before calling the nanny to take Jahzara back to the play area where her brothers stayed.
"Let's go to the study room," Cayenne said and led the two women upstairs. "Can I check your drafted response before the interview starts?"
"Of course, Miss Yen," Gracielle responded and handed the folder that she was holding since she came inside. "I made them on the way here."
Before Gracielle could say anything in response, Cayenne had already opened the door to the study room. Stefan was busy working when they came inside, so Cayenne didn't disturb him and just went on with her plan. On the other hand, Elena did her work on the side while waiting for Gracielle to finish her job.
Cayenne turned on her laptop and logged in to her Zoom ID for the online interview. A few minutes later, one after another, the reporters came into her meeting room, but she had turned off her microphone and camera, so they didn't know what she was chatting with Gracielle.
When it was time for the interview to start, Cayenne turned on her camera and microphone to converse with the reporters. Tristan briefed them ahead of time on the rules during the interview and to make sure that they would get as much information as they could, the reporters tacitly agreed to follow the order.
They won't lose anything by following the rules, but they would lose a lot if they won't.
Gracielle spoke first to formally start the interview before giving the floor to Cayenne. Meanwhile, although he was busy with his work, Stefan kept his ears open regarding the interview and had been stealing glances at his wife to see how she was doing.
[So far, she seemed okay.] He told himself while typing something on his computer. [What should I do to make her feel better later?]
He knew that no matter how brave his wife acted in front of everyone, she was still affected by the turn of events. He wanted to cheer her up.
Amidst his worry for Cayenne, the interview began, and the first question was already troublesome.
"Are you not aware of the financial crisis that the Rule family was facing despite your husband being involved in the business world?" asked the first reporter while eyeing Cayenne directly through the camera.
"No," Cayenne answered briefly and honestly. "I had no idea of any issues regarding them."
The reporter waited for Cayenne to say more, hoping that she would make a long statement and trip on her words, but she knew that her words would be used against her, so she kept her answers short.
Reporter X: "It was rumored that you never treated them as family which was the reason why you never paid attention to them and refused to help them. Is it true and can you tell us why?"
"It's true. Some of you may have forgotten the incident that almost cost me my life and my marriage, but my husband and I haven't," Cayenne answered which silenced the reporters. "I have never known of the Rule family. I grew up with no recollection of this family. All of a sudden, they came into my life and claimed to be my mother's relatives.
Through DNA test, it was proven that we are indeed related by blood. However, they didn't look for us to start over and recognize us to be part of their family. They were looking for me to take out my heart and use it. Worse, they manipulated me and wanted to marry me off to someone else. Now tell me, why would I treat them as my family?"
Reporter Z: "Then, why are you not going against the Sy family when they worked together to manipulate you? Why take it against the Rule family alone when Ms. Diana Rule claimed to help you escape from the clutches of your grandfather?"
"The Sy family didn't collude with them. While the Rule family tried to brainwash me, Seiji Sy had been telling me about my husband, my brothers and the life I had forgotten. He was there to help me. As for Diana Rule who claimed to help me, I have returned the favor already and she knew – her family knew that."
Reporter D: "So, is it safe to say that you are claiming to have nothing to do with your cousin's suicide?"
"I'll bravely say yes, I don't. It's her choice, not mine. I have done what she asked me to do – to stay out of her way, her sight, her life. The investigation will prove my innocence."
Reporter G: "Why are you helping strangers but not your blood-related cousin?"
Cayenne knew that this question would come up, but she was not afraid to answer it. "Strangers gave me money. Their support and love help me earn. Is it wrong for me to help the people who had been helping me?"
The reporters felt that the interview was boring. They didn't get anything to use against Cayenne to hype the issue and make more money out of her. She was straight as an arrow when it comes to answering the questions and she wasn't afraid of saying her answers.
"Then, now that the situation had come to this, would you still refuse to help them? You can treat them as strangers and help them like how you help others," said one of the reporters when it was almost time to end the interview.
Without a moment of hesitation, Cayenne answered, "No, I won't. I don't have the money to help them pay their debt."
"What about your husband?" retorted the reporter, which made the others smile. "Your husband surely has the means to help them."
"Will you help the person who kidnaps your wife, husband or your children?" The reporters immediately shut their mouths and erased the smiles off their faces. "If you can't do it, don't ask others to do so."