Chapter 5
"I want your report to be objective and factual," I told Ford.
"And I need you to help me reach out to a few people."
I handed him a list.
It was a list of former employees who had already left the company.
They were all veteran employees of the company, the ones Chris pushed out back then.
Ford looked at the list and smiled.
"Ms. Rhodes, you really... never cease to amaze me," he said. "I got it."
He stood up and offered me his hand.
"Pleasure doing business with you," he said.
"Pleasure doing business with you," I replied.
I watched Ford walk away, then lifted my cup and took a slow sip.
Chris, your first strike—I've deflected it.
Now, it's my turn to make a move.
Bright and early the next morning, Era Media Group dropped a bombshell report on its front page.
The headline screamed: "Exclusive expose: Who's Lying? The Truth Behind the Multi-Billion Dollar Public Company!"
Not a single word in the article was me defending myself.
The whole thing was loaded with nothing but cold, hard evidence from beginning to end.
There were records of Chris misappropriating company funds through suspicious transfers.
There were intimate photos of him with various women.
And there were in-depth interviews with the veteran employees Chris had pushed out.
They talked about how we all stuck together through thick and thin when the company was just starting out.
They also described how, after the company went public, Chris became power-hungry and started sidelining anyone who challenged him.
They also shared how I went out of my way, paying from my own pocket to make things right for those veteran employees who got pushed out.
The truth unraveled layer by layer, like peeling an onion.
Less than an hour after the article went live, public opinion did a complete 180.
The internet was like a giant magnifying glass.
Just yesterday, I was getting dragged through the mud online.
But today, waves of sympathy and support came pouring in.
Chris's dramatic accusation post had become a total joke.
The vibe in the comments section took a wild turn.
[Holy crap! What a plot twist! Turns out Chris is the real scumbag!]
[Using company money to buy cars and houses for his family? That's straight-up embezzlement! Time to call the police!]
[Poor Ms. Rhodes, she's been quietly giving so much, and still gets thrown under the bus.]
[Those interviews with the old employees made me cry. That's the real spirit of a true boss.]
[Rooting for Ms. Rhodes! Throw that jerk and his messed-up family in jail!]
Chris's PR team clearly hadn't expected me to be this well-prepared.
They tried to delete posts and control the comments.
But up against a media giant like Era Media Group, their efforts were powerless.
Ford, that sly old fox, turned this exclusive scoop into a full-blown internet frenzy.
He even set up a live stream.
He invited those veteran employees Chris had pushed out to tell their stories live.
In the live stream, a white-haired old tech guy sat in front of the camera, tears streaming down his face.
"Back when the company was out of cash, it was Ms. Rhodes who sold off everything her mom left her, just so we could get paid," he choked out.
"After the company went public, Chris started acting like us old-timers were holding him back, and kicked us out one after another.
"When we left, Ms. Rhodes secretly gave each of us a fat severance. She said, 'I can't let the people who built this place feel abandoned.'
"Chris isn't worthy of someone like Ms. Rhodes—not even close!" he finished.
The live stream viewership soared past ten million.
The comments were all cheering for me and roasting Chris.
Chris's reputation was utterly destroyed.
I glanced at the news on my phone, unfazed.
Just as I expected, everything was unfolding according to my plan.
Darell called again, and this time, he was practically buzzing with excitement.
"Hazel, that move was pure genius! Now all our partners are lining up to sign new deals with Origin Capital Partners. They say they trust you, and they believe in the future of the company," he said.
"And the stock price?" I asked.
"It's hit the daily limit for two days straight. Origin Capital Partners is absolutely raking it in," he replied.
"Good," I said.
"Oh, and there's one more thing," Darell said, sounding a bit off.
"Chris called you over a dozen times, but I didn't pick up. Then he came to my office," he added.
"Oh? What did he say?" I asked.
"He..." Darell paused. "He was crying his eyes out, saying he messed up and begging you to give him another shot. And he claimed the baby Tina's carrying isn't his."
I just stayed silent.
Not his?
Well, that's actually kind of amusing.
"He said Tina tricked him, too. He's begging you to see him, for old times' sake," Darell said.
"Do you think I should meet him?" I asked back.
Darell let out a couple of awkward laughs.
"Of course I don't think you should. But... honestly, he's looking pretty pitiful right now. Like a dog with nowhere to go," he said.
"Even a kicked dog can bite back," I replied. "Alright. Let him stew for a while."
After I hung up, I drifted into deep thought.
Is Chris actually being genuine with his plea?
Maybe there's a little sincerity in it.
But honestly, it's mostly just him putting on a show because he's got nowhere else to turn.
He's trying to tug at whatever pity I have left, hoping to scrape together a lifeline for himself.
As for the baby Tina's carrying...
If the baby really isn't his, then this circus just got even more entertaining.
I have no intention of seeing Chris.
At least not right now.
The real thrill in this cat-and-mouse game is savoring every moment.
I want him to know exactly how it feels to crash from the heights straight into the muck.
I want him to really feel what he's lost, and what he'll never get back.
My phone rang again.
This time, it was an unknown local number.
I picked up.
On the other end, a woman's voice came through, shaky and thick with tears.
"Is... is this Ms. Rhodes?" the woman's voice trembled.
"Speaking," I replied.
"My name is Pandora Pearson. I'm... I'm Tina's cousin," she said.
I arched an eyebrow.
"So, what do you want?" I asked.
"Ms. Rhodes, please, I'm begging you—give Tina a break! She really didn't have a choice," Pandora pleaded, her voice trembling.
"Oh?" I echoed, my tone cold.
"It was Chris! He pushed her into it. He promised her five million in cash if she pretended to be pregnant and made you file for divorce," Pandora cried.
"Now that everything's blown up, Chris is blaming everything on her and even pressing charges for extortion," she added desperately.
"Tina... Chris has her locked up right now, and he snatched her phone away. I managed to sneak out and call you," Pandora sobbed.
"Ms. Rhodes, I know Tina made mistakes, but she doesn't deserve to be ruined like this. Please, I'm begging you."
I listened quietly.
So this was just villains turning on each other—a classic dog-eat-dog mess.
A scheme that was planned down to the last detail.
Now the con artists were tearing each other apart.
"Where is she being held?" I asked.
Pandora gave me an address.
It was the apartment Chris had bought for Tina.
"Ms. Rhodes, are you going to help her?" Pandora asked, her voice trembling with hope.
I let out a cold, amused chuckle.
"Why should I even care about her?
"A woman who'd betray someone and tear apart a family just for money isn't worth a shred of pity.
"But then..." My voice suddenly softened, hinting at a change.