Chapter 61
‘The favored ones always seem to get away with everything,’ Stella thought.
He was sure he had her trapped. They’d had a child together, and she still had feelings for him. That was why he treated her with such reckless abandon.
Suddenly, Haynes’ phone buzzed in his pocket. It was his assistant, Benson, on the line. “Mr. O’Brien, we’ve got a problem!”
Haynes furrowed his brow. “What got you so worked up?”
“There’s a flood of videos online that are bad for Ms. Pearce. We can’t seem to suppress them…”
Haynes’ voice turned icy, “Didn’t I instruct you to lock down all information from the press conference, including videos and live streams?”
Benson’s voice quivered. “The on-site info is locked down tight. Nothing’s getting out. But the source of these videos is not from the press conference.”
Haynes snapped, “Then where are they from?”
“The videos are playing on every digital billboard across the city. There’s no way to pull them down quickly.” Benson’s voice almost broke, “And it’s not just Ms. Pearce in the videos. Mr. O’Brien, you’re in them, too.”
Benson couldn’t bring himself to tell Haynes that the videos were everywhere, not just on billboards but also in subways, buses, and elevators. The city was in chaos.
While a press conference could have gone viral online, reaching those always plugged in, these billboards differed. Everyone from the older folks walking their dogs to kids on their way to school could see them. It was a no-holds-barred assault.
Stella had outdone herself this time!
Haynes fixed Stella with a piercing gaze. “Did you do this?”
Stella didn’t flinch. “Yes, I did.”
Sharp as ever, Haynes quickly realized Stella’s strategy. “So, our little chat was just a way to buy time?”
“Exactly,” Stella said calmly. “In Neo-Vespera, you’re untouchable, Mr. O’Brien. I had to be well-prepared. These measures would have been unnecessary if you didn’t show up or tried to stop me.”
Once Haynes arrived, Stella knew the press conference wouldn’t happen. So, she discreetly messaged Neville and kept Haynes distracted, giving him no chance to intervene. When he got wind of things, it was too late to contain the fallout.
No sooner had Benson hung up than Haynes’ phone rang again. This time, it was Jasper.
“Haynie, it’s bad! Rachel left home and got caught up with a mob. She’s been hurt and taken to the hospital!”
Haynes’ expression darkened, “How’s she doing?”
“Physically, she’s stable. But somehow, the press got wind of her being in the hospital, and they surrounded the place. Rachel’s upset. Haynie, you need to get here now!”
Haynes paused for a few seconds, then said, “I’m on my way.”
After ending the call, Haynes turned a frigid gaze on Stella. “Stella, you’re ruthless.”
Stella only smiled. “When dealing with scum, there’s no need to hold back.”