"Bang!"

Jace Bo's anger was uncontrollable when he saw the trending topic. In a fit of rage, he threw a glass ashtray which shattered, making Cai Ying tremble with fear.

Through gritted teeth, Jace Bo cursed, “Han Xingyan! You've really crossed the line this time, playing this move. Just you wait!”

“What do we do now?” Cai Ying was overwhelmed with anxiety. “This is a disaster. We mustn't admit anything. If we do, it'll be the end of me. Find some online trolls quickly and spread the word that the recording is fake and it's all just malicious gossip. Go, now!”

A hint of ferocity flashed in Jace Bo's eyes, “Would you just shut up? Your noise is unbearable!”

Cai Ying recoiled, holding his hand, looking at him incredulously, “You...”

Jace Bo tried to appease her quickly, “I'm sorry. I'm just so stressed. I lost control. I'll head to the company to sort this out.”

As he dressed and headed to the company, the initial burst of anger faded, replaced by a creeping dread.

The last time he had an affair with Sang Yu was exposed before it went too far, because Sang Yu was a tough one to get close to. He managed to pin the blame on her, saying she tried to seduce him for better resources from his company. His wife, a woman he had come to see as a nagging presence, had reprimanded him but hadn't left him.

But she had made it clear: If it happened again, it would be more than just a divorce. She would ensure he paid a price he couldn't afford.

Remembering his wife Dai Yingmei's stern warning made Jace Bo's heart tighten. If she found out about this, there's no telling what she might do.

Rushing into his office, he temporarily set aside his worries and called the head of the marketing department.

“Have all our platforms send out the message that the recording is doctored and fake,” Jace Bo ordered. “If we can't suppress this, buy trolls, purchase influence from other platforms. Make this out to be a malicious attack with baseless rumors!”

The marketing head hesitated, “Sir, if the recording is genuine, and we forcefully deny it, experts will expose the truth. It could make matters worse.”

“That's why you need to push harder, spend whatever it takes, get as many trolls as necessary to control the narrative,” Jace Bo snapped. “Do you not understand? If everyone says it's false, even if it's true, it will be seen as false!”

Just like his affair with Sang Yu, he had directed the internet outrage against her, painting her as the seductress and himself as a man who momentarily lost his way.

The head of marketing pursed his lips, “Understood, I'll handle it.”

As he was leaving, Jace Bo added, “And get our legal team to send cease and desist letters to the most influential online personalities. Accuse them of defamation and tarnishing both my and the company's reputation.”

If he vehemently denied everything and then publicized the legal threats, the easily swayed netizens would see him as the real victim.

Just as the marketing head was about to leave, a robust woman stormed in.

“Jace Bo, you ungrateful wretch!” Dai Yingmei, wearing high heels, pushed aside the marketing head and, with a loud "smack!", slapped Jace Bo hard.

Dai Yingmei, being a strong woman, didn't hold back. A clear handprint formed on Jace Bo's face, and the diamond ring she wore left a scratch that started to bleed.

“You ingrate, you've forgotten who made you! Who turned you from a pauper into the powerful Jace Bo? Without me, where would you be now?” Dai Yingmei shouted, preparing to slap him again.

Jace Bo licked the corner of his mouth, holding her hand, trying to sound soothing, “Honey, please listen. It's not what you think...”

Dai Yingmei pulled her hand away, interrupting his excuse, “Then what is it? Another vixen seduced you? Did you think I'm a fool? The only reason I let you off the last time was because of our history together. But didn't I warn you? I won't tolerate this happening again.”

Just now, Dai Yingmei stormed in and immediately slapped Jia Sibo across the face. The head of the marketing department, who was at the doorway, didn’t dare to stay in the epicenter of the confrontation and hastily retreated. In his rush, he forgot to close the office door behind him. Now, with the door wide open, Dai Yingmei's angry rebukes resonated clearly outside, causing some employees on that floor to peer out and eavesdrop from the corridor. A few even discreetly recorded the dispute.

Dai Yingmei continued her tirade, "You're nothing more than an ungrateful wolf! Have you forgotten the kindness my father and I showed you? Time and again, you've betrayed me. Didn’t you promise it would never happen again? You said if it did, I could decide your fate. Since you broke your promise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!"

She was thoroughly disappointed in Jia Sibo. Her eyes burned with anger and resentment, and she was set on avenging this treacherous man.

As Dai Yingmei turned to leave, Jia Sibo grabbed her arm, shedding his pretense: "What do you plan on doing? Don't forget your father is now retired. I’m the chairman of the company. Your father hasn't been well lately, you'd best not upset him."

By now, he had nearly consolidated all of the Dai family's assets under his control, which emboldened him to be unfaithful once more.

Dai Yingmei retorted, "Are you threatening me?"

"It's not a threat," Jia Sibo responded, "I just don’t want you to do something that might hurt our relationship."

Even though the old man was retired, his influence still lingered. If the Dai family chose to retaliate with full force, Jia Sibo would undoubtedly suffer. He was still wary.

Jia Sibo tried to manipulate Dai Yingmei: "Cai Yingying was just a fling. Which man hasn't made mistakes? Honey, you’re the one I truly love."

Unfortunately for him, Dai Yingmei had seen through his deceitful nature: "You disgust me! Rest assured, I won't let you get away with this."

With that, Dai Yingmei left in a fury.

——

Entertainment Gossip V: Debunked! Rumors of StarMotion Entertainment CEO Jia Sibo's alleged affair are baseless! Technical experts suggest the audio is synthetically generated. StarMotion Entertainment has issued a legal warning to the rumor spreaders [Image][Image]

Jiangdong News V: Rumor busted! The sponsor of "MasterChef is Here!" allegedly having an affair with contestant Cai Yingying and threatening the show's production team is a complete falsehood! The audio clip was manipulated. The rumor monger will face a lawsuit from StarMotion Entertainment [Image]

#￥%: Spreading rumors is easy, but refuting them takes work. Rumor spreaders must pay the price!

User4783: Legal warning incoming!

DumplingMaster: Agreed! My friend is a professional sound engineer, and he mentioned that the recording seemed doctored.

PassingByWithASmile: The audio track sounded off from the get-go. can’t believe people believed it.

WhisperedRumors: Are the PR teams trying to spin the narrative again?

SquirrelFish: Trashy Jia Sibo hiring PR teams once more. He's truly a master of whitewashing his image.

PopcornUnfinished: What's going on? Is there a plot twist?

SlowReactor: Not sure about the situation, keeping my opinions to myself and quietly observing.

SharpeningBlades: An insider revealed that the high ratings of "MasterChef" were threatening certain vested interests, leading to the fabrication of rumors about Jia Sibo and Cai Yingying in an attempt to tarnish the show.

...

Jia Sibo spent a fortune to sway public opinion. Even though some continued to voice their doubts, their concerns were quickly drowned out by paid trolls. For a while, many genuinely believed that Jia Sibo and Cai Yingying were the victims of a smear campaign orchestrated by rival production houses.

However, Jia Sibo overlooked one fact. While previously he could control the narrative as he was up against only one individual, this time he was dealing with a much fiercer opponent.

Han Xingyan initially didn’t release the audio clip through the official "MasterChef" social media account but leaked it through influencers, keeping a card up his sleeve.

If he couldn't secure a new investor in time, he might have to compromise with reality, reconciling with Jia Sibo, admitting the recording was fake, and ensuring Jia Sibo's continued investment. But, if he found a new investor, he could go all out, exposing the truth without reservation.

Fortunately, an investor approached quickly without any mishap.

"Jiang Yue Group?" Han Xingyan was initially surprised to hear that it was Xing Lixuan's company. He had expected to find investors for the show but never imagined a major corporation like Jiang Yue Group would show interest. However, recalling that Xing Lixuan's wife, Yu Antong, was participating in their show, it all made sense.

Han Xingyan had full trust in Xing Lixuan's integrity, confident that he wouldn't engage in abusive practices like Jia Sibo did. An agreement was promptly reached with Jiang Yue.

Meanwhile, the official "Chef's Arrival" account released a new post.

Chef’s Arrival! v: The audio recording is authentic. Some are trying to twist the narrative, but we're prepared to confront them to the end!

Braised Pork: Chef has finally spoken. I believe you.

Lovely Bunch: knew that scoundrel was using bots to whitewash his image. He’s got a track record after all!

Honey BBQ: It's confirmed! No show would take on their investor without solid proof.

Steamed Shrimp: I’ve seen many shows manipulate content for their gain. This is the first time I've seen a show stand up for fairness and integrity against its investor. Hats off to Chef's Arrival! Thumbs up!

Little Bookstore App

Minced Meat Eggplant: Pardon my ignorance, but if the scoundrel withdraws funding, will the show continue airing?

Sweet and Sour Pork: have the same question. Please don't cancel the show!

Chef’s Arrival! v: The show will continue every Saturday as scheduled.

Mushroom Chicken Stew: That's reassuring. Can't wait for the next episode.

Jia Sibo didn't anticipate that the public sentiment he spent so much money on would be shattered by a single post from “Chef’s Arrival”.

Desperate, Jia Sibo tried spreading rumors that Cai Yingying had seduced him. However, Cai Yingying wasn't one to be trifled with.

She retweeted the rumor about her seducing Jia Sibo on her personal account and attached a plethora of chat logs showcasing Jia Sibo's flirtatious advances.

"Mr. Jia, if you corner me, I won’t let you off either. Let’s both go down in flames!"

$9.99 Free Shipping: Ahh! wish hadn't seen those screenshots.

Fermented Horse Milk: Me too. [Eye_Wash.jpg]

Sealed Box: These chat logs are disgusting. When a scoundrel meets a trickster, it’s a match made in hell.

Charging Cable: A dog-eat-dog world sure is entertaining!

Lost in the East: Seeing Jia Sibo’s familiar tactics reminds me of Sang Yu. now suspect that Sang Yu was previously scapegoated by him.

No Rabbit Food: I've always believed Sang Yu was framed. This just proves it.

Adore You: I've always said, someone as gentle as Sang Yu couldn't possibly be the other woman.

In the Gray Zone: What has been proven? After all this time, are there still fans defending Sangyu? Jia Sibo is nothing but trash. Sangyu associating with him doesn't make her look any better.

Switching Sides: Are Sangyu's fans making a comeback? Both of them are two sides of the same coin.

...

Now, Dai Yingmei despises Jia Sibo to the point of gritting her teeth. She'd love to see him suffer a thousand torments, but her family is now under the thumb of that ungrateful wretch. Revenge isn’t so straightforward for her.

When she saw mentions of Sangyu online, an idea struck her.

"There are fans still defending you, even as they face backlash because of you. Won't you come forward and clear up the past?" Dai Yingmei approached Sangyu, hoping to persuade him to reveal the truth about being framed by Jia Sibo online.

It was only later she discovered the truth: Sangyu never seduced Jia Sibo. Instead, Jia Sibo had concealed his marital status, deceiving Sangyu.

But back then, Jia Sibo seemed perfect, always home on time and treating her with the utmost care. She thought he'd change for the better, so she turned a blind eye to his indiscretions.

Now, she deeply regrets it. His impeccable behavior was just a ploy to gain the trust of the Dai family and take control of their fortune.

Nowadays, Sangyu lives in a small apartment, eking out a living by drawing comics. The psychological trauma from her fling with Jia Sibo has made it hard for her to face the world, essentially making her a recluse who relies on online shopping and food delivery.

Sangyu was taken aback by Dai Yingmei's visit. He responded, "The past is behind me. This is now your problem. I don't wish to be involved."

"I owe you an apology," Dai Yingmei persisted. "But is it really all in the past? Jia Sibo turned you from a superstar in the limelight to this, living in obscurity. Don't you harbor resentment? Don't you want him to face justice?"

"And what about your fans who still believe in you and defend you? Will you stand by as they get blamed?"

If Sangyu seized this opportunity to unveil the truth, many of her fans would surely return. By then, the public would boycott Jia Sibo, likely causing his company's stock to plummet. This was the revenge Dai Yingmei envisioned.

Sangyu lowered his head, silently arranging his drawing papers.

"Think about it! This is your best shot to clear your name. If you miss this chance, you might forever be labeled as a homewrecker. Are you that spineless? A single betrayal dampening your spirit? Think about the fans who still believe in and support you!"

After saying her piece and seeing no response from Sangyu, Dai Yingmei left in disappointment.

Author's Note:

Suddenly got a cramp while typing. Anyone want to give me a little massage?

Thank you to the angels who gave me support from 2020-02-06 23:55:54 to 2020-02-07 23:57:45~

Special thanks to the ones who gifted: Demon Girl with 2 gifts; Dream Hanqing and Qi Family's Little Ran with 1 gift each;

Thanks to those who nourished me: kookv with 20 bottles; Ugly Sir with 10 bottles; Not Over, Shallow, Drinking with the Spring Breeze, and Holding Yangyang to Pluck Stars with 5 bottles each;

Thank you all for your unwavering support. I'll keep giving my best!

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