Chapter Twenty-Four: The Reversal
Sally took a breath and reassured Layla, "Don't worry. The PR team is dealing with it right now. But the public is just spinning it too fast. Maybe you can stay off your phone for now to avoid the drama."
Just then, there was a loud knock on the office door, demanding attention. Sally tried to block Poppy, but she confidently strutted in, ignoring the curious gazes of the others.
Sally quickly apologized with a sheepish look, and Layla caught on immediately. She nodded at Sally and gestured for her to go attend to something else.
Casually settling herself on a nearby sofa, Poppy exuded an air of nonchalance, almost as if she owned the place. Taking a playful jab at Layla, she greeted, "It's been a while, Miss Hammond. What's with the long face? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Seeing through Poppy's antics, Layla narrowed her eyes and leaned back, asking, "Is this your doing?"
Poppy chuckled, "I've been dealing with some tough stuff lately, so I decided not to let anyone get ahead of me. I just let slip a small piece of information, and now it seems like your company's stocks are about to take a big hit .'"
After dropping her bombshell, Poppy shot a smug look at Layla, expecting to stir up some anxiety.
Having a good read on Ashton's character, she was confident he wouldn't come to help Layla.
She doubted that a modest company like the Hammond Group had the PR prowess to combat the brewing storm. Eager to see how Layla would react, Poppy awaited the unfolding things with curiosity.
However, the tension was shattered when Sally suddenly said, "Miss Hammond, please check the trending topics now!"
With a taunting chuckle, Poppy couldn't resist needling, "What's the latest bad news this time? Spill the tea for your dearest Layla. She can handle it, right?"
Ignoring Poppy's goading, Sally delivered the crushing blow, "The Frucht Group just retweeted your comment to the haters from their official account. And now all their affiliated media platforms have amplified it!"
Shocked by the turn of events, Poppy made a futile attempt to grab Sally's iPad, only to be met with a strong pushback. Her balance wavering, she stumbled slightly, almost losing her footing.
Poppy reluctantly checked social media on her own phone. To her disbelief, even Tristan had jumped into the fray to endorse Layla's comments.
He even said he'd give her his support.
The internet was on the brink of exploding with this unexpected twist.
With the online discussion heating up, even the software was struggling to keep up with the rapid influx of comments.
Tristan had always been a mysterious figure. Rumors about him had swirled in the community for years, painting him as a secretive and elusive individual. When it came to his personal life, it was like trying to crack a vault because no one could get a glimpse inside. Many of the media came up empty-handed in their attempts to uncover any information about him.
Yet, surprisingly, Tristan had stepped into the spotlight to publicly support a woman facing ridicule online.
Poppy, her eyes narrowed with suspicion, grilled Layla, "Why would Tristan come to your defense? Do you know him?"
She was baffled by how Layla seemed to effortlessly attract attention and support from almost all the men around her.
Poppy's loud outburst left Layla with a pounding headache, pushing her to the brink of frustration. She grabbed a pen holder and flung it in Poppy's direction, "If you've lost your mind, go see a shrink. I don't have time for your drama right now. Security, kick her out."
As Poppy was dragged away, Layla quickly gathered her things and made her way out of the office.
The employees got together after seeing her and couldn't help but start gossiping.
"I heard Mr. Frucht and Miss Hammond can't get along. Why is he suddenly stepping in to support her?"
"I once saw him dropping off Miss Hammond at work. There's definitely something going on between them."
"Well, they do make a perfect couple because they're both talented and attractive. I'm totally on board with the idea of them dating."
As soon as Layla stepped off the elevator, she hurried outside and dialed Tristan, her tone sharp as she accused, "Are you trying to steal the spotlight here? Is your advertising budget running dry or something?"
With a smug grin, Tristan innocently asked, "What's got you fired up?"
Grinding her teeth, Layla retorted, "You seem to get a kick out of causing trouble, and now I'm caught in the crossfire because of you. Remember our agreement to keep things low-key? What exactly are you playing at now?"
Ignoring the reporters around him, Tristan coolly responded, "I'm in a meeting. I'll call you later."
Observing the smile on Tristan's face, Bruno shook his head in resignation.
He thought Tristan had made a wrong decision, considering Layla's hot temper.
Meanwhile, Layla came to a standstill upon encountering a bunch of reporters blocking the entrance. She turned back and retraced her steps.
Back in her office, Layla paced fretfully, feeling as restless as a cat on a hot tin roof.
Tristan's impulsive actions had made her situation a major talking point.
She was not happy about it.
Meanwhile, Ashton also got wind of the news.
Upon hearing about it, Mike rushed to Ashton's office excitedly. "Hey! Have you heard about the topic of your ex-wife? And rumors are saying that Poppy would be your future wife. Why haven't you mentioned this to me before?"
Ashton looked up, his brow furrowing momentarily before a casual expression settled on his face as he scrolled through the trending topics. Despite the flood of insults, a smile gradually tugged at his lips.
Mike's curiosity got the better of him as he asked, "How come you're still grinning? Aren't you going to stand up for your ex-wife?"
Ashton replied with a sneer, "Why would I defend her? I wouldn't do that unless she comes begging for it."
Mike sighed, realizing that without Ashton's backing, Layla, a novice in the media world, might face a harsh online backlash.
Little did they know, a sudden twist in the situation would unfold before the trending topic could fully unravel.