Chapter Thirty: Press Conference
Layla let out a heavy sigh, her eyes welling up with tears. She turned her face away to avoid his gaze, her voice shaking, "Could you please just go? I have a press event to attend later."
Ashton was at a loss for words after seeing her vulnerability. He clenched his fists, gazing at her with a mix of emotions, but he chose to keep silent and quietly left the room.
The office fell back into silence.
Closing her eyes, Layla allowed a single tear to escape before quickly wiping it away. She regained her usual composure and calmness when she opened her eyes again later.
After a quick touch-up, Layla called Sally to kick off preparations for the upcoming press briefing.
The event was set to take place at the main conference hall in the Hammond Group's headquarters, with various media outlets invited. Layla aimed to address and clarify the ongoing speculations to put an end to the online rumors.
Twenty minutes later, Layla arrived punctually at the venue.
As soon as Layla walked in, camera flashes fired off like lightning, illuminating the room with their constant flicker and the click of shutters.
Layla wasn't a regular on the media scene, mainly sticking to the business realm and rarely granting interviews to the press. When talk on the internet turned to her appearance, most assumed she wasn't as beautiful as Poppy despite having Tristan's support.
But at that moment, all assumptions were proven wrong—Layla's presence alone drew all eyes to her.
Radiant and poised, Layla's beauty was mesmerizing, with her exquisite features and captivating eyes reminiscent of deep seas. Standing tall at five feet five inches, her figure was flawlessly displayed in her emerald green dress, giving the impression of a runway model. She effortlessly grabbed attention with each graceful movement, casting a spell on all who laid eyes on her.
Layla's stunning looks could easily outshine many actresses in the entertainment industry. It was clear even the typically aloof Tristan had to stand up for her.
The reporters were completely obsessed with taking pictures of Layla. There was no chance that Poppy could compete with the Hammond family heiress, regardless of her beauty or background.
The reporters zeroed in on Layla with enthusiasm, capturing every moment with great intensity. Her stunningly beautiful face was enough to make her the talk of the town.
"Miss Hammond, could you tell us about your relationship with Mr. Frucht? Why would someone as low-key as Mr. Frucht suddenly suddenly decide to support you?"
Facing the barrage of questions, Layla gave a small smile. She motioned to her PR manager not to speak for her, instead taking the microphone and casually explaining, "The Hammond Group and the Frucht Group recently partnered on creating some new jewelry pieces, which are set to debut next month. I think you don't need me to spell it out. You can guess why Mr. Frucht supports me, can't you?"
The journalists had a light bulb moment - this was all just a clever marketing ploy.
It all clicked into place when they took a step back to consider it. The Frucht Group had recently brought its key international business divisions back to the country. Therefore, it made sense that they'd need to team up with local companies to make a big splash in the domestic market. Everyone realized that Tristan was really as much of a workaholic as rumor had it. His first rumored involvement with a woman wasn't for pleasure but all business.
The reporters nodded knowingly, shifting their focus to Layla's relationship with Ashton and Poppy.
Lately, gossip about Layla and Poppy had been the talk of the town. Though Poppy wasn't quite A-list in showbiz, she still had some influence. When the rumors started swirling, Poppy's fans called out Layla and put her down for nothing.
It turned out that Layla's stunning looks were hard to ignore. Poppy's supporters realized what a stupid mistake they had made.
But the two questions that everyone still wondered were: Was Layla really divorcing Ashton? And was Poppy really marrying Ashton as the rumors whispered?
"Miss Hammond, is it true that you are divorced from Mr. Ashton, the CEO of Hayes Group? What is the relationship between the actress Poppy Brown and Mr. Hayes?"
The reporters' questions hit hard and fast, aimed right at Layla like a barrage of rapid-fire bullets. She lowered her head to their gaze, and her face a mask of shadows.
Ashton, who had been listening in the back row, was initially relaxed upon hearing Layla's explanation that her interactions with Tristan were all about work.
However, his face snapped back into tense lines in an instant, the scenes from the office replaying in his mind like a broken record.
He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Layla had truly moved on. Despite his certainty that she still had feelings for him, their relationship was strained and distant. He was worried that she might publicly announce their divorce, as that would mean they couldn't return to the way things were.
Anxiety loomed at Ashton as these thoughts raced through his mind, his fists clenched at his sides in silent turmoil.
Layla then lifted her gaze, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her beauty bloomed like a flower in full bloom with that smile. "Yeah, we're divorced," Layla declared, her voice steady and firm.