Chapter 164 Teaching Isadora a Lesson
The bombshell Isadora thought she'd dropped didn't even have time to spread into a complete ripple on the internet before it mysteriously vanished.
Those viciously worded, highly inflammatory posts, along with the media account that slandered Amelia , were wiped out as if they'd never existed.
One second, netizens were still reeling from discovering this huge secret; the next second, when they refreshed their pages, all they saw was the cold message: "404 Not Found."
This swift and thorough PR operation, leaving no trace behind, was definitely not something an ordinary production team could pull off.
The Hensley Group, top-floor executive office.
Garth respectfully placed a printed document in front of Stefan, his tone steady and emotionless as he reported.
"Boss, everything's been cleaned up."
"The owner of that media account that slandered Ms. Martinez—our people had barely knocked on his door before he dropped to his knees in fear."
"We didn't even need to use any tactics. He confessed everything."
Garth pushed a stack of files across the desk.
"These are the chat records he provided with Isadora, transfer receipts, and an audio recording of their phone call."
Stefan's fingertips tapped lightly on the smooth desk surface. His eyes scanned those disgusting chat messages, the warmth in them freezing inch by inch.
He picked up his phone and called Cecilia.
"Are you asleep?"
"Not yet." The voice on the other end carried a lazy quality unique to late nights.
Cecilia had just finished washing up and was leaning on the hotel room sofa, gazing at the city's brilliant lights outside the window.
She wasn't completely unaware of the storm that had come and gone so quickly on the internet.
It's just that before she could deal with it herself, Stefan's call came through.
"Isadora pulled some dirty tricks behind your back." Stefan's tone was casual. "Some self-media guy took her money and posted some nasty stuff."
"I've handled it."
"All the evidence is with me." He paused, his voice dropping lower. "What do you want to do with her?"
Cecilia was silent for a moment.
She'd originally thought Stefan would directly use his resources to make Isadora disappear from the industry.
But instead, he was giving her the choice.
"Doesn't she treasure her glory and reputation above all else?" Cecilia's voice was cold, completely devoid of warmth.
"Then I'll make her become a shameless, despicable person in front of everyone."
Stefan laughed quietly.
"Interesting."
"Send me all the evidence, don't leave anything out." Cecilia made her decision quickly, her tone hard. "Especially the recording."
"Okay."
Less than a minute after hanging up, Cecilia's email received an encrypted file.
She opened it and quickly skimmed through.
From Isadora contacting the blogger, to negotiating the price, to specifying the smear campaign direction—every step was documented clearly.
Especially in that phone recording, Isadora's shrill and venomous voice was crystal clear.
"Money's no problem. I want her completely ruined! I want her to never touch design again for the rest of her life!"
Cecilia closed the file, her eyes ice-cold.
She had never been someone who placed hope in others' goodwill.
She also never believed in repaying evil with kindness.
Since Isadora had started this whole thing, Cecilia didn't mind using it to teach her a good lesson.
Early the next morning, a news story quietly exploded across major media platforms.
#Renowned designer Amelia Martinez appears at police station, formally sues fellow contestant Isadora Penrose for defamation!
The accompanying photo showed her back as she walked into the police station—tall, straight, radiating an air of determination.
As soon as the news broke, public opinion erupted.
No one expected this competition's absurd drama to have a sequel, and one that escalated directly to the legal level.
Isadora's management team received the news immediately, their phones ringing off the hook.
When Isadora herself saw the news, she was completely stunned.
She couldn't figure out how Amelia had gotten evidence when she'd been so careful.
"Isadora, don't panic!" Her agent Mira Webb was sweating profusely. "This is definitely a bluff! She can't possibly have evidence! All the online rumors have been deleted!"
"This is slander! She's trying to force us to admit fault!"
After hearing this, Isadora immediately calmed down.
Right, that must be it.
That damn bitch Amelia was trying to scare her? Not a chance!
Isadora's face regained its usual arrogance.
"Mira, release a statement immediately!" she ordered. "Say that Amelia is maliciously slandering us, and we're going to sue her for defamation!"
"Right away!"
Half an hour later, Isadora's personal studio released a strongly worded statement.
The statement claimed they knew nothing about the "online smear campaign," strongly condemned Amelia for making malicious accusations without evidence, and stated they would reserve the right to pursue legal action.
Below the statement, Isadora's fans and the hired commenters immediately began controlling the narrative.
[Support Ms. Penrose in defending her rights! Fame brings trouble—Amelia just got a good ranking and she's already this arrogant. Does she think she can get more popular by trashing Ms. Penrose?]
[How ridiculous. Does Amelia have evidence? She just goes to the police? If she can't produce evidence, then Amelia is slandering Ms. Penrose!]
[Amelia really has some tactics—cheating in the competition wasn't enough, now she's playing these dirty tricks? What a petty person!]
[What's Isadora's status? She's a member of the Valeria Haute Couture Association. Does she need to smear some internet celebrity? Don't make me laugh!]
The online battle intensified.
Isadora's team, seeing the public opinion swaying in their favor, breathed a sigh of relief.
Mira reassured Isadora: "See? Everything's fine. She can't produce evidence, and in the end she'll just become a joke. We'll spend some more money, hire a few more teams to post comments online and guide public opinion, making her look like a crazy person who'll do anything for attention!"
Isadora picked up her coffee, a victorious smile on her face.
Amelia, you're not skilled enough to fight me.
Just then, Amelia's personal social media account posted a new update.
No text.
Just an audio playback button.
Countless curious, skeptical, and angry netizens clicked on it.
The next second, a clear phone recording spread through countless phone speakers across the entire internet.
It was Isadora's shrill, venomous voice, full of undisguised malice.
"Right, say that Amelia is a plaything of capital, that she only advanced because of investor help."
"Make that eliminated contestant Daisy sound more pitiful, the more pitiful the better, to stir up everyone's sympathy."
"Hire more teams to guide public opinion, we must build up momentum!"
"Money's no problem. I want her completely ruined! I want her to never touch design again for the rest of her life!"
The recording wasn't long.
But the boiling online battle instantly froze.
The fans who had been cheering for Isadora fell silent.
The bloggers who had confidently analyzed how Amelia was maliciously hyping things up deleted their posts.
The entire internet, after a brief and eerie silence, erupted in tsunami-like fury.
[Fuck you! That's Isadora's voice, right? My God, how can there be such a vicious woman!]
["I want her completely ruined"—that line gave me chills. Isadora is truly a terrifying woman!]
[Don't those netizens who insulted Amelia to defend Isadora feel embarrassed? This is your pure and noble Ms. Penrose? Isadora is both stupid and vicious!]
[Amelia is amazing! She didn't bother arguing with Isadora, just went straight to the police with the recording! She knows the law! So cool!]
[I used to think Amelia was a bit cold, but now I see she's a model of decisive action! I really like her!]
Public opinion completely reversed.
The righteous statement from Isadora's studio was now being screenshot and mocked repeatedly by netizens, looking like a huge joke.
#Isadora recording# #Isadora completely ruined# #Amelia speaks with evidence#
One mocking hashtag after another surged unstoppably to the top of trending lists.
Watching the overwhelming abuse and mockery on her phone, Isadora's vision went dark. Her phone slipped from her hand as she collapsed onto the sofa.
It was over.
This time, she was completely finished.
All her pretenses had been torn to shreds in front of this recording, exposed to the sunlight, ugly and shameful.
Her agent Mira's call came through again, her voice full of despair, exhaustion, and barely concealed anger.
"Isadora! Didn't you say it was foolproof! What's with this recording!"
"I... I don't know." Isadora's voice was shaking uncontrollably.
"Brand partners just sent termination letters—over a dozen of them! The penalty fees add up to an astronomical amount!"
"The Valeria Haute Couture Association also called with very stern questions! Your membership is going to be revoked!"
"The company's stock, because of you, hit the limit down at opening! The board is going crazy!"
Mira's voice grew louder with each sentence.
"You... you should prepare yourself."
Mira's voice suddenly dropped, carrying a resigned weariness.
"Our only way out is to apologize to Amelia."
"A public apology, begging her to drop the charges."
Beg her?
Isadora clenched her fists, her whole body trembling.
Make Isadora bow her head and apologize to that Amelia she looked down on the most?
This was worse than killing her.
But what choice did she have?
Watching the career and reputation she'd climbed so hard to achieve crumbling into ruins before her eyes, she couldn't find any other option.