Chapter 236
Chapter 236
Dylan’s POV
The news headlines rolled repeatedly, the jarring broadcast interfering with my peace of mind. The coffee in my cup had long gone cold, the bitterness spreading on the tip of my tongue, just like my suppressed mood at this moment.
Gloria gripped the remote tightly, her brows locked. "Dylan, what is going on? Did Vivian really do this?"
I kept a straight face, saying nothing. I didn't want to answer, because I knew better than anyone that this was a meticulously planned frame-up.
Audrey snorted on the side. "It must be her! Jealous of Hazel, so she dealt such a blow; that woman is vicious."
That prejudice disgusted me.
Tessa walked down the stairs and said lightly, "I don't think Vivian did it. She has always been open and aboveboard; with her status, there is no need to target Hazel."
Tessa’s words caused the living room to fall into silence. Gloria turned to look at me, her expression serious. "Regardless of the truth, you must handle this well, don't let Vivian suffer from an unjust charge. After all, she is Allen’s mother; if her reputation is damaged, what will happen to the child in the future?"
Audrey interjected again. "Just have Dylan and Hazel be together, and tell the outside world that the child is Hazel’s, that way it’s decent for both sides."
This absurd suggestion made the veins on my temple throb. Gloria’s face sank instantly. "Mom, stop that nonsense! Allen is Vivian’s child, that is a fact! If this spreads, what will happen to the face of the Hudson family?"
Seeing Gloria really angry, Audrey shut her mouth in resentment.
Gloria finally exhorted, "In short, this matter must be handled well, don't let people laugh at the Hudson family."
I looked at Vivian’s cold face on the TV and replied, "I know." The news spread fast.
---
Vivian’s POV
The legal team of OmniFront Labs was extremely efficient; within less than two days, they found clues.
That so-called "whistleblower" Ben vanished into thin air the night he held the press conference to admit he "spread false information."
His rental room was a mess, his phone was turned off, and he didn't even go to pay his respects at his wife’s gravesite.
Quinn walked into my office with the investigation report, her expression grave.
"Ms. Wilson, that employee ran away. We checked the entry and exit records; there are no departure records. He must have been hidden by someone. It’s unlikely we’ll get him to clarify in person."
I took the report, flipped through a few pages, and closed it, placing it on the table.
"I see. What is the public opinion like online now?"
Quinn sighed and handed me the tablet.
"Getting worse. The trolls are still spreading rumors, and some netizens who don't know the truth are being led by the nose. The internet is now divided into two factions; one is cursing you for being narrow-minded and jealous; the other is cursing Hazel for being a 'white lotus' and acting innocent. The comment section is unreadable, a total chaos."
I read through the comments, my expression calm as water.
For anything vicious, I took screenshots as evidence; for anything boring, I skipped them directly.
Finally, I returned the tablet to Quinn and said calmly, "Arrange a press conference, as soon as possible."
Quinn nodded and turned to leave.
The press conference was arranged in the lobby on the first floor of OmniFront Labs.
I didn't attend; I watched the live stream in my office.
I saw Quinn standing behind the podium, with the eye-catching logo of OmniFront Labs on the backdrop behind her. She looked composed, reading the clarification statement line by line into the microphone.
Entering the Q&A session, reporters vied to raise their hands.
"Why is Ms. Wilson herself not attending today’s press conference?"
Quinn scanned the audience below, her tone flat. "Ms. Wilson’s time is very precious. Something as trivial as this does not require her personal appearance. Besides, this is purely nonsense. If there are such farces in the future, are we to expect Ms. Wilson to clarify each one personally?"
A slight commotion stirred in the audience. Quinn ignored it and signaled to the next person.
A reporter asked sharply what legal means OmniFront Labs would take to deal with the rumor-mongers. Quinn leaned forward slightly, her tone calm yet highly deterrent. "We have obtained relevant evidence, and the legal department is preparing litigation materials. Whether it is the employee who spread the rumors or the internet troll groups pushing this from behind the scenes, we will not spare a single one."
Having said that, she didn't give the reporters a chance to follow up, politely announced the end of the press conference, and turned to leave.
However, the public opinion online did not subside because of this clarification. Instead, because I didn't show up, speculations of "guilty conscience" and "dare not show face" became rampant.
[Is she guilty? Scared to the point where she doesn't even dare to show her face?]
[If she was really framed, why not come out and explain?]
[OmniFront Labs actually just sent an assistant to fob us off?]
The trolls took the opportunity to incite, and the vicious attacks in the comment section reached a new height.
I didn't care about these. At this moment, I was on my way to the laboratory.
Professor Taylor had just called; some tricky problems had arisen in the base system, and I needed to handle them urgently. I canceled all my schedules, sat in the car he sent, and headed straight to the base.
Once I entered the server room, facing the screen full of jumping code, I became completely immersed. Time flew through my fingertips, from afternoon until early the next morning.
The moment I pushed open the base door, the distant horizon was just turning a fish-belly white.
The cold morning breeze passed through my clothes with a chill. I tightened my coat and took a deep breath, feeling dizzy, my eyelids as heavy as lead.
On the steps, a figure slowly stood up.
Gerald was wearing a dark jacket, holding a paper bag, not knowing how long he had been standing there. Seeing me come out, he walked up quickly and handed me the bag, which contained hot coffee and a sandwich.
"Eat something first, your complexion is very poor."
I glanced at him, accepted the bag, and said thank you.
Standing on the steps, I took a sip of coffee. The boiling liquid burned my tongue, but it instantly warmed my cold body.
Gerald waited for me to drink a few sips before he spoke: "I heard about those things online. Do you need help? I can use my family’s connections to suppress it."
I knew Gerald’s background; solving this bit of public opinion would be a piece of cake for him. But I still shook my head: "No need. If such a small thing requires others' help, what qualification do I have to lead the company?"
Gerald looked at me, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
He smiled: "Then, let me take you back to the company. You can’t refuse that, right?"
I didn't push back and sat in his car.
When returning to OmniFront Labs, the day had dawned.
Quinn was standing at the office door with a tablet, her expression complex: "Ms. Wilson, after the press conference, the online discussion not only didn't subside but has intensified. Many people say you didn't dare to show up because you have a guilty conscience."
I pushed open the office door, sat in the chair, and the corners of my mouth slowly curled up.
That smile was cold, not reaching my eyes.
"Good," I said faintly. "Since someone wants to play dirty, then we will fulfill them and let them play to the end."
I tapped on a photo on my phone, looked at it for two seconds, and handed the phone directly to Quinn.
"Spread this photo out. Find someone to leak it, the more natural, the better."
Quinn took the phone, looked down, her pupils dilated instantly, and her expression changed drastically.
She raised her head to look at me, her voice trembling slightly: "Ms. Wilson, are you sure you want to do this?"
I leaned back in my chair, my gaze as calm as water, without a ripple: "Sure."
Quinn gripped the phone tightly, took a deep breath, nodded, and turned to leave.