Darin delivered the latest update from the PR team. "Tell them to get lost. Who do they think they are? Why does everything they say go? Screw that," Landon snapped, his irritation showing. He was frustrated with the online mob mentality—people who blindly followed trending topics without thinking for themselves. There was no way the Four Seasons collection had copied that mediocre work. "We have everything—from Chloe's initial sketches to every line draft and the final designs," Oralia pointed out calmly. "Just releasing her original drafts would prove everything." "That designer from Tranquil Vision didn't just steal Chloe's concepts. She slapped together twelve more cheap knockoffs to make it look original." Landon kept staring at the woman who was speaking. He'd felt she looked familiar from the moment she entered but couldn't place her. He knew he'd heard that voice before, more than once. Was she a friend of Chloe's? "Even if we publish the original drafts now, only industry professionals will truly appreciate Chloe's skill level." Landon frowned. "Public opinion is already swayed in Tranquil Vision's favor. A simple clarification won't be enough to turn the tide." The situation was escalating, and for now, the narrative was working against Chloe. Should he contact Eugene? Just then, Landon's phone rang. The sudden noise made him jump—his first thought was that Eugene, all the way overseas, had already heard the news and was calling. He glanced at the screen. It was another message from PR. He let out a quiet sigh of relief—it wasn't Eugene. "It's me. Go ahead—" he answered, his voice stern, but his expression shifted dramatically within seconds."What did you just say?" His sharp exclamation made Chloe and the others look up at him. "Okay. I'm on my way." He hung up and spun toward the door. Then he stopped, turned back to Chloe, and frowned deeply. "Chloe... there's more bad news. Someone has leaked your photos and personal information online." Chloe was stunned. Robert and Oralia shot to their feet instantly. Robert grabbed a tablet, pulled up a search bar, and typed in the keywords. The page loaded, revealing a sensational headline, "EXCLUSIVE: Cosmos Group's Acting CEO Backs His Secret Lover—Suspected to Be Four Seasons Designer Chloe." Beneath the bold title were several photos from a high-society gala. The images showed Chloe standing beside Landon in an elegant gown. In that kind of setting, a woman positioned next to a powerful man inevitably sparked assumptions of romance.So what was Chloe's real relationship with Landon? The camera angles were deliberately suggestive—making their proximity look intimate and fueling speculation. Chloe had no public portfolio or known history in the design world, yet she became LOVE's design director. LOVE was a brand under Cosmos Group, and Landon was the acting CEO. Sliding someone into a director position would be child's play for Landon. People felt they didn't need an official explanation anymore; they'd "seen the truth with their own eyes." Any "real story" behind the scenes seemed irrelevant now. It all seemed to make perfect, damning sense, didn't it? With that kind of alleged favoritism, making her the design director was nothing. She could probably have been made CEO of LOVE just as easily. "Mommy, this is complete garbage," Robert said, his usual composure broken as he glared at the leaked photos of Chloe. Oralia stood up, furious. "I'll make a statement to clarify this. My fans aren't stupid enough to believe this nonsense." "Both of you, sit down. Now." Chloe's voice cut through the room, firm and commanding. Oralia and Robert fell silent. Despite their anger, they sat back down, spines straight. "But I—" Oralia started, unhappy, but a single look from Chloe made her swallow her words. Landon was still trying to figure something out. Hearing Oralia's voice again, he frowned. Yes, he'd definitely heard her before. So why couldn't he remember who she was? Her fans? She had fans? He kept studying Oralia, turning her words over in his mind. "These rumors are so absurd it's laughable. An affair with Ms. Lewis? Why would it be me?" If it were anyone, it should be... Eugene. He sighed and pulled out his phone. "These photos were taken at the Mistveil Manor event. Phones were strictly forbidden inside. Yet someone managed to take these and leak them. It looks like we'll have to bother Mr. Slade about this."