Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Talking about the post

Immediately after Lucas Hill hung up the phone, the office door was pushed open. A man stepped inside, his pace somewhat hurried. Seeing this, Julian Sterling somehow felt a wave of comfort. Julian smiled teasingly at the man: “Finished with your meeting? Why the rush? Did you miss me?”

At that moment, Ethan Caldwell’s footsteps steadied. Ethan walked slowly toward where Julian was sitting, looking as though Ethan did not know how to start the conversation. Perhaps Ethan was still hesitating, wondering if Julian already knew about the situation and how Ethan should bring it up. Julian, on the other hand, was quite relaxed. Julian waved for the man to come closer, then grabbed Ethan’s tie and pulled him down: “What is it? Do you want to talk to me about what is happening on the forum?”

Ethan followed the pull, leaning down until their foreheads touched: “You saw it?” Ethan’s gaze was deep, carrying a hint of heartache and guilt hidden beneath the surface. The warmth from Ethan’s skin transferred to Julian, and the subtle scent of masculine cologne filled the air, providing a sense of absolute security.

“I don’t usually browse those things.” Julian Sterling pursed his lips: “Lucas Hill informed me. But what about you? How did you find out?”

“My subordinates reported it. We have a department specifically dedicated to monitoring social media to ensure effective communication management.” Ethan Caldwell said as Ethan gently caressed Julian’s cheek with his thumb: “As soon as that post began showing signs of an unusual spike in engagement, the PR director immediately sent an emergency report to me.”

In truth, Julian was not surprised. Any major corporation’s PR department would have a team dedicated to tracking social media trends. This was especially true for family-backed enterprises like the Caldwell Empire. They lived in constant fear of a sensational scandal breaking out without being controlled, which could severely damage the group’s image. Public opinion was always a sharp, double-edged sword that could lift a business to the clouds or drown it overnight. For a multi-billion dollar empire, every rumor had to be nipped in the bud before it turned into a real storm.

“I see. So, what does CEO Caldwell plan to do? Snap your fingers and take down the entire forum to avenge me?”

Ethan leaned closer to Julian’s face until their noses touched, and the man nudged Julian slightly. Ethan’s hot breath mingled with Julian’s, yet it held no sexual undertone, only pure comfort: “Is that what you want?” Ethan’s voice was low, filled with infinite indulgence and doting. It seemed as though if Julian Sterling merely gave a slight nod, Ethan’s legal and technical teams would immediately begin dismantling the forum’s entire server system. It sounded a bit like a besotted ruler slaughtering the world for the sake of a beauty. However, Ethan Caldwell likely did not care about such labels.

“Is your neck getting tired?” Seeing the man remain hunched over like that, Julian Sterling laughed and stood up. After pushing Ethan Caldwell into the chair to sit firmly, Julian sat directly on Ethan’s lap. Leaning against that steady chest, Julian continued: “What do you think is the goal of the person behind this?”

Both of them were far too familiar with the tactics of the business world; such a trivial matter was easy to see through. There were things that required no long-winded explanations between them. They had witnessed countless schemes, borrowing a knife to kill, muddying the waters, or using public opinion to smear an opponent. An enemy in the shadows always sought the opponent’s fatal weakness to deliver a finishing blow. And currently, that person believed Julian was Ethan’s greatest vulnerability.

“Perhaps they want to drive a wedge between us?”

“Hmm?”

“Think about it…” Ethan stroked Julian’s hair, analyzing slowly: “The other day, they had an assistant use a specific scent to cause trouble. It not only sabotaged the meeting but also made me uncomfortable. I suspect the reason this news was leaked now is partly because your performance the other day worked. They want to use this event to light the fuse. On one hand, they want to tarnish your reputation. On the other, they want to see my reaction, to see if I will abandon you for the sake of a man’s pride. If a rift truly forms between us, it will be the perfect opportunity for them to burrow deeper into the company’s internal affairs.”

“If that is the case…” Julian intentionally trailed off, taking the man’s hand and playing with it idly: “I bet that after the Caldwell Empire’s crisis management department posts a clarification, the next post will be about the time we ’argued’.”

“It is quite possible that if the response expresses how much I respect you or addresses related issues, the next post will feature someone posing as a company insider. They will recount the story of how you were ’hit’ by me and ran away crying to the secretary while holding your cheek. They will craft a perfect script about an autocratic, abusive president and a poor, small partner suffering from both physical and mental violence. Despite clearly being the victim, you would be portrayed as suffering under a husband’s brutality. This terrible script is more than enough to capture public attention and incite internet outrage, forcing us into a completely passive position.”

“Pfft…” Julian Sterling could not help but let out a soft laugh. But the man was not wrong. This was very likely the next step. Everything was far too coincidental, unfolding in a continuous sequence. These sordid media tactics always followed the same formula: create a smokescreen, incite the masses, and manufacture a series of fake evidence to turn lies into truth in the eyes of outsiders.

“But if it is all so relentless, it would look a bit foolish, wouldn’t it?”

“So there will definitely be a pause. It is just that I do not know what that pause will look like yet.” The man turned his hand, interlacing his fingers with Julian Sterling’s.

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