Chapter 30: A Public Scrutiny

Chapter 30: A Public Scrutiny

Ryan, a major social media figure, has always been under intense public scrutiny, especially regarding his romantic life. When news broke about his dinner with Emily, it quickly became a hot topic.

Photos from paparazzi revealed them dining together at a hotel's western restaurant. Emily, in a beret, looked radiant with her pale skin glowing, while Ryan's signature nose and chin were clearly visible beneath his hat brim. The photos showed them enjoying a meal with good vibes and laughter. However, the shots were taken from tricky angles and poor lighting, leading to some misleading interpretations. For instance, a "napkin photo" appeared to show Emily wiping her mouth, though she clearly remembered Ryan was reaching for a tissue.

The situation escalated when news reports claimed that after their meal, they went upstairs to Ryan's hotel room—"spending hours alone at night, with Ryan showing visible reluctance to part ways." The images depicted Ryan gentlemanly opening the car door for Emily, smiling and waving goodbye, and looking back as he watched her drive away.

To Emily's dismay, this only fueled speculation.

She now understands why celebrities are so secretive about their outings. Even a simple mistake can be turned into a dramatic story, complete with fabricated romantic narratives.

She had merely gone upstairs with Ryan, taken a few no-makeup photos, and her assistant and Ryan's assistant were both present. Yet, the media frenzy had spun a different tale, with fan comments ranging from harsh criticisms to support.

Many fan comments were outraged, labeling Emily as a "heat-seeker" and a "scheming older woman," among other things. More offensive comments, though not reproduced here, were also circulating.

However, some comments took a different angle:

- "The reactions of some fans are truly ridiculous! Women often show the most malice toward other women."

- "In the video, Ryan seemed more proactive, even looking back multiple times. Beautiful older sisters like Emily are always appealing."

- "Alisa is a genuine high-class beauty with an impressive resume. Who's really out of their league here?"

- "Ryan recently liked Alisa's cover photo, then unliked it claiming it was an accidental slip."

Others speculated further:

- "Ryan's Weibo follows no one from his company's intern group but does follow Alisa..."

- "Wow, these two look fantastic together! Their height and looks are perfectly matched!"

Emily was conflicted. She used to be part of the fan circle, eagerly participating in gossip, but now the drama was centered on her.

The media's response was swift and severe, with Ryan's PR team issuing an apology. Unexpectedly, a legal notice from Creston Media was the first to appear:

"Recently, certain online users have continuously spread false information about Ms. Alisa, including but not limited to 'Alisa and Ryan spent the night together,' and 'Alisa and Ryan's relationship exposed.' These falsehoods have led to malicious defamation of Ms. Alisa, severely damaging her public image.

Based on facts and legal advice, Creston Media LLC, on behalf of Ms. Alisa, issues the following warning to the defamers:

1. Immediately delete the defamatory content and cease infringing activities;

2. Publicly apologize to Ms. Alisa on the media platforms that spread the rumors;

3. Compensate Ms. Alisa for the damages incurred.

Failure to comply will result in legal action for defamation."

Creston Media's blue verification account released this legal notice, causing widespread confusion. Why would such a major corporation issue a notice about a mere rumor, especially when TrueArt Media is in partnership with Creston Media?

The speculation intensified when Creston Media's blue verification accounts and affiliated stars began retweeting the legal notice. The collective endorsement from their numerous high-profile artists made it clear: Creston Media was taking a firm stand against the rumor mongers.

Soon after, the controversial photos and videos were removed from the internet, and the marketing accounts began apologizing profusely. Emily observed the significant impact of having powerful backers in the industry.

In a surprising twist, a new Weibo account, "AlisaStudio," affiliated with Creston Media, launched with a promotional giveaway:

"Alisa's Studio is now officially open! To celebrate, we're giving away 77 red envelopes with 8888 cash each to people who retweet our first post!"

The giveaway post went viral, reaching nearly 100,000 retweets in no time. The promotional campaign, which included comments praising Alisa, sparked excitement among the public, further solidifying her status.

Emily's assistant also participated in the giveaway and was thrilled, commenting on the advantages of having such powerful backing. Emily, however, was less amused, realizing that the show of support was more about asserting dominance and less about genuine support for her.

As she arrived at her parking space, she saw a familiar extended Cayenne occupying her spot. Smirking, she realized Ethan had come to her.

Ethan leaned against the car door, his gaze fixed on her. Emily, feeling the weight of his stare, confronted him with her phone, showing the giveaway post.

"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded.

Ethan glanced at the post and asked if she wanted a red envelope too.

"Don't need your money!" Emily retorted, pushing his phone away. "Are you just burning money? And didn't we agree you wouldn't interfere with my life?"

Ethan nodded, "I promised not to interfere with your work."

Emily huffed, "So you're interfering with my personal life now?"

"I'm not interfering," Ethan said, looking at her intently. "I'm pursuing you."

Emily was stunned. "Pursuing me? After our divorce, you think you can just chase me?"

Ethan leaned closer, his smile both sincere and mischievous. "We're both single now. Can't I try to win you back?"