Chapter 69: Media Storm and Strategic Counterattacks

Chapter 69: Media Storm and Strategic Counterattacks

The gossip forums erupted as fans across various fandoms discovered that their favorite idols were also victims of "betting agreements" by their respective companies. The revelation that many agencies tied to Creston Media were involved in these agreements caused an uproar not only among Ryan's fans but across the entire entertainment industry. The outcry against Creston Media and the "heartless capitalists" behind these practices grew louder.

While the storm brewed online, Ethan and Emily were still on vacation at the island. Ethan, familiar with such tactics to manipulate public opinion, left the matter to his media team, thinking it was just another smear campaign. However, the next day, his media CEO called him in the middle of the night, despite the time difference.

Emily, half-asleep, reached out beside her, only to find the bed half-empty. She heard Ethan speaking in a low, magnetic tone outside the room, the conversation unusually lengthy. Typically, his calls were short and decisive, with him simply issuing final decisions.

After a while, she picked up her phone and quickly found the reason behind Ethan's late-night call:

**"Capital Entertainment: Sky-High Pay, Dual Contracts, Betting Agreements... Uncovering the Greedy Practices Destroying the Entertainment Industry"**

The article had been circulating for some time, criticizing the phenomenon of exorbitant pay for actors who contributed nothing to their roles. This article, however, shifted the blame from the actors to the influx of capital into the industry, blaming the "non-professional investors" for the chaos.

**"... In recent years, the entertainment industry has seen a surge of investment from non-professionals, who, sensing an opportunity, have flooded the market with money. Naturally, everyone follows the 'golden rule,' but these investors are unfamiliar with the nuances of filmmaking and believe money is the solution to everything. They focus on popular actors, ignoring scripts and creativity, thinking fans will pay no matter what..."

The article concluded ominously:

**"If sky-high pay is merely detrimental to the industry's development, it's one thing. But what's more concerning is that such practices breed 'dual contracts,' 'tax evasion,' and other illegal activities, negatively influencing societal values and misleading young people."**

The "non-professional investors" mentioned in the article were clearly alluding to the Harrison Family's Creston Media. The piece was more than just entertainment news; within hours of its publication, state media reported on a joint operation by five major departments to address sky-high pay, dual contracts, and tax evasion in the film and television industry, specifically criticizing the negative impacts on industry standards and societal values.

As soon as the news broke, Creston Media's stock price plummeted by 8% that day. The CEO of Creston Media, alarmed by the situation, had urgently called Ethan.

After hanging up the phone, Ethan briefly explained the situation to Emily before leaving for Jiangcheng in the middle of the night.

The next day, Emily flew back home on a private jet. When she discussed the matter with Jessica, she realized the gravity of the situation:

**"Anyone with a sharp eye can see that someone is trying to bring Creston Media down. They must have been planning this for a while."**

**"Who knows? Honestly, with your husband's status, there are plenty of people who would love to see him fall. These unscrupulous businessmen... tsk."**

**"It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. But now, with Creston Media being thrust into the spotlight, someone has seized the opportunity to crush them. It's scary!"**

**"And this time, they've managed to drag several Creston Media artists into the mess, stirring up trouble between the artists and their agencies. Look at the tactics they're using."**

...

The top brass at Creston Media had been working around the clock, even during the holidays. After a sleepless night, Ethan finally had Creston Media issue two official responses by the following morning.

The first response addressed the circulating rumors about the betting agreements. Creston Media clarified that the agreements signed with various agencies and studios were fair, transparent, and entirely legal. As the primary party in the agreements, Creston Media never interfered with the artists' work schedules, so blaming them for overworking the artists was misleading and a distortion of the facts.

Creston Media emphasized that their management of artists was professional and humane, respecting the artists' personal choices and never forcing them to take on unwanted work. A veteran actress, who had previously been mentioned in the rumors, even spoke out, confirming that her decision to participate in a reality show was her own choice and not forced upon her.

The second response wasn't released through official channels but was a news bulletin:

**"Today, Creston Media, Tianyi Group, Hengguang Film Industry, and ten other leading film and television companies, in conjunction with major streaming platforms, jointly issued a statement—uniting to resist sky-high pay, tax evasion, dual contracts, and other illegal practices by artists. Additionally, Creston Media, as the lead company, gathered over 300 film and television production companies in the industry to sign an initiative promoting ethical practices and healthy development in film and television creation..."**

The state media quickly shared the news, acknowledging Creston Media as the chair of the film industry group, and expressed hope that "the entire industry will be prepared to operate as serious enterprises."

After this, no one continued to criticize Creston Media.

Although the storm had passed, Ethan remained vigilant. He was certain this wasn't the end—his opponents had clearly put in too much effort to give up now.

**

Emily was taken aback when she saw herself making the news again, despite having been low-key during her vacation.

When she opened the article, she was left speechless and quickly understood the situation.

This piece was clearly another attack on Creston Media. The article criticized Creston Media's marketing tactics, accusing them of leading the way in promoting a culture of "over-entertainment," and singled out their leading lady, photographer Alisa, as an example:

**"...Do we need a photographer like this? A woman who, under the guise of 'divine beauty,' 'socialite,' and 'wealthy wife,' constantly draws attention through scandals and private matters? Is this the type of photographer we need? And yet, this is exactly the kind of person who, under the title of 'artist,' is doing the work of an entertainment star.

Young aspiring artists might think that being a photographer doesn't require exceptional skills, as long as you have the money and marketing, you can be famous and make a fortune.

This is an insult and a degradation of the art form!

So, who will be the next to be 'entertained'? Will it be the musicians who flock to the scene, or the speakers who want a piece of the pie?

...**

The article also speculated that the highly publicized "divorce, chase, and reconciliation" drama between the billionaire couple, along with the rumors involving Ryan, might have been a calculated publicity stunt orchestrated by the couple themselves, with the help of their celebrity connections.

"Don't worry, the company is handling this," Ethan said as he took Emily's phone away, not wanting her to continue reading the article.

He had anticipated that his opponents would strike again, but he hadn't expected them to target his most vulnerable spot—Emily.

He held her hand and pulled her into his arms, pressing a tender kiss to her hair, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow.

This wasn't the first time.

It wasn't the first time she had become the target of public scrutiny because of him...

Emily, resting her head on his shoulder, remained silent for a long time, unsure whether she had grown accustomed to the chaos or was simply overwhelmed by it all.

After a while, she straightened up, creating a slight distance between them.

"I've been thinking about something for the past few days," she began, looking up at him, her lips pressed together as if she had made a difficult decision.

"I don't want to continue running my photography studio anymore."