Chapter 141: If You Can Withstand the Pain, Then You'd Better Brace Yourself for More

[Chapter 141: If You Can Withstand the Pain, Then You'd Better Brace Yourself for More.]

"You were right. I chose the wrong industry from the start. It's just not for me. It's for people like you who have no boundaries," Karlie Kloss said on the other end of the phone. Her voice had an oddly serene quality to it, almost desolate, and tinged with a hint of unexplained resentment.

"Look at it this way: in a few days, you'll be the most recognized model in the country," Ryan reassured her, having said similar words to another blonde Texas girl in the past.

"I'd rather not have this kind of fame. I just want to go back to where it all began. I started off doing ballet, but I had to stop because of my height. Then my mom took me to meet Fizz, who told me I could be a model just like Gisele Bundchen. I never expected all of you to be a bunch of liars!"

"Don't take it out on me. I'm the one who's been putting out statements to help clarify things," Ryan reminded her.

"Hmph, am I supposed to thank you? This whole mess started because of you. If it weren't for you, Fizz wouldn't have replaced me at the last minute. I wouldn't even be looking for you, let alone be involved in this," Karlie shot back.

"Blame your bad luck then. You happened to seek me out at that moment and said those things in front of everyone else," Ryan replied.

Silence fell on the other end of the line, and after a while, Ryan could only hear Karlie sigh.

"I don't know why you called, but if you're trying to comfort me -- thank you. I'll take your advice and quit this industry to start over. As for the insults, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" She was giving herself a pep talk.

"But can you really leave? Do you know what will happen when you go back to school tomorrow? You'll get branded with 'bitch' on your back. Your locker will be stuffed with trash. You'll be screamed at and bullied -- that's the mark on your face, and you'll never be able to erase it."

"What am I supposed to do about that?" she shouted.

"If you want to resolve this, come to Florida with your mom tomorrow. Fizz will be there too... Just remember, don't accept any media interviews on your own, or no one will be able to save you."

"Will you save me? You're just looking out for yourself, right?" she retorted.

"Then you'd better not come," Ryan thought she was being ungrateful and hung up.

...

Ryan got up and walked to the living room of the hotel suite, where Taylor was sprawled on the couch with her laptop resting on her stomach.

"What are people saying on the forum?" Ryan sat down, letting Taylor lean against her.

"Everyone on the forum thinks this was a premeditated attack. They say you're usually too busy for drama," Taylor curled against Ryan.

...

[It had to be Scooter. Ever since he and Ryan broke up, he's been holding a grudge. I've seen several threads on Reddit with similar titles. It fits the profile of a troll]

[Ryan's really in the spotlight right now, with music, fashion, and nightclub all coming together. Even Anna Wintour thinks he's brilliant. There are definitely jealous people out there.]

[Regardless, right now, nobody will come to Ryan's defense.]

[Why should anyone defend him? He obviously has issues; why should he be getting cozy with others?]

[You don't get it. That's a fashion event. Isn't it only polite to act that way? Plus, what's wrong with getting close? Just because you hug your dad doesn't mean there's something wrong between you.]

[167: Stop arguing. If you think there are trolls, gather evidence.]

[22222: Right. Also, we need to clarify things and support Ryan. Everyone, let's get moving! Do what you can to help Ryan!]

[Agreed!]

[I'm reaching out to the girls now.]

[I just posted a clarification thread in the 'Electronic Music' Reddit discussion group. Ladies, let's rally!]

[+1]

...

"Don't you think the forum moderators really cause a stir when they speak?" Ryan chuckled. Although the forum didn't have many registered users, those who did were very active and effective, all proudly supporting Ryan. The power of one dedicated individual could easily outweigh fifty ordinary fans.

"People wouldn't actually pay to hire bots, right?" Taylor looked worried.

"We haven't provoked anyone," she contemplated.

"We don't have a conclusion yet, but remember: bots are lifeless, while people are alive. As long as the forum stays active, we'll always have support, which is much better than any bot. When is Veronica's contribution system going live?" Ryan thought he should ask about the progress when they got to Florida. They had discussed the feature with Veronica ages ago, but it still hadn't launched.

Just like any typical forum, you could earn contribution points through participation, with a user-level system in place. The higher the level, the greater the loyalty to Ryan, creating a process of "refinement and purification."

Today's fans could help explain things for Ryan, and tomorrow they could promote his other projects. The day after, they could dig into the dirt on other stars. By keeping these core fans engaged, Ryan could build a solid "public relations army."

...

"We've collected over a thousand relevant online posts, and more than half showed distrust towards your explanations. Less than thirty percent had a positive view," her PR manager, Paula, analyzed.

"I think the issue lies in your statement. You mentioned that Karlie Kloss is just a high school student and urged the public to remain rational. This was interpreted as bias and contradictory to your statement. If you had no connections to her, why call for restraint?" Paula suggested.

"Isn't it ridiculous? Am I calling for everyone to attack her? She's an innocent party. Did I say anything incorrect?" Ryan chuckled lightly.

"That's true; we all know she's innocent, but at this point, any small detail could spark unnecessary suspicion," Fizz chimed in.

"Ryan's explanations are no longer useful. It's time for Taylor to speak up and deny everything," Scott voiced his opinion.

"That won't work. The public already distrusts Ryan. Even if Taylor speaks now, the outcome will be the same," Paula countered.

"Are we really just going to sit around discussing while public opinion continues to worsen for Ryan? Even if it's just one more believer, it's worth doing," Taylor shared this view with Scott.

"Taylor, you don't understand. Speaking up at this point will drag you down too," Fizz shook her head.

"Are we just going to be passive? What about my daughter? You said yesterday you would clear her name!" Karlie's mother interjected immediately.

"This is the only solution," Fizz maintained.

"Are you kidding? That's not fair to us."

"Enough!" Ryan intervened to stop the arguing.

"We've all overlooked one fundamental point -- where is the public's distrust of me coming from?" Ryan looked around the office.

"It's simple. Your public image was pretty much flawless to begin with. Karlie Kloss had every reason... to fall in love with you," Paula offered the answer.

"I fell in love with him?" Karlie, standing in the corner, couldn't hold back.

"Didn't you?"

"I won't fall for someone I've only met a few times," Karlie muttered.

"But most people would, and that's why they think you've experienced the same thing. That's the reason Ryan's statement didn't have any impact," Fizz pointed out.

"If so, what will come from being passive?" Ryan continued to ask.

"Being passive is almost equivalent to admitting to the speculation online. Your image would completely collapse, along with our single..." Taylor didn't finish her sentence.

"If that's the case, neither path will work. We need a third option," Ryan looked around at everyone.

"A third path?" They all said in unison.

"Exactly. Does the truth matter? Not really. What matters is the public's subconscious. So we should do the opposite..." Ryan revealed her public relations plan.

"Absolutely not! No way will I say that!" Karlie immediately shook her head upon hearing Ryan's plan.

"Ryan, isn't this a bit unfair to her?" Taylor frowned, feeling it was inappropriate as well.

"It's a brilliant idea... provided we sacrifice Karlie Kloss," Scott said slowly.

"Someone has to take one for the team. It's either me, Taylor, or Karlie Kloss," Ryan nodded, the answer was clear.

Paula and Fizz exchanged glances, then walked over to Mrs. Kloss, whispering amongst themselves.

"This is going to be a massive hurt for my daughter..."

"I love her. You're both mothers too..."

"Don't give me those empty promises, show some sincerity..."

"...And add some cash!"

Mrs. Kloss's words became increasingly direct.

Ryan turned to see Karlie Kloss standing there looking somewhat panicked, her expression showing a deep sense of helplessness in that moment.

Someone has to make a sacrifice. If you can withstand the pain, then you'd better brace yourself for more.

Ryan was about to give counsel when he saw Karlie Kloss storming out of the room.

Ryan quickly followed her into the hallway, and Trey who had also poked her head out, pointed at him and said, "Go bring her back."

*****

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