Chapter 142: Three Statements

[Chapter 142: Three Statements]

Not far from the Bad Room, a girl walked swiftly along the desolate edge of a road, her head down.

"Why should I do this?"

"Why should I take responsibility for something I didn't do?"

"I don't owe anyone anything!"

Karlie Kloss grumbled under her breath, growing more agitated by the second.

Just then, a pure white Navigator sped past her.

She heard a screech of brakes, and the Navigator began reversing toward her side of the road.

The window slowly rolled down, revealing Ryan.

"Get in, we need to go back. Everyone's looking for you."

"I'm not going back, I might as well die out here." Karlie turned her head away, refusing to look at Ryan.

"That's fine, but I should remind you that Florida has its fair share of weirdos. Have you heard about the Orlando serial rapist case from a few years back? All the victims were girls just like you, walking alone on the streets. And then there was Kelly Lawrence; she was just your age and ended up being dragged into a basement. She was beaten, abused, and assaulted for months until she was unrecognizable. That was one of the cases they discovered."

"Enough." Karlie felt a chill run through her.

"This area is filled with Hispanic communities, and there are plenty of Colombians living here. You're beautiful; , how could they bear to kill you? They'd probably just lock you up in a basement and make money off you. Men would line up to come in..."

Karlie squeaked in fear, opened the car door, and slid into the back seat. She was still just a girl, and Ryan's words rattled her.

Ryan started the car.

...

As Karlie glanced out the window for a few seconds, she noticed Ryan was not planning to turn around. She immediately tensed and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"Just for a little drive," Ryan replied, notifying others that he had found Karlie and would be bringing her back soon.

"I'm not going to agree to your terms. Your promises to my mom mean nothing." Karlie knew exactly what Ryan intended to suggest and preemptively spoke up.

"I'm just trying to help you."

"Right. This has always been about you."

"That's a huge misconception. While this could tarnish your reputation, you'd undoubtedly become one of the most recognized models in America, even though it's almost December."

"Like Kim Kardashian or Amber Heard?" Karlie furrowed her brows.

"There are people who dream of being like them, but that's not real. At least I know you're not like that."

"What does it matter if you know?" Karlie leaned back against her seat.

"That's enough for me. Fate comes with a price tag. You won't have to worry about job opportunities after this. If all goes well, you could become one of the highest-earning models and never have to bow to anyone. Isn't that what you want?"

Karlie stared out the window, lost in thought.

...

Ryan took her back to the Bad Room, entering the upstairs area of the record company. Everyone remained in Ryan's office, with Paula, Fizz, and her mom all trying to persuade Karlie.

But she still adamantly refused to go along with Ryan's plan.

Was this girl really that difficult? Even Ryan felt a bit helpless at the moment.

"Let me handle this," Taylor suddenly said as she stood up.

She quietly approached Karlie, spoke a few words, and then they both left the room together.

...

A few minutes later, they returned to the office.

"She agreed." Taylor nodded.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

That night, Karlie Kloss's Twitter account released another personal statement. The previous posts she had made were filled with malicious slurs.

In this statement, she claimed Ryan approached her as a potential lead for a music video, and she had developed feelings for him, continuously dropping hints.

Yet Ryan had remained unaffected, maintaining his boundaries, and instructed her to focus on her career.

At this year's All Points Music Festival after-party, she learned that Ryan was also a performer, so she decided to attend and pursue him. She even asked Ryan to help her get in touch with the Tin Tin band, and he obliged.

Later, at a CK fashion event, she took his arm as they walked in together.

But as the "truth" surfaced, she started to realize her mistakes and hoped that Ryan and Taylor would forgive her.

...

Half an hour later, Ryan released his second statement, indirectly acknowledging the incident and still pleading for the public to be kind to Karlie, attributing everything to youthful impulsiveness.

...

An hour and a half later, Taylor made the final statement, concluding the situation. She expressed understanding of Karlie's actions and chose to forgive her.

She also mentioned Ryan, stating that this incident had solidified her commitment to him, calling Ryan her Mr. Right.

Finally, Taylor hinted that she and Ryan would offer the public a "New Year's gift," although she didn't specify what it would be.

...

"Will this finally put an end to it?" Ryan sighed in relief.

Paula was right; although there was nothing truly between him and Karlie, the public preferred a different narrative. The truth hardly mattered.

This approach kept his relationship with Taylor "pure," ultimately driving fans even crazier about their romance.

Consequently, Karlie Kloss bore all the blame, but she would later receive some "compensation" from Ryan.

As for the three statements, they were all dictated by Ryan and written by Paula.

Taylor also added her own touches to her statement, including a heartfelt declaration for Ryan.

"These are the words I really wanted to say to you, my dear," Taylor said, resting her head against Ryan's chest while gazing at the stars outside.

"I was so ridiculous for doubting you; if it weren't for this series of misunderstandings, I would have never known your true feelings," Taylor said, emotionally.

Even though the truth wasn't as outrageous as the statements indicated, it still confirmed Ryan was indeed a "good guy."

At that time, he could have easily used the Wake Me Up music video to entice other women.

"Now you know," Ryan kissed her.

They shared an unprecedented, long kiss.

"I actually came over to prepare something special for you," Taylor said with a smile, pulling a brand new, unopened pair of stockings from her handbag.

"Sit down; I'll put them on for you," Taylor teased, sitting at the opposite side of the sofa, deliberately creating some space, then slowly raising one leg, showcasing the perfect line of her leg.

Her movements were deliberate and slow, purely to tease Ryan, and he had a slightly dazed look in his eyes.

Though some details seemed a bit clumsy, her effort to present herself alluringly was clear.

In the dim light, her 40D stockings were semi-transparent, drawing attention to the curves of her legs.

She turned around, and he could see two dark lines extending from her heels upward.

These lines enhanced her silhouette, creating a more elegant look compared to regular street stockings.

Ryan felt the air shift.

"From now on, I'm going to make you the happiest man in the world," she said as she placed her hand gently on Ryan, urging him to lie back.

Whether or not he would be happy was one thing; Ryan felt he might just be one of the luckiest men.

Without thinking too much, Ryan immediately made his move.

...

"Ryan, I can feel your warmth enveloping my soul; it feels amazing. You have to keep this up..." Taylor said slowly, a charming smile on her face, feeling warmth in her belly.

At that moment, she wrapped her arms around Ryan, like a mother cradling her baby.

"Did you watch some videos?" Ryan noted a clear change in Taylor.

"How did you know? I had Erica help me find some instructional videos. Don't you like this?" Taylor replied in surprise.

"Of course I do," Ryan chuckled.

"Good," Taylor's cheek brushed against Ryan's forehead.

Though Taylor had some areas to improve, the sincerity in her approach far exceeded any woman Ryan had encountered before.

"By the way, there's something I'm curious about. What did you say to Karlie that made her agree?" Ryan expressed his confusion.

Taylor smiled slightly, "I mentioned that you deleted my song, and also said that you are actually a very reliable man. You wouldn't abandon Karlie and would definitely take responsibility."

"So that's why she agreed? In essence, you accomplished this."

Responsible? What responsibilities did I have toward her?

*****

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