The media storm showed no signs of stopping. It felt like someone was deliberately fueling every outlet to keep churning out increasingly scandalous stories about Samuel and Sophia.
No other news could break through the headlines. Their scandal remained firmly planted at the top of every search engine's trending list. The public outrage seemed to intensify with each passing day.
Naturally, the businesses of both families were suffering a continuous, sharp decline. If this continued, both Mitchell Corp and Scott Enterprise would face bankruptcy over a single scandal. It would be an unprecedented catastrophe in corporate history.
During a tense board meeting at Mitchell Corp, Richard Mitchell was shouting at Samuel in front of all the board members and senior executives. "You can't even silence the media on one scandal?! How long has this been going on? Do you intend to drag the entire company down with you?"
Samuel was seething with indignation. He had been certain the scandal would eventually fade from public attention. Yet, it stubbornly remained at the top of search trends after all this time.
Someone was undoubtedly orchestrating this from behind the scenes. He didn't need to guess who it was. The thought infuriated him. To think Elise had so completely enchanted William. The same woman Samuel couldn't even touch had willingly thrown herself into that man's arms.
The more Samuel dwelled on it, the more his rage boiled over. Still, he ground out through clenched teeth, "I'll have it handled by the end of today."
"You'd better not disappoint me!" Richard snapped before storming out of the conference room. The others quickly filed out, leaving Samuel alone.
He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Amanda."
"What is it, Samuel?" She sounded distinctly impatient. "I'm in the middle of my makeup session. There's a fashion gala tonight."
Mitchell Corp's troubles were never Amanda Mitchell's concern. Her world revolved around her own happiness and carefree lifestyle.
"Will Elizabeth York be attending the gala?" Samuel asked, his voice tight.
"Why are you asking about her?" Amanda's expression instantly cooled. In Amanda's view, Elizabeth was her arch-nemesis, even though they weren't remotely on the same professional level. Amanda remained utterly convinced Elizabeth's A-list status was solely achieved by sleeping her way to the top. She believed if she had been willing to do the same, she would have surpassed Elizabeth long ago.
"Is she going or not?" Samuel scowled, unwilling to entertain her petty grievances.
"Yes! She's practically the guest of honor!" Amanda snapped irritably. "Just focus on Sophia, Samuel. Elizabeth is nothing but trash."
"Worry about yourself," Samuel retorted coldly and ended the call.
He tapped open his phone's photo gallery, scrolling through the incriminating pictures he had of Elizabeth and William. A scandal involving the star actress would undoubtedly dominate the search trends for quite some time...
At the gala venue, Amanda was meticulously checking her reflection. She had spent hours perfecting her appearance. She hadn't wanted to attend this event at all. She knew all the attention would be on Elizabeth, and she had no desire to be overshadowed.
The only reason she had come was because she'd heard Ethan Parker would be attending. For a chance to see him, she decided to endure the humiliation.
Suddenly, she sprang to her feet. Her manager, Jennifer, quickly interjected, "It's not time for your entrance yet, Amanda."
"I know," Amanda snapped impatiently. "I just need some air. Don't bother me."
Jennifer wanted to say more, but knowing Amanda's volatile temper, she chose silence over verbal abuse.
Amanda swept out of the dressing room and began prowling the hallways. She searched until she found Ethan Parker's designated breakroom.
Without bothering to knock, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She walked in just as Ethan was in the middle of changing his shirt.
He was shirtless. The defined, chiseled lines of his chest and torso were everything she adored.