Chapter 403 - 401: Like a Dead Fish, to Be Carved Up

It was all for work.

Christopher Sterling finished speaking but didn’t leave. "Who are you engaged to?"

"My childhood friend, who’s also the current director of Jansburg East Television. His name is Felix Hughes," Rose Shaw said softly.

Christopher Sterling said nothing and turned to leave.

...

Wayne Payne’s words were like lighting the fuse on a bomb. As soon as Eileen Scott heard them, she exploded.

"That bitch, Rose Shaw! She wants me to hold a press conference and apologize to the public? Apologize for what? What do I have to apologize for?!"

"Does she have no shame?! She and Melody Monroe are in this together! She definitely had a hand in it!"

"And she wants *me* to apologize! I won’t do it!"

Wayne Payne remained silent, letting Eileen Scott vent.

"Why didn’t you refuse?" Eileen Scott’s fury immediately turned on Wayne Payne. Since she couldn’t take her anger out on Rose Shaw, he became the next best target.

"Why are you so useless? You can’t do anything right!"

"Does my sister pay all that money just to support useless people like you?"

"Rose Shaw is the president now! I have to obey her decisions!" Wayne Payne explained quietly. "Of course, you could choose not to hold the press conference and not apologize. You could just leave Stellaris and quit the business altogether."

"I’ll apologize!" Eileen Scott said, gritting her teeth.

’Rose Shaw, Melody Monroe... just you wait. Sooner or later, I’ll have you both kneeling before me, begging for scraps like dogs!’

...

"Eileen Scott apologized!"

"She held a press conference!"

"Now that Eileen Scott has apologized, does that mean our show can go back on the air?"

"I really hope it continues! Otherwise, what are we going to do?"

"Yeah, Eileen Scott screwed us all over! If it weren’t for her, our show would have been fine! We might have even gotten famous after it aired!"

Several people were murmuring in the clubhouse of the hot spring hotel.

Eileen Scott’s apology had been a tear-soaked spectacle.

But no one was buying it.

It didn’t earn her a single shred of sympathy.

Whether she was apologizing or throwing herself under the bus, people still suspected she was only doing it to avoid charges of intentional assault. Otherwise, who would be stupid enough to admit to everything?

Any normal person would have at least tried to make a few excuses.

This time, Eileen Scott was backed into a corner so tight, a comeback seemed impossible.

’It wasn’t that they didn’t dare to argue,’ Wayne Payne thought. ’He was sure someone was pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Swapping the medication, the video recording—it had all been a setup.’

’They were like dead fish, completely at someone else’s mercy.’

’Any attempt to even make a ripple would be instantly and brutally suppressed.’

’Who on earth was the person backing Melody Monroe?’

’He wouldn’t know a moment’s peace until he dug them up!’

’That Keith Coleman guy had only recently started showing up around Melody Monroe. Maybe he was the place to start digging.’

’No matter what, he would find out who was backing Melody Monroe, whatever it took!’

...

Melody Monroe received a notice telling everyone to gather in one of the hotel’s conference rooms.

By the time she arrived at the conference room, almost everyone else was already there.

Felix Hughes was seated at the head of the table, looking like he was about to announce an update on the show.

At this moment, everyone was incredibly tense.

They were all afraid of hearing bad news.

"The incident with Eileen Scott has been thoroughly investigated and is now concluded. Because of her actions, the show was suspended. I know what everyone has been most concerned about these past few days is whether or not the show can continue."

"I can now tell you with certainty that the show will continue to air. However, we’ll have to make some changes to the format."