Free Web NovelChapter 99: Chapter 99 Public Relations Crisis
Author’POV
The next morning, Zane met up with Helena in a sleek downtown café that looked far too classy for the dirty work they were about to discuss.
She slid into the booth across from him, practically buzzing with excitement.
Subtlety had never been her thing.
“I ran the story just like we planned,” she said, barely bothering with a greeting. “So, what’s the next move?”
Zane raised an eyebrow, a slow grin working its way across his face. “Well, someone’s in a hurry. Didn’t peg you for the eager type, Helena. What’s got you all fired up?”
Helena’s jaw tightened for a split second, but she masked it with a light shrug.
She’d heard about Sylvia and Caesar’s contract marriage yesterday.
The thought of them playing house made her stomach twist.
All she wanted now was for that picture-perfect little arrangement to fall apart—fast.
And when it did, she’d be right there, ready to convince her brother to let her move to Howling Peaks permanently.
Preferably somewhere within walking distance of Caesar.
Zane let out a low chuckle, leaning back like he had all the time in the world.
He didn’t ask for details—he didn’t need to. The jealousy practically radiated off her in waves.
“Let’s just say I have my reasons,” Helena added smoothly, stirring her latte like it had personally betrayed her. “We’re still on the same side, aren’t we?”
Zane nodded. “Same enemy, same goal. Works for me.”
He pulled a cigarette from his coat pocket, lit it with practiced indifference, and blew a lazy ring of smoke toward the ceiling.
“Next step,” he said, “is to feed this to a few more media outlets. Keep the momentum going. The more noise we make, the harder it’ll be for Sylvia to spin anything.”
Helena wrinkled her nose and waved a hand through the smoke. “Do you have to do that here? And really? That’s it? Feels a little too... neat.”
Zane chuckled, clearly unbothered.
He took another drag just to spite her, then crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray like he was ending a conversation. “Sometimes the simplest moves are the most effective. The trick isn’t in doing more—it’s in making sure what we’ve already done can’t be undone.”
Helena leaned back, arms crossed, lips pressing into a thin line that almost—almost—resembled approval.
“Alright. First time working with you. Let’s not make it the last because you got cocky.”
Zane gave her that slow, lazy smile again—the one that said he already knew how this would end, and it wouldn’t be with him losing.
“To a mutually destructive partnership,” he said, raising his empty espresso glass like a toast.
She clinked hers against it, eyes locked on his, both of them fully aware they were playing with fire—and maybe enjoying it a little too much.
Sylvia’s POV
I stared at the tablet in disbelief, my stomach dropping as I read the headline emblazoned across the screen:
*SHOCKING: Frostline Enterprises Falling Apart From Within?!*
*REVEALED: So-called General Manager merely a figurehead with no real authority!*
My assistant had burst into my office moments ago, breathless and panic-stricken.
Now I understood why.
The knot of unease that had been building in my chest all morning tightened as I scrolled through the article.
It was detailed, convincing, and absolutely devastating.
"Who published this?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady despite the rage and anxiety battling within me.
"We’ve traced it to Northwestern Enterprises," my assistant replied, referring to our main competitor. "But that’s not all. Our material suppliers have seen it too. They’re already canceling contracts."
I set the tablet down carefully, refusing to let my emotions show on my face.
"I understand," I said, massaging my temple. "Our priority now is to stabilize our existing resources and partnerships. Then we can investigate who’s really behind this."
My assistant nodded, clearly relieved that I wasn’t falling apart.
She was new, recently promoted, and I could see the respect blooming in her eyes.
Before I could even formulate a plan, my assistant rushed back in, her face even more distressed than before.
"It’s gotten worse, Ms. Frost! Not just one supplier—almost all of them are pulling out. The project will have to be halted completely!"
My hand froze mid-signature.
This was moving too fast, too coordinated.
Someone was orchestrating this deliberately, pulling strings from the shadows.
I needed time to think, to plan, but the situation was spiraling out of control.
"Start contacting the suppliers immediately. Reassure them, offer additional guarantees if necessary," I instructed. "And find the source of these rumors. We need to cut this off at the root."
She hurried away, and I turned back to the tablet, scanning the article more carefully.
Something about this felt familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
The timing, the specific details leaked—someone with insider knowledge was feeding information to our competitors.
When my assistant returned, her face told me everything I needed to know before she even opened her mouth.
"They won’t budge, Ms. Frost. I tried everything. One supplier told me to ’sort out our family business first.’ Another actually wished for our company to fail! The tone was... vindictive."
My eyes darkened. "Make note of that one. We won’t work with them again, even if this blows over. Business partners who take pleasure in others’ misfortunes aren’t worth keeping."
I pulled up the latest procurement dashboard.
Eight contracts terminated.
Three more flagged as ’under review.’
Someone had triggered a clause we never thought would be used—Clause 14B: Reputation Risk Termination.
It was buried deep in most of our supplier agreements, a legal landmine I’d argued against including.
But my mother had insisted.
"If our name ever stinks, no one should be forced to stay," she’d said.
Now that very clause was being weaponized against me. ƒrēewebnovel.com
As the online furor grew and more suppliers abandoned us, I knew it was only a matter of time before my mother—Alpha Astra—caught wind of this disaster.
The knock on my door came sooner than expected.
"Ms. Frost, the Chairwoman would like to see you immediately." freewebnσvel.cѳm
Of course she would.
