Chapter 166 The internet’s going crazy
For hours, Alex sat at his desk, staring at the screen, reading through the flood of comments and reposts of the photo from his wedding with Claire. Even though he had ordered Christian to take down the post as quickly as possible, the news had already spread like wildfire.
Social media had once again proven to be both a powerful and perilous tool. Alex marveled at how, in the blink of an eye, the internet could elevate or demolish
someone’s career.
The more he read, the more anxious he became. The comments ranged from congratulatory messages to intrusive speculations. He realized just how vulnerable he was to the whims of netizens.
“Damn it,” Alex muttered under his breath.
He was determined to find out who had leaked the photo. He had already contacted his private investigator, but even they were struggling to trace the original source. The investigator had mentioned something about the location data being imprecise, possibly tampered with.
“Keep digging,” Alex had insisted over the phone. “I want to know who did this, and I want to know soon.”
On the other side, Christian was stuck in a massive traffic jam on his way to Metacortex to meet Claire. The car hadn’t moved in what felt like forever. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, glancing out the window at the sea of vehicles surrounding him.
“Great, just great,” he muttered, cursing the traffic. Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and opened X, hoping to see if the buzz around Alex and Claire’s marriage had died down. But no, people were still talking about it.
He sighed and then switched to Instagram, only to find that several gossip accounts were still buzzing with the news.
He called Alex. “Alex, the news about you and Claire… people on the internet are still talking about it. I have contacted X and other social media to take down the post but it seems people are sharing it again and again.” Christian said a bit frustratedly.
Alex’s voice was tense. “I know, Christian. I’m reading through it all right now. It’s a mess.”
“Do you think we can find the person who leaked this information?” Christian asked, sounding doubtful.
“We have to,” Alex replied firmly. “The PI is on it, but it’s taking longer than I’d like. Inform me about Claire once you arrive. I would like to know how she handle things right now.” He sighed.
“I will inform you of that. Don’t worry.”
Alex and Claire’s wedding was the hot topic of the day, and it seemed like it wouldn’t blow over anytime soon.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the traffic started to move. Christian sighed with relief. He needed to get to Metacortex and talk to Claire.
His fingers drumming anxiously on his thigh. The city blurred past him as he tried once more to contact Claire. He dialed her number, but once again, it went straight to voicemail. “Come on, Claire, pick up,” he muttered with a mix of urgency and frustration.
The repeated failed attempts wore on his patience, and he eventually gave up.
As he pulled up to the towering Metacortex building, he didn’t waste a second. He weaved his way through a throng of journalists and paparazzi in front of the building. Christian hurried inside, bypassing the front desk without asking for a guest card.
Christian used the employee card to have access to the elevator and he pressed the button for Claire’s floor.
When the elevator doors opened, Christian stepped out and headed straight to Claire’s office. He knocked firmly on the door. From inside, a soft “Come in” reached his ears, allowing him to turn the knob and step inside.
Even from across the room, he could see the tension etched on Claire’s face. She looked up from her desk, her eyes filled with worry and stress. As she stood to greet him, she asked, “Christian, what are you doing here?”
“I saw the news,” Christian replied, concern lacing his voice. “Is everything okay?”
Claire sighed deeply and moved to sit on the couch, motioning for Christian to join her. “I made sure to keep my past a secret.” she began, her voice tinged with frustration. “I can’t believe this got out.”
Her eyes then locked onto Christian’s, narrowing with suspicion. “Is this Alex’s doing?”
Christian shook his head firmly. “No, Claire. Alex wouldn’t do something like this. He’s working hard to take down the news right now.”
Claire sighed again, this time more heavily, and did not respond immediately. The silence stretched between them until Christian broke it. “There are a lot of journalists and paparazzi outside your office,” he said, his tone gentle but concerned.
Claire’s response was dripping with sarcasm. “Well, it seems the news about my marriage to Alex is more eye–catching than our project with the Harris company.” Christian’s expression softened. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Claire. Alex is helping too.”
The phone call began with a buzz, slicing through the stillness of the night. Lisa glanced at her phone screen and saw the name she was expecting. She swiped to answer, bringing the device to her ear.
“Yes?” she said, her voice steady and commanding.
“It’s done,” the man on the other end of the line informed her. “I followed your orders.”
Lisa’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “I saw the post. The internet is going crazy about it,” she replied, her tone dripping with satisfaction.
The man paused for a moment, perhaps savouring her approval. “Good job,” she continued, a hint of grudging respect in her voice.
“I want my payment,” the man said, his tone now serious.
Lisa rolled her eyes, though he couldn’t see her. “You’ll get your money after the job is completely done.”
The man wasn’t pleased. “No, I need the money now. Transfer half of it, or I won’t finish the job.”
THE ARGUEts going crazy
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