Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 121

There weren't many women her age who had become CEO on their own merit. The corporate world, after all, wasn't particularly friendly to women.

Stephanie knew Hannah must have something special about her.

She admired capable women and proactively extended a hand. "Ms. Scott."

Hannah gave it a firm, brief shake. "I have a meeting in a bit. Would you like to join?"

Stephanie had heard about this meeting; it was the new product launch for OALA Group.

A new car model was being released today, drawing attention not just from within the company but from consumers worldwide. The event was being live-streamed globally, and the entire company was taking it very seriously.

Naturally, Stephanie accepted.

An hour later, she sat in the audience, watching Hannah speak eloquently on stage.

Every camera was pointed at her, but Hannah showed no signs of stage fright.

Spy shots of the latest car model appeared on the large screen behind her, and Hannah began detailing its features and advantages.

As the presentation neared its end, Hannah's gaze suddenly shifted toward Stephanie.

"Of course, OALA Group is committed to discovering the best products for our users. We place the utmost importance on our core electrical systems, and we will always provide the safest, most reliable, and convenient vehicles for all our customers."

Right as she mentioned "core electrical systems," the director cut to a shot of Stephanie's face.

Though caught off guard, Stephanie managed a graceful smile for the camera.

After all, the core electrical systems were precisely the area she would be in charge of.

A few minutes later, along with #OALAGroupNewProduct, another hashtag started trending: #OALAGroupSweetheart.

Stephanie's beautiful, girl-next-door look, combined with that smile, made everyone watching feel like they had just fallen in love.

[This woman must be a sociopath. Is OALA Group sure they want someone like that as a procurement manager? It's a total disregard for consumer safety! And she's in charge of the most critical electrical systems? Hard pass!]

Car orders, which had been steadily climbing, began to stagnate as the hashtag gained traction.

It was clear that some customers, influenced by the negative press, were beginning to question the vehicle's safety.

Stephanie sat in the conference room, listening to the various departments debrief the launch event.

When the PR manager stood up and told everyone to check Twitter, a heavy silence fell over the executives in the room.

All eyes turned to Stephanie.

Confused, Stephanie immediately opened Twitter.

When she saw the source was an anonymous burner account, her expression instantly turned icy.