She held up a single finger, her tone leaving no room for debate.
"Technical accusations are a nightmare to debunk. First, there's the knowledge gap. The average person doesn't understand the science. If Stellaris releases a massive technical report, the public won't read it, and the media won't publish it. The only thing that will stick is the 'thief' label."
"Second, the timing."
Elara held up a second finger.
"A scandal can go global in hours. But for Stellaris to conduct an internal review, gather evidence, clear it with legal, and hold a press conference? That takes days. By the time they have an answer, the narrative will already be carved in stone as 'Stellaris is hiding something.'"
"Third, public psychology always leans toward 'where there's smoke, there's fire.' If Stellaris is innocent, why were they accused? Especially by their own partner. Once that seed of doubt is planted, it's impossible to uproot. Plus, the media thrives on outrage. 'Corporate Titan Steals Tech' generates fifty times the clicks of 'Corporate Titan Innocent.' The algorithms will push our narrative straight to the top."
"Believe me, the public's imagination is the sharpest weapon we have. We just need to light the match; the fire will spread without a shred of evidence. So..."
Elara leaned in, her face filling Melanie's vision.
"We can't lose."
A fierce gust of wind swept across the helipad.
Elara pulled her hand away from Melanie's shoulder to shield her eyes.
When the wind died down, Melanie's icy voice drifted over.
"No matter how you dress it up, this plan is just using me to hurt Stellaris. You're doing this out of a petty vendetta against Preston, but I actually want justice for my mother!"
Understanding Melanie's ultimate goal, Elara offered a sweet smile.
"That's the easy part. The moment Stellaris's credibility is in the gutter, I'll leak the story. I'll say they murdered a lead scientist four years ago to cover up deadly adverse reaction data. The resulting outrage will force the federal authorities to launch a full investigation."
Elara finally saw Melanie give a slow, approving nod.
She let out a hidden sigh of relief.
Convincing Melanie had been an exhausting uphill battle.


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