Chapter 300
The article was a bombshell. It delved deep into Rowena’s career, starting with her promotion to the ambassador role. The piece outlined how Rowena allegedly used her connections with Cormac and Alaric to climb the ranks, painting her as a woman who played a strategic game rather than one who had earned her place.
According to the article, Rowena’s rise to fame was no accident. After becoming the promotion ambassador, it claimed, she had “coincidentally” met Cormac at an entertainment center upon her return to the country. They’d spent time together, and their relationship supposedly grew from there. The piece detailed multiple private meetings between Rowena and Cormac, some of which were supposedly arranged by Alaric to help Cormac climb the social ladder.
The narrative continued, stating that once Cormac succeeded, Rowena abruptly broke up with Richard. Despite Richard’s pleas, Rowena remained resolute, sticking by her decision. The article included photos: one from a fan at the entertainment center capturing Rowena and Cormac in conversation, and another from the filming set, where they were seen talking alone.
If the second male lead had been someone else, there might have been some ambiguity, but because it was Cormac—the man at the center of the Nash Family scandal—the public was already predisposed to dislike him. The tide of opinion was clear: most people believed Richard’s version of events.
“Is Cormac even alive? After the Nash Family scandal, I thought he had just disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“If this is true, Rowena is worse than we thought. She doesn’t love Richard, and now she’s with that mess of a man, Cormac. Rowena, have you lost your mind? How could you do this to Richard?”
“Rowena, don’t you remember your own past? Cormac was one of the reasons you nearly killed yourself. And now you’re throwing your future away for him? I can’t believe this. Unfollowing you.”
The comments continued, attacking Rowena, dragging her through the mud. But there was also sympathy for Richard. His narrative was the one gaining traction.
“Poor Richard. We can’t just take one side of the story. He tried to reconcile, but Rowena wouldn’t listen. She threw him away for Cormac.”
“If this is true, then Rowena deserves to quit the industry. What a disgrace. She’s ruined her career.”
What had started as a simple scandal about Richard’s infidelity had turned into a full-blown media circus, with Richard expertly turning the tables.
Rowena’s agent, furious after reading the article, slammed the phone down in frustration. “This Richard is absolutely despicable. First, he cheats, and now he’s dragging you into this mess! I can’t believe this!”
Rowena’s team scrambled to formulate a response. The agent suggested issuing a statement that would deny Richard’s accusations, but they knew it would be a hard sell to the public.
“The clarification is up, but honestly, Rowena, look at the response. The public doesn’t believe us. They’re calling us liars,” the agent said. “You need to step in now. Issue a statement distancing yourself from Cormac. Say those meetings were all his idea, that you have no intention of rekindling anything with him. If you don’t, things are going to get even worse.”
Rowena’s expression hardened as she listened to her agent. The thought of further dragging Cormac into this mess made her stomach turn.
“No,” Rowena replied flatly. “Cormac and I are innocent. This is Richard’s fault. He cheated, and it’s been proven. Why should I have to clarify myself? Why should I push it onto Cormac? If I start throwing dirt on him, how am I any different from Richard?”
The agent sighed, clearly exasperated. “Rowena, I understand your anger, but this is a PR strategy. You have to play along. The internet believes what it wants to believe, and right now, they’re on Richard’s side. The public opinion has shifted overnight, and it’s affecting everything. We were supposed to sign a major endorsement deal today, but the brand pulled out. Do you know the damage this will do to your career if we don’t act fast?”
Rowena clenched her jaw, unwilling to back down. “I don’t care about their opinion. I won’t lie about my relationship with Cormac just to appease the public.”
Her agent’s voice became more urgent. “Listen, you’re in a passive position now. Your career’s on the line. A simple statement saying you and Cormac are innocent won’t be enough to stop the damage. You need to play the game, Rowena. Cormac’s not in the industry anymore, so his reputation won’t be affected, but yours is. Do you want to throw everything you’ve worked for away?”
The agent paused, letting his words sink in. Then, with a heavy sigh, he added, “Do you really want to throw it all away for him?”
Rowena could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on her. The agent had a point. Her career was fragile. But in her heart, she knew that if she publicly distanced herself from Cormac, she’d be just as guilty as Richard. She wasn’t going to play into that game.
“Sorry, I can’t do that,” Rowena said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
Her agent stared at her, disbelief in his eyes. “Rowena, is this about your conscience or is it about Cormac? Do you really want to get back together with him? If you do, let me be clear—getting back with Cormac, even if Richard’s accusations aren’t true, will destroy your public image.”
Rowena’s heart sank. She knew what the agent was saying was true. If she went back to Cormac now, public opinion would never forgive her. The whispers of “gold digger” and “attention seeker” would haunt her for the rest of her career.
But even more than her career, Rowena couldn’t bear to drag Cormac into this mess. He had already suffered enough, especially after the collapse of the Nash family. She wouldn’t do that to him.
The agent’s voice was now sharp. “You’ve worked so hard to get here, Rowena. Don’t throw it all away because of him. Think about your future. Think about everything you’ve built. Do you really want to destroy it all?”
After a long pause, the agent stormed out of the room, leaving Rowena alone with her thoughts.
Rowena sat in silence, staring at her phone, scrolling through the vicious comments online. It felt like a nightmare, one she’d lived through before. The public had already labeled her, painted her as a villain, and now, she was caught in the same cycle of abuse. But this time, she was stronger, more resilient. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel the sting of betrayal, not from Richard, but from the way the world had turned against her.
Meanwhile, Cormac, who had been watching the developments from the sidelines, couldn’t stay indifferent anymore. The online abuse was harsh, relentless. And it was all directed at Rowena.
Despite everything, he couldn’t help but worry about her. He knew the kind of emotional toll this would take on her, especially considering her past struggles. Cormac had gone through hell, but Rowena… Rowena was in danger of losing everything, and that fear for her safety weighed heavily on him.
He couldn’t reach out to her, though—not when things were so complicated between them. The line between friendship and something more was too blurry. He had already been through his darkest moments and come out stronger. But Rowena? He feared this might break her.
And so, he kept his distance, unable to do anything except watch as the world continued to tear them both apart.