Mr. CEO's Ex-Wife: A Cunning Comeback-Chapter 72 - : Press Conference

Everyone in Easthan knew she had been with Daniel.

How was she supposed to face them now?

"Are you sure there was no one else? That doesn't seem right..." Roman muttered, more to himself than to Kate.

A bad feeling crept up his spine as if something terrible was about to unfold.

Without wasting time, he pulled out his phone and checked his bank account. The $1 million he had requested was still there. But the rest of the money, which was supposed to be transferred this morning, was missing.

A wave of panic hit him. What happened overnight? 

As he tried to piece things together, his phone suddenly rang.

Jerry Lowe's name flashed on the screen.

Roman quickly answered, but before he could speak, Jerry's furious voice exploded through the speaker.

"Roman Bently, are you playing games with me? Did your daughter sleep with two men last night? She might as well be a prostitute!" Jerry shouted.

"Jerry, there must be some misunderstanding. I'm sure—" Roman tried to explain.

"Misunderstanding?" Jerry interrupted him. "The headlines on Facebook are crystal clear! Your daughter spent the night with me, then left halfway to entertain Daniel Wilson instead. If she's not a whore, then what is she?"

Roman listened as Jerry hurled insults at Kate, but he had no defense. He was the one who sent her to Jerry last night.

Jerry had promised him $100 million to expand his business in exchange for Kate. He had even given $1 million upfront as an engagement deposit—but only after insisting on testing the goods first.

Roman had agreed immediately. When he finds out Kate is attending the Wilsons' dinner party, he quickly informs Jerry where and when to meet her.

Everything had gone according to plan.

So what went wrong?

He had even told Jerry about the "happy pill" he placed in Kate's purse.

"Mr. Lowe, don't panic. I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding," Roman said smoothly. "Kate isn't the kind of person you're making her out to be. Those Facebook articles must be part of a smear campaign. Someone is trying to ruin her reputation. I hope you can see that and stand by her. After all, we're going to be family soon, right?"

Roman had no idea what had gone wrong, but he knew one thing—the Lowes family was his lifeline. He couldn't afford to ruin their relationship.

"You wretched family! She was so sweet and obedient in my arms last night, but I bet she was even sweeter to Daniel Wilson too. Do you really think anyone would want to marry a used woman like her? I've been made a fool!" Jerry shouted angrily.

"Mr. Lowe, please don't do this. I'll find out who's behind this and fix everything. I promise!" Roman pleaded, desperate to calm him down.

Jerry finally relented. "Now, that's more like it."

Sensing an opportunity, Roman swiftly asked. "Exactly, Mr. Lowe. Did Kate... satisfy you last night?" He hesitated before adding, "About the $100 million investment..."

"Did you hit your head and lose your mind? Do you really think I'd still give you the money after this mess? Keep dreaming!" Jerry snapped before hanging up.

"Mr. Lowe... Mr. Lowe, hello?" Roman called out, but the line was dead.

Roman felt completely crushed. Nothing could fix this unless he figured out who was behind it.

Wait a minute... When I talked to Kate earlier, she didn't seem too bothered by the headlines. Unless... 

A chilling thought suddenly crept into his mind.

****

A large group of reporters gathered in the ballroom of the Easthan Oriental Hotel with their cameras and video equipment ready.

The articles about Daniel Wilson cheating on Kate had been removed from Facebook quickly, making people think the story was dead. But then, Kate Bently announced a press conference.

Despite being labeled the "Black Widow" in charity circles, she still had influence. Some reporters still noticed her announcement and showed up at the venue. The press conference was set for 1 p.m.

Kate hadn't been seen since the Charity Ball incident, making the media want to hear what she had to say.

"You've seen the articles, right? Do you think they're true? Did Daniel Wilson really cheat?"

"I don't know... but I never expected Daniel Wilson to do something like this!"

"Who cares if it's true or not? What matters is how people see it!"

"Exactly!"

The reporters chatted excitedly until Kate Bently walked onto the stage.

She wore a modest pink skirt and carried herself with her usual grace.

The room buzzed with anticipation.

Deep down, Kate was still upset about her phone call with her father.

How could he doubt her?

As frustration built up, her eyes filled with tears, making her look vulnerable in front of the crowd.

Kate sat carefully on the chair in the center of the stage, appearing small and fragile, like a scared little rabbit.

A reporter quickly spoke up. "Ms. Bently, are you holding this press conference to respond to the Facebook articles from yesterday?"

"Did Daniel Wilson really use you and leave you?"

"Did the chairwoman of the Charity Association interfere in your relationship? Do you know her identity?"

The questions came fast and sharp. Cameras rolled as some reporters live-streamed the press conference.

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

Microphones crowded the table in front of Kate, waiting for her response. She caught her mother's signal from the back of the room and slowly lifted her head.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she said softly. "I invited you all here today to set the record straight. The articles online are completely false. Daniel Wilson is a good man. He did not abandon me after 'using me,' as some claim. Daniel is very important to me, and I hope the media will stop spreading false rumors about him..."

Her weak voice and gentle expression made some reporters suspicious.

Was she being forced to say this? 

Was this press conference just a way to fix Daniel Wilson's reputation? 

Seeing her expression, their questions suddenly took a new turn.

"Ms. Bently, did Daniel Wilson tell you to say this?"

"Are you afraid of offending the chairwoman of the Charity Association?"

"Ms. Bently, please tell us the truth!"

The reporters pushed Kate to reveal the third party, which was exactly what she wanted. If she had named the person herself, people might question her motives. But if the reporters uncovered it on their own, it would seem more believable.