Chapter 139

No.1

She pulled up financial charts. "Nigel's spent three million suppressing hashtags and hired two hundred thousand trolls."

Scarlet gasped. "But we—"

"Our funds have better uses." Evelyn cut in. "What's your analysis on their financials?"

"That crisis two Mays ago..." Scarlet flipped through notes. "Suppliers demanded payments, but Nigel actually embezzled..."

3:17 AM.

Scarlet woke on the sofa to find Evelyn still typing, blue light washing over her focused profile.

"You're still up?"

No.2

"Almost done." Evelyn didn't turn. "Thirty more minutes."

As dawn's first light seeped through the curtains, Evelyn finally closed her laptop.

"Scarlet, review this."

Scarlet's eyes widened with each scroll. "This...this is our company?"

Every "standard industry practice" she'd once accepted now exposed as lethal vulnerabilities in Evelyn's analysis.

"Any issues?"

"No..." Scarlet swallowed hard. "But this is..."

No.3

"Then release it." Evelyn checked her watch. "Market opens in forty minutes."

9:30 AM.

The financial world erupted.

A hundred-slide presentation went viral—"Tonggowan Manufacturing's Accounting Fraud Exposed."

Meticulous data, airtight arguments, even minor discrepancies highlighted in bold red.

10:00 AM.

Tonggowan's stock plummeted, sell orders piling up at the limit-down threshold.

No.4

Shattering glass echoed from Nigel Norton's office.

A trembling assistant handed him a phone. "Sir, Horizon Media is—"

"Get Melissa Lee on the line!" Nigel snarled. "I want Evelyn Sinclair gone—now!"

Meanwhile, Horizon Media's executive suite.

Melissa Lee sneered into her phone. "Evelyn, you're suspended. Return immediately to hand over your work."

On the other end, Evelyn watched traffic flow through the financial district from her hotel vantage point.

"Melissa," her voice unnervingly calm, "are you certain you want to stand with Nigel Norton?"

No.5

A sharp intake of breath.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." Evelyn hung up and turned to Scarlet with a smile. "The real show's just beginning."

"I'm afraid I can't comply with that request." Evelyn Sinclair's voice remained gentle yet firm. "My three-day field assignment was personally approved by you, Supervisor. The investigative piece isn't finished—how can I abandon it midway?"

Melissa Lee let out a derisive laugh. "Investigation? You dare mention your so-called investigation? Tonggowan Manufacturing is threatening to sue us for breach of contract! Even a paid job turns into a disaster with you—what a talent!"

She could barely contain her amusement.

This idiot Evelyn.

No.6

Melissa had assumed the worst outcome would be Nigel Norton assaulting her. Instead, the fool had resisted and created this massive mess.

Breaching the agreement. Exposing client confidentiality. Inciting online harassment. Unauthorized absence. Defying recall orders...

Any one of these violations could sink her career.

And yet, she still dreamed of completing the assignment?

Her job hung by a thread, yet she fantasized about continuing interviews with Nigel?

"Let her flail," Melissa told Penelope Pope cheerfully. "The harder she struggles, the faster she'll drown."

Madam Ashford had promised—once Evelyn left Horizon Media, Julian would finally agree to their engagement.

No.7

"Hopefully Nigel teaches her a brutal lesson," Penelope agreed.

The entire Financial Department buzzed with gossip.

"Everyone warned her financial journalism differs from entertainment reporting. She insisted on using tabloid tactics—this disaster was inevitable."

"Tonggowan's stock hit two straight limit-downs. Nigel must despise her now."

"Will Horizon protect her? Our creed claims to defend journalists who risk everything for the truth."

"Only for legitimate cases! Should we shield reckless troublemakers?"