Chapter 547
No.1
"And you are?" Melissa dripped contempt.
"Lance Yeager. Assistant to Winston Strauss."
Melissa's cackle pierced the room. "How much did Evelyn pay you to lie for her?"
Lance's face darkened.
"What's Horizon Media's budget?" he ground out.
"Pathetic acting!" Melissa jeered. "No interview? Then go home and gestate!"
Lance ended the call with violence.
No.2
"Sign the damn authorization!" He slammed the table. "Don't even think about refusing, Winston!"
Winston glanced at Alexander's thunderous expression and swallowed hard. "...No objections."
——
The atmosphere at Horizon Media's conference room turned lethal.
William Yearwood presided like a judge, flanked by grim executives.
Melissa smiled like a viper. "I heard Reporter Sinclair secured a premium interview? Let's review the budget together."
The seven-figure fee hung like a guillotine.
No.3
Knowing glances passed between attendees.
"Have terms been negotiated?" The CFO demanded.
Evelyn shook her head.
"Playing games?" The CFO stood abruptly. "Either you're deceiving the company, or deceiving Winston Strauss, or—"
"Playing both sides!" Melissa finished, eyes gleaming with malice. "Unethical ambition has no place at Horizon!"
Every gaze became a blade.
To them, she'd already dug her professional grave.
No.4
"The price hasn't been discussed yet." Evelyn Sinclair's gaze swept over Melissa Lee. "There was an unexpected development—Mr. Yeager granted me direct authorization."
Melissa's chest tightened under that look.
But she remained convinced Evelyn couldn't possibly have secured the Winston Strauss interview.
Before summoning the executives, Melissa had already spun her version—
Horizon Media paved the way by connecting with Strauss's assistant, only for Evelyn to arrive late and let Orange Media steal the opportunity.
Worse, during the confirmation call, Evelyn allegedly had someone impersonate the assistant to falsely claim success.
Outraged, Melissa called this meeting to expose the truth.
No.5
A Winston Strauss interview carried astronomical costs—more symbolic than practical for Horizon. If Evelyn truly secured it, where would the funds come from?
If she lied, such deception couldn't be tolerated.
Factual reporting was journalism's most basic ethic.
If Evelyn fabricated this, how could any future reporting be trusted?
This threatened Horizon's very foundation.
William Yearwood was first to endorse Melissa's motion, personally overseeing the meeting.
Most executives knew Evelyn only through rumors of "sleeping her way up"—especially after hearing she'd stolen Melissa's fiancé Julian Ashford.
No.6
A woman trading on her looks potentially becoming their future boss's wife?
These self-righteous men recoiled instinctively.
Moreover, Melissa's father was a Horizon founding partner with substantial influence.
Their allegiance was predetermined.
They scrutinized Evelyn with merciless precision.
"Show us the authorization letter," one executive demanded, hand outstretched. "Words are worthless."
Evelyn met his gaze. "Mr. Yeager promised to send formal documentation. I returned early to prepare interview details."
No.7
Melissa snorted.
"Verbal promise? So you can claim anything now? If it falls through, just blame Strauss for changing his mind?"
"Director Lee," Evelyn's voice held terrifying calm, "lies always unravel. You could verify directly with Mr. Yeager. Why this unseemly haste?"
Her lips curved slightly. "You're overeager."
Eager to destroy her.
The Melissa Lee Evelyn knew in university hadn't been like this.
Back then, she'd been the golden girl—half of media studies' legendary duo with Julian Ashford.