Chapter 371
Three days later, Harris Group held a highly anticipated press conference. The room buzzed with reporters, cameras flashing as the PR manager stepped up to the podium.
In a firm tone, the manager read from a prepared statement.
“We strongly deny any allegations of infidelity involving Mrs. Harris. The photos circulated are the result of deliberate manipulation. The man pictured is a long-standing, close friend of Mrs. Harris—nothing more.”
Despite the confident delivery, the statement rang hollow to many. The company had been forced to respond after the scandal severely impacted its reputation. Share prices had plummeted, and public trust wavered. Damage control was now their only option.
But the public wasn’t buying it.
The photos were too intimate, and the explanation too flimsy. Suspicion only deepened, with online debates growing more intense. The company’s statement quickly became a textbook example of a PR misstep.
Public opinion split into three camps:
One group speculated freely about Olivia’s alleged affair.
Another questioned her background and motivations.
A third fixated on identifying the man whose face had been deliberately blurred.
Journalists pressed the company for answers, but the PR team deflected each question, treating the event as little more than a formality.
After the press conference ended, the controversy continued to rage. Yet the PR team, having anticipated such backlash, chose to wait it out, confident that public interest would eventually fade.
Meanwhile, Olivia had spent the past five days confined to her room, gradually regaining her composure.
That morning, she finally ventured downstairs. As she entered the grand living room, the maids glanced her way but quickly returned to their tasks, a tense silence hanging in the air.
Olivia stood quietly, her gaze downcast, her expression weary.
Just then, Ana descended the staircase. Upon seeing Olivia, she approached with a cold stare.
“Mom,” Olivia greeted softly.
Ana did not return the warmth. After regarding her for a long moment, she said sharply,
“You know what’s happening out there, don’t you?”
Olivia lowered her head even further.
Seeing her silence, Ana pressed on, her voice icy.
“Clearly, I haven’t been strict enough with you. It seems you’ve forgotten your place in this family.”
Olivia remained still, as though the fight had drained from her completely.
Ana’s disgust grew.
“Do you have any idea how this affects our family? This is your last warning. If something like this happens again, I will not be so forgiving.”
“…Okay, Mom,” Olivia whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lifting her chin, Ana swept past without another glance, disappearing into the living room.
Olivia bit her lip so hard it turned white, struggling to hold herself together.
At that moment, Keith came downstairs as well.
“Dad,” Olivia greeted him softly.
Keith ignored her completely, turning to the maids instead.
“Prepare breakfast. I need to head out today.”
The maids hurried to the kitchen. Keith walked past Olivia without so much as a glance.
The coldness of his indifference cut deeper than any words.
Rooted in place, Olivia stood there for a while longer, then silently turned and went back upstairs.