Chapter 65: Setting a Trap
Sometime after eight o’clock.
Vivian Lowell sat at her computer, clicked on the trending topic about the marriage alliance, and found that things had, as expected, blown up even more.
The media contacts Vance Wyatt had reached out to were incredibly effective.
In just over an hour, the number of real users discussing the topic had increased tenfold. It was no longer just bots controlling the comments, and Shelly Lowell’s messy affairs were now sparking much wider discussion.
Among them, a new topic, "#ShellyLowellPhotos," had started trending.
Vivian Lowell clicked on it and discovered that someone had actually taken photos of that explosive scene from the other night and uploaded them to the internet.
"Haha, Tanya. Look, Shelly Lowell’s photos are all over the internet now! They tried to buy a trending topic to create buzz for the Lowell and Grant Families, but it ended up like this!"
Vivian Lowell sent a screenshot to Eleanor Rhodes, waiting for her best friend to reply so they could mock the Lowells together and vent their frustrations.
But...
Eleanor Rhodes, who almost always replied to Vivian Lowell instantly, hadn’t responded this time.
Vivian Lowell grew tired of scrolling through the trending topics. When she opened WhatsApp, her last message was still the most recent one in the chat.
’Is Tanya still busy at the vet clinic?’
Holding her phone, Vivian Lowell thought for a moment before sending another message to Eleanor Rhodes.
"Tanya, it’s getting late. No matter how busy you are, remember to eat properly. If you need me at the clinic, just let me know. I’ll come over and help when I’m free!"
Eleanor Rhodes still didn’t reply.
Vivian Lowell figured Eleanor Rhodes was probably operating on a kitten, so she sent a message to Vance Wyatt: "Nice work. Thanks!"
"You’re welcome, Ma’am! It’s my duty!"
Vance Wyatt replied immediately, attaching a "Ganbatte" sticker.
Vivian Lowell smiled. Just as she was about to put down her phone, turn to look at the rain outside, and clear her mind to rest and maybe find some inspiration, her phone rang.
’Did Tanya message back?’
Vivian Lowell glanced instinctively at her phone, only to see it was a call from Sharon Galahad.
’What does Sharon Galahad want with me?’
’Didn’t we already agree that I’d give her the Swan design drawings in a week? And I’ve pretty much handled all the recent Lowell Group matters.’
Of course—
She had also secretly copied a record of the Lowell Group’s financial problems.
She answered the phone, and Sharon Galahad’s anxious voice immediately came through.
"Vivian Lowell! Didn’t you used to know a lot of people in media and PR? See if you can help get Shelly’s trending topic taken down!"
As soon as Sharon Galahad finished speaking, Shelly Lowell’s voice could be heard from a little farther away on the other end.
Shelly Lowell’s voice was tinged with tears, and she sounded frantic. "Mom, why are you calling her? She’s probably the one who caused this whole mess!"
"And you’re asking her for help!? There’s no way she’d help me!"
’Well, well. Shelly Lowell has some backbone after all.’
Vivian Lowell chuckled and said into the phone, "Mrs. Lowell, you see? I haven’t even said a word, and Shelly is already slinging mud at me."
"She’s already acting like this, so why should I swallow my pride and help her? Mrs. Lowell, you know my temperament. I’m not capable of doing something so humiliating."
"What I can tell you is this: I do know a lot of people in the media. It’s just that I’m not in the mood to help Shelly right now. Understand?"
"Vivian!" Sharon Galahad grew frantic. She said hurriedly, "Vivian, wait!"
Then came the sound of the phone being set aside.
On the other end, Sharon Galahad seemed to start arguing with Shelly Lowell. Vivian Lowell couldn’t know for sure what was happening.
She could only faintly hear Sharon Galahad scolding Shelly, saying she was being too disobedient and not considering the Lowell Family, and that she needed to apologize to Vivian Lowell.
’Apologize to me?’
Vivian Lowell didn’t actually need their apology.
The things the Lowells had done to her could never be undone by a few half-hearted words of apology.
They had exploited her feelings, even planned the car crash that took her life, and had her organs forcibly transplanted into Shelly Lowell.
If she hadn’t managed to break away from the Lowell Family in time after her rebirth, they would have already bled her dry!
Thinking of all this, Vivian Lowell’s heart filled with nothing but hatred. She lost all interest in even speaking another word to Sharon Galahad and the others and prepared to hang up.
Just as she was about to end the call.
Shelly Lowell’s voice came through the phone.
She sniffled, her voice carrying that distinct, aggrieved tone.
Hearing Shelly’s tone, Vivian Lowell paused for a moment, reminded of another incident from her past life.
In her past life, after Mason Grant got engaged to Shelly Lowell, he had sought out Vivian Lowell and told her that if she ever had any difficulties in life, she could come to him.
Vivian Lowell had ignored Mason Grant, telling him that the Lowells treated her very well and that he didn’t need to worry about her affairs.
Mason Grant had seemed a bit sad at the time, but he left without saying anything more.
Later, at a Lowell Family banquet, Shelly Lowell and Vivian Lowell were standing together when, for some unknown reason, Shelly fell to the ground.
Shelly claimed that Vivian had pushed her.
When Mason Grant arrived, Shelly tearfully threw herself into his arms and said, "Vivian surely didn’t do it on purpose. She... it’s because she has feelings for you."
"She was thinking about us and that’s why she pushed me. Mason, please don’t blame Vivian."
At that moment, Vivian Lowell was completely stunned, realizing for the first time what a brilliant actress Shelly Lowell was!
The sound of Shelly’s crying back then was very similar to how she sounded now.
Hearing the crying, Vivian Lowell’s heart turned cold. She sneered and asked, "Shelly, what kind of act are you trying to pull?"
The crying stopped abruptly.
It was as if Shelly Lowell hadn’t expected Vivian Lowell to be so blunt. She had been about to play the victim, but now the words were stuck in her throat, and she didn’t know what to say.
"I’m not, I didn’t."
Shelly sounded flustered. A cough from Sharon Galahad was heard over the phone, and Shelly seemed to snap back to her senses. "About what happened before... I was really upset."
"I didn’t know who to suspect, so I thought it was you. But we’re both Lowells. If the Lowell Family’s reputation is damaged, it won’t be good for you either."
"So, you wouldn’t actually hurt me, right?"
Vivian Lowell sneered again and retorted, "What do you think?"
"..."
Vivian Lowell’s silence completely crushed Shelly Lowell.
Shelly fell silent. The phone was taken from her, and Sharon Galahad said awkwardly, "Shelly actually wanted to apologize to you! She was too frantic before and misunderstood."
"Vivian, please don’t take it to heart. Help her, won’t you?"
"Is that so?"
The corners of Vivian Lowell’s mouth turned up. "It’s not impossible for me to help. But—I have one condition you need to agree to."
Sharon Galahad hesitated, as if terrified that Vivian Lowell was about to ask for the Lowell Family’s money again. Her first instinct was to refuse!
Vivian Lowell sensed Sharon Galahad’s reluctance and said mockingly, "It has nothing to do with money. It’s just a recent audit that needs your signatures."
"As you know, I returned my shares in the Lowell Family to you after Shelly came back. So naturally, your signatures are needed on these documents now!"
A sound of relief came from the other end of the line.
Sharon Galahad agreed readily. "Signing something is no problem at all! Vivian, you can have someone bring the documents over right away!"
"Then—what about the trending topic?"
"I’ll handle it."
Vivian Lowell promised, "Regarding the trending topic about the Lowell and Grant Family marriage alliance, I’ll have someone help lower its visibility and then get it removed."
"That’s wonderful!"
Soon, Vivian Lowell hung up and sent the documents to Sharon Galahad, who signed them quickly.
Looking at the signatures of Sharon Galahad and Shelly Lowell, Vivian Lowell nodded in satisfaction.
’As expected.’
’She’d run the company for so many years, yet now Sharon Galahad couldn’t even see that there was a problem with this contract. She even foolishly had Shelly sign it with her.’
’Since they fell into the trap so easily, whatever hole they fall into next is their own problem.’
Extremely satisfied, Vivian Lowell sent a message to Vance Wyatt: "See if you can find someone to lower the visibility of the Lowell-Grant marriage alliance topic, or have it removed."
There seemed to be a moment of hesitation on Vance Wyatt’s end, but he still replied, "Yes, Ma’am! No problem! So, what about the topic with Shelly Lowell’s photos?"
"That one proceeds as planned, of course. I only mentioned the marriage alliance topic, so you just remove that one."
As for Shelly Lowell’s photos?
The online discussions about her?
Vivian Lowell certainly hadn’t promised Sharon Galahad anything about that on the phone!
It costs a lot of money to remove a trending topic!
How could Sharon Galahad possibly expect Vivian Lowell to do something for her without paying a single cent!