Chapter 61 - 60: Downfall
Leo Grant paused mid-signature, looking up at him.
"It was Martin Miller. He hired internet trolls."
Anyone could see something was off about the malicious comments targeting Miss Lowell.
The other live streams were all peaceful and pleasant.
But with hers, it was a completely different story. The moment she said or did anything, a horde of trolls would appear.
Even the trending topics about her on social media today were a result of the trolls spamming negative comments.
Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t dare attack her after finding out she was the chairwoman of Pluto and the eldest daughter of the Lowell family, especially with so many cautionary tales from those who had tried before.
Didn’t it sting after being proven so humiliatingly wrong so many times?
"Who?" A flicker of confusion crossed Leo Grant’s face.
’Sigh. I knew he wouldn’t remember a nobody like that.’ Good thing I was prepared.
"He was a junior manager in Starmoon Entertainment’s business department. The one who harassed Miss Lowell at Comet, got beaten up by her, and was then kicked out of Kingsland by you."
Understanding dawned on Leo Grant. "Didn’t I have him blacklisted from the industry?"
"You did. He’s back in his hometown now. But he’d already racked up significant gambling debts before he left. The man’s too proud for his own good and is still unemployed. With no income, he’s just been taking out new loans to pay off old ones."
"We discovered a five-million-dollar transfer into his account yesterday. It came from Colin Clark, one of Second Young Master Lowell’s rivals. Colin Clark once very publicly pursued Holly Sutton, but she was just stringing him along for resources. A few days ago, Clark even went to the detention center to visit her."
"Hmph. He’s certainly a dedicated simp," Leo Grant sneered, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips. "She’s in that state, and he’s still so in love?"
"I’ve already sent men to bring Martin Miller back. As for Colin Clark...?" Silas Lynch asked cautiously.
Leo Grant stood and put on his suit jacket. "Delete the part about Yvonne hitting him and send the rest of the evidence to me. Also, leak all the dirt we have on Clark. And while you’re at it, find some trouble for his pathetic little company to deal with."
"Right away, Sir. Where are you off to?"
’It’s too early to go to Miss Lowell’s for dinner, isn’t it?! What time is it even?!’
"I’m heading to the Lowell Group first. I won’t be back today." With that, Leo Grant strode out of the office.
Silas Lynch: ...?
’So he just ditched me like that?! Am I that insignificant?!’
’Suddenly, I miss the old gynophobic boss. The one who only had eyes for his work... but was so damn captivating!’
’Whatever. I love work. I love making money. Once I’ve saved up enough, I’ll find myself a wife too! And I’ll learn from my boss how to be a simp!!!’
...
「Lowell Group.」
Leo Grant brazenly took the CEO’s private elevator straight to the top floor, shoved open the door to the CEO’s office, and plopped down in the chair across from Caleb Lowell.
Without even looking up, Caleb Lowell knew who it was. "What brings you here?"
"I sent you something. Take a look before you say anything," Leo Grant said nonchalantly, lighting a cigarette.
Caleb Lowell shot him a questioning glance and picked up his phone.
When he saw the contents, his face turned livid, and he snapped the fountain pen in his hand.
Caleb Lowell had just gotten back from a business trip. There was a mountain of company business that required his final say, so he’d had no time to watch the live stream today.
Moreover, he’d thought his brother was just taking their sister out to have some fun, so he’d only instructed the web-monitoring department to keep an eye on the online chatter.
His orders were simply to send cease-and-desist letters and blacklist anyone who got out of line.
He never imagined that in a single morning, his sister would be subjected to so much slander, and that it would be a premeditated attack.
’Holly Sutton... in jail and still haunting us!’
"Leo, thanks for this," Caleb Lowell said, taking a deep breath as he looked up at him.
Leo Grant raised an eyebrow. "Nothing to thank me for. It’s what I ought to do."
At those words, Caleb Lowell’s gaze turned wary. "Leo, I seem to recall you have a thing about women."
"I still do. There’s just... an exception now."
Caleb Lowell was struck speechless for a moment. His tone was part warning, part reminder. "Nola is the sole treasure of the Lowell and Sutton families. Even if she never marries, even without all her current accomplishments and titles, we can support her for the rest of her life."
"I know. But let’s be honest, assuming she wants to get married and we love each other, aren’t I the best choice?" Leo Grant replied, his expression perfectly calm.
’Darn that marshmallow. She was the one who flirted with me first, and now I’m the big bad Wolf luring her away?!’
Leo Grant felt a headache coming on. ’Things haven’t even officially started yet. What’s it going to be like when we actually get together? It’ll be chaos.’
’Is there a single man in that huge family of hers who isn’t a handful?’
’Am I going to get kicked out just like my grandfather did?!’
’Abel had to endure eighty-one trials to get his scriptures. I might go through eighty-one trials and still not get to marry her...’
Caleb Lowell fell silent. Emotionally, he was just like his brothers—he didn’t want any pigs sniffing around their prize cabbage.
But rationally, he couldn’t refute a single word Leo had said. He knew it was the truth.
"The condition is that she wants to, and she’s still young. You can’t force her into anything," Caleb Lowell conceded.
"Relax. Don’t you know me by now? Let’s get back to business."
’You know what kind of person I am, sure,’ Leo Grant thought, ’but it was your sister who made the first move! She’s the one who forced herself on *me*!’
No one knew what the two men discussed. All anyone knew was that later that afternoon, the career of Colin Clark—an actor who had been a rising contender for Best Actor—imploded.
Just as scandalous stories about him were flooding the internet and his fans were waiting for a statement from his studio, news broke that he had been arrested.
His talent agency was also shut down for tax evasion and hosting orgies.
Leo Grant pulled some strings to extend Holly Sutton’s sentence. He also arranged for people on the inside to "take special care" of her.
As for Martin Miller... who was Martin Miller? Never heard of him. Did such a person even exist?
...
[Hold up, people. While I’m over here eating one-dollar grilled oysters, you two are feasting on grilled abalone?!]
[Who the hell has Australian lobster and king crab at a casual outdoor barbecue?!!]
[Those huge lamb chops... *heavy breathing*~]
[Cheating!! This is totally cheating!! Weren’t they supposed to prep the ingredients themselves?!]