Chapter 9 Chapter 9

Chloe was overwhelmed with worry about raising money, unaware that the internet and media were already in a frenzy.

Shortly after noon, headlines like "Lionel Williams, CEO of K International Group, Spotted with Flora Miler at Paradiso" along with a series of photos started appearing online. Although Flora's face was blurred out, the news spread like wildfire.

The public was in an uproar.

Lionel Williams was the dream man of millions, admired for his near-godlike perfection. The sudden revelation of such a scandal involving him was shocking and unacceptable to many.

Some sympathetic fans tried to defend Lionel, but the majority were relentless in their condemnation, hurling insults like "hypocrite," "shameless," and "disgusting."

Posts and comments spread rapidly, intensifying the controversy. The internet was nearly brought to a standstill, and K International Group's stock took a significant hit.

Lionel, caught completely off guard, was furious.

He had personally witnessed his men destroy the cameras last night-where could these photos have come from?

The answer was clear: it had to be that woman. He had underestimated her, assuming no one would dare challenge him given his status. But now, he realized he had been wrong.

As he read through the information on Flora, Lionel's anger flared. He wanted nothing more than to tear her apart.

Meanwhile, Lionel's grandfather, Earl Williams, who was abroad at the time, nearly suffered a stroke from the shock of the scandal. He flew back immediately, ready to confront Lionel, but found himself unable to strike him.

K International Group's crisis management team quickly took action, leveraging their extraordinary resources to scrub the internet clean of the scandal. However, the damage was done, and the public's memory was not so easily erased.

"This mess you created-you fix it!" Earl's eyes were filled with fury as he glared at Lionel. "If you can't handle this, you'll have quit!"

Earl wasn't making empty threats. When he had pushed Lionel into his current position a few years ago, it had stirred significant opposition, not just within the family but also among the major shareholders of K International Group.

Lionel was known for his wild and carefree nature, more interested in women and spending money than in running the company. His ascension had threatened many people's interests, and they saw him as a ticking time bomb that would eventually destroy the company.

They had no choice but to wait for Lionel to make a mistake, hoping to pull him down when he did.

Lionel understood the gravity of the situation. His sharp features were etched with tension.

"I'll handle it," he promised.

"Do you have a plan?" Earl raised an eyebrow.

"I will," Lionel replied, the gears in his mind already turning. This wasn't an insurmountable problem-he just needed to wait for the right moment to strike and eliminate the threat once and for all.

"Marry her!" Earl declared, slamming his hand on the table as he stood up. "It's the best solution right now!"

"No way!" Lionel's eyes flashed with anger as he stood up as well. Marry that woman? He'd rather strangle her-she had clearly set him up, but for whom?

"If you don't, you'll quit!" Earl's voice was calm but firm, his sharp eyes darkening. "It's just a woman. The money you spend freely could support thousands of women! Marry her, and you can divorce her later. I'm not asking you to live with her forever. Once things settle down, you'll still be in control."

Earl's experience in business was undeniable. His shrewdness showed.

Lionel's icy eyes flickered, and suddenly, he changed his mind. A sly smile tugged at his lips as he gave instructions to his assistant. "Barton, arrange a press conference. I'm going to marry Flora Miler!"