?Chapter 1227:


    The moment he began, Hadley guessed what he was going to say. Her lips curled into a lopsided smile. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”


    She hadn’t experienced something like this firsthand, but she had seen scandals spiral out of control before.


    In recent years, how many celebrities had seen their careers crumble overnight because of scandals?


    Once a scandal hit the spotlight, public opinion spread like wildfire, and damage control became nearly impossible.


    Hadley ced her hands on her knees, gripping tightly until her knuckles turned white.


    “Yes, it is bad,” Eric said with a solemn nod. He couldn’t deny the severity of the situation. But he hadn’te empty-handed.


    He spoke carefully, each word measured. “I have a n… If you are willing, maybe I can turn things around.”


    Hadley blinked, caught off guard. He had a n?


    “What kind of n?” she asked.


    “It’s…” Eric’s Adam’s apple rose and fell as he met her gaze, his voice slow and deliberate. “Deny everything and firmly say the photos were photoshopped.”


    “What?” Hadley’s brows shot up in disbelief.


    Photoshopped? Could that even work?


    “But won’t people be able to tell?”


    Eric replied calmly, “The images are blurry. Most people can’t tell. I’ll have posts made to redirect public opinion. Trust me. It’s not a big problem.”


    “Is it that simple?” Hadley frowned, skepticism creeping into her voice. It sounded too good to be true.


    “Of course there’s more.” Eric leaned forward, his hands sped in front of him, tension written all over his face. “We might need to put our rtionship in the spotlight again.”


    “What?” Hadley stared at him as if he’d grown another head. Had she heard him right? “Please don’t joke…”


    “I’m serious.”


    Eric had thought it through. At present, this was the simplest, most straightforward, and most effective solution.


    “Back then, I was pursuing you… I went to Gnt frequently because of you. These aren’t fabrications. They can be verified. Moreover, we went public before.”


    His chest tightened as he continued, “My status alone can sway public opinion. No one would believe that, while dating me, you were involved with someone else.”


    On appearance alone, Eric had the upper hand. He was young, tall, and strikingly handsome, especiallypared to Duran’s middle-aged, overweight figure captured in those photos.


    When ites to wealth, would anyone believe Eric couldn’t provide for his own girlfriend?


    “Hadley…” he began.


    “Mr. Flynn.” Elissa returned from the kitchen and gently ced a ss of water on the table in front of him. “Here, have some water.”


    “Thank you.” Eric took the ss, his fingers curling around it.


    He nced at Hadley, his voice calm but firm. “Hadley, the sooner we deal with this, the better. Public opinion will start to swing in your favor. But if we dy…”


    “Mr. Flynn.” Elissa gave him a polite nod. “Can I have a word with her?”


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