Chapter 32
Chapter 32
RAVEL
(PRESENT TIME)
With a weary gaze fixed on him, I slowly poured myself a ss of whiskey, trying to ease the tension in
the room. “You should calm down. You know, Jasper and his team are more than capable of resolving
this situation,” I assured him, reaching for an extra ss and filling it as well, inviting him to join me for
a drink.
He swaggered over and downed the contents of the ss in one swift motion, his face contorting as
the fiery liquid went down his throat. “Why are you so unfazed by all this?” he rasped, clearly agitated.
Leaning back, a faint smile yed on my lips as I took a seat on the long stool. “I am Ravel Southwark,
and a mere video of me handling a troublesome individual won’t shake my business,” I replied
confidently, my eyes fixed on the swirling whiskey in my ss. “We’ve faced drug cases in the past and
emerged unscathed; a video of me disciplining someone who deserved it won’t do much harm either.”
He raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconvinced. “Have you even looked at thements and reviews?”
he asked, almost challenging my confidence.
Taking another sip of whiskey, I exined, “The real reason I want that video gone is because of
Hazel.” Raymond looked puzzled, prompting me to borate further. “You see, Hazel is dating one of
her employees, but the media doesn’t know
the e about it. If that video of her ex-husband beating the employee surfaces, it won’t bode well for her.
The papara zzi will be all over her, and you know how much she despises that kind of attention.”
Raymond’s frustration boiled over, and he clenched his fists in anger. “It’s unbelievable how he ims
to love her and yet puts her through all this unnecessary stress. Going public with their rtionship will
only invite relentless hounding from the papara zzi,” he eximed, clearly upset by the situation.
My teeth clicked in frustration as my mind raced with thoughts. “I underestimated this guy; he’s far
more cun ning than I thought. He’s capitalizing on this situation to gain positive publicity for himself,
while also ensuring Hazel is publicly tied to him and tarnishing any chance of me being on good terms
with her.”
Raymond shook his head in disbelief, “So he’spletely disregarding Hazel’s feelings and desires in
all of this? It’s all about furthering his own agenda.”
“Exactly,” I affirmed, my frustration evident. “He sees me as a threat to his rtionship with Hazel, and
he’s willing to do anything to assert his dominance. I must find a way to handle him without causing any
harm to Hazel in the process.”
As my phone vibrated in my pocket, I swiftly answered the call, opting to use the speaker when I
noticed it was Rose on the line. “What’s the update?” I inquired cagerly, hoping she had a solution to
our predicament.
“I just had a conversation with Mrs. Anne, and she has a brilliant idea to handle this situation,” Rose
responded calmly, her voice exuding confidence in her n. “We can work with the existing rumors and
reshape the narrative. Everyone already believes that you divorced Ms. Hazel due to her infidelity. So,
we can spin this story as that of a billionaire who is still deeply in love with his wife. The public will see
you as the sympathetic figure, hurt by the fact that she shamelessly started dating the person she
cheated on you with, which eventually led to that heated confrontation.”
As the suggestion reached my ears, an overwhelming surge of frustration engulfed me, causing my jaw
to clench involuntarily. “This is beyond ridiculous,” I eximed, unable to conceal my disapproval in the
slightest.
However, Rose remained steadfast in her approach, maintaining her gentle tone as she continued to
advocate for her idea. “Please, sir, just hear me out. This strategy has the potential to evoke empathy
and garner widespread support from the public. It’s precisely what we need in these challenging times.
By shifting the focus away from the negative aspects of the situation, we can cast you in a more
favorable light”
In a tone that brooked no argument, I asserted, “There’s absolutely no truth to any rumors about my
wife’s fidelity, and 1 won’t entertain or suggest otherwise.” Rose seemed cautious in her response, but I
made it abundantly clear that I wouldn’t tolerate any further insinuations. “Hazel’s public image must
remain untarnished, and if I encounter any false narratives circting online, you will be held
ountable, Rose. Do we understand each other?”
Chapter 32
Her response was a meek “Yes, sir,” and I swiftly ended the call, unwilling to entertain any more
misguided ideas/
Above all else, my top priority had always been to protect Hazel. I held steadfast to the belief that
compromising her integrity for the sake of public rtions was out of the question.
Every action I had taken thus far was driven by mymitment to safeguard her from any harm, and
that unwavering dedication remained steadfast.
Raymond, who had silently listened to the entire conversation, settled on a stool and directed his
attention towards me. Clearing his throat, he spoke up, instantly capturing my focus. “You might hate
me for what I’m about to say,” he mumbled, and I shot him a fierce re. “I think Mrs. Anne’s
suggestion isn’t such a bad idea.”
ring at him, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Have you lost your narrow mind?”
“No,” he asserted firmly. “You’ve always been the one to make sacrifices in your rtionship with
Hazel. How about you let her take the hit just this once?”
I felt a surge of anger rising within me. This was beyond absurd. “You may be close to me, Raymond,
but not so close that you cannot be reced.”
His jaw clenched in response, but I intentionally ignored it. “If you ever agree to anything that might hurt
Hazel, I will stop considering you as a friend.”
“Rave_”
“Get out of my face!” I snapped, and he reluctantly stood up from the stool.
“Now!” I emphasized, not willing to entertain any more of his misguided suggestions.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.