Chapter 379: The Clarification
“Exactly, Madelyn, what do you plan to do about this?” Eunice asked cautiously, her eyes flickering. Why is she holding a press conference suddenly? Is she going to stir up trouble again?
Madelyn gave Eunice a strange look and then smiled at Derek. “Dad, don’t worry. Since I’m holding a press conference, I have a plan to solve the company’s problems. You don’t need to worry.” After speaking, she deliberately glanced at Eunice, giving a look that said, “You want to know? Well, I’m not telling you.”
Eunice was instantly furious but could only eat her food sulkily. After hearing these words, Derek merely nodded. He didn’t ask any more questions, choosing instead to trust his daughter.
That evening, after handling some company matters, Madelyn went straight home. Sebastian was there. His heart ached seeing how exhausted she was. This girl had lost weight over the past few days due to exhaustion.
“Come and eat,” Sebastian said.
Madelyn nodded, and the two sat down to eat. While eating, Madelyn kept thinking about the press conference the next day, and she found the food tasteless. Ten minutes passed, and she had barely touched her meal.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Seeing her losing weight but unwilling to eat, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel concerned. Madelyn looked at the appetizing dishes, but for some reason, she had no appetite. Just the sheer weight of her worries alone was enough to fill her up.
She shook her head. “I’m fine. I don’t have an appetite, that’s all. Thinking about the press conference tomorrow afternoon makes me nervous.”
Although Madelyn appeared confident on the surface, deep inside, the timid part of her was acting up. Even though everything was in place, Madelyn couldn’t help but worry. What if something unexpected happened tomorrow?
Of course, Madelyn only allowed Sebastian to see this vulnerable side of her. He was the only one who could see her at her weakest. Seeing her worried expression, Sebastian gently ruffled her hair to comfort her. “Don’t worry. You can do it.”
Feeling warmed by his words, Madelyn leaned into Sebastian’s embrace. Without her strong facade, she was just a soft, fragile girl, evoking a strong protective instinct in him.
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” Sebastian reassured, gently holding her. Madelyn nodded, feeling much more at ease.
The next day, the press conference took place as scheduled. To accommodate more media, Madelyn had rented an entire hall at a hotel. At that moment, the hall was already teeming with people. Countless media outlets had come, filling the venue to capacity. Every outlet brought their best equipment to capture the event. There was still half an hour left before the press conference began.
At that very moment, Madelyn was extremely nervous backstage. The grand scale of the event meant that if her explanations weren’t convincing enough, she could be rebutted by the critical media. A poor performance could lead to misinterpretation and being taken out of context by certain people. Therefore, Madelyn inevitably started to feel nervous.
As the chairman of Thornton Corporation, Derek was also backstage. He was equally anxious. He had no idea what his daughter planned to do and felt completely in the dark. Meanwhile, the reporters outside were engaged in endless debates.
“What do you think Thornton Corporation is trying to clear up with this press conference?”
“Yeah, the employee is dead, and the family has taken them to court. What more can they do?”
“It’s a shame. Such a big company falling from grace over this incident is really tragic.”
“Come on, haven’t you seen enough cases like this? Many companies disappear overnight. In the end, it’s just a matter of lacking strength.”
“Thornton Corporation is probably the next to disappear. There’s no need to feel sorry for them. Losing public trust means they won’t last long.”
From the discussion, the general consensus was that Thornton Corporation was finished. Standing among the crowd, Javier heard these discussions and smiled sinisterly. He wanted to see how Thornton Corporation planned to clear their name.
The media immediately went into a frenzy, their cameras capturing every moment. The incessant click of the shutters filled the air. Janessa and Hayden were watching the live broadcast, secretly delighted. They thought Madelyn was foolish for holding a press conference, pushing herself into dire straits.
At the same time, at Lockhart Group, Sebastian had paused his work to watch the broadcast on his office computer. Seeing Madelyn’s serious expression on the screen, he couldn’t help but smile. Almost no one believed in Madelyn, but Sebastian did. Without any particular reason, he had faith that this girl could definitely pull it off.
Following that, the press conference officially commenced. Madelyn sat before countless cameras, her hands and feet trembling subtly, though on the surface, she still maintained an image of utmost confidence.
“Hello, everyone here, viewers at home, and those watching on mobile devices. I am Madelyn Thornton, the person in charge of the Thornton Corporation project involved in the recent incident. Due to some misunderstandings, Thornton Corporation has faced severe criticism and accusations, causing significant damage to our company. I am here today to clarify the situation and present the truth to you all,” she announced. “Whether you believe it or not, this entire incident has been a deliberate smear campaign from beginning to end.”