Chapter 659 The War of Words
“She put up with it for years, even outlived Elsie. With the threat gone, you’d think she’d get closer to Paul. Why blow up his affair now?”
“She’s tied to the Powell family–dragging them into a scandal and triggering market instability hurts them both. It’s a lose-lose move.”
Paul stared darkly at the screen filled with damning evidence. He knew denying it now would be pointless.
His relationship with Elsie had never exactly been a secret. Any attempt to deny it would just destroy his credibility.
Facing the media, Paul said, “I’m sorry, everyone. I did make the kind of mistake every man is said to make. But I cut things off with Ms. Elsie over a year ago. I’ve since returned to my family, and my relationship with Ms. Taylor has been stable. We’ve attended company events together, cut ribbons together–you’ve all seen it with your own eyes.”
Taylor clenched her teeth. He was still lying.
Those events had all been for appearances–to protect the family’s image. Nothing more. Now he was using that to stab her in the back?
In her earpiece, Yunice spoke calmly. “Paul’s gotten smarter… This isn’t his usual style. Someone must be advising him.”
But who?
There had never been anyone that cunning in the Powell family. Otherwise, Paul wouldn’t have made so many idiotic mistakes and let others manipulate him so easily.
Paul turned to Taylor, putting on an expression of deep affection. “Taylor, I always wanted to treat you well. I thought we’d be the perfect couple–growing together and growing old hand in hand. But I never imagined that, just to protect your lover and divorce me for my assets, you’d stand in front of the media and slander me, dragging down the image of our company. You’ve truly disappointed me.”
“I cheated?” Taylor snapped, unable to hold back despite telling herself to stay calm. The sheer nerve of Paul flipping the blame–she could barely breathe.
Paul turned to the screen. “Let me show you all something.”
Taylor looked up in shock.
Photos flashed onto the screen–pictures of her and her bodyguard, Alan.
Taken from deceptive angles, their normal interactions had been twisted into seemingly intimate moments–misleading shots that looked like they were kissing, embracing, pressing their heads together. The kind of images that could be easily misunderstood.
Camera shutters snapped again as reporters scrambled to capture every frame.
Taylor stood frozen, her mind briefly blank.
How was she supposed to refute something like this?
Ambiguity was the hardest thing to disprove. People believed what they saw–and one misleading angle was all it took to destroy her.
Paul smiled in satisfaction and continued, “Taylor, for the sake of love, I was willing to forgive everything and move on. But you pushed me to this point, and I have no choice but to speak out. Still, if you want a divorce, I don’t agree. That bodyguard you like–he’s just a bodyguard. He can’t give you a stable life. I won’t let you run off to live in misery with him.”
As he spoke, he glanced away from the cameras and gave Taylor a smug, triumphant look.
His expression said it all: he was gloating. He thought he had her cornered. The harder she tried to pull away, the tighter he held on. He wanted to see how far she could go.
Taylor’s blood roared in her ears. Her grip on the mic was so tight it nearly snapped in half.
Then Yunice’s voice came through. “Don’t take the bait. Those photos aren’t valid evidence of cheating in court. Right now, the public thinks this is a circus. The more you try to explain, the more you play into Paul’s hands.”
Yunice added, “You need to shake up the room. Make them feel their own interests are at risk. That’s the only way they’ll side with you.”
Taylor wasn’t someone who backed down easily.
To turn the tide, she had to make sure everyone felt the damage.
Now centered again, she steadied herself. She hadn’t come unprepared.
Paul, thinking her silence meant she was done, grew even more confident. In his mind, she was already branded a cheater. A woman who cheated on her husband then turned around and accused him? That only strengthened his position.
Paul sneered. “Taylor, I still care about you. I can forgive your foolish mistakes–but I won’t forgive that bodyguard. If he dares steal my woman, then he’ll have to pay the price.”
He suddenly raised his voice. “Alan! Since your lady’s reputation is in shambles because of you, don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”
Taylor’s eyes flew to Alan in the crowd.
He had been in the shadows, always quietly protecting her. But hearing Paul’s accusations, Alan finally stepped into the light.
Cameras immediately turned to him, projecting his face onto the big screen for everyone to see. He couldn’t hide even if he wanted to.
The media pounced, weapons drawn–ready to capture every angle of the alleged “homewrecker.”
This press conference had turned into a full-blown spectacle. Scandal, betrayal, and elite drama–exactly the kind of explosive content guaranteed to make tomorrow’s headlines.