Chapter 270
However, no one seemed to be listening
+25 BONUS
The truth didn’t matter when a person was willing to die for a caus–all that mattered was that the person had been desperate enough to do so.
After all, who would go so far if they hadn’t been wronged? Would people feel the need to be self–destructive if they hadn’t been utterly driven to despair?
This sort of thinking remained at the forefront of people’s minds, making them dismiss all contradictions. Everything they heard sounded false. It didn’t matter if the evidence was right in front of them–they would reject it because they only wanted to believe what they had decided was true.
And since the Global Technology Forum had been live streamed, it wasn’t long before the whole country learned about what had happened.
The internet erupted with outrage toward me in an instant. People on the internet nicknamed me “academic seductress“. They were horrified that I had stolen someone else’s research and then dared show my face at such a prestigious international summit.
People were also saying I had disgraced the nation and that a woman like me should be severely punished. There were calls for the government to do so mercilessly for someone as morally corrupt as me.
Then, I was revealed to be the largest shareholder of two companies , which led to everyone boycotting my companies‘ products. Because of this, their stock prices plummeted overnight.
The university, Mr. Holland, and my research teammates had immediately issued public statements online. They also included evidence that I never needed to climb into anyone’s bed, nor did I steal the success of the research. My team also declared that Mr. Holland never threatened them, nor did he bar them from graduating.
However, no one believed them. Instead, people on the internet claimed their efforts were due to the power of capitalism.
They were saying I had bribed the members of my research team, the university, and even the government. Essentially, anyone who claimed I was innocent was accused of receiving bribes from me.
They also said I was like a Venus flytrap, with some even calling me a highly cunning femme fatale.
Not only did I deceive my ex–husband and take all his assets, but I had also caused his death. People were claiming I wasn’t satisfied after acquiring both of Irvin’s companies, which was why I tried to portray myself as a genius scientist.
They also believed I was a housewife who forcibly relied on my wealth and my body to steal someone else’s research achievements. All in all, I was the most terrifying person to exist in this world.
I had put in over a year’s worth of tireless and sleepless efforts. In that time, I had gone through so many maddening struggles. Then, I finally reached the climax of the technology summit. Yet, a few baseless words were all it took to beat me down to hell.
I was guilty just because the whole nation believed it. Regardless of how much money I had, I couldn’t keep it from being a trending topic. And the more I tried to smother it, the more outraged the public became.
Not only did they continue to criticize me online, but they even began cornering me in person to criticize me to my face.
Mr. Holland had thought people would recognize my talents after this summit. Through this, I would gain mentors who were more talented than him. My new mentors would then guide me to even greater heights. He never expected something like this would happen or that Lyle would be the one who dealt such a critical blow.
Mr. Holland liked Lyle the most after me. Additionally, Lyle had been his mentee the longest. As a man without his own family, Mr. Holland had genuinely seen Lyle as a son. He had helped Lyle unconditionally, whether it be academic difficulties or
financial troubles.
Hence, Mr. Holland never imagined that one of his most beloved students would brutally stab him in the back like this. Not only had Lyle ruined his reputation , but he had also tried to destroy mine too.
270
+25 BONUS
“ Why , Emi ? Why would Lyle dp this? I’ve treated him so well–we both have! You even helped him pay for his mother’s surgery last year! It was hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of surgical fees. You even paid for her expensive imported medication. How could this have happened? How could he have done this?” Mr Holland lamented.