Chapter 13
The air in the company's grand atrium, hurriedly turned into a press conference space, was thick with tension and the sharp smell of flashbulb ozone. The polished marble floor reflected the intense lights, illuminating the crowd of journalists and cameras. Dorian stood at a podium, his stance the image of stern authority. To his right was Allie, standing like a coiled spring, radiating an icy intensity that silenced any idle chatter. Janene, the head of HR, stood to his left, clutching a folder with white-knuckled firmness.
“Thank you all for attending this urgent press conference,” Dorian began, his voice deep and amplified, cutting through the low murmur of the crowd. “As some of you are aware, our company has recently been the subject of unfortunate and baseless rumors conc
