Love's Bitter Edge (Eva and Leonard)
Chapter 226

Chapter 226 The Board Meeting

"Hypnosis? Like snapping your fingers, and I'd laugh or cry on command?

"Have you lost it, Eva? Did you catch whatever Leonard's got?" Julian looked at me like I had. completely lost my mind.

I pouted and pulled out my phone.

"Look at this, this is Amelia. Notice how her whole look is practically identical to mine from before?"

"And you think she's mimicking you to make Leonard believe she's actually you?" Julian glanced at the phone, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

I nodded vigorously.

If Leonard's nerves weren't physically damaged, could he have been manipulated, maybe through some form of hypnosis or suggestion? Sure, it sounded far-fetched, but wasn't art supposed to imitate life?

He gave me a deadpan look, clearly not buying it. After scrolling through the photos on my phone, he handed it back.

"Has Amelia studied psychology?".

I shook my head.

"Did she somehow predict that Leonard would get injured?"

Another head shake.

"Is she secretly some kind of spiritual guru?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Alright," Julian sighed, rubbing his temples, "I'll look into it. For now, just go get a good rest.

I wanted to ask more, but seeing the pile of documents on his desk, I bit back my questions and let him get back to work.

Little did I know that while all of this seemed like tabloid gossip, the situation had put Harmon Group on the hot seat. Online, people were tearing Leonard apart.

Some resurfaced bad decisions he'd made for the company, amplifying his personal failings.

Comments ranged from frustration to outright anger.

Chup 236 Th T

Meeting

"Leonard kicked out my girl to promote some B-list celeb who tanked the show! We lost everything." "He took his mistress on their anniversary while his wife made headlines. Total disgrace."

"A father disowning his child? This guy's a monster. Heartless."

"If Harmon Group's CEO is this corrupt, do you think his buildings are safe to live in? Not a chance."

It was easy to spot the trolls stirring the pot, but Leonard had crossed a line with the public. Some of Harmon Group's employees began leaking stories, confirming his abuse of power to benefit his side flings. I didn't need to check to know the stock prices had plummeted. On top of the company's plummeting stock value, several major real estate projects were stalling, and the complaints from department heads kept flooding in.

Even the PR team, usually able to extinguish the flames, was struggling to contain the situation.

But this time, Mr. Harmon Senior remained suspiciously silent. He made no statements defending Leonard and made no attempts to clean up the mess.

It was four days after the scandal broke, and just as I was finally discharged from the hospital and returned home, I got a call from him.

"Eva, attend the board meeting this afternoon."

As soon as the call ended, I opened the company's chat group.

The board members were in full revolt, demanding answers. The stock's downward spiral was hitting their pockets, and it wasn't something they were willing to tolerate anymore.

Nervously, I made my way to the company.

The conference room was packed with senior executives, and the second I walked in, every eye landed on me. Leonard's gaze was especially harsh, almost venomous. It made me feel like a- target.

After a few tense moments, Mr. Harmon Senior tapped on the table, commanding the room's

attention.

"Alright, everyone's here. Let's begin."

One of the board members, sitting near Luca, stood up and addressed the room.

"Mr. Harmon, with the stock prices crashing like this, we deserve an explanation, don't you think?"

"Leonard's antics were fine when it didn't affect the company's bottom line, but now it's hurting all of us. We need an explanation."

That one statement opened the floodgates, and soon, the room was filled with a chorus of complaints.

"He's got to answer for this!"

"Personal matters shouldn't ruin the company! He's crossed the line."

"This is hurting us all. We can't sit idly by!"