The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains
Chapter 115 Public Opinion Storm

A sudden phone ring jolted Michael awake, cutting off Emily's pleasant daydream.

She quickly shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep, then acted like the phone had woken her up.

In that split second of opening and closing her eyes, she locked eyes with Michael.

Michael, realizing his awkward position, scrambled up with an embarrassed look and grabbed the phone.

It was Andrew, his voice hoarse and a bit shaky. "Mr. Smith, finally! You're not at Emerald Lake Manor?" Michael's brow furrowed.

For Andrew to ask that, he must've already sent someone to Emerald Lake Manor.

Showing up at his place this early? Must be something big.

Michael got out of bed, started getting dressed, and put the phone on speaker, his face turning serious.

"I'm at the Smith Mansion. What's up?" Michael asked.

Seeing this, Emily didn't stay in bed either. She got up and could faintly hear Andrew's voice on the phone. "You need to check today's trending topics. You've been photographed. It was yesterday at the Japanese restaurant with Miss Brown, and also Mrs. Smith and her friend."

Andrew continued, "The angle of the photo is tricky. It shows you holding hands with Miss Brown while Mrs. Smith stands aside, looking really upset. The reporter even wrote the headline as... wrote it as..." "Wrote it as what?" Michael snapped.

Now, it was Michael's turn to lose his cool.

His shout made Andrew blurt out, "Smith Corporation President Michael is a playboy, having an affair with Sophia, and even brazenly confronting the main wife, maybe forcing her to step down!" Every word was like a spotlight on him!

Andrew didn't get Michael's solution; what he got was the call being disconnected.

Michael was fuming. He and Sophia had always been careful when going out. Even if someone took a photo, they wouldn't dare publish it so boldly.

In Emerald City, anyone messing with the Smith family was asking for trouble! Who had the guts? Michael couldn't figure it out even after getting dressed and washing up.

Meanwhile, Emily opened her phone to check out the reports.

Sure enough, after a night of brewing and with the Smith family's massive influence, the report had millions of shares and billions of views. At this point, any explanation would need to be carefully thought out. Emily also saw the comments from netizens under the article. Most were concerned about the original wife, Emily, and were boycotting Michael, Sophia, and Smith Corporation.

[This Mrs. Smith is so pitiful. Marrying into a wealthy family isn't as perfect as it seems!]

[Exactly. Being robbed of her husband by her own sister; it's like a ridiculous novel!]

[The Smith Corporation President is really something, having Emily and now wanting Sophia too. Men are indeed greedy!]

[From today on, I'm boycotting everything under Smith Corporation. People are really complicated!]

[Me too! Boycotting such a cheating, unfaithful man, and boycotting Smith Corporation's stocks and everything Smith Corporation!]

"Is the Smith family just cursed lately?" Emily muttered, biting her lip as she closed her phone, feeling pretty helpless.

Even though the scandal was true, the netizens had no clue about the real situation. They didn't know that Michael and she had no real feelings for each other and that their relationship was just a contract. In the end, Michael was misunderstood.

Emily sighed, getting up and heading to the sink.

Michael was rushing to get dressed, and when he saw Emily come in, he quickly said, "You heard it too. I have to go to the company for emergency PR now. Grandpa and Veda..."

Honestly, with the Smith family in such a mess, Michael, who had first proposed the divorce and was now caught up in this scandal, had no right to order Emily around.

But luckily, Emily got it. Without a hint of complaint, she nodded and said, "I know. I'll cut off all the internet today to keep Grandpa from seeing the news online, and I'll ask Lexine to watch over Veda. I'll make some porridge and bring it over later."

"No." Michael shot her down without even thinking. Emily was confused, thinking he was going to give her more orders.

But Michael just turned, looking nervous, and said, "Don't go out. The situation is too big now. Luckily, the Smith Mansion's address has always been hidden, so those reporters can't replace it. I bet the company and Emerald Lake Manor are surrounded by now."

"Then what should I do?" Emily asked.

"Take care of Grandpa for me, and take care of yourself," Michael replied.

With that, Michael left without looking back.

Emily replayed Michael's words in her head, wondering, 'Did I hear that right? Was Michael protecting me? But now the public opinion is hurting the Smith family, and Michael is the one who needs protection the most!' Meanwhile, at the Brown Villa.

Countless reporters at the door were causing a headache. Evelyn covered her ears and sat on the sofa, looking super annoyed.

Seeing Hayden pacing back and forth without saying a word, she snapped, "Stop pacing; it's driving me nuts! No matter how much you pace, it won't change the fact that Sophia is being framed as a homewrecker!" "Don't talk nonsense!" Hayden snapped back.

Hayden had never seen such a big scene. He only knew that their stocks were going to tank, their business was in crisis, and the Brown family was in big trouble!

"Right, replace Sophia. Where is she? She's got such a big problem, and she can still sleep?" Hayden said.

With Hayden's reminder, Evelyn realized that Sophia had been in her room since she came back yesterday, and there was no news from her this morning.

The commotion outside was so loud. Those reporters didn't seem like they were there for an interview; it was more like they were there to raid the place! How could she possibly sleep through that? No way!

Thinking of this, Evelyn hurriedly twisted her body and went upstairs. "Sophia, something big happened!"

Evelyn didn't bother knocking and just pushed the door open, only to be completely stunned by the scene.

Sophia was wrapped in a bathrobe, with a face mask on, eating fruit, listening to music, and drinking red wine, as if nothing had happened!