Chapter 15 - The Counterstrike
When Emma walked into the massive glass-walled conference room, she expected to see lawyers discussing a settlement, or perhaps Daniel preparing to fire her to make the PR nightmare disappear.
Instead, the room was packed with journalists, news cameras, and legal representatives. Daniel stood at the head of the long mahogany table, looking completely unfazed by the flashing cameras. He gestured for Emma to stand beside him.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Daniel began, his voice cutting through the chaotic chatter of the room. "Over the past forty-eight hours, Ms. Victoria Vance has made severe, defamatory allegations against this company and against one of our most valued employees, Emma."
He pressed a button on a remote control. The lights dimmed, and a massive projector screen lowered from the ceiling.
"Ms. Vance claims she was attacked unprovoked," Daniel continued. "However, the Grand Lawson Hotel operates a state-of-the-art security system. We prefer to let the truth speak for itself."
The screen flickered to life, showing crystal-clear, high-definition security footage of the lobby from multiple angles. It was unedited and undeniable. The room watched in dead silence as Victoria shoved to the front of the line, screamed at the receptionist, verbally abused Margaret, and then aggressively raised her hand to strike the elderly woman in the wheelchair. The footage clearly showed Emma stepping in perfectly defensively, stopping the blow without ever striking back.
The journalists began murmuring frantically, typing on their phones. Victoria's entire narrative was completely, publicly annihilated.
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"We are filing a massive defamation lawsuit against Ms. Vance," Daniel announced coldly. "Furthermore, let this serve as a warning. The Lawson Group will not tolerate the abuse of our staff, and we will unconditionally protect the employees who uphold our values."
Daniel turned to Emma, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder in front of the cameras. Emma’s reputation was not just secured; she was instantly elevated to a symbol of working-class heroism. The smear campaign was over.
