CHAPTER 154: CHAPTER 154: IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE

Hospital.

"Ethan Lloyd, after doing such a thing, do you really have the nerve to make me act as a loving couple with you in front of the media? Are you dreaming?" Melanie Lloyd coldly laughed after hearing Ethan Lloyd’s purpose for coming.

After this incident, Melanie Lloyd had reached her breaking point and showed no pleasant demeanor toward Ethan Lloyd.

"Melanie, don’t push your luck. Does this incident have any benefits for you?" Ethan Lloyd said with a grim face.

Melanie nodded: "At least now I am the victim, and people won’t point fingers at me."

Ethan didn’t expect Melanie’s refusal was because of this reason, and his already unpleasant expression became even worse. After a while, he seemed to think of something and suddenly took out a document from his briefcase, throwing it onto the hospital bed.

"Then you’d better take a good look at this document. If this matter gets exposed, it won’t do you any good either." After saying that, Ethan sat down on a chair nearby without changing his expression.

Melanie opened it and found it was a detailed account of her visit to Avril’s place. Because she proactively provoked, indirectly causing the fire, if the police were involved, she would be held criminally responsible.

"Ethan, what do you mean by this? Are you threatening me?" Melanie looked at Ethan, her eyes filled with disbelief after reading the document.

"Threatening you? Am I threatening you? I’m helping you make better choices. So now will you still oppose attending the press conference with me?" Ethan leisurely sat on the chair, casually picking up an orange from the table beside him.

Melanie didn’t speak for a long time. After a while, she unwillingly nodded: "I agree to attend the press conference with you and pretend as if we’re still very much in love."

After hearing those words, Ethan finally smiled and casually snapped his fingers: "I knew you’d make the right choice. I’ll pick you up tomorrow."

Ethan had just left the company when Seraphina Sinclair got the news.

"To agree to Ethan’s press conference, what on earth was Melanie thinking?" Seraphina couldn’t understand at all.

After thinking for a moment, she suddenly smiled meaningfully: "Then, I’ll add some spice to it."

Returning home in the evening, Seraphina told Desmond Fairchild about the matter, genuinely puzzled.

"It’s normal; the interests involved are too vast. If they tear off their masks, no one will benefit." Desmond said, pulling her close.

Seraphina sighed in frustration, but then quickly regained her composure, showing a cunning smile: "Although it’s like that, I still prepared a little gift for them. It might not have much effect, but it can certainly unsettle them."

"Hmm?" Desmond glanced at her, indicating for her to continue.

"Isn’t Ethan planning to use the press conference to clear his name? I arranged a journalist to mess things up for him. Let’s see how he handles it." Seraphina lazily lay on Desmond’s lap and said.

She wore a long red dress today, its skirt casually spread over the couch, with her dark hair scattered, making her appear particularly lazy and captivating.

Desmond looked at her in this state, his eyes darkened for a moment. He then leaned down and captured her delicate lips.

Seraphina was kissed until breathless but pushed Desmond away the next second.

"Hmm?" The man’s ink-like eyes were full of emotion, his deep and magnetic voice tingling seductively.

"Ahem, there’s still business tomorrow; we should take it easy today." Seraphina coughed lightly, fleeing back to her room, leaving Desmond in place, touching his lips’ residual warmth and chuckling quietly.

The next day, outside the press conference venue, Ethan got out of the car and walked behind Melanie, speaking with his formerly gentle smile: "Melanie, let me push you in."

The moment Ethan appeared pushing Melanie into the press conference scene, it immediately attracted media attention.

Ethan gently lifted Melanie and walked onto the stage.

His assistant immediately lifted the wheelchair up to the stage, secured it, and placed Melanie on it.

"Hello, media friends. I am Ethan Lloyd, President of Lloyd Group. Due to recent false statements online, I am here to hold a press conference to explain them one by one."

"The claims about my ambiguous relationship with a female assistant are all fabricated. On the day of the fire, the assistant invited me and my wife to her house. We were merely the first to arrive; my wife followed shortly after."

"Before the fire, I received a call and left for some business, which allowed me to escape unscathed." Ethan spoke with a calm expression, then suddenly softened his gaze toward Melanie.

"I love my wife dearly and would never engage in any inappropriate behavior with others."

"Mrs. Lloyd, is President Lloyd telling the truth? Did you really plan it together?" A reporter asked.

"It’s true, we did plan together. The reason for the fire was because Avril forgot to turn off the gas while making soup and accidentally knocked over a lighter, which caused this disaster. Regarding the online rumors, I only want to say that I love my husband deeply, so I trust him." Melanie took the microphone Ethan handed her and spoke softly but firmly, word by word.

"Then, President Lloyd, can you explain those online photos?" A reporter suddenly stood up and loudly questioned.

Ethan’s eyes flashed with displeasure, but his face showed a hint of helplessness.

"I can only tell you that I have no idea where those photos came from; they’re all just Photoshop. I can assure you that I’ve never betrayed my wife."

"But I’ve had those photos examined, and they show no trace of Photoshop. How do you explain this, President Lloyd?" The reporter continued with a rather aggressive tone.

Before Ethan could respond, the reporter fired off several sharp and sensitive questions, causing Ethan’s face to visibly darken.

"Enough. I don’t know which unscrupulous tabloid you’re from, but bringing these online rumors here is amusing, isn’t it? I trust my husband, and please stop talking."

Melanie saw Ethan’s grim expression, but despite her inner resentment, she had to act as if she was defending him.

Though this press conference wasn’t perfect thanks to Melanie’s deliberate shielding, it managed to partially salvage Ethan’s image.

"You were right; based on this, it’s truly impossible to bring Ethan down." Turned off the video in frustration, Seraphina said helplessly.

She had arranged a reporter well enough; had Melanie kept quiet, Ethan could’ve been publicly humiliated.

But unexpectedly, Melanie still protected Ethan at this moment.

Seeing Seraphina’s frustrated look, Desmond pulled her onto his lap.

Patiently, he said: "Although Lloyd Group hasn’t been crushed, this incident has left a mark, a ticking bomb that could explode anytime."

"Alright then, let’s hope that day comes sooner," Seraphina could only accept reality.