Chapter 24: Counterattack Against Public Opinion
Amelia took a deep breath and quickly composed herself. She turned to Elise and said calmly, “Since it’s already happened, the only thing we can do is face it calmly and figure out the best way forward.” Amelia’s composure had a calming effect on Elise, who gradually steadied herself.
Ignoring the group of senior partners at the firm, Amelia clicked on the video that had caused a public uproar. The footage didn’t contain the parts where James harassed them; instead, it showed only the confrontation between her, Elise, and James. Through clever editing and low–angle shots, the video painted them as arrogant and overbearing, with even the bar’s security guards appearing to be their henchmen. As they read the twisted captions accompanying the video, Amelia and Elise immediately understood–it was all orchestrated. Judging by the camera angles, the person filming had been hiding near them the entire evening
What worried Amelia most was the possibility of Luna seeing the video. She turned to Elise and said. “It’s clear the guy last night came to provoke us on purpose. That man, the person who filmed the video, and this so–called ‘cyberjudge‘ are all pawns in someone’s scheme. But what’s their ultimate goal?”
Elise thought for a moment before responding. “Even if we clarify the truth, the video will still leave an impact. Our reputations will suffer and so will the firm’s. If we analyze who stands to gain the most, could it be Chad or Albert? Or maybe one of the senior partners is deliberately stirring up trouble between me and Albert to fish in troubled waters?”
Amelia nodded in agreement. Just then, her phone rang–it was Eve Wick, the manager of the Dead Rabbit Bar, where they had been the previous night.
Answering the call, Amelia heard Eve’s frustrated voice. “Ms. Ainsworth, you’ve seen that Tik Tok video, haven’t you?“:
of course. It’s impossible to avoid.”
At’s utter nonsense! The Dead Rabbit Bar wants you to help us file a lawsuit against that cyberjudge. That scumbag claimed our security guards are gang members, which has severely damaged our bar’s
reputation.”
Amelia’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Perfect timing–I was just planning to sue him until he’s left with nothing.”
Amelia saw this as an opportunity in disguise. She had always wanted to take on a high–profile case to silence the doubters at the firm and finally have some peace. Now, the chance had presented itself. Eve continued, “All the surveillance footage from last night has been sent to your email. Take a look when you have time. If you need any additional materials, I’m ready to come to the firm and sign a contract.” “Got it.”
Amelia and Elise rushed to Fairfield & Rubinger. As soon as they walked in, most of the lawyers approached Elise, expressing the someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
support and stating they believed in her. They weren’t fools–they could tell
In the firm’s social media operations office, Amellia, using the official account, uploaded the full surveillance footage to Tik Tok and other major platforms. She included a detailed written explanation that restored the truth: they were the victims, and James, the man who had harassed them, wasn’t abducted by so–called gang members but was instead removed by the bar’s security guards
To conclude, Amelia attached a lawyer’s letter, pointing out that cyberjudge’s actions constituted defamation and reputational damage. She demanded a public apology within 48 hours for his maliciously edited video, along with $2 million in compensation for emotional distress.
The video quickly gained traction, and the tide of public opinion shifted.
Those who had previously hurled insults at Amelia and Elise in the comments realized they had been misled. Pretending they had never said anything, they turned their anger toward cyberjudge, eager to satisfy their sense of justice.
Many commenters demanded that cyberjudge issue a public apology. Some even began investigating his past content, hoping to uncover more falsehoods.
TikTok influencers also jumped in, seizing the moment to fuel the frenzy and generate views.
However, not everyone was on Amelia’s side. Some self–righteous viewers argued that she had gone too far. They claimed that asking for an apology would have sufficed and criticized her for smashing a bottle over James’s head and threatening him with broken glass.
Unbothered by the chaos online, Amelia focused on contacting TikTok. After persistent effort, she obtained cyberjudge’s real–world contact information and sent him the lawyer’s letter.
But the matter was far from over. Whoever was behind this had already succeeded in tarnishing the firm’s reputation. The senior partners had bypassed Elise and called a meeting, demanding an explanation from the two of them.
Amelia and Elise entered the top–floor conference room, where the senior partners were already seated.
Elise, visibly frustrated, spoke first. “We are innocent in all of this. You’re not fools–you can clearly see that someone is stirring the pot behind the scenes.”
Albert, the likely culprit, knew he was under suspicion. He decided that acting passive would only make him look quiltier, so he took an aggressive stance instead.
“You could’ve handled this better–especially you, Ms. Ainsworth,” Albert said sharply. “All the man did was approach you, and you smashed a bottle over his head. That’s excessive violence. It has seriously damaged the firm’s reputation. I don’t think you’re fit to be a senior partner.”
“She was protecting me!” Elise retorted angrily, her voice trembling. “What was I supposed to do, just stand there and take the slap?”
Amelia added with biting sarcasm, “Albert, if someone groped your wife and swung a chair at your head, would you sit down and have a rational discussion with them?“
Some of the senior partners couldn’t suppress a fleeting smile. None of them were naive–Albert was the biggest beneficiary of this mess, making him the prime suspect.
Amelia had no patience for playing nice. She only cared about resolving the situation quickly to minimize the impact on Luna.
She said bluntly, “Elise is the firm’s largest partner. This could very well be an attack on the entire firm, perhaps orchestrated by one of Fairfield & Rubinger’s competitors. Instead of jumping to conclusions and holding this meeting to accuse us, you should be using your resources to investigate the truth. Otherwise, I’ll have to question your professionalism.”
Most of the senior partners found her reasoning credible and offered no objections.
Albert, however, seethed internally. He cursed his incompetent student, who had been tasked with smearing Amelia and Elise but had botched the job.
The next morning, Chandler Whitaker, better known online as cyberjudge, was woken by a knock on his door. Opening it, he found a courier delivering a letter
After signing for it, Chandler sat at his kitchen table and tore the envelope open. Inside was a lawyer’s letter from Fairfield & Rubinger.
His initial reaction was anger and disdain. With his large following, he had been sued before. Even if he lost, he figured the publicity would be worth it–legal costs were just a price of doing business.
Excited by the opportunity for more attention, Chandler decided to post a public response on social media. He began by mocking the lawyer’s letter and its contents.
X
He declared he would never bow to “ambulance chasers,” claiming his video was driven by a simple sense of justice. He insisted the women were guilty but had escaped punishment because they were wealthy and skilled at manipulating the law.
With a determined look, he concluded his statement by vowing never to apologize or pay compensation. If they sued, he would fight them in court.
Amelia, watching his response, scoffed. “All talk. Hell apologize and beg for mercy the moment we’re in court.”
Turning to Elise, she asked, “Have you found anything?”
1 had a photographer analyze the angles in the video. We found the person filming in the surveillance footage, but he either had his back to the camera or was in blind spots, so we couldn’t see his face. For now, the key is that man who called himself James. I reviewed the footage–he walked in and immediately focused on us. He was clearly targeting us.
I’ve already contacted the NYPD’s deputy commissioner. I promised them a $5 million donation, and they’ve agreed to help find him and uncover who’s behind this.”
