Chapter 267 Stepping into the Minefield
Inside the SY Group conference room, a high-stakes meeting had just concluded.
Someone couldn't help but admire Magnus's knack for pulling the strings.
When Magnus went missing and no one knew what happened to him, the PR team tried to keep it under wraps. But rivals leaked the news, and SY's stock price tanked.
Once Juniper got involved with the company, some shareholders bailed before the stock hit rock bottom.
And guess what? Magnus scooped up those shares.
The big shareholders who held on during the chaos were secretly relieved.
Before all this drama, Magnus had forty-five percent of the shares. After the dust settled, he had fifty-five percent, thanks to buying up shares on the cheap.
Last night, photos of him and Juniper on a date at Urban Oasis Plaza hit the internet. The PR team worked behind the scenes, and soon enough, everyone was talking about Magnus's safe return.
This morning, SY's stock price bounced back by nine points.
A lot of the executives thought Magnus planned the whole thing.
Jesse Turner, the PR director, was pumped after last night's success. "Mr. Blackwood, I bet with another round of good press, we can get a ten-point rebound easy!"
Paul glanced at Magnus, then at Jesse, and said, "Mr. Turner, you and your team pulled an all-nighter. You look beat. It's almost noon, go grab some lunch and get some rest."
Jesse, still riding high, missed the hint and said, "The public's on our side now. Mary showed off a diamond ring on Facebook. People are wondering if it's an engagement ring from you, Mr. Blackwood. Why not ride this wave and push the buzz even higher?"
The news of Magnus being safe, plus the rekindled romance with Mary, was explosive.
Especially with Mary and her fans giving SY a boost, it could drown out the bad press from when Harper Beaumont was in charge.
This PR battle was a cakewalk.
Online, Mary's fans and Harper Beaumont's fans were going at it, while SY's stock price kept climbing.
Magnus chuckled, but his eyes stayed cold. "Mr. Turner's PR strategy is spot on. How about we use SY's corporate account to comment on Mary's Facebook post? Or maybe we can engage with the Sinclair Group behind Mary?"
Jesse's eyes lit up. "Mr. Blackwood, that's genius! This way, SY's good news could last until tomorrow without spending a dime. Mary's a high-profile celeb, so the hype won't die down anytime soon."
Magnus twisted the plain silver ring on his finger and sneered, "Why don't I marry Mary tomorrow, and Mr. Turner can be our witness? That news would definitely be positive, and I bet the stock price would jump twelve points."
Jesse, not catching the gravity of the situation, laughed. "Mr. Blackwood, are you joking?"
But his tone and eyes seemed to be testing if Magnus was serious.
Clearly, if it were true, he'd go for it.
Paul, standing nearby, sneaked another glance at Magnus.
Magnus's gaze was fierce, with a chilling coldness in his eyes.
Paul gasped.
It was bad enough that Jesse would use Magnus like this, but dragging Juniper through the mud and making her the scapegoat was just cruel.
Magnus's expression was cold and contemptuous. He lifted his eyelids slightly, the cold light in his eyes oppressively intense. "Is cyberbullying Harper Beaumont also part of your PR plan? Tell me, what other steps have you planned? Do I need to cooperate with you to the end?"
Each word was like a bone-chilling wind, making the air cold and heavy.
Jesse finally realized something was wrong.
"Mr. Blackwood, once the photos of you and Harper Beaumont breaking up at Urban Oasis Plaza were exposed, netizens cheered. Mary wasn't part of my plan; she jumped into this public opinion game herself, and I don't know why. But netizens aren't exactly cyberbullying Harper Beaumont; she just has to endure some criticism for a while. But the internet has no memory; once this wave of hype dies down, she can return to normal life."
Paul closed his eyes, thinking to himself, 'Mr. Turner, shut up already!'
If Jesse didn't shut up, he might not see tonight's sunset!
Magnus curled his lips into a smile, the coldness reaching his bones. "Who told you I broke up with Harper Beaumont? And who told you I had a relationship with Mary?"
Wasn't it true?
Jesse's breath froze, staring blankly at Magnus, cold sweat breaking out. "Mr. Blackwood, I saw the news of your breakup with Harper Beaumont as positive, so I didn't think much and quickly had the PR department follow up. The stock price indeed rebounded overnight."
Magnus adjusted his platinum cufflinks, stood up, his voice cold and oppressive. "Yes, you are the group's hero, indeed indispensable. Go to the finance department to receive an allowance."
Magnus left the conference room expressionlessly.
Paul handled the aftermath, patting Jesse's shoulder. "You dare to meddle in Mr. Blackwood's private life? Do you know which of Mr. Blackwood's landmines you stepped on?"
Jesse was still in a daze. "What landmine?"
"Do you know the meaning behind SY Group?" Paul asked.
Jesse shook his head, bewildered.
Paul smiled faintly, kindly reminding, "Don't you know Harper Beaumont is Juniper? Do you know her identity?"
If Jesse had thought a bit more, he wouldn't have dared to mess with Juniper.
Paul shook his head and sighed as he left the conference room.
Jesse's public opinion battle was indeed perfect, but unfortunately, he sacrificed Juniper, losing everything.
To the group, Jesse's decision was correct; he was a hero.
But to Magnus, Jesse was a sharp blade, aimed straight at Juniper's heart.
Paul followed Magnus into the office.
The low pressure made Paul not dare to breathe loudly.
Magnus spoke, "Have the PR department remove Juniper from this storm."
Paul took a deep breath, hesitating to speak, "Do you want to announce your relationship with Harper Beaumont?"
He wasn't sure what Magnus meant by removing Juniper from the storm.
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