Chapter 328 Negative Review
Humans were naturally contradictory, always resisting certain things while secretly hoping for them.
This complex emotion made Bella feel uneasy. She didn't know how to deal with the contradictions within herself. She wanted to avoid it but didn't want to seem too concerned. So, she walked ahead silently, trying to keep her emotions in check.
However, Colin seemed to notice something was off. He gently patted Bella's shoulder and said, "Hey, what's up? You don't look too happy. Bummed that Sterling didn't show?"
Bella looked up at him and forced a smile. "No, I'm good. Just a bit tired and wanna head home early to rest."
Colin nodded and didn't push further. He knew that the issues between Bella and Sterling were something they needed to sort out themselves; no one else could do it for them.
Anna, curious about the scarf that appeared at the door along with the beef, turned to Colin and asked, "Did you give that scarf too?"
Colin smiled and nodded, looking as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Yeah, it's not cool to show up empty-handed, especially during the holidays. I need to bring a gift, right? Plus, I thought the scarf would look great on you, so I bought it."
Anna's eyes sparkled as if she had discovered a treasure. "If I had known it was from you, I would've accepted it without a second thought! I gotta say, you have an eye for these things. The scarf is gorgeous!"
Colin replied confidently, "Of course. Come on, let's go make dinner."
Back home, Bella and Anna brought the gift box inside and handed the ingredients to Colin. They then sat on the couch, with Anna still chattering about how nice the scarf was. Bella occasionally responded.
Bella didn't understand why her heart felt so heavy, especially when she saw Colin and heard him mention Sterling's absence. She felt like she had a split personality—one part of her wanted to see him, while the other didn't.
Outside, snow had started falling quietly again. Bella gently rose from the soft couch and walked to the window. Her hands rested on the window frame as she leaned forward slightly, her gaze soft and focused on the swirling snowflakes, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Colin was busy in the kitchen, preparing the ingredients. Watching Colin's busy figure, Anna felt a bit bored and opened the delivery app to check on their store.
After all, the store couldn't stay closed for too long during the holidays and would soon reopen. She was also curious about customer feedback and reviews.
As she scrolled through the screen, she carefully read each review. Most customers praised their desserts for their taste, generous portions, and excellent service. Seeing these positive reviews made Anna very happy.
But as she continued scrolling, Anna noticed something was off. A few negative reviews among the positive ones were normal, but after several pages, there were a lot of negative reviews.
Anna grew increasingly upset and called Bella over. "Bella, come look at this. Why are there so many bad reviews?"
Anna's tone was filled with urgency and frustration.
Bella immediately left the window and joined Anna, carefully examining the reviews on the phone. Her brows furrowed deeper with worry. "Too many bad reviews can hurt our orders. Anna, what's going on with these reviews? Haven't you been keeping an eye on them?"
Anna sighed, looking frustrated. "I've been so swamped with making drinks, handling the register, and greeting customers that I haven't had time to check the reviews. I didn't realize so many negative ones had piled up."
Bella studied the reviews closely, her brows knitted tightly. She noticed something suspicious. "These reviews have issues. Most of them seem to be deliberately causing trouble, saying our products have problems or don't taste good. But one specifically mentions our store's hygiene, claiming the kitchen is dirty. How would someone know about internal conditions unless they were an insider? This is clearly someone trying to smear us."
Anna was stunned. She had been too focused on the number of bad reviews to think deeper. "You mean these reviews are intentional?"
Bella nodded firmly. "Yes, these are definitely malicious reviews. Look, the timing of these reviews is very concentrated, and although the content varies, they all focus on a few points to defame us. It's obvious someone is behind this."
Anna's anger flared. "This is outrageous! We've always prioritized cleanliness and quality. How can they defame us like this?"
Bella patted Anna's shoulder to calm her. "Don't get worked up. The most important thing now is to figure out how to respond. We need to screenshot these malicious reviews as evidence and file a complaint with the platform. We also need to strengthen our hygiene management to ensure there's nothing for anyone to criticize."
Anna's eyes flashed with anger and confusion. "But Serafina always keeps the kitchen spotless, and our utensils are strictly sanitized. This isn't just simple defamation; it's a targeted attack!"
She widened her eyes, her tone filled with certainty. "I bet this is Charlotte's doing! Look, the first batch of bad reviews appeared right when Charlotte left, and there have been a steady stream of 3 to 6 bad reviews daily since then. Charlotte must have gotten her friends to help her with this. It's outrageous!"
Bella was shocked. "Charlotte? If it's her, we need to not only file a complaint but also find evidence to expose her scheme. We can't let her attack us like this."
But for now, faced with the malicious reviews, Bella decided to respond publicly as the store owner.
Her reply was calm yet powerful: [Malicious reviews are pointless. Instead of wasting precious time on such underhanded tactics, why not focus on improving yourself and making your life better through hard work? Our store has always operated with integrity, committed to providing excellent service and delicious desserts to every customer. We regret the appearance of these malicious reviews and will actively file a complaint with the platform. We also welcome all customers to come and taste our products, proving our quality through real experience.]
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