Chapter 433 Blackmail
A deep male voice came through the phone, "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I have leverage over you, Ms. Lewis."
Phoenix's heart sank, and her tone turned icy. "What are you talking about? I don't get it."
The man sneered, his voice dripping with menace. "Don't play dumb, Ms. Lewis. You just spent an hour in your uncle Jack's room. I have the video. Imagine what would happen if I posted it online."
"What do you want?"
"Simple. Five million dollars for the video. Otherwise, by tomorrow morning, your scandal will be all over the internet."
Phoenix gritted her teeth, anger flashing in her eyes. "Five million dollars? You're out of your mind!"
The man shrugged. "Ms. Lewis, you should consider it carefully. Once this video is out, you're done. An affair with your uncle? You don't want more people to know, do you? Five million isn't much for you."
Phoenix took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Fine, give me some time to think about it."
The man smiled, satisfied. "Alright, you have one day. Remember, no tricks, or you'll face the consequences."
After hanging up, Phoenix threw her phone onto the bed, cursing under her breath. "Damn paparazzi! How dare they blackmail me!"
She took another deep breath, trying to calm herself down. This couldn't drag on; it had to be resolved quickly.
She picked up her phone and dialed a number, her voice tinged with desperation. "I'm in trouble. Can you help me?"
She remembered being led into a room that morning and meeting a man. She didn't know his name or what he did, but she remembered his commanding presence. He had said, "If you have any problems, come to me."
This was the first time Phoenix had called him.
A cold, deep voice answered, "Speak."
Phoenix quickly explained the situation, her voice trembling. "A paparazzo caught me entering Jack's room on video and is blackmailing me for five million dollars. You have to help me!"
The man paused before he spoke calmly. "Understood. I'll handle it. Don't worry."
Phoenix let out a sigh of relief, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you! Thank you!"
After hanging up, Phoenix collapsed onto the bed, still feeling uneasy. But she knew that as long as he agreed to help, the problem would be solved.
Meanwhile, the paparazzo sat in his car, smugly reviewing the video on his camera. He figured that as long as Phoenix paid up, he'd make a fortune. Little did he know, his fate was about to change.
The next morning, the paparazzo's car was found abandoned on the outskirts of town, the windows smashed, and his camera and laptop missing. He was found in the backseat, beaten and unconscious. When the police arrived, they discovered his phone and laptop had been wiped clean.
When the paparazzo woke up, he refused to say anything to the police. He knew he had crossed the wrong person, and if he continued, things would only get worse.
When Phoenix heard the news, she smirked. "How dare you blackmail me? That's your fate!"
She put down her phone, a steely glint in her eyes. "Next, it's Emma's turn."
Because Phoenix hadn't slept well the night before, she woke up late the next morning, almost the last to arrive at the workbench.
Despite this, she was impeccably dressed in a stylish custom outfit, her makeup flawless, red lips vibrant, and her tousled hair adding a touch of lazy charm. As she walked into the design studio, her face showed signs of fatigue, but she still exuded confidence and elegance.
She looked disdainfully at the competitors who had been working at their desks since early morning.
What good was arriving early if they were all just her backdrop?
Clearly, the other contestants thought the same.
As soon as Phoenix walked in, she was met with whispers and mocking laughter.
"Phoenix, you finally showed up. Thought you had given up on the competition!"
"Did you do something shady last night? Showing up this late, do you think you're a big shot?"
"She's got someone backing her. It doesn't matter to her if she's late. She might even get a free pass to the next round!"
Phoenix's face darkened, a flash of anger in her eyes, but she ignored the taunts and went straight to her workbench, starting to organize her design tools. Her silence didn't stop the others; it only made their mockery more brazen.
"Look, she doesn't even dare to speak. Feeling guilty?"
"What a joke. Someone like her, a designer? It's an insult to the profession!"
Just then, Emma walked into the studio. Seeing the scene, she frowned slightly, her voice calm but authoritative. "Everyone, quiet down. Time is limited. Focus on your designs and don't waste energy on meaningless arguments."
The room fell silent at Emma's words, but their eyes still held disdain for Phoenix.
"Emma, you're too kind. Is someone like her worth defending?"
"Exactly. She doesn't deserve to be on the same stage as us!"
Emma smiled gently but firmly. "The competition is fair. Everyone has a chance. Let's focus on our designs and not get distracted."
Phoenix's fingers tightened around her pencil, her knuckles turning white and eyes filled with anger and humiliation as she heard this. But she knew this wasn't the time to lash out. She had to finish her design quickly.
Time ticked by, the only sounds in the studio were the rustling of mouse pads and the clacking of keyboards. Soon, there was less than half an hour left until the submission deadline.
Seizing a moment when no one was watching, Phoenix plugged a USB drive into her computer. She quickly copied the design files into her folder and was the first to submit her work.
"I'm done," she said coldly, her tone challenging.
The others looked on in surprise and disdain.
"She submitted first? Must be a half-hearted job."
"Yeah, look at her. What good could she design?"
Ignoring the skepticism, Phoenix submitted her work and left the studio.
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