Chapter 79 The Spread of Rumors
Natalie shook her head, her voice heavy with distress. "Let's not discuss this further. Please, can we change it? I have no ties with him now, so hearing his name is...difficult." Avery fidgeted with her fingers, a response caught in her throat.
"But you can't change it, can you?" Natalie asked, her voice laced with frustration. "It was created by people, so why can't it be altered?"
Avery sighed. "No, Traitor's perception of Gabriel is deeply ingrained. If we want to change it, we'd have to forcibly alter its deep impressions of him, like finding another person to replace Gabriel."
Silence fell over them like a shroud. Avery knew she was at fault, having given Traitor too much autonomy.
Seeing Natalie's furrowed brow, Avery cleared her throat and suggested, "What if we change Gabriel to Yves, would that be acceptable?"
Natalie looked at her, puzzled. 'Why him?' she wondered.
Avery took out her phone. "Look, there are photos and rumours of you two circulating online. Everyone is waiting for you to confirm your relationship. He's as handsome as Gabriel, don't you think?"
The thought of Starshadow referring to Yves as "Daddy" made Natalie recoil. She shook her head decisively, "Absolutely not!"
But who could match Gabriel's attractiveness in Natalie's eyes? After a moment of contemplation, Natalie suggested tentatively, "Can we just make it dislike Gabriel? It can like anyone else." Natalie was just targeting Gabriel.
Avery pondered, her chin resting on her hands. "That could work. I can set certain obstacles in its cognitive processing."
Natalie smiled, relieved. "That's great. Let's do that. I'll bring it out now."
"No need," Avery reassured, pulling a laptop from her bag. It was unbranded, and Natalie couldn't discern its make, but it seemed different from the ones available in the market. She recalled Yohan owning a similar one.
Avery typed a few commands and clapped her hands together, "All set."
Natalie looked at her, skeptical. "Is it that simple? Don't you need to dismantle it and examine the circuit boards?"
Avery shook her head. "It's intelligent, so we shouldn't treat it like a real Starshadow. Also, to avoid causing a stir, I suggest you keep it hidden from others." Avery was always rational, despite her gentle and lovely demeanor. She picked up her phone again and said, "I'll inform Yohan about this."
Natalie was left speechless.
Aaron had made several calls, and Natalie couldn't avoid them any longer. She had to drive to the company. As she stepped out of her car, Aaron was there, rushing to greet her. "Ms. Clark, do you need the PR department to handle the rumours about you and Mr. Clark?"
Natalie glanced at the online chatter on her way. Everyone was discussing it, but she remained indifferent. After some thought, she realized her silence might affect the company. "I'll call Jacob. The company doesn't need to get involved." Aaron breathed a sigh of relief.
"And..." he hesitated, a rarity for him.
Natalie looked at him and said, "Just say it."
Aaron pursed his lips. "There have been some rumours circulating within the company. They're quite outrageous."
"About me? What's wrong with me?" Natalie didn't need to think twice to know it must be about her. Why else would Aaron be so hesitant?
"They're saying your divorce was because you were involved with Mr. Walker while being Mr. Clark's mistress. Moreover, you were also involved with other men. They're saying you were actually driven out by the Kensington family."
Natalie chuckled. "Was it Sir Kensington's doing?" She had expected Blair to meddle in her private life, but she didn't think he'd stoop so low.
"No." Aaron's response surprised Natalie. "It was Jessica."
The elevator fell into a tense silence. Natalie's face hardened, and she sneered, "Doesn't she understand her situation yet? She still has the nerve to meddle in my affairs."
