When the Flame of Love Fades

Chapter 32: A Deadly Turn of Events

“Not necessarily!”

Sierra immediately turned to him. “You’ve thought of a solution?”

Jonathan was about to speak but suddenly paused, his sharp gaze locking onto Sierra. Her eyes were bright, not the usual cold detachment he was used to, but filled with a rare flicker of hope and excitement. In that moment, she looked lighter, freer, no longer weighed down by the usual gloom.

Jonathan observed her for a while before shifting his gaze away and adjusting his glasses. “I’m not sure if it’s a solution, but it’s a direction.” As he spoke, he outlined his thoughts. While the two of them were deep in discussion, Bradley had already instructed the PR team to release a statement.

This time, with Jonathan’s official endorsement, everything should return to normal. Bradley finally felt like he could breathe again. What he didn’t know was that this statement would unleash an even bigger storm.

The scandal surrounding Xander Pharmaceuticals had already caused a massive uproar. The moment their PR team made a move, it instantly attracted widespread attention. As soon as Jonathan’s signed analysis report was released, online discussions exploded.

“Another analysis report? Is this all Xander Pharmaceuticals knows how to do? Didn’t they use the same trick a few years ago?”

“Who even trusts these reports anymore? You can buy anything these days. Do they really think they can fool the internet with this?”

“Is Xander Pharmaceuticals finished? They can’t even afford a legitimate testing agency anymore. Just a random personal signature! Not even an official seal?”

“Hold on, don’t talk nonsense. That’s Jonathan’s signature. If you don’t know who he is, do yourself a favor and look him up.”

“Holy sh*t, I just searched him up; this guy is insane! If he’s backing this, does that mean Xander Pharmaceuticals is innocent?”

Bradley had people monitoring public opinion online. When he saw the direction the discussions were heading, he felt very satisfied. When he had asked Jonathan for help, he had already anticipated this exact outcome.

Now, they just had to let the public discourse reach its peak. Then, at the perfect moment, they could play the victim card. If done correctly, their stock prices might even hit the limit again. They had pulled this trick before; it had worked flawlessly back then, it would work again.

Bradley finally relaxed completely. What he didn’t know was that within an hour, the tides would turn completely against him.

Some sharp-eyed netizens noticed something; the report was very specific. It clearly stated that only two pills had been tested, and Jonathan had even marked the production date.

“Wait, the report only analyzed two pills and even listed their production date. That means these were manufactured just in the past two months. That doesn’t prove older batches were safe!”

“Exactly! Plus, the last line of the report clarifies it; Jonathan is only responsible for this specific analysis.”

“So, in other words, this test proves these pills are fine, but it doesn’t mean past products weren’t problematic?”

“Is it possible that Jonathan was forced into writing this report?”

“Very likely. No matter how brilliant he is in his field, he’s still just one person. Xander Pharmaceuticals is backed by an…”

Chapter 32: A Deadly Turn of Events

In an instant, it wasn’t just Xander Pharmaceuticals taking the hit; the entire Xander Group was dragged down.

Finished

At that moment, Sierra was in between experiments. She had followed Jonathan’s method and made some progress, but there were still obstacles.

Jonathan checked the time and gestured for her to take a break. “This isn’t something that can be solved overnight.”

Sierra pulled out her phone and saw the chaos unfolding online. Xander Pharmaceuticals’ stock had hit the limit down.

And not just that, all Xander Group’s industries were plummeting.

Sierra couldn’t help but smirk. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

She turned to Jonathan, her voice filled with amusement. Nothing was more vicious than giving someone hope, only to shatter it completely at the peak of their relief. From heaven to hell.

Jonathan adjusted his glasses and feigned innocence. “You can’t say that; he asked me to issue a report, and I did. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Careful, Bradley might come after you.” Sierra warned with a light chuckle; the moment the words left her mouth, Jonathan’s phone started ringing.

Jonathan answered the call, his expression calm. On the other end, Bradley’s furious voice erupted. “Jonathan! You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

Jonathan frowned slightly. “What? Did what on purpose?”

Bradley started ranting about the report. Jonathan responded unhurriedly. “You asked me for help, and I helped. What’s the problem?”

“You only analyzed two pills! That doesn’t prove anything!”

Jonathan’s tone remained composed. “You only gave me two pills. Naturally, I could only test those two. You want me to prove your past drugs were fine? Sure. Bring me some of your older batches. Don’t have them anymore? Well, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Jonathan paused before adding in a firm yet polite tone, “Bradley, you know me. I have to be responsible for what I put my name on.”

When the Fame of Love Fades

Chapter 33: A Change of Heart