Good Novel
My Toyboy 30
My Toyboy 30
Chapter 30
As soon as Freddie made the announcement, everyone was stunned.
“A five–year advertising contract with Yates Construction? Their annual ad budget must be in the tens of millions. Lilian, you’re awesome!”
“Lilian, I’ve always thought you’re the future Mrs. Yates. Your boyfriend’s name is Filip, and the heir to Yates Construction is also named Filip. Last time you said it was just a coincidence, but now you can’t deny it.”
“Lilian doesn’t like to show off, unlike some people who can’t wait to let the whole world know when they land a small ad deal.”
Everyone in the meeting room began showering Lilian with compliments.
Yates Construction was one of the top companies in Roncrity, and its advertising budget alone was worth more than dozens of smaller companies combined.
Moreover, Lilian had signed a five–year deal. Even Alison would probably throw her a celebration party personally.
And it was now evident that Lilian was the future Mrs. Yates. Whoever managed to cozy up to her would surely benefit greatly in the future. As a result, no one paid any attention to Cynthia anymore.
Cynthia knew all too well that this was a place where relationships were fickle, and personal gain reigned supreme.
After the meeting, Freddie came over with a token attempt to console her. “Cynthia, I still have high hopes for you. Your show has always had the highest ratings at the station, and I believe that in this area, you won’t lose to Lilian. This hosting competition is just a formality.”
What he said was true.
Over the next week, Cynthia and Lilian took turns hosting the prime–time slot. The station even launched a public voting campaign to decide who the next prime–time host would be.
Today was Sunday, the final day of their competition. Both had taken turns hosting for three days each already, and based on the data, Cynthia had been outperforming Lilian by a landslide. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
Today, the station organized a dual–hosting event, allowing viewers to cast their votes in real time to determine who would become the prime–time host.
Judging by the current data, the position was undoubtedly Cynthia’s. In terms of appearance and professionalism, Cynthia was flawless.
Because of her previous experience hosting Midday News Insight, she already had a devoted fan base. From the start of the news broadcast, Cynthia’s votes had outpaced Lilian’s by a wide margin.
Just as everyone thought Cynthia was a sure bet for the prime–time spot, something unexpected happened.
During the news broadcast, a trending topic quickly shot to the top of Twitter’s trending list, overtaking the number one spot.
The topic’s title was: [Prime–Time Host Cynthia Jones’s Murderer Mother]
It was revealed that Cynthia’s mother was none other than Rachel Erwin, the woman who had been the prime suspect in a highly publicized husband–murder case three years ago. Heated discussions were sparked online, and criticism of Cynthia flooded in from all directions.
[How could a murderer’s daughter be the prime–time host?]
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[The murderer is her mother, not her. And this has nothing to do with her job, okay?]
[But she is still the murderer’s daughter. If her mother killed her father, her mind would surely be messed up, right?]
[Do I have to watch the daughter of a murderer deliver the news every day? I’d be traumatized.]
Within just ten minutes, the situation escalated, and the voting results shifted dramatically. Cynthia’s votes almost completely stalled, while Lilian’s numbers surged ahead with unstoppable momentum.
Cynthia could see the live voting updates during the broadcast. The sudden change made it obvious to her that something had gone wrong, but she remained professional and calmly finished delivering the news.
After the broadcast, Cynthia and Lilian stepped out of the studio. Everyone around them looked hesitant, their gazes toward Cynthia filled with complicated emotions.
“What’s wrong?” Cynthia asked.
The cameraman Vince spoke up. “Cynthia, you might want to check Twitter’s trending topics.”
Cynthia immediately picked up her phone and opened Twitter. Her expression gradually turned cold as she read the headlines.
Carl, the assistant editor, cautiously asked, “Cynthia, is what they’re saying online true?”
Others gathered around as well.
“Cynthia, is your mother really Rachel Erwin?”
“I heard that when your mom killed your dad, you were at the scene?”
“Cynthia, you’ve never mentioned your family or your parents before…”
“Stop bothering her; none of this is Cynthia’s fault.” Lilian walked over.
A worried expression appeared on her face as she looked at Cynthia. “Cynthia, are you okay? Don’t mind what they say on the internet. Your parents‘ lives don’t define yours.”
What she said sounded like comfort, but it only reinforced the fact that Cynthia was the daughter of a murderer.
Cynthia turned off her phone, lifted her head, and while her lips curled into a smile, her gaze was ice–cold. “Lilian, is it because of you?”
Lilian looked like being astonished and hurt. “Cynthia, what are you talking about? I didn’t know about this until I saw the news just now.”
Cynthia’s smile deepened, and her gaze grew even colder. “It better not be you; otherwise, you know my temper
Lilian tried to explain, but Freddie approached.
Freddie’s brow was furrowed, his expression grave. “Cynthia, your family situation really doesn’t involve you, but it has blown up too much. The public backlash is serious, and I have to consider the potential impact on RNN. For now, the prime–time host position will go to Lilian. Once this matter settles down, we can reassess.”
Cynthia maintained a calm smile, always preserving her grace and dignity. “Alright, I’ll follow your arrangements.”
Freddie sighed in relief. “You haven’t taken a vacation for a while. I’m giving you a week off. Take some time to rest.”
Cynthia left the station and went straight back to Greenfield Villa. The lights in Jonathan’s study were on, so she headed directly to the study.
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Jonathan was sitting at his desk, evidently having just showered and changed into a gray set of pajamas. He was focused on his computer, lost in thought, his long fingers gliding over the mouse, his handsome face showing little emotion.
Cynthia’s first impression was how beautiful his hands looked.
Cynthia entered the study in high heels and boldly sat on Jonathan’s lap. Leaning close to his ear, she inhaled softly, “What shampoo did you use today? You smell so good.”
Jonathan’s arm naturally wrapped around Cynthia, pulling her close. Seeing the woman in his arms, who looked cute and relaxed like a cat, his gaze darkened. “Not in a good mood?”
Jonathan had sensed something was off since Cynthia appeared at the door.
Cynthia looked up and gently nipped at his Adam’s apple. “Yeah, so I need some comfort.”
In the past, Jonathan would have taken the lead at this point. But today, he caught Cynthia’s hand, which was mischievously slipping under his shirt.
“Is it because of the posts online?” he asked.
Cynthia was a bit surprised and giggled. “The busy Mr. Bennett has time to surf the internet?”
With one arm around Cynthia’s slim waist, Jonathan freed his other hand to click on the computer. “I found out who posted it. Take a look.”
Cynthia was surprised and turned her attention to the screen. It was a video showing a woman wearing a baseball cap posting something in an internet café. And the content was none other than the number one trending topic post.
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