Chapter 189: "Technical Mistake, My Ass"

The backstage area had become a controlled disaster by the time Aren and Jordan descended from the stage.

Everyone seemed desperate to rescue the ruined screen — and, more importantly, prevent a full-scale fire from breaking out after Jeremiah’s spectacular intervention.

Jordan had managed to keep his anger under control throughout the walk down the stairs, largely because Aren was beside him — and he refused to let his temper frighten her further.

But the instant they reached the backstage floor, whatever restraint remained inside him finally snapped.

"Jeremiah Castellano, you’d better start explaining this mess right now," he demanded sharply. "What exactly just happened up there?"

At Jordan’s openly hostile question, Jeremiah merely lifted one lazy eyebrow. He was still smoothing a wrinkle in his immaculate white suit, the fabric rumpled by the force of his throw.

"Oh, dear. As though I know any better," he sighed lightly. "Apparently, this all looks as though I had it staged myself, I suppose. But I believe the person responsible for an explanation is my dear friend Lucilla here."

He tilted his head toward Lucilla, who stood nearby looking every bit as serious and traumatized as everyone else.

Jeremiah’s lips curled faintly as he took in her expression. His voice became smoother still, but something beneath it made his words considerably sharper than they sounded.

"Lucilla, darling, I had you in charge of production, didn’t I? What sort of sloppy mess is this?"

Lucilla’s expression crumbled further beneath the accusation.

"My God, Jeremiah, believe me, I’m just as shocked as everyone backstage. If only you’d seen how desperately I tried to control the situation and shut down that screen."

She gathered herself with remarkable speed, arranging her features into the dutiful concern expected of someone responsible for such a catastrophic failure.

"But worry not." She pointed toward the far corner of the backstage area. "I’ve already brought the man responsible for the controls, along with his team. Feel free to question them however you wish."

Jeremiah followed the direction of her finger.

Several of Lucilla’s subordinates were escorting a team of five toward them.

The man in front walked with his head lowered, shoulders hunched beneath the weight of guilt. He looked like someone who had just realized his career was about to end.

"Oh?" Jeremiah murmured. "And these are the people responsible for the production booth?"

"Y-yes, Mister Castellano." The technician dipped his head several times. "I-I’m the one in charge of the program. This... this was a terrible mistake. I... I was supposed to play the promotional video, but... but I..."

Jeremiah stepped closer, one eyebrow rising.

"But?"

The technician swallowed.

"It... it was a video I had on my personal computer," he stammered. "I-I must have made a mistake when copying it onto my work laptop for today’s event."

Jordan nearly scoffed.

He could hardly believe what he was hearing.

His earlier suspicion had seemed absurd when it first crossed his mind. Yet somehow, right now, it had materialized into the exact explanation being presented to them.

"A mistake?" Jordan repeated, disbelief hardening every syllable. "You’re telling me this entire disaster was genuinely just a technical mistake?"

Aren stepped toward the technician, studying him with unsettling calm. His trembling hands, lowered gaze, uneven breathing — she catalogued every detail without appearing to do so.

"And how did you even have access to footages like those in the first place, Mister?" she asked, her tone polite but firm. "Where did you get them?"

The technician hesitated.

"I-I... they were sent by an anonymous source to our media department," he replied nervously. "But I had no intention of publishing them, Miss. I... I honestly only intended to keep them and delete later, because of how... how horrible they were. But today..." His voice faltered. "It was an unfortunate accident."

Lucilla immediately stepped forward, looking thoroughly offended by his testimony.

"You had your hands on such scandalous material and didn’t even report it to the company?" she snapped. "That’s utterly ridiculous! Whoever sent those videos apparently intended to submit them to Bellini Media, and yet you decided to hide them for yourself. And now you’ve caused this horrifying incident. How wonderfully responsible of you!"

She turned toward Aren, regret and solemn duty carefully arranged across her features.

"I’m terribly sorry for this horrible misconduct, Ariana dear. I’ll have this irresponsible individual fired from my company immediately, along with everyone on his team."

Aren’s eyes widened at how quickly the decision had been made. She still had questions for the technician, but Lucilla had already turned toward her staff.

"Take all of them away and call Legal," she said decisively. "We’re terminating their employment and filing suit for damages."

The staff immediately stepped forward and seized the technician and his team, moving with such efficiency that it almost seemed rehearsed.

"At once, my lady."

They dragged the technician and the others away in full view of everyone present.

Once they were gone, Lucilla turned back to Aren. She gently took Aren’s hand in hers, her other hand moving soothingly over it.

"Don’t worry, Ariana," she said apologetically. "I’ll make certain we take legal action against him for his mistake, and I’ll see that you’re compensated for the damage accordingly."

Aren remained expressionless as she studied Lucilla’s sympathetic face.

She had barely interacted with this woman. The luncheon had given her only the faintest impression of Lucilla’s personality, hardly enough to form a reliable judgment.

And yet, standing this close to Lucilla now, Aren couldn’t shake the strange sensation that there was something familiar about the woman’s manner.

Her clothes were immaculate. Her posture was graceful. Her smile was polished to perfection.

Just like Jeremiah.

The similarity unsettled Aren more than she wanted to admit. Both of them seemed capable of wearing warmth like a beautifully tailored garment, something designed to make everyone around them comfortable, while concealing whatever lay beneath.

’Was that really a technical mistake by the man just now?’

’Or did this woman... plan all of this herself?’

Aren’s brow tightened as her eyes shifted toward Jeremiah.

’...Or could he be involved in this too?’

’He seems close to her, and both of them feel far too complicated for me to understand.’

’I don’t even know who I can trust anymore.’

The uncertainty settled heavily in her chest. So instead of offering Lucilla the grateful response she seemed to expect, Aren merely gave her a restrained nod.

"Thank you, Lady Lucilla. I appreciate the gesture."

Nearby, Jeremiah failed to notice Aren’s quiet, suspicious glance. He was too busy watching the people Lucilla’s staff had so hurriedly taken away.

Several members of the escorting crew exchanged glances with one another, seemingly unable to wait until they could return to their office — and perhaps produce tomorrow’s headlines about the scandal.

Even some of the fired production staff didn’t look particularly worried, despite the termination notices and threat of a lawsuit Lucilla had just handed them.

Jeremiah looked thoroughly unimpressed.

’Technical mistake, my ass.’

’Apparently, these people need advanced training in acting.’

His gaze drifted toward Lucilla again, lingering on the way she continued reassuring Aren with such impeccable concern.

’I was careless, wasn’t I?’

’I handed this little snake a golden opportunity to pull off something like this.’

Whatever irritation those thoughts provoked, Jeremiah buried it beneath a flawless smile. He stepped forward and smoothly interrupted the exchange.

"What an excellent handling of the situation, Lucilla. That was truly an unfortunate mistake. Nobody could possibly have wanted something like that to happen."

His smile deepened, but his gaze settled meaningfully on her.

"I trust your media outlets will be equally wise and leave this unfortunate scandal out of tomorrow’s broadcasts?"

Lucilla turned toward him, and the regretful expression she’d been wearing vanished instantly, replaced by a look of innocent surprise.

"Oh, my, Jeremiah. What are you talking about?" she asked sweetly. "As much as I regret this mistake, I’m fairly certain the contract you signed for producing this event also granted us the rights to broadcast everything surrounding it."

She reached up and placed one hand against the front of his immaculate suit, smoothing the fabric with deliberate elegance.

"As much as I feel deeply sorry for allowing this incident to happen under my watch..." Her lips curved into a subtle smile. "...those are two entirely different matters."

Jeremiah returned her smile, radiant and impossibly composed. He didn’t even bother to step away from her touch.

"So," he said softly, "you’re saying you’re still going to broadcast it."

"I’m afraid I’ll have to," Lucilla replied smoothly. "Those are Bellini Media’s rights. Unless..."

Her smile sharpened.

"...you’d prefer that we settle the matter in court."