Chapter 322 - 320: The Ultimate Form of Gossip

Seeing this, Walter Lane quickly spoke up. "Answer it! You have to lock down this deal for me, no matter what!"

Eugene Jacobs nodded, then quickly stepped aside to compose himself and steady his breathing before pressing the answer key.

Manager Coleman didn’t know what the Chairman and Eugene Jacobs were dealing with, but a senior executive was now facing a public scandal. If they didn’t get a lid on it quickly, he feared the company would suffer massive losses.

Fortunately, Walter Lane hadn’t completely lost his head to anger. He turned to Manager Coleman and instructed in a low voice, "Order all departments: any employee who received the email must immediately delete the video from their inbox. No copying, no forwarding, and absolutely no sharing it outside the company. Anyone who violates this will be fired on the spot!"

Manager Coleman nodded, still shaken. "Chairman, it’s too widespread. I’m afraid we won’t be able to keep it completely contained."

"Tell the PR department to be ready for emergency containment. For now, don’t let Manager Jacobs know about this." As he spoke, Walter Lane’s gaze fell on Eugene Jacobs, still on the phone. He murmured, "He still has an important task to complete."

He can’t be distracted by anything else before then.

"Understood," Manager Coleman replied before quickly leaving the office.

A moment later, Eugene Jacobs hung up and approached Walter Lane, his face flush with excitement. "Chairman, Miss Sterling said she’s thought about it for a few days. If we can add another thirty million, she’s willing to sign the contract with us tomorrow."

Adding another thirty million to the previously negotiated price was still within their budget. Although Walter Lane was annoyed by Cecilia Sterling’s habit of jacking up the price at the last minute, he was still willing to agree.

"No problem. Agree to her terms!"

As long as he could secure the land within budget, he was willing to accept.

He had entered the office looking dejected and defeated, but when Eugene Jacobs walked out again, he was practically glowing with success.

He might have been on top of the world, but he couldn’t miss the strange looks the other employees gave him.

"Hello, President Jacobs."

"President Jacobs."

Everyone still addressed him respectfully as "President Jacobs," but Eugene Jacobs felt a distinct sense of unease. It was as if everyone was secretly staring at him, whispering to each other.

But the feeling lasted only a moment before he brushed it aside. ’Once I land this contract the Chairman is so desperate for tomorrow, I’ll have performed a great service for the company. Then, the good times will really start.’

The moment he was out of earshot, the employees’ chatter swelled instantly.

"I heard every single employee in the company got that email."

"Who do you think President Jacobs pissed off? Using a tactic like this to get back at him is brutal."

"The whole company knows now. It’ll probably leak out soon. When that happens, President Jacobs is facing social suicide."

"I’d have never guessed. He always looks so refined and mild-mannered, but behind closed doors, he’s into some wild stuff."

"Shh! Manager Coleman just told us not to talk about it. Be quiet, or the Chairman might hear you."

The employees quieted down for the moment, but that hardly meant the matter was closed. For office drones living out their tedious workdays, how could they possibly resist indulging in such private, juicy gossip about their boss?

In just a single day, the rumor mill demonstrated its true nature, with gossip spreading like wildfire, each new version more absurd than the last.

"I heard President Jacobs can tie himself up!"

"President Jacobs locks himself in a cage with a puppy to learn how to be more like it."

"President Jacobs eats dog food!"

"The one who disciplines President Jacobs is actually a man. He’s not into women!"

"..."

Meanwhile, Eugene Jacobs remained completely oblivious, already celebrating the success he was sure tomorrow would bring.

「The Scarlet Dream Hotel」

In a pale red room, Eugene Jacobs lay on a large, round bed, wearing only his underwear. His limbs were spread-eagled, each one handcuffed to the corner posts of the bed frame.

The room’s four walls were made of glass, and the dim, crimson lighting amplified the atmosphere to its peak.

The slow CLICK-CLACK of high heels on the floor reached Eugene Jacobs’s ears, causing his breath to quicken and grow heavy.

Daniels emerged slowly from the bathroom, clad in a leather ensemble, her expression cold and haughty. "Beg me, and I’ll set you free!"

"Please, I’m begging you. Set me free. I’ll do anything."

Daniels walked to the edge of the bed and looked down upon the man before her like a queen. She slowly lifted her foot and deliberately placed it on his thigh.

Eugene Jacobs sucked in a sharp breath, veins popping on his forehead. His face then twisted into an expression of pure bliss.

A flicker of disgust flashed in Daniels’s eyes, but then she remembered this was the last time. She played along, raising an eyebrow. "I’m very angry today. I’m going to torture you, slowly... and painfully!"

As she spoke, she reached for her purse on the nightstand. She stuck her hand inside, fumbled around for a moment, and then her expression changed to one of shock. Breaking character completely, she grabbed the purse and began to rummage through it frantically.

Eugene, still deep in character, frowned at the sight, his mood instantly soured. "What’s wrong?"

Daniels didn’t answer. Instead, she frantically dumped the entire contents of her purse onto the bed. A pile of items tumbled out with a CLATTER as she continued to search.

Eugene was getting impatient. "What are you looking for?"

Daniels looked up, her expression stricken. "The... the key."

"What key?"

Daniels’s gaze slowly drifted to the handcuffs restraining Eugene. At this, Eugene’s eyes went wide. "Not... the key to the handcuffs?"

Daniels nodded. "I remember putting it in my purse after we used it last time. I don’t remember taking it out!"

Eugene Jacobs was stunned.

He was spread-eagled here like a fried egg on a griddle, and Daniels was telling him the key was gone?

"Well, find it!" Eugene yelled, panicking. "Search again! Check all the pockets and compartments!"

Daniels meticulously searched right in front of him, but in the end, she just shook her head. "It’s really not here. Maybe I grabbed the wrong purse? Or maybe I left it at home. You want me to go back and check?"

Eugene looked down at the cuffs on his wrists and ankles in horror. "You’re going to go back? What about me? Am I supposed to just stay here, cuffed like this?"

"Well, we need the key. What other choice is there? Should I call 911 and have the fire department come cut you loose?"

Eugene’s face darkened. "Then go! Hurry up, find it, and get back here fast. You can’t just leave me chained up here alone!"

"Don’t worry. I’ll be as quick as I can. Just wait for me."

With that, Daniels stuffed everything back into her purse, quickly changed her clothes, and left the room.

Eugene Jacobs lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. The mirrors above reflected his comical predicament, and a wave of disbelief washed over him.

With his partner gone, the role-play was over, and for the first time, he felt a pang of actual shame.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. ’All I can do is pray that Daniels gets back here soon.’