Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Chapter 658 by was pacing the room like a caged animal, clearly at his wit's end. “Ms. Haywood, what are we gonna Stellar Stage Entertainment was in the dumps after being smeared left and right in the media; its reputation tamished as a forgotten silver heirloom. And now they were tangled up with the notoriously shady John. The whole crew took a verbal beating that could strip paint.

Donny thought Brielle would be equally frazzled - after all, their movie was still in production, and with a reputation as sour as spoiled milk, who in their right mind would pony up for a theater ticket? But Brielle just glanced at the latest barrage of bad press. “Tell the PR folks to spread the word that Stellar Stage Entertainment is under new management. We've done a full housecleaning. If there’s any muck to rake, it should be flung at those execs who've been shown the door.” She wasn’t about to carry the can for someone else’s dirty work.

“But will people buy that?” Donny asked, skepticism wrinkling his brow.

Brielle’s smile was a thin slice of cunning. “Just have HR release all the staff changes. That'll speak for itself.” A lightbulb went off in Donny’s head - why hadn't he thought of that? With about half of Stellar Stage Entertainment's staff handed their walking papers, it was as obvious as a billboard that a major shake-up was underway. He wasted no tgetting the PR department to broadcast the HR movements.

The public, in the midst of their bashing frenzy, was suddenly gobsmacked by the chart of personnel changes, especially since the reasons listed were all “terminated” - not a voluntary walk-off, but a forced exit.

The PR department, usually as silent as a mime, was finally handed a task and was so eager they might as well have been glued to their chairs around the clock. The team was buzzing with a rare excitement. They had been benchwarmers for years and were finally called to play.

The PR manager, with a flourish, rallied the troops. “We've been waiting years for a moment like this. Let's show sgumption!” At his command, the whole department willingly burned the midnight oil. When they wrapped up, they were each buzzing with energy, itching for another round in the online fray, Brielle hadn't been at the helm long, but the atmosphere at Stellar Stage Entertainment had already shifted dramatically.

The old, unspoken rules of the game, the injustice had everyone feeling powerless against it and swallowing their grievances. But times had changed under Brielle’s watch. She had an opinion box installed in the lobby of the main building. Any senior staff caught misbehaving could be anonymously reported with evidence, and she would deal with it the next day. This decree led to another round of dismissals.

The PR department was in perfect sync with Brielle’s actions, updating the latest staff movements on the public platform as soon as another head rolled.

The inteonlookers, initially smirking at the drama, started to grow curious about this enigmatic CEO.

“Whoever has the guts for such sweeping reforms must have sserious clout.” “With so many firings, Stellar Stage Entertainment's stocks are nosediving. Are they really okay? | get they want to improve, but isn’t this a bit drastic?” “It’s all for show. I bet this CEO is no saint.” 11:34 “Pit | think this so-called CEO is just trying to save their own skink Those remaining at Stellar Stage Entertainment were almost universally won over by Brielle’s tactics. wouldn't want a boss who focused on getting things done? Who didn’t want a more promising job, better pay, and benefits? What self-respecting adult wasn’t sick of the cutthroat office politics? So the PR department, finally dusting off their social media accounts, clapped back at the criticism, “Our CEO is fantastic, a real gem of a person. Only those still with Stellar Stage Entertainment know her worth. Perhaps the peanut gallery should refrain from speculating about what they don’t understand.” The post garnered support from the company’s loyalists, with hopeful artists retweeting en masse.

“Our CEO is a great leader. | have faith in her.” “Right on! If | were a guy, I'd marry her!” “Ms. Haywood, my hero!” As more and more of these once-dormant artists took to social media, verified with their own official tags and Stellar Stage Entertainment prefixes, the tide of public opinion began to shift. Those who had been jeering were suddenly silenced as the online battle turned.

Before turning in for the night, Brielle’s heart warmed at the sight of these comments. She considered joining the social media fray herself when a pair of arms encircled her. Her phone was gently taken away, and as her nightgown'’s sash slipped, she let out a suppressed gasp.

Looking up, she met his stormy gaze, and her heart skipped a beat, her resolve melting away.

Max's movements were rough, a stark contrast to the polished gentleman the world saw. Brielle blushed, reaching up to encircle his neck, but was interrupted by the ring of Max's phone. His brow furrowed in rare irritation, a shadow of annoyance flickering across his face.