"Darling, you know me. I would never do such a thing without your consent."
"Of course, baby, I trust you a hundred percent, and I've already confirmed that Bar Refaeli is the betrayer."
"I'm afraid so, Eric. I don't understand why she would do such a thing. It all makes no sense."
"She's gotten so many great opportunities, she's a rising star. How many people get a breakout role right after their debut?"
"Even those legendary actors, those Oscar winners, had to play countless bit parts for a long time. Bar Refaeli must be crazy."
"Darling, I must apologize to you. I really should have listened to your advice and moved out earlier. If I hadn't lived with her, maybe none of this would have happened. I'm sorry!"
After the release of transformers, Gadot had gained considerable fame. Eric had suggested she move out and become an 'invisible neighbor' to Theron and Nicole.
However, with Bar Refaeli's status at the time, she certainly couldn't afford a house. To spare her best friend's feelings, Gadot decided to endure a little longer and continue to share an apartment with her.
But the more she did so, the more Bar Refaeli felt like it was charity.
"Don't apologize. If someone wants to do bad things, moving out won't help. She'll still find countless reasons."
"She's a very jealous woman. If she tries to use your kindness again, don't pay any attention to her!"
"I know. Right now, I wish I could curse that bitch out and slap her twice. Darling, would it have a bad impact on you?"
"If it affects you, I can take a temporary leave and hide for a while."
Eric felt a warmth in his heart. What a wonderful girl, always thinking of him.
Of course, Eric felt it was very likely she could say these things only because she didn't know about the other women's existence yet.
Otherwise, it might not be heartwarming, but heartbreaking.
"Are your scenes finished filming?"
"It will probably take another month to finish."
"That long? Then forget it. Just focus on your filming. Work is always the most important. Don't forget it's still set to be released this year."
"Okay, how about we have lunch together?"
"I can't for lunch. I've made plans with my mom; I have to go home."
"Alright."
"Oh, and baby, don't stay where you are now. Find a hotel or stay with a friend to avoid paparazzi harassment. I'll find you a new place when I have time."
"Okay, I'll listen to you!"
He checked his phone. It had been a whole morning, and not a single woman had called him proactively.
Nicole and Theron might still be filming and unaware, but Ashley and Mary hadn't taken on any new projects recently, and Dual Star Entertainment shouldn't be that busy. Yet, neither of them had made a move.
Abnormal, too abnormal!
One thing at a time, Eric planned to go home first and appease his parents, so they wouldn't cause him more trouble. After all, he was their biological son.
As the two people in this world who loved him most, a man and a woman, they would ultimately protect him, even if he had committed murder.
What's more, at worst, he was just a scoundrel; he hadn't reached the point of breaking the law. The worst that could happen was going back and getting scolded.
All laws and morals would eventually vanish in the face of familial love.
Ding!
The elevator arrived on the first floor, and Eric was about to leave.
"Boss, boss, wait a minute!"
Suddenly, Carol's anxious voice came from behind. He turned around to see her running quickly, her two large breasts jiggling.
Her forehead was covered in a fine sweat, one hand on her waist, her chest heaving violently, and she was breathing heavily.
"Carol, you didn't run down the stairs, did you?"
Carol nodded, swallowed, and then said with difficulty, "Boss, don't go out. There must be many reporters hiding outside now. They want to catch you!"
"Ah? What?"
"Bar Refaeli appeared, and she said many bad things. You should check the TV and the internet."
Eric's expression changed, and the two hurried to the lounge.
Opening the computer, sure enough, influential portals like AOL and Yahoo all featured videos of Bar Refaeli.
"Famous TV Star Bar Refaeli Responds to MGM's Ban Statement."
"Breaking! The Truth Behind Bar Refaeli's Ban: The Untold Side of Eric Cooper and Gal Gadot."
"Best Friends Turn Enemies: A Deep Dive into the Grudges Between Gal Gadot and Bar Refaeli!"
"Hollywood's Famous Actress Bar Refaeli Unveils the Unknown Darkness of the Industry!"
"Bar Refaeli's Counterattack: The Ban Incident Becomes a Rashomon, Both Sides Claiming Their Truth, Hard to Discern!"
After watching the video, Eric's face was ashen, and he angrily punched the sofa!
"Lies, all fucking lies! That bitch, that fucking stinking bitch!"
"Yahoo is also a bunch of bastards. I've contributed so much money to you, but you're purely fair-weather friends."
Carol's expression was solemn: "Boss, this must be premeditated. We just released the ban statement, and in less than half an hour, the videos flooded out like a torrent."
"It's the same tactic as those magazines. Everything is a pre-planned attack, not giving us any time to react or do damage control."
"And Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace, even our own platforms have been infiltrated."
Eric then logged into Facebook. After two hit dramas, Bar Refaeli's account had accumulated over a million followers.
Her latest update was indeed a photo filled with grief and indignation, accompanied by a lengthy post and link, accusing Eric and Gadot of their misdeeds.
The update had only been posted for a dozen minutes, but the comments below had already reached thousands, with many users angrily denouncing them.
"My heart aches for Refaeli, she's truly too pitiful!"
"No wonder Gal Gadot got such a great resource like transformers. So she was hooking up with a rich man, and Eric Cooper was promoting her. What an ugly woman."
"Refaeli is much prettier than Gal Gadot. That disgusting woman, I knew she wasn't a good person the first time I saw her."
"These two dog-and-bitch are truly disgusting. I used to really like Eric Cooper's movies, but I didn't expect him to be such a scumbag."
"See, girls? This is the reality of Hollywood. There are many people like Eric Cooper there; their heads are full of shit."
"Refaeli is truly too pitiful. How much pain and pressure did she endure to be willing to tell everything?"
"Support Bar Refaeli! We must oppose privilege, we must strike down privilege! I'm going to Gal Gadot's account to curse her."
"I noticed one point: when Eric Cooper and Gal Gadot were dating, that wicked woman wasn't yet an adult. Does that mean Eric Cooper was molesting a minor, right?"
"Gal Gadot was 17 at the time. According to the law, she was indeed a minor. But who knows if they did anything?"
"How could anyone think these two dog-and-bitch weren't having fun? I bet Eric Cooper had already fucked that bitch, so he committed a crime!"
"Wait, I think everyone should calm down. Right now, both sides are telling their own stories. Don't get carried away by the rhythm and emotions. Whether Bar Refaeli's claims are true remains to be verified!"
"Found a dog trying to whitewash! One is a pitiful, background-less girl, and the other is an entertainment mogul with the power of life and death. Isn't it obvious who is right and who is wrong? Is there still a need to doubt?"
He searched YouTube again, and dozens of pages of related videos immediately popped up.
Fortunately, YouTube and Facebook operate differently. On YouTube, without major YouTubers releasing videos, the influence of accounts with low subscriber counts is limited.
Even if a hundred small accounts simultaneously create videos, they won't have as much influence and spread as one video from a large account with millions of subscribers.
And as it stands, only two YouTubers with hundreds of thousands of subscribers are cashing in on the controversy, and their videos have just been released, not yet stirring up a big storm.
Taking a deep breath, to deal with me on my own turf, you guys truly have guts.
I can't control MySpace, but if I let you guys turn Facebook and YouTube upside down, I might as well sell sweet potatoes.
Eric immediately called Heisenberg.
"Fitz, Facebook is a bit chaotic. Didn't the backend oversight notice?"
Fitz Heisenburg hurriedly explained, "Boss, we are discussing how to handle Bar Refaeli's matter. I was just about to ask for your instructions, but I didn't expect you to call first."
"Alright, no more nonsense. Block her account!"
"Huh? Block it directly?"
"Block it! Is there a problem?"
"No, of course not. It's just that Bar Refaeli has over a million followers, and she's not an ordinary person. Will directly blocking her account provoke a more intense public backlash?"
"Yes, but I don't care. At a time like this, we must act swiftly and decisively."
"Fitz, I can't control the chaos outside, but as long as it's on Facebook's turf, I call the shots, understand?"
"I don't want to see any noise. Besides Bar Refaeli, those who are actively spreading rumors and attacking others, block them all!"
"Okay, Boss, I know what to do!"
Eric then called Howard Hughes. Since the two YouTubers who were cashing in on the controversy had no foresight, their accounts would also be completely blocked.
There are plenty of video bloggers on YouTube who want to make a name for themselves. Blocking two of them would actually be applauded by many in the same category.
It also serves as a warning to these somewhat influential self-media: if you dare to eat my food and smash my pot, I'll smash your rice bowl.
What's more, there isn't another software similar to YouTube on the market. The difficulty of developing a video website is far greater than that of a social networking site.
Internet speed is also a big bottleneck. Currently, people in the industry still don't understand why YouTube and Lionheart Network's internet speeds are so fast, far exceeding the market average.
By the time those guys find the key and truly develop a competitor, it will be at least a year later.
I monopolize, I am invincible. Anyone who dares to disobey will be out!
Even if he could handle the unstable factors on Facebook and YouTube, Eric was powerless against the biggest threat, which came from television stations and newspapers.
Carol turned on the TV and randomly switched to Fox's entertainment channel.
The host was solemnly reporting the matter, but the stance was completely biased towards Bar Refaeli.
"MGM President, super-rich Eric Cooper, has been exposed in a scandal, using his power to bully actress Bar Refaeli."
"As a Hollywood new sensation, as a young idol and role model, Eric Cooper should have set a good example for young people."
"But the reality is quite the opposite. Not only did he fail to do so, but he also displayed the characteristics of a profligate son, doing very disgraceful things."
"For Eric Cooper, banning a star is easy, but that also means he stifles a girl's efforts and dreams."
"We have to ask, is this approach really right? Can power be abused?"
Fox pointed the finger directly at Eric himself, and other channels, as if by agreement, simultaneously reported on the matter.
Even ABC was the most outrageous; they had actually invited two professors to a legal program and directly discussed Eric and Gadot.
Damn it, how long had it been since the incident broke? You already found guests, and the show even seemed pre-recorded.
They weren't even bothering to act anymore, determined to use immense public pressure to crush Eric.
"Professor Treedy, how do you view the relationship between Eric Cooper and Gal Gadot? Does it violate the law?"
"I think it needs to be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Gal Gadot was indeed a minor at the time, so the key is whether the two had a relationship."
"If they had a relationship, Gal Gadot was 17, Eric Cooper was 21, the age difference exceeded 3 years, and it also constituted a relationship of exploitation and power abuse in the workplace."
"Then even if Gal Gadot was willing, according to regulations, Eric Cooper would still be in violation of the law."
"However, if the two did not have a relationship, then it becomes more difficult to define."
"Even if there was no relationship, I believe it could still be considered indecent assault," another female professor added.
Watching the discussion on the show, Carol cautiously glanced at Eric.
Eric shot her a glance: "Gadot and I had a relationship on her 18th birthday. Don't look at me like that."
"Of course, Boss, I would never doubt you. And these guys are clearly deliberately nitpicking and causing trouble."
"The average age for American girls to lose their virginity is just over 15. How many of them are legal?"
"What's more, this is Hollywood, the most decadent place in the world. Everyone knows what the situation is like here."
Eric nodded. He knew The Big Six were deliberately looking for trouble. Even laws that no one followed were still laws, and when needed, they became the perfect excuse.
Especially since Eric and Gadot were both public figures, any flaws would be infinitely magnified.
Even if the judicial authorities didn't want to intervene, they would have to when faced with immense public pressure.
Moreover, The Big Six were clearly exploiting the public's anti-rich sentiment, portraying Bar Refaeli as a victim, and people naturally sympathize with the weak.
"Damn it! This time, I've truly been paid back in my own coin."
Eric cursed, last year he had used public opinion to force Sony to compromise, and he didn't expect The Big Six to retaliate with a counter-move now.
The only difference was that Michael was based on facts, while Bar Refaeli's claims were fabricated.
But what good was it that he knew it was fabricated? The key was whether people believed it, especially since MGM was also going to ban her. Everything was designed, and he had already fallen into the trap.
"Oh, and Gadot. This time, I'm afraid she really needs to hide for a few days."
He sent a message to Gadot, reminding her to protect herself.
"Boss, what should we do?" Carol asked, worried.
"Don't panic. Let me think about it. There will be a way."
"First, contact those websites to see if they can suppress this, then prepare to issue a clarification statement, and I also must accept an interview."
"Also, fully search for Bar Refaeli. That stinking bitch is the key."
After making arrangements, Eric quietly left through the private passage. Both the front and back doors were surrounded by paparazzi.
He had to go home and discuss with his dad. Perhaps the old man would have a solution; at least his network of connections was wider.