"It has nothing to do with me," I replied calmly.
Then I gave a small smile. "But honestly, it's a good thing for someone like him to be reported."
"You're still denying it!" Cynthia's voice rose sharply. "Neil! I've had enough! I was wrong about you! Don't you want a divorce? Fine, I'll divorce you!"
"If you dare, let's confront each other on national TV! I'll make sure you walk away with nothing. I'll ruin your reputation so badly that you won't survive in this city!"
After saying those harsh words, she grabbed Jackson's arm and stormed out without looking back.
Customers at the restaurant began to rise.
One of them sneered, "I'm afraid I'll get diarrhea if I eat food made by someone like you."
"Everyone, let's go! Don't let this Jerk make money," another shouted.
One by one, they all left. Some even spat at me as they passed, glaring at me as if I were some disgusting cockroach.
Seeing that, a few of my employees also quit.
The once lively fried chicken restaurant suddenly became cold and empty.
Over the next few days, not a single customer came. Instead, someone even started throwing feces and urine at the shop's entrance.
I've got a bad reputation, too. Even before the show started, my name was already trending in local news.
My parents were so angry that they threatened to cut ties with me. And to make matters worse, my in-laws used their power to create a special TV program to attack me, turning the whole incident into a national hot topic.
Many reporters came to interview me beforehand. I said nothing except that I would appear on the show as scheduled.
When the day of the show finally arrived, the entire studio was packed and millions of people tuned in to the live stream, waiting to see me become a joke.
My parents didn't come, but they sent me an ultimatum. They couldn't bear the shame anymore and demanded that I apologize before the show started, or they would cut me off completely.
"Neil, seven days have passed. Have you come to your senses? Apologize to me and Jackson now and I can pretend none of this ever happened," Cynthia said as she looked at me, frowning.
Meeting her gaze again, I kept a cold expression.
"Neil, this is your last chance. You'd better take it," Jackson also advised me.
My in-laws remained silent, clearly agreeing with them. Still, I didn't accept their offer. Instead, I plopped down and sat across from Cynthia.