Touched by Ariana’s unwavering faith, Tom nodded in agreement and stepped into the testing room.
As she waited outside, a deep sense of certainty enveloped Ariana.
Tom’s demeanor and appearance didn’t align with that of a drug user but rather someone wrongfully accused and frustrated.
Additionally, an unsettling intuition told her that something was amiss about this situation.
Contemplating the unfolding events, Ariana couldn’t ignore the rapid release of high-quality photos, an unusual occurrence after
an arrest.
She also pondered her interactions with Tom over the past weeks.
Despite occasional temperamental outbursts, he maintained a healthy and disciplined lifestyle, with regular sleep and fitness
routines.
ninjanovel.com
He showed no signs of seeking thrills and spills.
Pulling out her phone, Ariana delved into news and comments related to the incident. Among all the images, Tom’s stood out,
appearing frequently from various angles, resembling paparazzi shots more than typical police evidence.
While scrolling through the comments, she stumbled upon a post from an alleged informed source.
This source claimed Tom had been consistently using drugs and had frequented their establishment multiple times. The post
even included a close-up photo of Tom holding drugs.
Ariana knew this was false.
The entire situation reeked of suspicion. Her initial instinct told her the photograph looked too staged. Normally, underground
bars were dimly lit, yet this particular image was exceptionally clear and well-lit. Moreover, the quality resembled that of a camera
photo rather than a smartphone snapshot, hinting at possible manipulation.
Determined to dig deeper, Ariana clicked on the profile of the supposed informant, discovering it was an alt account with limited
following. She scrolled through their followed accounts and eventually found Carl Manny’s profile among them.
Upon seeing Carl’s account, Ariana’s brows furrowed in concern.
She immediately wondered if this incident had any ties to Rollingrock Media.
Ariana decided to dig deeper and began gathering information about the underground bar that was at the center of this incident.
Her research quickly revealed that the founder of this particular underground bar was a minor shareholder in Rollingrock Media.
This discovery heightened Ariana’s suspicions that there might be a connection between the media company and the incident.
Taking swift action, she instructed her assistant to arrange for comment management. She then posted a concise public relations
message, explaining that nothing had been confirmed yet, and they were eagerly awaiting the results of Tom’s drug test. She
expressed hope that everyone would have faith in Tom and the rest of them.
Within a short time, the post was flooded with thousands of comments, the majority of which were negative in tone.
As Ariana read through the comments, she noticed that most of them were highly critical of Tom and their team. Among the
comments, there were both hired internet trolls and netizens seemingly influenced by the negative narrative.
Ariana remained composed as she continued to read through the comments, well aware of the considerable impact of public
opinion in the entertainment industry.
Finally, Tom’s drug test was completed. He seemed to be aware of the dire public opinion online, as his demeanor had changed
significantly.
He appeared visibly disheartened compared to his earlier confidence.
The test results were expected to take another hour, so Ariana chose to remain with him outside the testing room.