Things are spiraling out of control. Behind all the conspiracy theories, it's clear that Sony Columbia is in the crosshairs.
If they're not careful, the next step could be a bottomless pit. There's even the possibility that audiences could unite to boycott Spider-Man 2, or even boycott Sony Columbia altogether.
Even if the conspiracy theories don't escalate to that level, Sony Columbia's poor handling of the set, allowing paparazzi to invade and disrupt filming, leading to an accident, followed by their lack of remorse and empathy, all while considering replacing Anson while he's still recovering—that's not a good look.
The flood of criticism is easy to imagine, even with eyes closed.
At that point, Michael might become the board's scapegoat.
Yes, it's true that the board is dissatisfied with Amy. Yes, they want to replace the CEO. But never forget, the board ultimately looks out for the company's interests, which means their own interests too. If Michael tarnishes Sony Columbia's reputation, the board would drop him in a heartbeat. After all, whether it's Michael or Amy, it makes no fundamental difference to them.
One small shift can overturn everything.
Up until now, it was always the little guys who became the scapegoats for these big companies. When did it become the big company's turn to be the scapegoat?
Yet, that's exactly the situation now.
Michael must slam on the brakes before he sinks any deeper.
He even found himself wondering: Could Anson's accident have been arranged internally?
But Michael knows the answer is no.
If it wasn't them, then who? Could it be Amy?
But does Amy have that kind of boldness? Sacrificing Anson to maintain her position at Sony Columbia?
If Amy had that kind of decisiveness, Michael wouldn't have had the chance to rise in the first place. Amy would never have let herself fall into such a position.
So who is it?
Michael was frustrated and anxious because he couldn't see the full picture. He lacked enough information, and it felt like being trapped on a chessboard.
Michael had worked hard to escape a fate of being controlled, striving to become the one in control of others. But this time, just when he thought he had seized an opportunity, he found himself on the defensive again.
Deep down, Michael sensed a powerful hand controlling the entire situation.
Each move connected, each step calculated.
Planning strategies, understanding human nature, predicting accidents, and gauging public sentiment. It was all laid out, every detail planned. Michael's instincts were screaming—there was a looming crisis.
The situation was already chaotic, spiraling out of control like a storm. But Michael had a bad feeling that worse was yet to come.
The problem was, Michael couldn't figure it out.
This feeling of uncertainty, Michael despised it—he loathed it. So who was pulling the strings behind the scenes?
Amy?
Ian?
Sam?
Or one of the old foxes on the board?
Everything had been planned. One swift move to kick Anson out, and Michael would gain the upper hand with the Spider-Man 2 crew, showing everyone, both in the production and the company, the future direction. The smart ones would naturally know which side to choose.
But now, their carefully crafted scenario was falling apart due to a string of unexpected events.
He couldn't figure it out, and there were no clues. This forced Michael to proceed cautiously.
No matter what, for now, the best course of action was to sit tight and wait for the situation to develop.
First, Michael's intuition was right.
Second, if this was a master plan, it meant the masterminds had already anticipated Michael's moves, possibly even planning ahead of him.
Even though Michael had reacted quickly, he was still a step behind.
At almost the same time, in another meeting room, the atmosphere was equally tense.
But unlike Michael's camp, this room wasn't chaotic. The anxiety and tension were carefully controlled, simmering just beneath the surface, but maintaining composure.
After all, staying calm under pressure is the first rule of public relations.
"Eve, we're ready. When should we proceed?"
The assistant, struggling to stay composed, spoke with a slight tremor in her voice, betraying her nervousness. Her gaze at Eve was filled with urgency.
Even Eve appeared slightly tense. After all, the opponent was Sony Columbia. A single misstep could lead to an abyss.
Eve didn't speak. She glanced at her slightly trembling fingers and smiled. It had been a while since she felt this way—an exhilarating mix of tension and excitement. It was like butterflies fluttering in her stomach, making her fingers and toes feel a little cold.
She kind of liked it.
Then, Eve casually perched on her desk, pulling out a lipstick from her small Chanel bag. She looked into the compact mirror and carefully applied the bright, bold red to her pale face.
Once she finished, she took out a small bottle of perfume and sprayed a bit on her wrists and behind her ears, as if she were preparing for a dinner party.
"Eve!" The assistant, summoning her courage, called out again.
Eve's vibrant red lips curved into a smile. "Just wait a little longer."
"Do you know what the key to PR is?"
"Everyone thinks it's the message. But no, it's not. The key is timing. Saying the same thing too early or too late makes all the difference. What you should say today will be different from what you should say tomorrow."
"If you can master timing, you can control the narrative."
"Strength and weakness are relative terms. Especially in the era of digital media, where things change by the second. It's nothing like the old days of print media, where timing has become even more critical."
"So, if you want to be an excellent PR professional, you have to understand this. Learn to manage timing and make time your ally."
"As for now, we need to wait. Be patient."
Nervousness and anxiety stem from insecurity because they arise from doubt and hesitation. But Eve believed in herself.
And, of course, she believed in Anson.
Finally, "Eve, it's updated!" One of the assistants, who had been refreshing the webpage, looked up with disbelief.
Everything was going as planned.
Eve's fiery red lips curved into a smile. "We've been teasing the rumor long enough. It's time. Which media outlet?"
"…The New York Times."
Her lips paused momentarily before her smile brightened. "Oh, now that's a pleasant surprise."
"Exclusive: The truth behind the Spider-Man 2 set accident—was it an accident, or human error?"
Eve sat in front of the computer, refreshing The New York Times homepage. The freshly updated article jumped out at her.
From the headline alone, you could tell that Anson's name wasn't even mentioned. The focus was entirely on the accident itself. It didn't use sensational keywords to grab attention but cut straight to the point with concise, sharp language. No wonder it's considered the top media outlet in North America.
Byline: Nicholas Flynn.