bChapter /bb27 /b

With the SlimEase capsule about tounch, there was a mountain of work waiting for Skr.

She had no intention of wasting her time on trash. She blocked David’s number and threw herself back into her work.

After clinical trials involving thousands of participants, they had gathered a wealth of data.

The results were clear, the SlimEase capsule helped people lose weight painlessly, with no side effects.

Skr scheduled a press conference, bringing the R&D team up on stage with her.

Following the usual protocol, she presented their findings. Then it was time for questions.

Hands shot up across the room. She casually pointed at a girl with a high ponytail. “What’s your question?b” /b

“Ms. Lambert, you im yourpany’s Slim Ease capsule provides painless weight loss with no rebound. Isn’t that exaggerated advertising?” The reporter looked sweet and delicate, but her question was anything but soft.

Skr remained calm, not the slightest trace of panic on her face. “All of our ims are backed by clinical trials. There is ino /iexaggeration.”

0

Another male reporter stood up. “Ms. Lambert, the current beauty standard idolizes being pale, young, and skinny. Girls go to dangerous extremes to lose weight. What’s your take on this warped aesthetic?”

It was a loaded question. One misstep, and she’d fall right in.

“I think beautyes in many forms,” Skr said. “Some people are naturally thin–that’s just how it is. But whether to be thin or not should be ba /bpersonal choice.”

The reporter fired back immediately, “Really? So even when girls harm themselves to get skinny, you think that’s normal?”

Skr paused, then spoke slowly. “I don’t judge anyone’s aesthetic. Everyone has the right to pursue the look they want.”

That was a clear rebuttal to the reporter’s im of “warped aestheticsb./bb” /b

She nced at him and continued, “There are many forms of beauty, If someone wants to slim down without harming themselves, that’s their choice. But if it’s like you described–hurting themselves to get there–I understand, but I don’t support it.”

“I hope all girls can break free from societal pressure. You need to know, you are already beautiful.”

“The reason we developed the Slim Ease capsule was to help people whose health is bat /brisk because of obesity, or who are bullied because bof /bbit/b.”

“Others can buy it too, of course–but extreme thinness is dangerous bas /bwell. So I hope people think it through carefully before buying our product.”

As the press conference wrapped up, Skr left first, leaving Sophie to handle the reporters.

Sophie kept the crowd calm, patiently answered the remaining questions, and even arranged a meal for the press.

Most reporters wrote their articles at the table and sent them straight back to their editorsb. /bbIf /bthere were no issues, they got published o

Once the SlimEase capsule went on sale, it caused ba /bfrenzy. The official website crashed almost immediately.

Seeing the overwhelmed programmers, Skr told them to step aside and fixed the bug herself.

botb. /b

Soon, the site was back bto /bnormal — and could handle even more traffic without freezing. The programmers stared in shock. “Ms. Lambert… byou /bbknow /b

how to code?”

b“/bA little,” she replied, eyes still on the sales dashboard.

b1/3 /b

b08:16 /bbMon/bb, /bb23 /bJun

The programmer gulped. A little? She’s being modest. He had thought she was just a pretty face. But she could make medicine band /bwrite codeb? /bShe was incredible and it made him feel useless.

–

Determined, the programmer vowed to work harder so Ms. Lambert’d never see him as dead weight.

The first batch of 10,000 pills sold out instantly. Skr ordered them to close the store and focus on fulfilling the orders.

The factory worked around the clock. Rushing but careful, they shipped everything on time.

Once people started receiving the product, they only needed one pill to feel real effects.

They rushed to post their experiences online–reviews, before–and–after photos, even videos.

All of this brought more buzz and attention,pletely free.

Some curious onlookers began hovering over the “buy” button, while others stayed skeptical. A few dismissed the sess as nothing more than smart marketing.

Regardless, the Slim Ease capsule was famous. Elianna had heard multiple people talking about it already.

When she learned it promised painless, rebound–free weight loss, she was tempted. Then she found out it was Skr’s productb–/band instantly lost ball /b

interest.

Seeing how sessful it had be, she was green with envy. “Skr is nothing! She doesn’t know anything! How could she have created this?”

‘This stuff must be toxic. I’m just waiting for her to screw up,‘ she told herself. And when Skr did, Elianna would be there tough.

The thought sparked an idea in her head. “Skr, you won’t be smiling for long.” She stared at a photo from a news article, a sinister smile spreading

across her face.

The product was now selling at a stable rate of 100 pills a day–a cap set to ensure quality and keep up with raw material supplies.

Everything was going great–until someone posted a message online that flipped the narrative overnight.

[Scam alert! Don’t buy the SlimEase capsule – it’s ba /bplete fraud!]

The girl said she’d been mocked for her weight every day and felt hopeless. So she gave the pill a try. After taking it, she had stomach cramps, constant bathroom runs, and ended up in the ER.

The doctor told her she’d ingested something full of bacteria, which caused the reaction. She med the SlimEase capsule.

Soon, more people joined the chorus, posting their own hospital visits andints

Doubt spread like wildfire. Orders were canceled en masse. The sales department’s phones rang off the hook.

When Skr found out, she acted fast–assembling a crisis team andunching a PR investigation.

[Phidon: We will give everyone a proper exnation. Please stay calm.]

The PR team tried contacting the girl who made the original post. She refused allmunication and insisted it was their fault, apology andpensation.

nding ba /bpublic

Skr felt in her gut that something was off. The pills weren’t the problem–bit /bhad bto /bbe people. And people bdidn’t /bjust pop bout /bbof /bnowhere. Someone was behind this.

Skr had a good idea who was the person. But first, she needed to resolve this mess–then she could settle bthe /bbscore/b.

With Sophie by her side, she went straight to the hospital where the “victimb” /bbwas /bbstaying/b. Unbeknownst to bthem/b, bthe /bbgirl /bbwas /bblounging /bbin /bbbed/bb, /bbwatching /bdramas and munching on snacks.

b2/3 /b

08:16 Mon, b23 /bJun

Skr whispered to Sophie, “Record this.”