Media Manipulation

In the shining skyscrapers of Manhattan’s multi-million dollar executive suites, two rulers dominate the entertainment industry yet not without conflict, cleverness, and fierce allure. Ace Rotherwell, merciless CEO and media tycoon, does not offer apologies, express emotions, or provide second chances. Particularly not for Noah Sinclair, the fugitive heir transformed into a pop culture figure who disappeared after their hidden relationship nearly set the company and their emotions ablaze. Now, Noah has returned… fiercer, more daring, and prepared to take back what he left behind: his legacy, his influence and possibly, Ace. Plunged into a chaotic office setup devised by PR, the duo must “co-lead” Sinclair Studios to salvage its deteriorating reputation. However, boardroom gatherings transform into sharp exchanges, late-night planning discussions evolve into playful confrontations, and every exchange of looks sizzles with mounting tension. One possesses a crown forged from dominance. The other dons celebrity as protection. Beneath the opulence and joy, there exists a past too complex to dismiss… and a connection too volatile to withstand. Amidst plotting aides, viral controversies, and old scars that remain fresh, Ace and Noah need to determine: Will they battle for their realm united …or allow it to disintegrate once more?

Ivy went home only to find the man she devoted her whole life to cheating with her elder sister. It was supposed to be their wedding day and he didn't show up,breaking his promise after making her give up on her career. Heartbroken, she found solace in the bar and she met someone in her drunken state. The next morning, she had no way to return home because she was now homeless. She pleaded with the one who helped her to take her in, but he refused. Then it struck her. "I heard you are looking for a wife over the phone. Let's get married,"she proposed. A few days later, the media were surprise to see a once famous actress with a renowned billionaire, leading to interviews. Mr. Zack Anderson, usually dismissive of reporters, seemed different that day. "Mr. Zack Anderson, did the once famous actress seduce you for personal gain?" "Who has the right to seduce me other than my wife?" he replied, and someone in his room stood up. "She married my uncle!" Six months later, her husband's sudden confession surprised her.

In 1982, Anne Stewart and Jack Miller successfully rocked America with their song Terrifying. Anne and Jack had incredible popularity as artists. They were like a magnet as well as a money field for businessmen in the entertainment world. Unfortunately, a tragic incident occurred, Anne and Jack committed suicide in the middle of the last concert on New Year's Eve. A big riot occurred as a result of that. Hundreds of spectators died from crowding and trampling each other when they wanted to get out of the area to save themselves. Not to stop with these conditions, the next day the three states where Anne and Jack performed concerts experienced a major hurricane disaster. Many people died and hundreds of major public facilities were badly damaged. People began to associate the song Terrifying with a curse. They assumed that Anne and Jack were involved in the illuminati sect and worshiped Lucifer. As a result, the authorities banned the song's circulation in all media and destroyed millions of copies. Since then, Terrifying has never been heard from again, and Anne and Jack's names have sunk to the bottom of the deepest trough. -*- In October 2023, a group of teenagers broke into an old house to live stream on TikTok. They found a cassette tape containing the song Terrifying. And without realizing it, they've brought back a long-lost terror!

“What if I told you I don’t care?” Amelia shot back, her tone sharp and unwavering. Miguel’s lips curved into a sly smile, his eyes gleaming with challenge. “Then I’d say you’re lying to yourself, Mia. Because no one fights this hard unless they feel something.” Amelia Hart’s quiet, predictable life is upended when her mother marries the wealthy Emilio Sanchez, bringing Amelia face-to-face with her new stepbrother, Miguel Angel Sanchez. Wanton, arrogant, and infuriatingly charming, Miguel is everything she detests in a person. But sharing a home—and a school—turns Amelia’s disdain into a fiery rivalry, and their clashes soon spark something neither of them can deny. Torn between her lifelong crush on the handsome, dependable Christian Grammer and the undeniable pull toward Miguel’s dangerous charm, Amelia’s world becomes even more complicated than she imagined. As secrets are exposed and the pressures of their families, the media, and their own hearts collide, Amelia and Miguel must decide whether to risk it all for a love that feels as impossible as it does inevitable. In this passionate enemies-to-lovers story, where love and hate blur at every turn, the greatest risk might just be following their hearts.

It's Thanksgiving, and I'm waiting for Zeke Jones to come home after cooking up an extravagant meal. When Zeke returns, he doesn't even glance at the meal I've prepared for him. Instead, he proceeds to pack a bag. "I can't celebrate Thanksgiving with you this year," he says. I take another bite of my turkey and say nothing. At the stroke of midnight, Zeke's first love posts a new photo on her social media page. In the photo, she's lying on Zeke's back with a bright smile on her face. The moon outside the window is bright. "Happy to spend Thanksgiving with good company," her caption reads. Instead of hysterically questioning Zeke about the post, I just tap on the "like" button without reacting in any way. Zeke calls me. His voice sounds panicked as he tries to explain himself. "Please don't misinterpret the post. I will definitely spend Thanksgiving with you next year…" I freeze for a few moments, letting out a small laugh. I don't offer him a reply. Next time, he says? Oh, Zeke, I'm afraid there won't be a next time.

Jordan Elaine believed marriage was meant to feel safe. 💍 Married to Jay Johnson and a brilliant, high-profile corporate defense attorney ⚖️ whose reputation is built on control, precision, and protecting powerful secrets, and she thought stability was the reward for loving a man who never lost. But somewhere between Jay’s late nights 🌙, ironclad silences 🤐, and emotional distance, Jordan begins to vanish inside her own life. When Jay’s longtime best friend, Calloway Rhys, returns after years away, Jordan finds something she hasn’t felt in a long time: seen 👀. Heard 💬. Valued 💖. What begins as quiet conversations and shared loneliness slowly becomes an emotional lifeline, and then a single, devastating mistake 💔. The affair shatters a marriage, destroys a lifelong friendship, and leaves Jordan carrying the blame for a betrayal everyone is eager to simplify. Jay walks away untouched 🧊. Calloway disappears 🚪. Jordan is left to rebuild herself from shame 😞, grief 🩸, and the wreckage of loving the wrong men. Years later, the past resurfaces with a truth far darker than the affair itself 🕷️. Jordan uncovers a secret buried beneath Jay’s polished career, and one that reveals her heartbreak was never accidental ⚠️, and that manipulation, not love, shaped her marriage from the start. Forced to confront the men who broke her, Jordan must finally decide who she will be without. Forgiveness 🤍. Love 💞. Or freedom ✨. This time, the choice is hers. And sometimes, the greatest love story begins only after you walk away 🚶‍♀️🌅.

<> - Vanessa thought rock bottom was signing divorce papers with Derek Holland, a man with the emotional depth of a teaspoon. Turns out, rock bottom had a basement, and Ryker Holland was waiting for her down there with a smirk and a plan. Ryker, Derek's older half-brother (aka the family's dirty little secret), shows up offering Vanessa a deal: help her make her ex-husband, Derek Holland, jealous enough to come crawling back. In exchange, he secures his position as CEO. But Ryker isn't doing this out of kindness for he is petty and cruel. He would do anything to trample all over Derek, and now he has the perfect weapon. Vanessa, freshly dumped and just desperate enough to play along. And if she happens to enjoy making her ex suffer too? Well, that's just a bonus. As Vanessa sinks deeper into Ryker's twisted world of fake romance, secrecy and family dysfunction, things start getting real. Because fake love? It's a lot easier to control than real feelings. And Ryker has no idea what to do when the game stops being a game. Is Vanessa walking into a trap or building one of her own? Either way, the Holland brothers are going down. One's going to break, and the other's going to enjoy every second of it. _Disclaimer: This story features morally complex, flawed characters with twisted motives. It includes themes of manipulation, deception, and emotional cruelty. Reader discretion is advised.

Today happens to be Yvonne Ziegler's birthday. Yvonne is Shawn Jacobson's, my husband's, newly hired personal assistant. Shawn spares no expense in buying her a villa as a birthday present, and Yvonne haughtily takes to social media to show off on the day she moves in. "I'd like everyone to know that I'm married to a wealthy man now." Shawn comments on the post, saying, "Happy birthday, my beloved Yvonne!" In the picture, Shawn's hand rests intimately on Yvonne's slender waist, leaving no doubt about their intimate relationship. In that instant, the company's group chat erupts into a frenzy of notifications, as colleagues declare their envy of Yvonne and heap praise upon her for being young and accomplished. Oscar Jagger, my childhood friend, notices the picture and immediately tags me in the group chat. He then sends me a pointed, teasing message, saying, "Shawn's display of love is so glaring! Congrats on being cheated on, Leslie!" I manage a bitter, wry smile, taking my time to type out the response. "Do you need a villa as well, Oscar? I'm happy to give you a place—a much nicer one than Shawn's, of course."

In order to take care of my father, who got hurt from a fall, I gave up on my chance to get promoted and even took a week's leave. On the day he gets discharged from the hospital, my dad hands me a mysterious envelope with a wide smile on his face. "Thank you for your trouble over the past few days, Luther. This is a little token of appreciation from me. You can buy yourself a nice pack of smokes." I rub my hands together, feeling warmth surging into my heart. But when I open the envelope, all I see is seven dollars. Still, I comfort myself in thinking that the sum isn't important at all. It's the thought that counts, after all. But the next day, I come across a social media post of my younger brother, Felix Grayson, who never showed his face around the hospital during Dad's hospitalization. It features a photo collage of a luxurious villa, with a photo of the purchasing contract smack dab in the middle of collage. The caption writes, "I bought the top-tier riverside villa for seven million dollars! Thank you so much for your support, Dad!"

Rendi korban tabrak lari. Ia mesti menjalani perawatan di rumah sakit. Tak hanya luka-luka. Kakinya pun patah. Beberapa hari menjalani perawatan, seorang gadis datang ke rumah sakit. Ia mengaku sebagai penabrak. Bukannya minta maaf atau mengaku salah. Cewek itu benar-benar berengsek. Ia malah memaksa Rendi meneken surat perdamaian. Menyuruh mencabut laporan di Kepolisian. Si gadis, belakangan diketahui anak seorang pengusaha kaya, menyogoknya dengan uang damai Rp10 juta. Juga berjanji menanggung biaya pengobatan. Rendi, walau mahasiswa yang kuliah di perantauan dengan hidup pas-pasan, menolak. Si gadis kemudian memakai tangan preman. Memaksa Rendi meneken surat perdamaian. Persoalan makin panjang. Meski sebagai guru les di samping kuliah di Fakultas Sastra, Rendi bukanlah pria gemulai. Ia seorang karateka pemegang sabuk hitam. Ia juga seorang wartawan media online. Tak hanya itu, kelakuan si cewek berengsek itu menyebabkan Rendi dan kawan-kawan terseret ke kantor polisi. Siapa sesungguhnya cewek berengsek itu?