Page 67 of Catalyst

I minimize the document I’m working on and pull up my email program. My stomach drops when I find an email from Jessica.

When I open the attachment, rage like I’ve never felt before blasts through me. I shoot out of my chair. To do what? I have no idea, but my body needs an outlet for the emotions crashing through me.

A new article was just posted onCelebrity Weekly’s site. I can’t decide if it’s worse than the first one.

An Uncontrollable Raging Bull

We’ve all wondered what lurks under Adam Ellis’s stone façade. Is he truly the aloof man he shows to the world, or is he something darker?

Celebrity Weeklyhas finally found the answer. In our previous article (read it here to catch up!), we found out Ellis prefers the company of women you’d never bring home to Mom. Which begs the question, if high-priced call girls are the only women on his roster, is he incapable of dating a regular girl, or does he have some fetishes that are NSFW (not suitable for work)? Unfortunately, we haven’t found the answer to that question. However, we have been told his work life leans toward a raging bull who doesn’t care to knock down anyone in its way. Is there a connection there? We’ll leave that up to you.

Sources close to Ellis have told us he acts more like a dictator and less like the compassionate CEO we’ve believed him to be.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve poured your heart and soul into a project. If he hates it, you’re done. No questions asked,” an ex-employee stated, citing they were fired due to creative differences.

It’s a wonder they have any employees left in the company at all, based on our research.

Our source isn’t the only employee fired under suspicious circumstances. We’ve only recently learned that one of Ellis’s secretaries was let go when she informed Ellis she was pregnant. We smell a major lawsuit in the works on that one.

Look out, Adam. You might be on track to piss off every woman in the country.

“How the fuck are they allowed to print something like this?” I shout, looking at Matthew and hoping like hell he has an answer.

“They have a source. Someone we’ve recently fired is pissed off at us, and they’re allowed to share what that person said. They can also spin the story to sound however they want. None of what they said was suggested as fact, and by leaving the interpretation up to the readers, they can’t be held liable. If we can prove they printed a straight-up lie, which would be difficult, to say the least, we could sue them.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. If I don’t figure out how to calm down, I’m afraid I’ll have a stroke or something.

“Do you think they were talking about Tessa when they mentioned the whole pregnancy thing?” Ellie asks.

“It’s likely, though I know Tessa would never be their source. I’m guessing whoever their source is told them Tessa was fired just to add fuel to the fire, and they printed it because, without that tidbit, it would’ve come across as a disgruntled employee getting their revenge. This way, it comes across as a little more credible,” Matthew answers.

“I want the name of the source. Immediately,” I grunt out.

“I’m working with the IT department to trace the employees who were fired in the last six months. It’s going to take some time because there are about twenty of them across the country.”

“Have them start with Linda. She’s the most recent and likely the most pissed off, as well.”

“I’m on it.” Ellie leaves my office, leaving me and Matthew alone.

“I’m fucking tired of this shit.” I sigh as I sit back down in my chair.

“Me, too, brother.” Matthew sits in the chair across from my desk. “We’ll figure out who is slandering us, and once we do, we’ll make them pay.”

“The fallout from this is going to be astronomical.”

“We’ll deal with it. Most of our business partners know the truth about who you are. They won’t believe the lies.”

Instead of Matthew’s words giving me comfort, a pit forms in my stomach.

This could ruin us.

CHAPTER31

Ellie

“Sweetheart,I understand what you want me to do.” Travis’s condescending tone is about to earn him a punch to the face if he keeps it up. “But I am only capable of doing so much here. Why don’t you head back up to your little office, and I’ll let you know when I’ve found something. Yeah?”

I grit my teeth and take a deep breath through my nose. This little weasel has been giving me the runaround for the last two days, and I’m sick of it. I came down to IT to try to light a fire under his ass, but all I’ve gotten is “leave the men to handle the important work.”

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