Chapter 160: The Smartest Place
The focus of this campaign was the "Cheatinggate" scandal—an incident relentlessly hyped by the media that had once cost Kristen Stewart her entire public image.
In truth, everyone in the industry knew that the private lives of celebrities were an absolute mess. Little K was just unlucky enough to be made an example of, and the whole affair had left her thoroughly disgraced. The media frenzy wasn't an accident, but the result of calculated behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
No matter how you looked at it, Robert Pattinson held the upper hand in his girlfriend's cheating scandal. Kristen Stewart, on the other hand, was not nearly so fortunate. Not only was she drowning in public condemnation, but in the unseen battles behind the curtain, her PR team had suffered a total defeat. Their strategy was an absolute disaster, leaving a storm of negative press to fly unchecked.
The most ruthless move came from Penny Kalis's camp, which continuously leaked claims that Kristen Stewart was in tears all day, texting Robert Pattinson daily to beg for his forgiveness, even if they could only be ordinary friends...
This repeatedly hammered a specific narrative home to the public: the woman's infidelity was an undeniable fact, and the man was the true victim.
It was no exaggeration to call it a brilliant PR strategy. It looked like sympathy for Kristen Stewart, but it was actually driving a knife into her back.
That was simply how this fame-and-fortune slaughterhouse worked. Even former lovers could turn their blades on each other. Any seemingly simple event was usually steeped in conspiracy and shady dealings. If anyone imagined Hollywood as a warm circle of mutual support, it was the funniest joke in the world.
This was exactly why Duke was willing to spend heavily to hire a PR firm. He wasn't an omnipotent genius, and his core focus had to remain on filmmaking. Professional matters naturally needed to be handed over to the professionals.
Although they had reached a verbal agreement, Duke had no intention of signing a contract just yet. Running background checks and conducting outside investigations were absolutely essential. Just like investing in a movie, this wasn't something to decide on a whim.