Hearing Justin''s despondent tone, Ryan felt like his heart was being crushed.


    "Justin, please don''t lose hope. Pull yourself together, okay? I''m now in charge at the Hoffman Group. When I don''t know what to do or how to face those old geezers, I sometimes ask myself, what would you do? You''re my role model. You better keep that image up for me, or who the hell am I going to look up to?"


    Justin was not only a close friend to Ryan but also a brotherly figure, guiding and helping him grow and progress. He held a special ce in Ryan''s heart.


    Justin''s handsome face briefly softened with a smile, like ice melting under the rising sun, but it did little to alleviate the weight on his heart.


    Just as he hung up the call, everyone''s phones started ringing and buzzing simultaneously.


    "Mr. Asher! Something happened!" Steven, who had gone out to handle some business for Be and Asher, returned in a panic. His words barely left his mouth when he saw the Thompson family and turned pale, freezing on the spot.


    At this moment, Be and Justin, along with the others, picked up their phones and opened the push notifications.


    [Shocking News! The dominant CEO of KS Group is actually homosexual, with photos as proof!]


    The next headline was: KS Group''s CEO caught in ate-night Rendezvous with his young male lover!


    Another headline was: KS Group''s CEO, Asher Thompson''s passionate photos exposed. He hase out of the closet!


    Be''s mind went nk, her body trembling with a sudden chill, as if swept up by an overwhelming tidal wave. Her fingers trembled as she clicked on the title.


    Photo after photo clearly showed Asher and Arnold kissing in a sports car.


    If it involved any other heterosexual couple, such photos would not be much of a scandal. But given both Asher''s and Arnold''s backgrounds, it became earth-shattering news, shocking the public.


    The apanying text was sensational, vividly describing the scene in explicit detail and sparking the imagination.


    It was not just her. Justin, Axel, Ralph, and the entire Thompson family fell into a suffocating silence upon seeing the news.


    Arnold, one of the stars in the photos, was also stunned. His phone dropped to the ground, and his already pale face turned ashen. His ears buzzed.


    Only Asher remained as steady as a mountain, standing firm. His hawk-like, dark eyes were calm and unwavering, full of strength.


    Arnold found it hard to breathe. He raised his blurred eyes to look at his beloved Asher, his pale lips moving silently. "I''m sorry. Ash, I''m sorry..."


    At this moment, Arnold deeply


    regretted everything. He regretteget


    going to see him that night,


    regretting not being able to control his feelings, and confessing his love.


    While Arnold was in a state of panic, M, her eyes bloodshot, angrily rushed up to him.


    "Are you satisfied now?" M''s gaze


    was as sharp as a knife on his face, filled with uncontroble


    resentment. "You finally got what you wanted. Your selfish desire has destroyed the one you love... ...Your love is truly glorious. Arnold, are you satisfied now?"


    "Aunt M... I..." Arnold''s eyes dimmed, unable to say anything.


    M gritted her teeth, raising her hand to p him.


    With a crisp sound, the p resounded through the entire corridor.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    However, the pnded on Asher''s face.