Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 82: Chapter 82

As night fell, Bree Technology and God's Fury issued their denial statements almost simultaneously.
God's Fury couldn't produce any concrete evidence. In their official statement, they flatly denied any wrongdoing, pledged to conduct an internal investigation, and said they would report the matter to the authorities.
Bree Technology, on the other hand, was far more direct—they immediately unveiled a list of all the streamers they had caught luring minors into spending, every single one of whom has now been banned.
Additionally, Bree Technology would launch a dedicated refund channel for underage spending. All accounts with unauthorized purchases made by minors could apply for a refund by submitting the required documentation.
Additionally, Playzy would introduce an underage protection system. All new accounts will require age verification, and accounts registered to users under 18 would have their payment features disabled.
These measures were instantly met with widespread praise.
They had covered all bases—from immediate compensation to comprehensive future protections.
[Playzy's speed is insane.]
[Playzy's acting way too fast—it almost makes you wonder if they staged the whole thing themselves.]
[Oh, the perpetually victimized minors.]
[The number of streamers Playzy banned is nothing compared to all the so-called innocent victims crying online. Clearly, someone's just jealous and trying to frame them.]
While some lauded Playzy's actions, others naturally saw this incident as revealing a genuine underlying problem.
[If something like this has happened, there's no smoke without fire. Even with all these measures in place, they can't fully prevent it, can they?]
[This platform was made for nothing but harm. My son is hooked on watching these live streams every day. If he fails to get into Rithol University, who's going to take responsibility?]
[Honestly, even as an adult, I'm hooked on watching live streams on Playzy—imagine how much harder it is for minors with even less self-control. I say just shut the whole platform down.]
[There's no way Playzy would shut down over something this minor—unless a major scandal breaks out.]
Ronald had expected to see Aubree get torn apart by the public, but instead, Playzy ended up getting some unexpected positive publicity out of the whole thing.
That night in his study, Ronald was so enraged by the news that he grabbed a cup and smashed it to the floor. "Damn Aubree. No wonder she was so fearless—she must have been prepared for this all along."
"But then again," Ronald sneered, his gaze lingering on a particular comment. "Still too young to understand why the old fox is always the slyest."
Ronald's voice was cold and calculating. "Hey, is that guy we talked about last time on board now? Okay. Then we're ready to move."
Bree Technology swiftly resolved the matter, bringing it to a quiet conclusion without much fanfare.
However, the club's attempt to bribe Apex Squad into acting as stooges was still getting nowhere.
Aubree spent the next day trying to get the officials to cooperate, but they kept stonewalling and refused to let them access the surveillance footage.
Even by the time she left school for the club meeting that afternoon, there was still no word from the officials.
In the esports club's conference room, nearly all the management staff had gathered. To avoid disrupting the players' matches, Aubree had deliberately excluded Alvin and Matilda from attending the meeting.
"This is getting tricky," Aubree said. "The officials must've been paid off—they keep giving us the runaround and just won't let us check the surveillance footage."
Even if this blows up, it's still just between Apex Squad and God's Fury—the League officials won't get dragged into it.
Agent Declan Whitaker's frown deepened. "Our statement hasn't had much effect. With the tournament in full swing, not only are our fans demanding answers, but casual viewers are jumping on the bandwagon, and influencer accounts are fueling the fire.
"In the past few days, even the top-tier League of Legends streamers on Playzy have been dragged into this mess."
Aubree sighed, "I know, but it'll take ages to get the audio recording authenticated. Besides, even if they can verify it, this timeframe alone could cripple us."
After all, the conversation between her and Emery on that recording was undeniably real.
"I swear, if I find out who recorded this." Aubree ground her teeth in frustration. "You all get to work—send the recording to the forensic lab first. I need to figure out how to handle this situation."
Keeping everyone here won't solve anything. With so much else to handle, Aubree waved her hand and decisively called an end to the meeting.
Aubree propped her chin in her hands. 'What should I do? Just wait it out?' she wondered. 'Who knows what other surprises might pop up if I just wait around? Should I ask Emery to come forward and clarify?'
A fleeting thought crossed Aubree's mind, but she dismissed it at once. 'First,' she reasoned inwardly, 'I can't be sure if Emery is involved—and even if he isn't, I just couldn't bring myself to ask him.'
"Bree, you in there?" A voice called from outside the slightly ajar conference room door.
A voice filtered through the slightly ajar conference room door.
Aubree froze for a moment and looked up. 'Did I mishear?' she wondered. 'Why did I just hear Bowen's voice?'
"I'm coming in," he said.
A moment later, a series of sharp knocks rapped against the door.
'Bowen actually came?' Aubree thought in disbelief.
The conference room door swung halfway open, revealing Bowen's unfairly handsome face. "Mind if I come in?" he asked.
"Come on in," Aubree replied.
Bowen walked in, dressed simply and casually, with sneakers on his feet.
"Looks like you're in a bit of trouble." Bowen arched a brow, then helped himself to the chair closest to Aubree and sat down.
"You're here, so you obviously already know, don't you?" Aubree snapped.
Bowen couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, should I say you really get me now?"
Aubree said impatiently, "I'm really not in the mood for your jokes right now."
Bowen's playful demeanor faded as he grew serious. "The club's issues aren't hard to resolve. I know exactly what you're after."
Bowen leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low, hushed tone. "I had Kelvin get the surveillance footage."
Aubree's pupils constricted. Before she realized it, his face was mere inches away—his breath brushing her cheek. Uncomfortable with the sudden proximity, she instinctively tilted her head aside.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Bowen asked, genuinely puzzled—completely unaware of how close he was to Aubree.
His warm breath brushed her skin, his intoxicating scent filling the air and surrounding her from all sides, leaving her nowhere to escape.
The conference room was huge, yet she felt suffocated.
Flustered, Aubree quickly averted her gaze. "N-nothing, how did you get the surveillance footage?" she said.
Bowen gave a dry chuckle. "The Turner Group holds shares in the official League of Legends operator."
The Turner Group primarily operated in investments, with its presence spanning virtually every industry.
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket"—this principle has been the key to the Turner Group's enduring success. They consistently spot new business opportunities and invest in cutting-edge, profitable ventures.
Aubree had to admit she was impressed. For a moment, she couldn't even begin to describe the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
Aubree subtly edged back, hesitated for a moment, then quietly asked, "I'm always troubling you. Does that make me a burden to you?"
'Had Bowen not come to me first, I wouldn't have thought to ask for his help,' she wondered.
Aubree knew full well this would be a breeze for Bowen to handle. But the more she relied on him, the more dependent she'd become—and that wasn't good news for Aubree.
Aubree pursed her lips. "It feels like you've been helping me ever since we met," she said. "I don't believe in free lunches."
Bowen mulled over her words, and it suddenly dawned on him. 'Wait, is Bree actually getting tired of me?' he wondered.
She wanted to distance herself from him—or even leave him altogether.
This wasn't supposed to be bad news for him. After all, his original plan was to quietly step back from her life once she became fully capable of handling things on her own.
'But why do I feel so bothered?' Bowen wondered.
Bowen's lips curved in a faint smile, but his eyes turned cold and distant. "I see," he said tonelessly.
With that, he left only a USB drive on the table.