Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 171: Chapter 171

As people online started getting fired up and posting their opinions, a wave of haters showed up.
[Are you guys bots or what? Why are you always hyping these two up? They're just a scumbag and a homewrecker.]
[Seriously, Mr. Ludwig just tosses aside his old flame for someone new. I can't believe I ever liked him. If he had any guts, he'd take responsibility for Ms. White. What a letdown.]
[Bet you guys don't know, that woman is a total bitch. Shawn must've fallen for her act. We need to warn him—don't let that green tea trick you, Mr. Ludwig!]
Maybe because the haters suddenly multiplied, the comments section started getting flooded with people saying Zoe wasn't good enough for Shawn, and everyone was telling them to break up.
Meanwhile, Shawn and Zoe's supporters, like Chase, were scrolling on their phones during downtime. As soon as Chase saw all the hate, he immediately rallied his crew to jump into the online battle.
He thought Shawn was finally getting married and no way they'd let a bunch of killjoys ruin it.
Thanks to Chase joining in, the internet quickly split into two camps: one side rooting for the couple, the other side insisting they break up.
The two sides went at it so fiercely, it was like the whole internet was about to crash. The last time things got this wild online was when Firefox showed up.
Meanwhile, in the press hall, Shawn was still going strong, stealing the spotlight.
Thanks to years of training, his physique was on another level. Unlike most men, Shawn known as the legendary warrior could hold Zoe in his arms for hours without breaking a sweat.
At that moment, Shawn was holding her effortlessly with one arm, his other hand reaching out to gently press his fingertip against the corner of Zoe's lips, teasing her with a soft, lingering touch.
That little move made Zoe grab onto Shawn on the spot. With a half-smile, she teased, "Mr. Ludwig, are you really that desperate to put on a racy show for everyone?"
The chemistry between them was off the charts, and the reporters in the room practically exploded.
"Oh my god, this is so sweet! I'm totally shipping them!"
"A cold, insanely hot guy and a pretty woman? This couple is just too good."
"Kiss!" Someone finally shouted what everyone was thinking, and soon the whole crowd was chanting.
Shawn looked at Zoe, and for a split second, her heart skipped a beat.
The next moment, Shawn tilted Zoe's chin up, and under everyone's eager gaze, his thin lips crashed down on hers, making Zoe's eyes fly open in surprise.
"Close your eyes," he murmured.
But Zoe, the legendary queen of mercenaries, wasn't about to just do as she was told. She kept her eyes wide open, staring right at Shawn's handsome face.
Shawn's burning gaze was so intense, it was like he wanted to see straight through her.
To everyone else, it looked like their relationship had just taken a huge step forward. But Zoe felt no joy, only the wild thrill of getting closer to Shawn, making him fall for her, and moving one step closer to her mission.
Maybe the day she could finally make her move on Shawn and reclaim her title as the strongest on the battlefield wasn't far off. With that thought, Zoe took the initiative and kissed him back.
Zoe thought, 'Please, when it comes to kissing, how could I possibly lose to Shawn, my soon-to-be defeated rival?'
Shawn hadn't expected his little fox to respond like that. A sly smile flashed in his deep eyes, and he deepened the kiss.
All around them, the sound of camera shutters filled the air. These two were really putting on a show.
The press conference caused such a huge stir that the moment the Ludwig family's men got wind of it, they rushed straight to find Joseph.
Right then, Joseph had just changed his clothes and was about to head out to the press conference, only to be suddenly surrounded by his sons and nephews.
Joseph scowled. "What's going on? Why are you all so flustered? Where are your manners?"
Before he could say more, one of them shoved a phone in front of him. "Joseph, something happened at the press conference. You need to see this yourself."
As soon as Joseph finished watching the video from the press conference, his face went ghostly pale. He clutched his chest, so furious he couldn't even get a word out.
"Sh-Shawn...you actually...you actually dared to bring that woman to the press conference... How dare you!" Joseph was so enraged that his eyes rolled back and, with a loud thud, he collapsed right there.
Everyone in the room was completely stunned.
"Joseph!"
"Hurry! Call the doctor! Joseph's fainted—get the doctor here, quick!"
The servants scrambled in a panic, calling the family doctor and starting first aid right away.
Luckily, Joseph had only fainted from sheer anger. The doctor gave him some fast-acting heart pills, and before long, he came to.
But the moment he woke up, Joseph was still fuming. He slapped his leg, yelling as he charged toward the door, "That ungrateful brat! I'm going to teach him a lesson right now—just watch me break both his legs."
Joseph arrived at the banquet with several men from the Ludwig family. He barely paused before spotting the reporters still crowding around Shawn and Zoe, firing off questions.
Fuming, Joseph slammed his cane on the floor, the sharp crack instantly drawing everyone's attention to him.
Joseph stormed over, scolding as he went, "Shawn! You ungrateful brat, do you even remember your own last name?" His voice boomed through the hall.
Right then, Joseph looked like a ticking time bomb that had just exploded, rage written all over his face.
The crowd quickly parted to let him through, and he marched straight up to Shawn.
By then, Shawn had let go of Zoe, and the two stood their ground as Joseph confronted them. Joseph jabbed a finger at Zoe and declared, "Let me tell you, everything you said at that press conference today doesn't count.
"I will never accept a woman like you as Mrs. Ludwig. Don't even think about stepping foot in our house." His words weren't loud, but the force behind them was overwhelming.
Joseph's arrival sent a shockwave through the crowd—everyone was left stunned.
Anyone else facing Joseph's presence would've been forced to back down, shaken to the core.
But Shawn just turned his cold, deep gaze to the side, his commanding aura as a top commander filling the room.
He didn't bother explaining. With the authority of the highest officer, he said coldly, "This isn't up for discussion. I'm not asking for the Ludwig family's approval. I'm just letting you know.
"I'll say it one last time: the only woman I'll ever marry is Zoe. If anyone brings up anything else again, don't blame me for being ruthless."