Touched Down by Shani Greene-Dowdell

Author:Shani Greene-Dowdell [Greene-Dowdell, Shani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Imperial Publishing House
Published: 2024-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

WAYNE

Stand For Something

We try to enjoy the next month following Les’s parent’s coming to our home. We set a date for our wedding in June and start planning. Seeing Les up and about, fussing over flower arrangements, gowns, cakes, and venues is lovely until the lie about her having an affair gets a second wind. She can’t leave the house without someone approaching her and saying something stupid. Her mood shifts back to the solemness from before. And that’s when I decide to take a stand.

I’m not upset with anyone for trying to make money on the internet, but there are ways to do things. Upsetting my woman is not the way. I will cut these snakes off at the head until they get the message—one by one.

My lawyer investigated how the latest rumor about Leslie started and recommended Jessica Talbert, a shark of a lawyer known for winning defamation cases. Jessica hired a forensic data scientist who determined Blogger Ellie Two Times started the rumor. Now, I could care less about what Ellie writes on her blog, but since it’s making Leslie unhappy, it’s pissing me off. My sister-in-law lost her life listening to this kind of nonsense about my brother. I will not lose Leslie. I. Will. Not.

“What are the next steps after the conference?” I ask Jessica Talbert as me and Leslie sit on the other side of her oakwood desk.

Two weeks ago, we devised a plan to be here today for a news conference to address the defamation. We could have done it quietly, but this way, we are sending a message and putting other wreckless bloggers on notice.

Jessica splits her attention between me and Leslie. “She’s been sent a cease and desist letter, and since she’s the one who originally spread the story, a motion has been filed to get her into court.”

“I don’t want any money from her. I want her to understand that Leslie is off-limits regarding material for her blogs. I want her not to think of Leslie ever again. She shouldn’t even address any other Leslies in the world either,” I growl.

Jessica bestows us with a piercing stare. “You do understand that this could cause you more blowback. Now that we’re going the legal route, legal documents will be open and available for all bloggers online and off. It’s not defamation if they’re speaking facts, so the story could get bigger than it is now.”

I glance at Leslie to get a sense of what she’s feeling.

She nods. “We have considered that as a possibility,” Leslie admits. “And we both think we should move forward. I’m with Wayne; we want to send a message.”

I add, “It will send an important message that creating lies about other people’s lives for entertainment is destructive and could be costly. People need to stop and think about what they’re doing.”

Jessica nods approvingly. “We have a solid case because Ellie’s motto is that she “gives the word of the street, factual and real. Nowhere on her site does it say she’s doing a parody or entertainment news.

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