As the sound of footsteps echoed in the room, Richardson turned toward the back. Nearly everyone entering was a woman—except for the person leading the group.
At the front of the group was a young man in his twenties. Richardson recognized him. He was somewhat of a controversial figure in New York, known for being Woody Allen's son and, more importantly, for his relentless pursuit of justice against his own father.
"Ronan Farrow?" Richardson murmured, confused. "What's he doing here?"
Harvey Weinstein didn't recognize the man in the lead, but the women following him? Those faces were painfully familiar. He knew many of their names.
Rose McGowan, Asia Argento, Lucia Evans...
Wait... these are... these are the women... For a moment, Harvey was puzzled. But then, realization dawned. These were the women he had assaulted over the years.
His chest tightened as he struggled to process what was happening. What are they doing here? Don't they want to work in Hollywood anymore?
Harvey shot up from his chair, glaring at them with a gaze so intense it seemed to radiate physical threat. It was a look that had once silenced countless women.
But this time, not one of them flinched. Instead, they walked confidently past his glare, heading straight toward Elena Boyar, who had stepped forward to greet them.
Ronan Farrow's voice rang out, clear and commanding, "We ask our friends in the media to give these victims of Harvey Weinstein a chance to speak."
Harvey Weinstein's heart sank. He instinctively glanced toward Matthew, hoping for some indication of intervention. But Matthew remained seated, calm as ever, showing no intention of speaking or taking action.
Matthew's demeanor was deliberate. At this point, everything had already been set in motion. The show would carry on without him needing to lift a finger.
In fact, stepping in personally would have diminished the elegance of the takedown.
Matthew crossed his arms and leaned back slightly, silently savoring the chaos. He recalled a saying he'd once read online from across the Pacific: The most sophisticated revenge is done without a word, with composure and style.
And even without speaking, Harvey would undoubtedly know who was behind all of this. That knowledge alone—seeing the fruits of his revenge play out before the world—was enough to satisfy Matthew.
When Harvey's gaze met his, Matthew caught a mix of rage and fear in the man's eyes.
The rage was understandable. Harvey had completely lost control of the situation. The fear? That came from Harvey's knowledge of what he had done to these women.
Matthew gave Harvey a small nod, then raised a hand to wave in a mock "goodbye" gesture.
The calm, almost smug expression on Matthew's face sent a chill down Harvey's spine. He felt, for the first time in years, a creeping sense of genuine fear. Is Matthew Horner a demon?
For decades, Harvey had been the predator, the one who instilled fear. But now, he found himself trembling, surrounded by hundreds of reporters and live cameras broadcasting to the world. His usual PR tactics wouldn't be enough to contain this disaster.
Still, he clung to a sliver of hope: At least they don't have solid evidence.
But could he be certain of that? Harvey's usual modus operandi was intimidation and coercion. He had rarely concerned himself with covering his tracks.
"Press conference over!" Harvey shouted abruptly. "The press conference is over!"
The room fell momentarily silent before erupting in confusion.
"Clear the room!" Harvey bellowed, his voice straining. "Security! Weinstein Company staff! Remove these intruders! Clear the room now!"
Matthew smirked at Harvey's desperation. Meanwhile, David Ellison, seated beside him, was struggling to suppress his laughter. "This would be perfect if we had some wine right now," he quipped.
The security guards and Weinstein Company staff, however, didn't move a muscle. Instead, their eyes turned toward Bob Weinstein.
Harvey spun around to face his brother. "Bob!" he yelled, his voice hoarse.
Bob calmly picked up the microphone and said, "The press conference will continue. Let them speak."
Harvey felt a chill run down his spine. He turned to leave, only to find four massive security guards in black suits blocking his exit.
On stage, Rose McGowan took the microphone from Ronan Farrow. Her voice was steady as she began recounting how Harvey Weinstein had assaulted her.
"He offered me $1 million," she said, her expression unflinching. "He wanted me to sign an NDA to stay silent about what he did to me. But I refused. I don't want his money—it disgusts me. Today, I'm here to speak the truth and seek justice."
"Lies!" Harvey roared. "It's all lies!"
Rose ignored him and continued.
One by one, Asia Argento, Lucia Evans, and several others stepped forward to share their stories.
Despite the damning nature of their words, Harvey began to relax. No evidence, he thought to himself. They're just telling stories. No proof means no case.
But then, the doors to the press room swung open once again.
A tall, striking woman entered the room. Gasps rippled through the crowd. There was no mistaking her: it was Angelina Jolie.
Holding a microphone, Jolie began speaking as she walked. "Before the filming of Playing by Heart, Harvey Weinstein invited me to his Beverly Hills mansion for a 'business meeting.' But instead, he made unwanted advances and suggested we go to his bedroom for a massage. I managed to escape."
She stopped beside Ronan Farrow and continued, her voice firm. "From that moment, I decided I would never work with him again. I also warned others about him. Such behavior toward women is unacceptable in any industry, in any country."
Finishing her statement, she handed the microphone back and embraced Rose McGowan and the other victims.
David Ellison leaned toward Matthew, curiosity written all over his face. "How did you get her involved?"
Matthew shrugged nonchalantly. "Ronan told me she'd been harassed in the past. Jolie's all about justice these days, so it wasn't hard to convince her to join."
Angelina Jolie had always been a polarizing figure, swinging between extremes. Her rebellious youth had given way to a life dedicated to humanitarian causes.
"Lies! Slander!" Harvey shouted again, his voice cracking. "This is all fabricated!"
Jolie raised a USB drive in her hand. "I was worried back then, so I secretly recorded some footage. Here's a copy."
One of the staff members took the USB and handed it to the projectionist.
Matthew glanced at Jolie, impressed. Compared to Meryl Streep's performative righteousness, Jolie came across as far more genuine.
Harvey, realizing what was happening, shouted in desperation, "Don't play it! Don't you dare play it!"
But no one listened to him.
The video began to play. Though the footage was grainy, it was clear enough to make out the critical details.
The younger Harvey Weinstein could be seen demanding a massage from Jolie. When she refused, he tried to force her onto the bed, suggesting inappropriate acts. The video ended with the camera shaking as Jolie fled the room.
When the video finished, Jolie stepped forward again. "This is a copy," she said. "The original has already been handed over to the FBI. Oh, and by the way..."
She gestured toward Rose McGowan and the others. "We've all filed reports with the FBI as well."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Richardson looked at Jolie, then instinctively turned to Matthew. He wasn't alone. Many in the room were now staring at Matthew Horner, who remained seated, serene as ever.
It was now obvious to everyone: this was Matthew's doing.
Then, as if on cue, Ronan Farrow spoke up. "I've spent nearly three years collecting evidence of Harvey Weinstein's assaults on nearly a hundred women. The full story will be published tomorrow in The New York Times. Additionally, all evidence has been submitted to the FBI."
Harvey felt as though the ground beneath him had turned to ice. He turned to look at Matthew one last time.
Matthew finally broke his stoic expression, flashing Harvey a calm, knowing smile.
Bob Weinstein stepped forward, his voice resolute. "I am Bob Weinstein, CEO of The Weinstein Company. Regarding Harvey Weinstein's actions, we have been aware of rumors but lacked the courage to act until now. For this, we deeply apologize."
No one in the room doubted the allegations anymore. Bob's admission sealed Harvey's fate.
Bob continued, "Yesterday, the board of The Weinstein Company unanimously voted to remove Harvey Weinstein from all positions. I now officially announce his termination."
Harvey turned to his brother, his face pale and disbelieving. His legs gave out, and he collapsed into his chair.
This was betrayal—pure and simple.
_________________________
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