A pang of regret

Ethan's face drained of color as his P.A's words sank in. The way the video had circulated quickly in just less than two hours came as a big blow to him.

"Sir, this is really bad. Our rival gaming companies are using this situation to their advantage, and are trying their hardest to paint the company black in the eyes of the public." The P.A continued to explain, and anger suddenly surged through Ethan, as he remembered that all of these wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for that frustrating call he had received from the game project manager earlier.

Determined to get to the bottom of things, he swiftly turned to his secretary and demanded, "Call the game project manger immediately, I want him in my office now!"

The secretary nodded nervously, realizing the urgency in Ethan's voice. He fumbled for his phone, and quickly dialed the number, with his fingers trembling slightly.

While the secretary was trying to reach the project manager, Ethan then faced his P.A, and said, "As for you, contact all the digital crisis management firms you know of. The videos, and posts must be brought down from the internet before any further damage is done."

"Right away sir." His P.A replied, and immediately did as told.

Ethan paced back and forth in distress, as he thought of how that day had been his worst day ever. Firstly, he had gotten a call from the game project manger, who had told him that their new game, Adventure Quest, which they were supposed to launch in a few days, was having some major technical glitches, and bugs which needed to be fixed. This had angered him because the project manager had assured him beforehand that everything was set.

Secondly, he had then taken out his anger on the barista girl at a café, which in turn resulted to him being drenched by a cup of coffee, and as if that wasn't enough, a scandal too was created.

Then suddenly, the image of the barista's face which was filled with hurt, and frustration appeared in his head. As much as he tried, he just couldn't get himself to forget about her, especially the memory of when she had been dragged away by a furious looking man, who was most certainly her boss.

He couldn't help but feel a little pang of regret in his heart, as he realized that his actions might have cost her to lose job.

'What do you care if she got fired? Sure, you said something mean to her, but was pouring a cup of hot coffee on you supposed to be her next line of action?' A voice in his head whispered to him.

Ethan shook his head to get rid of his thoughts, and took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He had more important things to be worried about at the moment. He had to make sure to resolve the issue with the game, that was what was the most important to him.

The office felt charged with tension as he awaited the arrival of the game project manager, ready to give him the tongue lashing of the century.

…

8PM at the Campbell's house.

The whole family was at the table, having dinner. The room was filled with laughter, and animated conversation. The aroma of delicious food wafted through the air, making everyone's mouths water in anticipation.

Grandma Pamela, with a wide grin on her face, playfully recounted a funny story from her youthful days, causing the whole family to burst into laughter. How could there be a dull moment, when grandma was around?

The sound of clinking glasses and the clatter of cutlery filled the room as the family savored the delicious meal together. They indulged in their favorite dishes, exchanging compliments and expressions of delight with every bite.

Avery was the first person to finish up, and she immediately cleared her own side of the table. After that, she then said her good nights to the remaining slow eaters at the dining, before running upstairs to her room.

This would be the first time in two weeks that she would be retiring to bed so early, and she wanted to enjoy every bit of it.

Immediately she got to her room, she kicked off her shoes, and flopped onto her soft, inviting bed. The gentle embrace of the mattress welcomed her tired body, providing a much-needed respite from the demands of the day.

Nestled amidst a sea of plush pillows and a cozy blanket, Avery let out a contented sigh. The room was dimly lit, creating a soothing ambiance that instantly put her at ease.

Closing her eyes, Avery savored the sensation of sinking into the mattress, feeling the tension melt away from her muscles. She relished the quiet solitude, reveling in the peace and serenity that enveloped her.

But then, the silence in the room was abruptly shattered, when a familiar melody filled the air. Avery's phone let out a cheerful jingle, and it's sound reverberating through the space, disturbing her peace.

"Not now, please!" She said, as if expecting the phone to stop ringing on it's own, but the phone's ringing only got louder, so at the end, the she had to pick up her phone.

"Oh, it's Madeline." She said when she saw the caller's name, and then she quickly answered the call.

"Avery!!!" Madeline's voice had sounded so loud from the other side that Avery had to put a little distance between her ear, and the phone.

"Why are you yelling? You had better have a good reason for disturbing my rest." Avery said in a warning tone.

"You are trending on space, baby! Everyone's talking about the incident earlier at the café. It's now one of the top three trending topics on twitter, and many other social platforms." Madeline explained.

Avery's heart skipped a beat as she couldn't believe her ears. She was trending on the internet? The realization hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and restless.

Avery's mind raced with a mix of emotions. She felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins, the weight of the situation pressed down on her shoulders. The room suddenly felt smaller, as if the walls were closing in on her.

"Avery! Are you still there?" Madeline voice sounded from the phone, successfully distracting Avery from her thoughts.

"Yes." Avery replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Go on and check it out yourself, I have to go now. Bye!" Madeline said, and then she ended the call.

Taking a deep breath, Avery opened her Twitter account. Her screen was then filled with a flurry of notifications, revealing the viral videos of her heated argument with the arrogant jerk from earlier. The comments sections of each posts was a whirlwind of emotions, both positive and negative.

Her eyes scanned the screen, searching for a glimmer of support amidst the sea of opinions. And there they were, like rays of sunshine amidst the storm. Positive comments from people who saw her side of the story, who understood the frustrations she faced. Their words brought a sense of relief, and reassurance, like a warm embrace in the midst of chaos.

But as Avery scrolled further, her heart sank. Malicious comments filled the screen, like venomous arrows aimed directly at her. People criticized her for pouring a cup of coffee on the CEO, questioning her actions and character.

Avery wasn't used to this, and It was overwhelming to be the target of so much online hate. But amidst the hurt, she reminded herself that there were also many other positive comments, and it was enough to keep her going.

She decided to check out other posts that were related to the incident, but then suddenly, she couldn't find any posts about it. Even the posts she had just checked had suddenly been deleted.

Thinking it was an issue with the twitter app, she then decided to check out other social media platforms, but she couldn't find a single thing related to what she was looking for. Everything had been taken down!