"their business connections" - there is no reason to think it wasn't her connections. She is a human with relationships with people at companies. She's been aro

"their business connections" - there is no reason to think it wasn't her connections. She is a human with relationships with people at companies. She's been around the block a couple times. Her calling a few friends and having them call to bury a bad story about someone's private life (and the story is likely a lie, given who is publishing it) is something many reasonable people would do for their significant other.