Rowena was shrouded head to toe in ck: a long coat, tailored pants, dark sunsses, even the silk scarf wrapped around her face was jet ck. Not a single detail was out of ce-she was enveloped in shadow, utterly meticulous.
Led by a housekeeper, she walked steadily into the vast living room of Fitzgerald Mansion, her footsteps muffled by the plush carpet.
The space was enormous, almost cathedral-like. Dozens of staff members stood silently at every entrance, perfectly aligned. The solemn atmosphere was so palpable that it made anyone instinctively straighten their spine.
At the head of the room sat an imposing elderly woman, regal andmanding, her presence impossible to ignore.
Rowena removed her sunsses and the dark scarf, bowing politely. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Fitzgerald."
Deanna raised a frosty eyebrow, her gaze cool as she regarded Rowena. "What brings you here?"
A strange, sly smile curled on Rowena''s lips. "Deanna, we have amon enemy."
Deanna said nothing, but her sharp eyes fixed on Rowena, scrutinizing her.
"Oh?" Deanna''s tone was t. "And what do you propose?"
A flicker of wild determination shed in Rowena''s eyes. "I need your help. If you''ll assist me, I can drive Isadora away from Mr. Fitzgerald once and for all. She''ll never trouble you again."
Deanna considered this, then shot a cryptic look at the butler. He understood at once and quietly dismissed all the staff from the room.
Deanna''s expression softened into a slight smile as she beckoned Rowena closer. "I do enjoy talking with clever people. Come, let''s discuss."
Rowena understood-Deanna was giving her a chance.
She stepped forward, leaning in to whisper her n into Deanna''s ear, revealing every detail.
When she finished, she straightened up and stepped back. "No matter how this turns out, I hope you''ll give me enough money to leave with my family. That''s all I ask."
Ever since she''d sent Preston to "deal with" Isadora, everything had spiraled out of control. She hadn''t counted on someone rescuing Isadora at thest moment. All her careful plotting hade to nothing.
Now, not only was Preston''s crew after her, but Victor''s people were hunting her, too. Life had be a waking nightmare.
She''d never imagined she''d wind up a pariah, hunted like vermin.
Fine, she thought bitterly. If she was going down, she''d make sure no one else got
off easy.
*
Vaughan Enterprises.
Conference room.
Isadora sat at the head of the table, surrounded by her executive team, deep in discussion over the next quarter''s budget for their gship mall.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Inman, her assistant, stepped in, breaking the rhythm of the meeting.
Isadora nced up, her tone edged with impatience. "What is it? We''re in the middle of something."
Inman looked uneasy, urgency in on his there''s
"President Vaughan,
à chaos on thepanyerne?
website right now!"
"What happened?"
With so many eyes on him, Inman hesitated for a moment, then simply handed
his phone to Isadora."y
need to see this."
Around the table, executives began pulling out their own phones, anxious to see
what was going on.
Isadora tapped the browser open-and froze.
Every trending headline was about her.
"Shocking! Vaughan Enterprises'' heiress pregnant!"
"Mall CEO embroiled in scandal-affair with married Preston Dunbar from Dunbar Holdings!"
"Vaughan heiress'' baby rumored to be Preston Dunbar''s love child!"
"Vaughan Galleria scandalized! CEO''s reckless personal life exposed!"
"Vaughan Enterprises facing bankruptcy!"
Each headline was apanied by two damning images.
The first: her missing prenatal test results, clearly showing the father listed as "unknown."
The second: security camera stills of her and Preston separately entering a hotel room.
The onught was brutal, tearing down both Isadora''s reputation and thepany''s standing in a matter of hours.
One of the directors shot to his feet, outraged. "This is nder! There''s no way President Vaughan is pregnant!"
Other executives chimed in, their voices rising with disbelief and anger.