Haynes''s tone was cold and dismissive. "Even if I needed someone''s help, it certainly wouldn''t be any of you. You''re not even in the running."


    The three women, each from an influential family, bristled at the insult, their pride ring.


    One of them, the heiress, spoke up. "Mr. O''Brien, we know you''re powerful and way out of our league. We''re hardly worthy of your attention, and we''d never presume to reach so high. But let''s not forget-if you hadn''t used our families as leverage in the first ce, did you really think we''d stoop to something so despicable? Now that we''ve been exposed, you want to wash your hands of us and let us take the fall alone. If we''re so beneath you, maybe you shouldn''t havee looking for us in the first ce."


    Another woman, the CEO, turned to Ste. "Not long ago, Mr. O''Brien came to us himself, saying there''d been some misunderstanding that led to your divorce, Ms. Cameron. He said you shared a child and wanted to give the kid a proper family. But there was some slick young man always hanging around you, trying to stir up trouble and drive a wedge between you and Mr. O''Brien. So, he asked us to spread rumors online and nt fake stories. Every single photo was doctored by someone Mr. O''Brien hired. The videos? All staged, with a lookalike actor who resembled Mr. Joshua from behind and in profile."


    The socialite chimed in. "When Mr. O''Brien first approached me, I turned him down. But then he offered my family a lucrative business deal if I''d help out. At the time, we were in a serious financial bind and facing bankruptcy. I didn''t have a choice. Now that everything''s blown up and he''s pretending like he had nothing to do with it, I doubt he''ll honor his promise. Since that''s how it is, I have nothing left to lose."


    All three women red at Haynes, united in their outrage.


    Haynes let out a bitterugh. "So who put you up to framing me? Was it him—" He nced in Joshua''s direction—"or was it Neville?"


    Ste''s brow furrowed. "Haynes,


    these three say you gave the orders, and now you''re trying to pin it on someone else? Neville''s been out of town on business for ages. What''s


    this


    got to do with him?"


    Haynes sneered. "You sure are loyal, Ste. I just wonder, if you ever had to choose between Neville and Joshua, who would it be?"


    Ste stared at him, incredulous. "Haynes, with your status at Neo-Vespera, do you really think anyone would dare plot against you without your say-so?"


    The three women nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Even if we didn''t care about our own reputations, our families sure do."


    Haynes opened his mouth to respond, but for a moment, no words came. He had the infuriating feeling of being wrongly used, yet unable to defend himself.


    Instead ofunching into a string of denials, he turned to the women, his expression.icy. "Since you''re all so sure I was behind this, let me ask you a few questions. Where exactly did give these instructions? How did get in touch with you? When did you receive these fake documents? Do you have call logs or messages to prove it? And if I promised you any benefits, is there a record of those transactions?"


    The female CEO was the first to


    respond, her expression calm andet


    ed. "Mr. O''Brien never met in person. He sent his


    assistant to handle everything."