The door mmed behind him, rattling in its frame.


    n turned immediately, steadying Reese as she shook from head to toe.


    "Are you okay?"


    Reese just shook her head. Her fingers were ice cold.


    She reached for her phone and opened Twitter. The hashtags were everywhere: #ReeseSeducesMr.Ratcliff #Reese Drugged HerWayToTheTop.


    She clicked in, scanning the posts. There were only a handful of photos from the conference: one of her standing between Sebastian and Sofia, the three of them locked in a tense exchange, and another of Zach beside Sofia, mid-conversation.


    The photos themselves didn''t look like much. But thements underneath were brutal.


    "I''ve never seen anyone throw themselves at a guy so shamelessly. Mr. Ratcliff and Ms. Meyer are clearly together. What is she, desperate to be a third wheel? She''s got some nerve!"


    "Who even is this Reese? Trying to use Mr. Ratcliff''s name for clout? She must be desperate for attention, using such disgusting tricks. Gross."


    "Did you catch that guy in the background? That''s Mr. Wiles from Iron Financial. He says this Reese has been pulling the same act for years."


    "Drugging people? Seriously? She''s a repeat offender. That''s just nasty. Keep her away from Mr. Ratcliff and Ms. Meyer, please. She''s trash."


    "Look at her face in those pics. She''s totally trying to cause drama to get Mr. Ratcliff''s attention. ssic maniptor. Ugh."


    n gently took the phone from Reese''s hand. "Don''t read them any more. Thepany''s handling it."


    He''d just checked the files and realized they''d already closed a deal with Sofia. It didn''t make sense-so he''d searched online and found this storm brewing.


    "These are clearly paid trolls. Legal''s already sent out warnings, and PR is working on burying the trending tags."


    n let out a heavy sigh. No matter who was behind this, it was cruel. Nothing ruins a woman faster than a rumor about her morals.


    "Thank you," Reese said softly. Her hands trembled as she tried to pull herself together. "I need to get back to work."


    She forced herself to focus once she reached her office, diving into satellite testing and running algorithm checks for field operations. Anything to block out the noise.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. The sound was sharp and jarring. Reese''s heart jumped.


    "Reese, it''s Millie... The police took her!" Millie''s mom was crying, her voice breaking.


    "Please, slow down. What happened?"


    "The police came to our house. Ratcliff Global is using Millie of nder. They just took her away.


    "Reese, why would Millie get in trouble with Ratcliff Global? She already lost her job after Mr. Ratcliff said something, and now she can''t catch a break trying to start her own business."


    Reese felt a cold buzz in her head. Millie got fired because of Sebastian?


    It must have been that scene at the restaurant. Sebastian had wanted Millie to apologize to Sofia, but she refused. Was this his way of getting back at her? "Don''t worry. I''ll head to the station and see what''s going on."


    She grabbed her bag and hurried out. In the hall, she almost ran into n.


    "Reese, did you really marry Mr. Ratcliff?" n looked stunned. "There''s a marriage certificate going around online, but Ratcliff Global just denied it."


    Reese pulled up Ratcliff Global''s official Twitter. Theirtest post, from just half an hour ago, read:


    "Regarding the rumor that ''Ms. Reese Meyer is Mr. Sebastian Ratcliff''s wife''-this ispletely false. Mr. Sebastian Ratcliff, has no family ties to Ms. Meyer. Those responsible for spreading these lies are being dealt with by authorities."


    So Millie must have seen the rumors and tried to defend Reese by posting proof


    of her marriage to Sebastian. But Sebastian turned around and called it fake, even sued Millie for defamation.


    "n, I have to go. We''ll talk when I get back."


    Reese rushed to the elevator, hands shaking as she dialed Sebastian''s number again and again, but he never picked up.


    At the police station, she found the officer on duty. "My friend Millie was brought in. I''m here to find out what''s happening."


    The officer flipped through his records, looking uneasy. "Millie is being held for defamation. Since this involves Ratcliff Global, we can''t release her right now."


    Reese quickly handed over her ID.


    "Officer, I''m Reese Meyer. You can check my records. I really am married to Sebastian. Millie was telling the truth. She didn''t nder anyone."


    The officer took her ID and started typing at hisputer.