Chapter 25: The Fashion CEO Meltdown

Elena’s phone exploded with notifications the moment they stepped out of the boardroom. The patent news had not stayed quiet. It was already trending worldwide.

But the real chaos hit when her biggest client’s CEO, Marcus Chen, went live on I*******m from the middle of his flagship store.

The video started playing automatically on her screen.

Marcus stood in front of a wall of his latest collection, face red, voice shaking with rage.

“I am pulling every single campaign from Reyes and Reyes effective immediately,” he shouted. “Elena Reyes used my brand to hide her secret love child and now she is dragging my company into a billion dollar patent scandal. My investors are furious. I will not let my name be associated with this mess.”

He held up a printed copy of the patent transfer document.

“This patent belongs to a four year old? Are you kidding me? I am done. Reyes and Reyes is finished.”

The livestream ended with Marcus smashing a mannequin to the floor.

Elena stared at her phone in disbelief. “He just killed us on live television.”

Damian read the comments flooding in. “Every major client is already calling. They are all threatening to pull out.”

Lila rushed into the hallway, laptop open. “Sarah is already emailing them all. She is offering to take over their accounts immediately. She is calling herself the only safe option.”

Mia’s preschool teacher sent a message at the same time.

‘Mia’s drawing is now on every parent group. Some parents are pulling their kids from school because of the scandal.’

Elena felt the ground shift under her feet. “They are attacking our daughter again.”

Damian pulled her close. “We fight back. Right now.”

They rushed to the agency office. The moment they walked in, the phones were ringing nonstop. Staff members looked terrified.

Lila pointed to the conference room. “Sarah is in there. She brought two lawyers. She is trying to take over the entire client list.”

Damian stormed into the room. Sarah sat at the head of the table, calm and smiling.

“Damian,” she said sweetly. “I was just explaining to the team that I can stabilize the agency while you deal with your personal issues.”

Damian’s voice was ice. “Get out of my building.”

Sarah stood slowly. “It is not your building anymore. The board is voting to freeze your access until the patent situation is resolved. I have already been offered the interim CEO role for the joint venture.”

Elena stepped forward. “You are the one who altered the files. We have proof.”

Sarah smiled wider. “Proof from a man who is currently in police custody? Good luck with that.”

The lawyers stood up. “We will be in touch with termination papers for all contracts.”

They walked out.

Lila slammed the door behind them. “She is not done. She just posted on LinkedIn that she is the only one who can save Reyes and Reyes from the scandal.”

Damian’s phone rang. It was the board chairman.

“Damian, the patent revelation has caused chaos. The investors are demanding you step down until this is resolved. We are giving you forty eight hours to fix this or we will accept Victoria’s emergency proposal.”

Damian ended the call and looked at Elena.

“We have forty eight hours to prove the patent is clean and that Theo and Victoria were behind everything.”

Elena’s phone buzzed again. This time it was her mother’s old number. A text from an unknown contact.

‘Your mother left one last letter before she died. It is addressed to Mia. It explains who the real father is. Come alone to the old warehouse on 5th and River at midnight. Bring no one. Or the letter goes public.’

Elena showed Damian the message.

His face went hard. “It is a trap.”

“But what if it is real?” Elena whispered. “What if there is something in that letter that changes everything?”

Damian pulled her into his arms. “We go together. No more secrets.”

Lila cleared her throat from the doorway. “There is one more thing. Mia’s doctor just called. The specialist who was supposed to start the treatment tomorrow canceled. He said the hospital received an anonymous tip that the condition was faked and they are reviewing the case.”

Elena felt the world closing in.

The patent.

The viral clip.

The clients pulling out.

And now someone was using Mia’s health as a weapon again.

Damian kissed her forehead. “We will fix this. All of it.”

But as they stood there, another message arrived on Elena’s phone.

This time it was a photo.

It showed the old warehouse on 5th and River.

And standing in front of it was Marcus Vale.

He was smiling.

And he was holding Mia’s hospital bracelet from the day she was born.

The message read:

“Midnight. Come alone. Or your daughter loses the only proof she was ever real.”

Elena’s hands started to shake.

The game was no longer about the company.

It was about their daughter.

And someone was willing to destroy everything to win.