Chapter 22: Media Meltdown

The first news came when Maya, my assistant, barged into my office at Romano Enterprises, looking like she'd seen a ghost and clutching her tablet like a lifeline.

"Bella, you HAVE to see this. Now."

I looked up from the boring quarterly reports, instantly on alert. Maya had been with me for three years, and I'd never seen her this freaked out.

"What's going on?"

She put her tablet on my desk. My blood went cold when I saw the headline on *Seattle Spotlight*: **COLD-HEARTED HEIRESS: The Real Bella Romano Sterling**

Underneath was a photo of me from a charity gala two years before. I'd donated like fifty grand to kids' literacy programs. But the caption turned it nasty: *Claims to be a struggling single mom, but Romano's living the high life, splashing cash on designer dresses while keeping her daughter's dad away.*

"There's more," Maya said quietly, scrolling to show me even more trashy headlines across different news outlets.

*Northwest Business Weekly*: "Romano Enterprises: Family Favors or Legit?"

*Seattle Family Magazine*: "Expert Thinks Sterling Family Reunion is Bad for Kids"

*The Puget Sound Tribune*: "Reunions Can Hurt Children: The Psychology"

Each story was made to make me seem like a manipulative, cold, awful mother. The family magazine piece was the worst, saying Emma's recent hospital stay might be because of stress from the messed-up family situation.

"How did they even find out some of this stuff?" I asked, eyes glued to the screen. The business piece mentioned details about Romano Enterprises deals that were supposed to be top secret.

"I have no idea, but there's more." Maya held up her phone. "Child Protective Services called an hour ago. Someone left an anonymous tip about Emma's living situation, and they want to come over to check things out."

My head spun. Someone had called CPS on me. Someone was trying to take my daughter.

My phone started ringing, and the office line lit up with calls. Maya glanced at the caller ID and shook her head. "It's the media. They've been calling since forever."

"Don't answer," I said. This wasn't random. The way it was set up, the specific details, the timing—someone with money and influence was behind this.

My phone buzzed with a text from Lucas: *Are you seeing this? Stay put at the office. Security's on its way.*

Another text, this time from Mikel: *I'm taking care of my part. Ignore the media. We need to talk.*

But the third message made my hands shake. It was from Emma's school: *Ms. Romano, call us right away regarding a safety issue.*

I dialed the school, my fingers trembling.

"Ms. Romano? It's Principal Martinez. We had something happen this morning. A woman said she was Emma's aunt and tried to take her out of school for a dentist appointment that wasn't on our list."

"What woman?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"She said her name was Sophie Sterling, and that she was Mr. Sterling's sister. She had ID and seemed to know a lot about Emma. We need your okay first, so we didn't let Emma go, but—"

"Thank heavens," I breathed. "Emma doesn't have an aunt Sophie. This woman is a liar, and she's dangerous. Keep Emma in the main office until I get there."

"We've already moved her to the office and called security. Should we call the cops?"

"Yes. And don't let anyone near her except for me, Lucas Romano, or Mikel Sterling. No one."

I hung up and grabbed my keys, but Maya stopped me.

"Bella, the press is outside. Lucas said to wait for security."

Like she'd conjured him, my office door opened, and Lucas walked in, looking mad as heck. Behind him were two security guards who looked like they were doing personal protection for Elena.

"We're going out the service elevator," Lucas said. "There are a ton of reporters in the lobby, and more are coming. Someone told them where you are."

"They even got to Emma's school," I said, following him. "Someone pretending to be Mikel's sister tried to take her."

Lucas stopped walking. "Sophia Chen."

"It has to be. The timing, the setup, the details in those articles—this is a planned attack."

We got to the service elevator, and Lucas was already on the phone. "This is Lucas Romano. I need instant protection at Seattle Academy for Emma Sterling, age five. Code red. Yep, the same stuff we use for Elena."

As we went down in the elevator, I looked through more articles on Maya's tablet. Each one made me sound like either a heartless woman using my kid as a pawn or a terrible mom putting Emma through unnecessary trauma.

The worst part was how normal they sounded. How easily someone could believe I was the person they said I was.

"They're out to ruin me," I said.

"They're trying to take Emma," Lucas corrected. "They trash your name first, then take you to court for custody. The old plan for destroying a family."

The garage was clear, but as we drove to Emma's school, I saw news vans outside Romano Enterprises. My company, my life, my family—everything was under attack.

"Lucas, who else knows about the CPS call?"

"Only Maya and security. Why?"

"Because they'll use that, too. 'Romano Family Investigated by Child Services' will be tomorrow's headline."

My phone rang, and it was Elena. I answered quickly.

"Nonna?"

"Bella, my dear, I'm seeing the news." Elena's voice was like a steel trap wrapped in silk. "This isn't an accident. This is a war."

"I know. Someone's trying to—"

"Thomas Romano," Elena said flatly. "My brother has found his weapon, and her name is Sophia Chen."

Everything fell into place. Thomas Romano, Elena's brother, who'd been trying to take down our family for years. Sophia, obsessed after losing Mikel. A great team.

"What do we do?" I asked.

"We fight back. But first, protect Emma. Is she safe?"

"Lucas is driving me to get her now."

"Good. Bring her to the estate. Total security. And Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Call Mikel. Whatever went wrong, you two need to work together now. Thomas Romano will try to break you up."

I hung up as we pulled into the school parking lot. Even here, there were two news vans waiting. Lucas cursed under his breath.

"Stay in the car. I'll clear a path," he said, but I was already getting out.

"That's my daughter in there. I'm not hiding while reporters surround her school like vultures."

The reporters ran toward us as we got to the main entrance, yelling questions:

"Ms. Romano, how do you feel about the claims of child abuse?"

"Is it true you're using Emma to get to Mikel?"

"What do you say to people who think you're a bad mom?"

Lucas walked with me while the security guards shoved people out of the way, but their voices still followed.

"Ms. Romano, are you difficult with your staff?"

"Is it true you're in financial trouble?"

"Why did you keep Mikel from his kid for five years?"

Each question was like a blow, trying to make me look guilty no matter what. I just stayed quiet, head up, refusing to give them what they wanted.

The principal met us inside right away. "Ms. Romano, Emma's fine in my office. She's a little worried about the cameras, but she's okay."

"Thanks a million for keeping her safe."

"Of course. The woman sounded super convincing. She knew Emma's full name, her teacher's name, even things about her time in the hospital. If we didn't double-check..."

My stomach hurts. Sophia had been watching my daughter.

Emma looked up when I walked into the office, smiling. "Mommy! Why are those TV people outside? Mrs. Martinez said I can't go outside."

I picked her up, smelling her familiar scent of apples and sunshine. "Some people are being silly with cameras, sweetheart. Lucas and I are going to take you somewhere safe until they go away."

"Are they taking pictures of me?" Emma asked with five-year-old curiosity.

"They might try to, but we won't let them," I promised.

"Is Daddy coming, too?"

Before I could answer, my phone buzzed with a text from Mikel: *Saw the news. On my way to Elena's with the lawyers. We'll deal with this.*

"Yes, baby. Daddy's meeting us at Nonna Elena's house."

Emma smiled. "Are we having a family meeting? I like those."

As Lucas planned our exit with school security, I knew Emma didn't get that her world was under attack. She saw reporters and thought it was interesting. She heard Elena's house and thought it was a family thing.

Her innocence broke my heart and made me even more determined. I would do anything to protect her, to keep her from knowing how awful people can be when they want to hurt you.