Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

Nyla stood outside the Harper family mansion gates for the first time in three years.The estate looked exactly as she remembered. Massive iron gates. Perfectly manicured lawns stretching for acres. The main house rising in the distance, all white stone and tall windows. She had grown up here. This had been her home for eighteen years before she married Eric and her father disowned her.She pressed the intercom button.A security guard's voice crackled through. "State your business.""I am here to see James Harper.""Do you have an appointment?""No, but I am his daughter. Nyla Harper."Silence. Then, "One moment."She waited. Minutes passed. Finally the voice returned, colder this time. "Mr. Harper is not accepting visitors today.""Tell him I have information about embezzlement within Harper Industries. Tell him it is urgent."Another long pause. "Mr. Harper says if you have concerns about the company, you can submit them in writing to the general counsel."Nyla's jaw tightened. "Te

Nyla sat on a desk staring at her laptop screen.TechCorp's product launch was scheduled for next Tuesday. Eric's big security software that was supposed to save his struggling company. He had poured millions into development and marketing. Booked a convention center. Invited major clients and investors. The whole thing was supposed to be his comeback moment.And the software had a massive security flaw.Nyla knew about it because she had been there during development in her previous life. She had watched the launch happen, the product fail spectacularly within forty-eight hours when hackers exploited the vulnerability. Customer data breached. Lawsuits filed. Eric's reputation destroyed.Back then, she had cried watching her husband's company crumble. She worked herself sick trying to help him recover.This time, she was going to make sure he fell harder.She leaned back in her chair and thought. If she just leaked the security flaw now, Eric would cancel the launch and fix the proble

Lisa was playing her own game.While Eric tried to have Nyla committed and spread rumors about mental breakdowns, Lisa worked more subtly. She called people. Sent concerned text messages. Posted carefully worded updates on social media about supporting friends through difficult times. Never mentioning Nyla by name, but making it obvious who she meant."I'm just so worried about her," Lisa told anyone who would listen. "She's changed so much. She's saying such strange things. Accusing people of betraying her when they haven't. I think the stress of her marriage falling apart has really affected her mentally."Posts started appearing on her social media. Vague but pointed.*"Sometimes the people we love need help they don't want to accept. Praying for my friend going through a difficult time."**"It's heartbreaking watching someone you care about spiral. Mental health matters. Check on your loved ones."**"When someone starts making wild accusations and pushing everyone away, that's a c

"A relationship?" Nyla repeated. "You want us to pretend we are dating?""Yes.""That is your big plan?""It is better than watching your reputation get destroyed by a wine video," Cameron said. "Think about it. Right now the narrative is unstable heiress having a meltdown. But if we announce we are together, the story changes completely.""To what?""To a romance. The wronged wife who left her terrible husband and found someone better. It reframes everything. Your behavior was not erratic. You were just done with a bad marriage and ready to move on."Nyla was silent."The wine incident?" Cameron continued. "That becomes the moment you finally stood up to the woman who was sleeping with your husband. Not a meltdown. A woman defending herself.""People will think I am rebounding.""Let them. Better than thinking you are crazy."Nyla closed her eyes. She hated this. Hated that she needed to manipulate public perception like this. But Cameron was right. The board meeting was tomorrow. If

Nyla called Cameron and told him they needed to talk. In person. Privately.He suggested his office. She said no. Too formal. Too many people around. They agreed to meet at a small coffee shop in a quiet neighborhood where nobody would recognize them.Nyla arrived first. Ordered tea she did not drink. Sat in a corner booth and rehearsed what she was going to say.Cameron walked in ten minutes later. He looked relaxed. Smiled when he saw her. Slid into the booth across from her like this was a normal friendly meeting."Miss me already?" he said. "We just had our fake date two days ago.""I need to ask you something."His smile faded slightly. "That sounds serious.""It is." Nyla looked at him directly. "Tell me about your sister."Cameron went very still. His whole body language changed in an instant. The relaxed posture disappeared. His face became a mask. Cold and closed off."What about her?""She died five years ago. I want to know what happened.""That is not something I discuss."