جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Clara was seated on the couch in her home staring at her phone in disbelief. She refreshed and refreshed but still found nothing .Her expression darkened as she scrolled through the pages she had carefully planted,the posts, the gossip threads, the anonymous leaks she had made sure would spread like wildfire. They were all gone,every single one of them as if they had never existed.Clara sat up straighter on the couch, her grip tightening around her phone.“That’s impossible.” she said to herself. She tapped faster now, opening different platforms, searching keywords, checking links she had personally saved and all of them were somehow dead. Even the smaller gossip blogs that never took anything down without a fight were suddenly silent.Her lips pressed into a thin line as her expression became tense.This wasn’t coincidence,this was power and there was only one explanation that made sense to her,Ava.Or more specifically whoever Ava was involved with. Clara’s eyes narrowed slowly.

Silence filled the room as Ava made the announcement. Jane exhaled slowly,she was half shocked and half impressed“Wow.” she said.Ava’s gaze didn’t waver, “They think I’m some desperate woman chasing after a man who betrayed me?” Her lips pressed into a thin line as she continued,“Fine...Let them see exactly who I married instead.” she said in a cold voice. And for the first time since the rumors began,Ava felt something other than helplessness...She felt ready to fight back.For a moment, neither of them spoke then Jane leaned forward slowly, studying her face carefully.“Ava… are you sure that’s the right move?” she said looking concerned.There was no judgment in her tone. “Because once you do that,” Jane continued, “there’s no going back. This isn’t just shutting Clara up. This is exposing everything,your marriage, your connection to Elias, your life.”Ava didn’t answer immediately,she clasped her fingers together tightly in her lap, her gaze distant but sharp. “I know.”

The screen glowed softly in front of Ava, but beyond that small lens was something far bigger. She knew that the world was watching. The numbers climbing rapidly at the corner of the screen told her everything she needed to know. It grew in thousands and still rising.Ava could feel her heart beat steadily in her chest, but her expression remained calm and composed,she was unshaken. For a brief second, she simply looked into the camera,not as Ava the victim,not as Ava the rumor...but as Ava Lin. Then she spoke.“Good evening.” she said with a clear and steady voice and that alone silenced a good portion of the noise online.“My name is Ava Lin.”,she continued then paused deliberately,“And I believe most of you already know why I’m here.”The comment section exploded with speculations and support, and of course mockery and curiosity. But Ava didn’t look at any of it,she kept her eyes focused on the camera.“I’ve seen the headlines,” she continued calmly. “The stories. The accus

The next morning, Ava woke to silence. There was no whispers or cruel voices,and especially no humiliation echoing endlessly in her mind. For the first time in days, her chest didn’t feel painfully tight. She laid still for a moment, staring at the ceiling as the memories of yesterday slowly returned. The shock of the internet after she revealed her marriage to Elias Ward.A slow breath left her lips then she reached for her phone on the bedside table and turned it on. Instantly notifications flooded her screen endlessly. Messages,calls, social media tags,email,her phone practically froze under the pressure.Ava blinked once at the overwhelming number,Jane alone had sent over twenty messages. Among all the messages and calls,one had caught her attention...her father had called her severally.Ava stared at them briefly then locked the screen again ignoring all of it. Because today,she wasn't in the mood for explanation. She got out of bed slowly and walked toward the window.The c

The soft sound of jazz drifted through the lounge while city lights shimmered beyond the glass walls. Unlike the noisy clubs Raymond usually preferred, this place was quieter and more private. A favorite spot for businessmen and powerful people who wanted peace without attention,the type of place that Elias preferred.Elias sat comfortably on one of the leather chairs while a glass of whiskey rested untouched in his hand. Across from him, Raymond leaned back lazily, looking far more relaxed than usual.“For someone about to join the police force officially,” Elias said calmly, “you seem unusually free.”Raymond grinned immediately. “Enjoying my last days of peace.”Elias shook his head faintly. “You got transferred already?” he asked.“Mm.” Raymond nodded. “The approval finally came through.”“When do you resume?”“Next week.”Elias gave a slight nod. “That fast?” he saidRaymond laughed softly. “You sound disappointed.”“I’m questioning the judgment of the people hiring you.” E