+25 SCARS

The word “flash marriage” from the day before lingered in Wendy’s mind like an itch she couldn’t scratch. All she wanted now was for the two of them to get divorced as soon as possible. If that happened, she could finally convince her brother to let her and Luras stay in Ravenshore for good.

“Don’t worry about the rest. All I care about now is dealing with our mutual enemy.”

Joseph held back whatever he was about to say. He could see clearly that his partner was just as desperate to take Furora down.

“Alright, message received.”

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and blew a perfectly shaped smoke ring toward her.

“Next, just contact a few media outlets and make the story stick.”

Watching him exhale with that practiced ease, Wendy scowled. “Don’t smoke in front of me. And you’re saying that’s all it takes to make this happen?”

Joseph gave a low chuckle. Despite her warning, he took his time finishing the cigarette. “That’s right. From here on, we sit back and let it play out. I believe, in the end, victory will be ours.”

His confidence put her slightly more at ease. “Fine. This is our first time working together, nothing more to say. Let’s hope for a successful partnership.”

“Of course,” Joseph replied smoothly. “But more than that I hope we win.”

He knew exactly what Wendy needed to hear. The two exchanged a knowing smile, the ambition in their eyes unmistakable.

At Walton Corporation, Aurora was in her office, going over the latest reports when a sudden knock rang out. The knocks were urgent and sharp. She frowned, a wave of unease creeping over her.

“Come in.”

The assistant didn’t hesitate. The door opened immediately.

“Miss Aurora, something’s gone wrong.”

Aurora’s expression darkened. “What could possibly be so urgent that you’re opening with ‘something’s gone wrong?’”

“Take a look at this.”

The assistant hadn’t even caught her breath before handing Aurora the tablet. Aurora’s right eyelid twitched – a subtle but familiar sign that something was wrong. The unease in her chest deepened. She took the tablet and quickly skimmed through the contents. Her eyes widened slightly.

Chapter 198

“Who posted this online?”

The assistant replied respectfully, “We’ve traced it – it came from our rival, Seafront Construction.”

“The rest happened after that. Once the bigger suppliers saw it, they started pulling out of our deals.” Aurora took a deep breath, her expression unreadable as she set the tablet down on the desk.

At the top of the screen, a bold, attention-grabbing headline glared back at her:

Shocking! Is Walton Corporation Tearing Itself Apart from the Inside? Explosive! The General Manager in Name Only? Just a Figurehead at the Top!

The article was detailed and sensational, written with calculated precision. Worse yet, Seafront had quietly backed the claims with so-called “evidence,” making the whole thing seem disturbingly legitimate.

Watching Aurora remain silent, the assistant grew more anxious. “Miss Aurora, what should we do? We can’t just sit back and let them spread these lies.”

Aurora raised a hand to her temple and pressed her fingers against it. “I know. Right now, our top priority is to stabilize the resources we still have. Only then can we take our time getting to the bottom of the rest.”

“Understood.”