Chapter 4

What I didn't expect was that what happened outside the HR office that day made it onto the internet.

Within hours, the topic of my conflict with Mia was trending at the top of the charts.

At first, people speculated that Mia had broken up my marriage — that she was the reason things fell apart between Lawson and me.

Then a video hit the trending page. An "exposé," analyzing me.

It laid out my schedule, my movements, and everyone I'd been in contact with over the past six months in meticulous detail.

Some of the specifics were disturbingly accurate. The comment section turned against me almost immediately.

An avalanche of insults and mockery came crashing down.

I watched that video from beginning to end.

Most of the personal details were real. But every interpretation was fabricated.

There was only one person who could know my private life that precisely.

I called Lawson's number. Mia picked up.

"You're divorced and you're still calling your ex? God, Eve, have some self-respect."

"Aren't you getting enough hate online? You want more, so you came to me?"

Her voice was nothing like the version she performed in front of Lawson.

I kept my face blank.

"I recorded everything you just said. Slander without evidence — get ready for a letter from my attorney."

"You—"

I hung up before she could finish.

I pulled up the page again. The hate had intensified.

I clicked on the profile of the account that had posted the video. Sure enough — within the thirty minutes since I'd hung up, they'd posted an update.

This time, the post made it explicit: I was the one who had betrayed the marriage.

They compiled a file. Everything from the old plagiarism scandal — the accusations, the blacklisting, the full story — laid out for public consumption.

The comment section erupted.

Once a thief, always a thief — stole someone's work back then, now stealing someone's man.

Everything she has came from Lawson. And she still cheated? Unbelievable.

You can just tell by looking at her. If she'd plagiarize someone's work, of course she'd cheat.

Reading those words, I felt like I'd been dragged back ten years — back to the most helpless stretch of my life.

I opened Lawson's friend request, the one he'd sent two days ago. My hand trembled as I hit accept.

I sent him a message.

Lawson. The video online — that was you, wasn't it?

He replied fast.

Eve, you're the largest shareholder of the Carter Group now. You have more money than you could ever spend. But Mia just started — she can't afford any negative press right now.

I took a slow breath.

You know I never plagiarized anything.

The "typing" indicator sat there for a long time. Then his message appeared.

No one cares about that anymore. Let it run its course and it'll die down on its own. Stop being so precious about it.

Ten years ago, Lawson held me and swore that even if the whole world turned against me, he never would.

Ten years later, Lawson was telling me the truth didn't matter. That no one cared.

I read that message, and whatever last shred of hope I'd been holding onto quietly disappeared.

Then the doorbell rang.

Through the peephole, I saw a cluster of dark camera lenses pointed directly at my front door.

Reporters' voices overlapped outside.

"Ms. Eve — Lawson just denied that Mia had anything to do with your divorce. What's your response?"

"Is the video circulating online accurate? Are you the one who was unfaithful?"

"Can you comment on the plagiarism incident from ten years ago?"

My phone lit up with a large transfer notification from Lawson. The memo said: compensation.

I let out a breath and closed the app.

I opened the front door.

The cameras went off like a lightning storm.

I stepped into the flashbulbs, looked directly into the nearest lens, and smiled.

"Good afternoon. I'm Eve."