CHAPTER 30

The morning sun filtered through the windows of the penthouse, but the atmosphere inside was anything but bright. Fiona paced the living room, her fingers knotted together in agitation. Darwin stood at the kitchen counter, his eyes glued to the screen of his tablet as he read the transcript of William's press conference.

The television in the corner played the press event on a loop. William Newton stood confidently at the podium, his expression one of practiced outrage.

“These baseless accusations against me are the work of desperate individuals,” he declared. “Darwin Solomon and Fiona Woods have conspired to fabricate evidence in a malicious attempt to tarnish my reputation and derail my business endeavors.”

The soundbite was chilling in its simplicity, its venom disguised as righteous indignation.

Darwin tossed the tablet onto the counter and rubbed his temples. “He’s good. Twisting the narrative like this—it’s exactly what I expected.”

Thalassa, perched on the arm of the sofa, shook her head in disbelief. “The audacity of that man! And those fake documents? They look disturbingly real.”

Fiona stopped pacing and turned to Darwin. “What if people believe him? He’s a master manipulator. And if he convinces the public, everything we’ve worked for will be ruined.”

Darwin met her gaze, his expression steady. “Then we’ll hit back harder. He might have planted doubts, but we have the truth on our side.”

“Truth isn’t always enough,” Thalassa said grimly. “Not when you’re dealing with someone like William. His network is vast, and his pockets are deep.”

Marcus entered the room, his laptop tucked under his arm. “You’re right about his network. I just got word that he’s bribing journalists to keep his version of the story at the top of every news cycle. If we don’t act fast, his lies will overshadow the truth.”

Fiona sank onto the sofa, her mind racing. “What can we do? If he’s already manipulating the media, how do we counter that?”

Darwin sat beside her and took her hand. “We go straight to the people. Rachel’s article is ready to publish, and once it’s out, William won’t be able to control the narrative.”

“But what if he strikes back again?” Fiona asked, her voice trembling. “What if he digs up more lies to destroy us?”

Darwin’s grip on her hand tightened. “Then we fight back with everything we’ve got. We’ve come too far to let him win now.”

---

Later that evening, the team convened in the study to finalize their strategy. Rachel had agreed to release the article first thing in the morning, but Darwin knew that wasn’t enough. They needed to prepare for William’s retaliation.

“Marcus,” Darwin said, turning to his friend. “I want you to monitor all media channels and social platforms. If William tries to discredit Rachel’s article, I want to know about it immediately.”

Marcus nodded. “Already on it. I’ve set up alerts for any mentions of the article or your names.”

“Thalassa,” Darwin continued, “I need you to coordinate with our legal team. Make sure we’re ready to counter any lawsuits or injunctions William might throw our way.”

“Consider it done,” Thalassa replied.

Darwin looked at Fiona. “And you—”

“I’m not sitting this one out,” she interrupted. “Tell me what I can do.”

Darwin hesitated before nodding. “Reach out to any contacts you trust—people who can help amplify the truth. The more voices we have on our side, the harder it’ll be for William to silence us.”

Fiona nodded, determination hardening her features. “I’ll start tonight.”

---

The next morning, the article was published. It was a scathing exposé that detailed William’s corruption, his fraudulent business practices, and his involvement in sabotaging competitors. The evidence Marcus had uncovered was presented in painstaking detail, leaving little room for doubt.

Within hours, the story went viral. Social media was ablaze with outrage, and news outlets began picking up the story.

Fiona watched the coverage with a mix of relief and anxiety. “It’s working,” she said, her voice tinged with cautious optimism.

Darwin stood behind her, his hand resting on her shoulder. “For now. But this is just the beginning.”

---

By midday, the backlash against William was in full swing. Investors were pulling out of his projects, and calls for investigations into his company grew louder. But just as Darwin had predicted, William struck back.

A series of fabricated documents began circulating online, painting Darwin as the mastermind behind a corporate espionage ring. The documents included fake emails and contracts that seemed to implicate Fiona as an accomplice.

The media was quick to pick up the story, and the headlines shifted almost immediately.

“Corporate Scandal: Darwin Solomon Accused of Espionage”

“Inside the Plot to Destroy William Newton”

Fiona stared at the headlines in disbelief. “How does he do this so fast? It’s like he has an army working for him.”

“He does,” Darwin said grimly. “But so do we.”

He turned to Marcus. “Can you trace the source of these documents? If we can prove they’re fake, we can discredit his entire narrative.”

Marcus nodded. “I’ll get on it.”

---

As the day wore on, the battle raged in the media. For every accusation William leveled, Darwin and his team countered with evidence of their own. But the constant back-and-forth was taking its toll on Fiona.

That evening, as she sat alone on the balcony, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were fighting a losing battle.

Darwin joined her, a glass of wine in his hand. “You’re quiet,” he said, sitting beside her.

“I’m just… tired,” she admitted. “Tired of the lies, the manipulation, the constant fear that he’s going to win.”

Darwin reached out and took her hand. “We’re not going to let him win, Fiona. We’ve come too far to back down now.”

She looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt. “But what if we don’t have enough? What if he destroys us anyway?”

Darwin’s gaze was unwavering. “Then we rebuild. No matter what happens, we’ll get through this together.”

---

As night fell, Marcus burst into the room, his face alight with excitement.

“I found it,” he said, holding up his laptop. “The source of the fake documents. They were created by a team of digital forensics experts hired by William. I’ve got proof.”

Darwin stood, his jaw set. “Then it’s time to end this.”

Fiona watched as he made the call to Rachel, instructing her to release a follow-up article exposing the fake documents and the team behind them.

But even as they prepared to strike back, Fiona couldn’t shake the feeling that William wasn’t finished.

And she was right.

In the early hours of the morning, her phone buzzed with another message from the unknown number.

“You think you’ve won, but the game has only just begun.”

Fiona stared at the screen, dread pooling in her stomach.

Darwin noticed her pale face and stepped closer. “What is it?”

She handed him the phone, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s him. He’s not stopping.”

Darwin’s expression darkened as he read the message. “Then neither will we.”