CHAPTER SEVEN

Seth was deeply engrossed in reviewing a contract when Edward burst through the door, his usually impeccable appearance dishevelled, tie-crooked.

"Seth," he gasped, clutching the doorframe. "You have to see this. Now."

Seth looked up from his computer, irritation flickering across his face. “Edward, I'm in the middle of—"

"Trust me," Edward cut him off, snatching the remote from Seth's desk. "This is more important."

The huge screen on the wall came to life, flooding the room with mayhem. Seth's eyes grew wider as he saw the situation.

"Is that..." he asked, springing from his chair.

Edward nodded grimly. "Isabella Stone. Richard's wife."

Isabella appeared on screen surrounded by reporters, microphones rammed into her face. Her hair was dishevelled and twisted. She wrapped her coat around herself like an armour. The camera draws near and you can see the fear and helplessness when she tries to deal with the interrogative inquiries being thrown at her.

One of the reporters asked, “Have you been diagnosed with a chronic mental disorder? Is that why you never granted interviews?"

Isabella's voice quavered but held firm. "That's not true! I don't have any mental illness.

Please, stop filming me!" She raised a hand to shield her face, but the cameras kept rolling.

Isabella's face paled visibly. She cracked her mouth to speak, but closed it again, evidently unable to find the appropriate words. Her expression was one of desperation.

Another reporter pounced. "Then how do you explain your in-laws accusing you of abusing them? If it's not due to an inability to control yourself, then are you doing it intentionally?"

"I... I would never abuse anyone," she finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"There must be some misunderstanding."

The reporters sensed blood in the water and pressed harder. A woman with sharp features and a red blazer shouldered her way to the front.

"Sources say you've been seen arguing violently with your husband in public. Can you comment on the state of your marriage?"

Isabella's eyes widened in shock. She took a step back, nearly stumbling. "That's... that's private. Please, I do not wish to talk about my marriage.

The questions continued, each one more invasive than the last. A young man lifted a tablet high above the crowd and yelled, "Is it true that you've been self-medicating with illegal substances?"

Isabella's composure finally cracked. Tears surged in her eyes, and she shook her head violently. "No! All of these are fallacies. Why are you doing this?"

Seth clenched his jaw. "What in the fiery pit is going on?"

Edward shook his head, disbelief etched on his face. "Richard is accusing Isabella of being mentally unstable and abusing him and his family. It's all over the major networks."

"When did this happen?" Seth demanded, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"The story broke about an hour ago," Edward replied. "It's been escalating ever since. Look."

On-screen, the barrage continued. "Did your husband ask for a divorce a long time ago, and now after signing the agreement, you're backing out?"

More vehicles screeched to a halt, camera flashes adding to the frenzy. Isabella covered her face, her words lost in the noise.

A particularly aggressive reporter shouted, "Do you admit to trying to harm your cousin and her child out of jealousy?"

At this, Isabella's face contorted in a mix of horror and disbelief. She stumbled backwards, nearly losing her footing. A security guard materialized beside her, attempting to create a barrier between her and the press.

"No!" Isabella cried out, her voice raw with emotion. "I would never... How could you even suggest...?" She couldn't finish her sentence, overcome by the accusation.

The security guard began to usher her away, but the cameras followed, capturing her distress from every angle. As they retreated, Isabella turned back once more, her eyes searching the sea of faces as if looking for a single sympathetic soul.

"There's more to this story," she said, her voice barely audible over the commotion. "Please, someone has to listen. This isn't what it seems."

Edward turned away, disgust twisting his features. "Abuse? Seriously? What are they talking about? Those two old folks are always so arrogant; they don't look abused at all."

Seth didn't respond immediately. His mind raced back to the party where he had last seen Isabella. He remembered how she was and how distant she seemed with Richard. Something was not stacking up.

"This isn't appropriate," Seth mumbled, stiffening his fists." Richard's playing a dangerous game."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, turning back to face Seth.

Seth ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice. "Think about it, Edward. We've met Richard's parents. Do either of them strike you as the type to quietly endure abuse?"

Edward snorted. "Hardly. They're more likely to be the abusers than the abused."

"Exactly," Seth nodded. "And Isabella...I met her at that party, remember? She didn't strike me as unstable or abusive. Quite the opposite actually."

"So what's Richard's angle?" Edward mused.

Before Seth could answer, his phone's loud ringtone echoed throughout the room. He frowned as he peered at the caller ID. "It's Louis," he said to Edward before answering. "Louis, what's going on?"

Edward watched as Seth's expression shifted from confusion to intense interest.

"I have some suspicious information about Richard's family," Louis's voice came through clearly in the quiet office. "I know you've been keeping an eye on this company. Are you interested in following up on this potential case?"

Seth's eyebrow arched. "Go on," he said, his voice low and focused.

As Louis spoke, Seth's eyes widened. When the call ended, he turned to Edward, a determined glint in his eye.

"I think we've just found our 'fatal blow'," Seth said, his voice steady. "But I'm going to need your help with a few things."

Edward straightened, all business now. "What do you need?"

Seth began pacing, his mind working overtime. “First, intensify the investigation into their company. I want every financial record, every contract, every whispered rumour."

Edward nodded. "Our team is already on it. We'll double down."

"Good," Seth continued. "Next, we need to dig deep into Isabella's background. Her work history, her contributions to the company, and any contracts she might have signed. And I want to know about her relationship with Richard's family before all this."

"You think Richard's trying to push her out?" Edward asked.

Seth's expression darkened. "I think it's worse than that. If what Louis told me is true, Richard might be trying to discredit Isabella to protect himself."

"Protect himself from what?"

Seth paused, choosing his words carefully. “Louis mentioned some suspicions about them, and if Isabella has access to that information...'"

Edward's eyes widened in understanding. "He's trying to destroy her credibility before she can expose him."

"Exactly," Seth nodded. "They're not just trying to avert a scandal; they're concealing potential crimes."

“Jesus,” Edward whispered

“One more thing," Seth said, turning to Edward. "See if you can find a way to contact Isabella directly but be discreet. She might need legal representation, and I want to offer our services."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's wise? Getting personally involved in this mess?"

Seth's expression was resolute. "It's the right thing to do, Edward. And it might just be the key to bringing Richard down once and for all."

Edward nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face. "It's about time someone stood up to the Stones. Let's do this."