Scarlett sat back against the plush leather sofa in Adrian’s office, swirling the deep red wine in her glass as she recounted her meeting with Genevieve. Adrian sat across from her, he had one arm draped casually over the chair, his own glass was barely touched. His expression however was unreadable as he listened, his sharp blue eyes flickering with intrigue. Scarlett finished her account with a smirk, letting the final detail settle between them like a loaded gun. Genevieve had hinted at something bigger, and the details had shocked Scarlett to her core. Anytime she thought Daniel was as low as he could go, he simply went lower to prove her wrong. Adrian let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Well, well, turns out Daniel is more of a rotten bastard than I originally thought." He leaned forward, a slow grin curling at his lips. "This will only make it easier to bring him down." Scarlett exhaled, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It’s tempting to use this now," she admitted, "to
Amelia couldn’t stop scrolling.Her fingers trembled slightly as she refreshed every major news outlet, her stomach was twisting with each new headline that spelled disaster for Daniel Carter.The scandal wasn’t dying down. If anything, it was growing worse. Like someone was fanning the embers to make a bigger flame of the fire.Public opinion had turned vicious, with articles tearing into his fraud accusations, his shady business dealings, and worst of all his past with Scarlett Carter.Once a Cheat, Always a Cheat? The Woman Daniel Carter Abandoned is Now Richer Than Ever!The Carter Empire on Fire – Board Members Call for an Internal and External Audit!Amelia gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on the tablet.“This is bad. This is so, so bad.”She had spent years carefully perfecting her life, ensuring her status as a powerful, untouchable figure in the modeling world. She had snatched the wealth, grabbing it with her two hands when the opportunity came. Yet, it seemed like ev
Amelia clicked the small flash drive into her laptop, her pulse was steady but her mind racing. She wasn’t sure what she expected, maybe a few suggestive messages, perhaps a harmless conversation that could be used to blackmail Daniel. But what she found shocked her to her core. The screen lit up with a full, unedited video. There was no editing, no room for misinterpretation, no room for doubt. The video clearly showed Daniel Carter and Delacroix together as they were being intimate. If Daniel had any hope of denying the cheating allegations before this? It was better to abandon that now. This new development would bury him alive. Amelia sat back, exhaling sharply. Her carefully painted nails tapped against the desk in rapid succession as her mind churned. This was bad. This wasn’t just a reputation scandal, this was something that could cripple Daniel’s standing in high society. Worse if it leaked, it would also drag Vellaro Models down with him. She turned her gaze to Delac
Daniel sat in the dim glow of his office, the city lights sprawling beneath him like a mocking reminder of how quickly the tides could turn.His fingers tightened around the armrests of his chair, his jaw locked as his mind raced through every possible escape route.Nothing.Nothing was fucking working.He had spent years weaving an untouchable empire, ensuring that no one, not his enemies, not the board, not the media, could ever truly corner him.And yet, here he was.Cornered like a little rat.Amelia’s little blackmail stunt had just ripped his easiest solution out from under him, and now the clock was ticking, louder than ever.His phone buzzed, breaking through the suffocating silence.He grabbed it immediately, his voice sharp. “Tell me you have something.”The man on the other end who was one of his most trusted contacts, a fixer who had spent years cleaning up Daniel’s messes was silent for a beat before responding.“I sent over a file. Check your email.”Daniel’s stomach twi
The restaurant was dimly lit, Scarlett smoothed the hem of her dress, her nerves buzzing in anticipation. Three years of marriage with Daniel Carter, and tonight was meant to celebrate all of itThen she noticed the man. He walked directly to her table, “Mrs. Carter?” His voice was flat, businesslike.Scarlett blinked. “Yes? What is this about?”Without any hint of hesitation, he placed a thick envelope on the table in front of her. “You’ve been served.”Scarlett stared at the papers. The words blurred together. Petition for Divorce. Her heart slammed against her ribs.“This, this must be a mistake,” Scarlett stammered, pushing the papers back toward him. “My husband is meeting me here any minute.”The man didn’t even flinch. “Have you spoken to the said husband today?”“I have,” she answered confidently, although her nerves were on the edge. Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone. Daniel’s name glowed on the screen as she hit the dial. It barely rang once before he picked u
Scarlett’s eyelids fluttered open to the soft beep of machines and the sterile scent of antiseptic. The bright hospital lights made her wince. A dull ache pulsed at her temples. An unfamiliar voice broke through the haze. “Mrs. Carter?” She turned her head slightly, eyes landing on a doctor in a white coat. His expression was calm, measured. “You had a fainting episode,” he continued. “Thankfully, Ms Elena was there just at the right time to help you. You’re dehydrated, and your blood pressure was low, but there’s something else more important we need to discuss.” Scarlett swallowed, her throat dry. “What?” What could possibly be more important than the fact that her world had been shattered cruelly that night. The doctor glanced at his clipboard, and stated matter of factly.“You’re pregnant.” The words hit her like a shockwave. Scarlett sat up too quickly, dizziness rushing in. “No,” she whispered. “That… that can’t be right.” He nodded. “You’re about six weeks along.” Six
Scarlett sat on the edge of the hotel bed, staring at the untouched room service tray on the table. The luxurious suit felt hollow. Temporary. Like her life had been reduced to a series of waiting rooms, each one colder than the last.Elena bustled around the room, folding Scarlett’s clothes despite the fact that there was no home left to return to.“You should eat something,” Elena murmured.Scarlett shook her head. “I can’t.”Elena sighed, placing a glass of water on the nightstand. “You can’t live like this, Mrs. Carter.”Scarlett flinched. Mrs. Carter. How much longer would she even be able to call herself that?“Elena,” she said softly, turning to face her. “You don’t have to stay here. Go home.”Elena stiffened. “No.”Scarlett reached for her hand. “I mean it. I won’t let you become a…” Her voice wavered. “A destitute because of me.”Elena’s eyes flashed. “And what will you do? Stay in this hotel forever? You can’t even go home.”Scarlett swallowed hard. She knew. God, she knew.
It had been 2 solid months since Scarlett lost everything she held dear. She had been invited to Liam’s and Amelia’s engagement party, and even if she knew that the reason she got invited was so they could mock her. She had gotten ready in her best ball gown and taken a ride to the venue anyways.Scarlett stood at the edge of the ballroom, her fingers curled into fists at her sides. This was her money. Supposed to be her life, but they snatched it away cruelly. And here they were celebrating.Liam, dressed in a tailored black tux, lifted his glass as he stood center stage, arm wrapped lazily around Amelia’s waist. She was looking radiant in a red silk gown, the deep neckline barely decent, her lips painted a cruel shade of wine.“To the future Mr. and Mrs. Deveraux,” a guest toasted, prompting cheers.Scarlett’s stomach churned. She stormed forward, the sound of her heels lost beneath the music. Gasps rippled through the crowd as she grabbed a champagne flute off a passing tray, and h
Daniel sat in the dim glow of his office, the city lights sprawling beneath him like a mocking reminder of how quickly the tides could turn.His fingers tightened around the armrests of his chair, his jaw locked as his mind raced through every possible escape route.Nothing.Nothing was fucking working.He had spent years weaving an untouchable empire, ensuring that no one, not his enemies, not the board, not the media, could ever truly corner him.And yet, here he was.Cornered like a little rat.Amelia’s little blackmail stunt had just ripped his easiest solution out from under him, and now the clock was ticking, louder than ever.His phone buzzed, breaking through the suffocating silence.He grabbed it immediately, his voice sharp. “Tell me you have something.”The man on the other end who was one of his most trusted contacts, a fixer who had spent years cleaning up Daniel’s messes was silent for a beat before responding.“I sent over a file. Check your email.”Daniel’s stomach twi
Amelia clicked the small flash drive into her laptop, her pulse was steady but her mind racing. She wasn’t sure what she expected, maybe a few suggestive messages, perhaps a harmless conversation that could be used to blackmail Daniel. But what she found shocked her to her core. The screen lit up with a full, unedited video. There was no editing, no room for misinterpretation, no room for doubt. The video clearly showed Daniel Carter and Delacroix together as they were being intimate. If Daniel had any hope of denying the cheating allegations before this? It was better to abandon that now. This new development would bury him alive. Amelia sat back, exhaling sharply. Her carefully painted nails tapped against the desk in rapid succession as her mind churned. This was bad. This wasn’t just a reputation scandal, this was something that could cripple Daniel’s standing in high society. Worse if it leaked, it would also drag Vellaro Models down with him. She turned her gaze to Delac
Amelia couldn’t stop scrolling.Her fingers trembled slightly as she refreshed every major news outlet, her stomach was twisting with each new headline that spelled disaster for Daniel Carter.The scandal wasn’t dying down. If anything, it was growing worse. Like someone was fanning the embers to make a bigger flame of the fire.Public opinion had turned vicious, with articles tearing into his fraud accusations, his shady business dealings, and worst of all his past with Scarlett Carter.Once a Cheat, Always a Cheat? The Woman Daniel Carter Abandoned is Now Richer Than Ever!The Carter Empire on Fire – Board Members Call for an Internal and External Audit!Amelia gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on the tablet.“This is bad. This is so, so bad.”She had spent years carefully perfecting her life, ensuring her status as a powerful, untouchable figure in the modeling world. She had snatched the wealth, grabbing it with her two hands when the opportunity came. Yet, it seemed like ev
Scarlett sat back against the plush leather sofa in Adrian’s office, swirling the deep red wine in her glass as she recounted her meeting with Genevieve. Adrian sat across from her, he had one arm draped casually over the chair, his own glass was barely touched. His expression however was unreadable as he listened, his sharp blue eyes flickering with intrigue. Scarlett finished her account with a smirk, letting the final detail settle between them like a loaded gun. Genevieve had hinted at something bigger, and the details had shocked Scarlett to her core. Anytime she thought Daniel was as low as he could go, he simply went lower to prove her wrong. Adrian let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Well, well, turns out Daniel is more of a rotten bastard than I originally thought." He leaned forward, a slow grin curling at his lips. "This will only make it easier to bring him down." Scarlett exhaled, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It’s tempting to use this now," she admitted, "to
The air in Élan Luxe was still thick with the aftermath of Scarlett’s victory and Genevieve’s announcement. Scarlett knew she made the right decision coming to Elan Luxe that day, not only was she on her way to cementing her status in high society, but she had done it this easily. She was thankful that she had looked into Genevieve beforehand and was aware of the way the situation would have ended. Eleanor was one little part of the puzzle that wasn’t planned but even she had fit perfectly with enough nudging. Scarlett could feel the tension still hanging in the air, the lingering disbelief from those who had doubted her. Even she couldn’t believe it had worked that easily and smoothly. Genevieve Laurent, the former owner of Elan Luxe, stood beside her with an amused smirk, looking completely unbothered. She was effortlessly elegant, dressed in a form-fitting Balmain suit, her long, honey-blonde hair cascading over one shoulder in soft waves. A 26-year-old model, heir to a luxury
The cashier’s hands were trembling as she held out Scarlett’s Black Card. Her face was pale, her lips pressed tightly together, as if she was about to be sick."I… I'm so sorry, Miss Carter," she stammered, voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean… I shouldn’t have…"Scarlett didn’t move to take the card immediately. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, watching the young woman squirm under the weight of her own mistake. The whispers in the boutique had shifted completely.Where before, people had been gossiping about Scarlett’s supposed fall from wealth, now they were staring at her with wide-eyed disbelief. Even the boutique attendants who had snickered earlier stood stiffly, their heads lowered, suddenly looking anywhere but at her.Scarlett exhaled softly and her expression was unreadable. Then she reached out, plucking the card from the cashier’s shaking hand."Don't worry," she said smoothly, offering a kind smile. "It happens to the best of us."The cashier nodded rapidly
Scarlett had been waiting for this moment since the day she got served those damn child custody papers. The second the incriminating documents about Daniel’s fraudulent dealings hit the press, the internet exploded, but that wasn’t even the best part yet.They had also released something juicier enough to bring back the infidelity claims, the plan was to destabilise him from every angle. She had on a satisfied smile when she read the news."The Carter Empire in CRISIS: Industry Under Fraud Investigation!" "Business Scandal or Personal Betrayal? Leaked Reports Suggest Carter Heir Cheated On Ex-Wife With Current Partner!" "Power, Lies, and Infidelity, Inside the Shocking Fall of Daniel Carter!"Twitter was on fire, many were dropping unsolicited opinions. Influencers weren’t left out as everyone set their camera to dissect the life of someone they considered a God.People were outraged, debating whether Daniel was worse as a criminal or a cheating bastard. Others wondered if Valerie h
“This situation is out of control,” Philip said, shaking his head as he flipped through the documents in front of him. He sounded like a man trying to control his anger, but was barely succeeding at it. “We need to be proactive, not reactive. If we don’t act now, this will only get worse.”Daniel sat at the head of the long table, his face calm, but inside, his pulse was hammering. It was only a matter of time before he broke into uncontrollable sweats.“Act how, exactly?” Daniel asked, keeping his voice steady. “By letting outsiders dig through our books like we’re already guilty?”Victoria Langford tilted her head, studying him. “No one is saying we’re guilty,” she said smoothly. “But the allegations are out now. If we don’t prove we have nothing to hide, the public will assume the worst, and they will do so fast.”Daniel forced a short laugh, leaning back in his chair. “So your solution is to hand over our financials to a bunch of auditors who
Daniel’s fingers drummed against his knee as the car sped toward The Carter Empire’s headquarters. The call he’d just ended left a sour taste in his mouth.There were no leads, no name and no damn progress.The investigation into the real source of the scandal, the one who had manipulated the footage of him with Miss Delacroix, was still hitting dead ends. Caspian Moreau had been a pawn, that much was clear, but a pawn for who?His enemies weren’t just throwing random punches, this was calculated. Someone was setting him up, step by step, and Daniel hated being led around like a fool.Glenn sat beside him, stiff in his seat. “Sir, we need more time to look into this.”“We don’t have time,” Daniel snapped, cutting him off. His patience was already gone. “Whoever did this knows what they’re doing. Which means the next move is already coming.”His phone buzzed.Quarterly Board Meeting – 10 Minutes.Right, he had to deal with this one at a time.Daniel inhaled sharply, then exhaled slowly