Chapter 80: Crisis Averted
(Author's POV)
Caroline's defense didn't just pull Lowells Corporation out of the fire; it threw a lifeline to Sterling Enterprises as well. Kieran stood near the stage exit, wiping slime from his neck with a towel, looking utterly bewildered. He couldn't understand why she would protect his reputation after everything.
While Kieran tried to solve that puzzle, the atmosphere in the ballroom shifted. The tension broke, replaced by a buzz of speculation. The guests leaned in, whispering to one another.
"Who brings rotten eggs to a business launch?" one guest muttered.
"A paid actor, that's who," another replied. "Sterling doesn't build deathtraps. That guy is a joke."
The tide had turned. The skepticism regarding the building quality evaporated, replace
