We had anticipated this. We had built redundancies. We had that week of donors who’d seen the work with their own eyes, and their private calls went out as quick shields. But the smear was a reminder that the market isn’t only about money—it’s about attention, and attention feeds itself with whichever morsel is easiest to chew.
Conley’s response was quiet and swift. He subpoenaed the intermediary consultancy’s payment records and authorized a forensic audit to begin immediately. Legal moved like a blade. PR pushed out a measured response that emphasized transparency. Angel increased on-the-ground stories. I coordinated donor outreach personally, making the calls that turned whispers into reassurances.
That night, wrapped in the hush behind the house’s thick curtains, we made love like pe
