The world was still reeling from Celeste’s decision to walk away from the biggest role of her career, but behind closed doors, she and Damien were moving chess pieces with lethal precision.
Celeste stood before a bank of screens in Damien’s home office, arms folded across her chest. Across from her, Damien paced, phone pressed to his ear. One monitor displayed headlines about Veronica’s unraveling empire. Another showed social media reactions. But the one in the center displayed the smoking gun: digital records, audio files, and whistleblower statements. The truth, ugly, unvarnished, and damning.
“She paid off the original reporter,” Damien said, voice low and dangerous. “We have the wire transfers and timestamps. If this leaks in the next hour, there’s no walking it back.”
Celeste’s st
