Betrayed By The Billionaire

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Chloe Bishop offered her mother a small, cold smile of reassurance. "Don't worry, Mom. Now that we know it’s a person playing God with my head, the game changes entirely."

The clues from Master Marcus Sr. had crystallized her resolve. If the "thing" cast a shadow and possessed the strength to strike a blow, then it was flesh and blood—and flesh and blood could be hunted. She would return to the Grayson Estate, pull the "mole" out by the roots, and prove her sanity to Xavier Grayson once and for all.

A sharp knock interrupted them, and Aunt Sarah bustled into the room, her face a mask of practiced concern. "Chloe! I heard you fainted. Are you alright, dear?" Tiffany trailed behind her, her expression unreadable.

Aunt Sarah sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to grasp Chloe’s hand with a cloying familiarity. "Tiffany told me everything. Someone in that Grayson house is truly wicked to play such tricks on you. What a sin!"

Chloe felt a flare of discomfort and pulled her hand away, her voice polite but distant. "Thank you for the concern, Aunt Sarah. I’m fine. Mom, it’s late and Baby Bella is still at home. We should head back."

Jane Bishop, who shared Chloe’s distaste for Aunt Sarah’s theatricality, nodded immediately. "You’re right. Parents, Sarah, we’ll be heading out now. We’ll be in touch."

As they stood up to leave, Silas came charging into the room, nearly colliding with the doorframe. "Chloe! You need to see this. What on earth is going on with this article?"

"What are you shouting for?" Tiffany snapped, assuming he was talking to her. She snatched the phone from his hand. Aunt Sarah leaned in to look, and a second later, she let out a shrill, horrified cry.

"What?! Chloe, you’ve been kicked out by Xavier? Then... then what about our storefront?!"

"Mom!" Tiffany hissed, cutting her off.

Aunt Sarah realized her slip and went silent, but the damage was done. Chloe looked at her with a chilling neutrality. Aunt Sarah quickly tried to backtrack. "I mean... obviously, the news is fake! Xavier just gifted Baby Bella a massive plot of land for a theme park last night. There’s no way he’d kick you out."

Chloe held out her hand. "Give me the phone."

The Scandal of the 'Pretty Belle'

Chloe took the device, her eyes scanning the screen. As she scrolled, the blood drained from her face, replaced by a dark, simmering fury.

A viral blogger going by the handle "Pretty Belle" had published a massive exposé. The headline was a masterpiece of character assassination: Socialite Caught in Scandal: Xavier Grayson’s Wife Cast Out for Infidelity.

The article claimed Chloe had been "climbing multiple trees" and had officially cuckolded the "Demon CEO," leading to her immediate expulsion from the estate. Worse, the post was accompanied by "intimate" photos of Chloe with Donovan Tang, Julian Vance, and Liam Martin. They were the exact same photos Vince had shown her in the dungeon—the ones used to break her spirit.

But the "Pretty Belle" didn't stop there.

The blogger had dragged Sarah Vance into the mud as well. The post claimed that Sarah was "playing the victim" online and had leaked the bed-side photos of Arthur Vance and Yvonne Blue as a calculated move to ruin Yvonne’s reputation, force Arthur into a submissive settlement, or secure an astronomical divorce payout.

The article had only been live for thirty minutes, yet it was already tearing through every social media group in Haicheng. The city was gleefully waiting for the total collapse of the Bishop and Vance families.

The Scorched Earth Policy

Chloe immediately searched for Arthur Vance’s name. It was true—the photos Sarah had leaked were everywhere. The media was in a feeding frenzy.

Chloe’s heart hammered against her ribs. Sarah had truly decided to burn the world down to take Arthur with her. But this meant Arthur would be beyond livid. After this public humiliation, any lingering shred of affection he had for Sarah would turn into a lethal, concentrated hatred.

Currently, public opinion was a chaotic storm. Yvonne Blue was being crucified by the public; it wasn't the first time she’d been caught in a scandal, but this was the "smoking gun" that proved her role as the mistress. However, with the "Pretty Belle" article framing Sarah as a manipulative schemer, the narrative was beginning to shift.

"Chloe, is this... is any of this true?" Aunt Sarah asked, her voice trembling with the fear of losing her connection to the Grayson wealth.

Chloe didn't answer. She looked at the photos of herself and Liam Martin—a ghost from a past life being used to haunt her present. Someone was coordinating this. The "phantom" in the basement, the photos in the dungeon, and now this viral hit piece—it was a synchronized execution.

"I have to go," Chloe said, her voice like sharpened steel. "Mom, take Silas and the others home. I’m going to find Sarah."

The digital bomb has detonated, and the shockwaves are leveling the social standing of the Bishop and Vance women. Arthur Vance is trapped in a corner, and the "Demon CEO" is being told by the entire world that his wife has betrayed him. Will Xavier believe the "Pretty Belle," or will the coordinated nature of the attack finally prove to him that someone is trying to destroy Chloe from the inside out?

Should Chloe confront the blogger first, or go directly to Sarah Vance’s house to protect her from Arthur’s inevitable retaliation?