Chapter 5
548 Words
"Fine. It was my mistake to bring my wife and daughter here to debase ourselves. You win this time." Cradling their child in his right arm and clutching a tearful Rachel with his left, Nathan stormed out of my house.
I gathered the trophy fragments one by one and instructed my assistant: "Hire the best restoration specialist. If they can't be fully restored, piece them together fragment by fragment. And don't delay on Nathan. Sever all business ties with Nathan Group—contact every supplier and investor immediately. I won't leave them a single way out."
Across the street, lights flickered on in the luxury mansion Nathan had bought for Rachel. A bitter smile played on my lips. I’d drag Nathan back to square one—leaving him too broke to even cover the final payment on that house.
The next morning, my assistant's urgent call woke me. "Ms. Chapman, bad news!" he blurted.
"What is it?"
"You're being accused of being the mistress who wrecked Nathan and Rachel's marriage. He just issued a public statement."
My heart skipped a beat before steadying. I knew Nathan all too well—I had molded him into this ruthless businessman myself. To him, no emotion could ever trump profit.
I had been too sure of myself. Remembering his expression last night, I realized he had struck first to protect his interests. When it comes to severing ties, men like him always move faster.
"Stay calm," I told my assistant. "Just monitor Nathan Group's stock movements."
After hanging up, I checked the news. Several hashtags had exploded:
#KiaraAndNathanBusinessPartnersOnly
#KiaraTheHomewrecker
#NathanAndWifeHaveDaughter
#NathanExposesKiarasYearsOfCoercion
Scrolling through, I found Rachel's social media flaunting their marriage certificate. She had even leaked our private messages. Innocent exchanges were twisted to make it look like a mistress provoking a wife.
Combined with Nathan's distorted statement—casting themselves as victims while erasing my years of support—the character assassination was complete.
He declared: "Kiara Chapman has subjected me to toxic power dynamics for over a decade, forcing us to pose as a couple. Now that my enterprise has flourished, I’ve finally found the courage to stand up to her. I have brought my wife and child home and unmasked Kiara's true character. On behalf of Nathan Group, I am officially cutting all ties with the Chapman Group. We will go our separate ways."
Netizens erupted in fury, directing their insults at me.
A: "She plays the respectable heiress, but she's just a snake."
B: "Homewreckers deserve to lose everything!"
C: "Absolutely vile."
A quick glance at my security feed confirmed my residence was mobbed. Business reporters and entertainment journalists had converged at my doorstep, all anticipating my humiliation. But this show wouldn't play out the way they expected.
As I emerged in my wheelchair, the press surged forward. "Ms. Chapman, do you acknowledge Mr. Leeds's allegations?" "Are you truly the mistress who disrupted their marriage?" "Did you maintain inappropriate control over Mr. Leeds for over ten years?"
With total composure, I took the microphone. "He dared to run a marriage scam on me, then had the audacity to brand me 'the other woman.' I will settle this score point by point. My legal department has compiled irrefutable evidence. Nathan and Rachel should prepare for their total downfall."
- Writer
