The Fallen Son-in-law: Rise To Power

chapter 19

Chapter 19

As Mikhail was putting the DNA reports back into the file, the crowd around him still hadn't fully grasped what they had just heard. After a few seconds of heavy silence, it was as if everyone suddenly woke up at once. The red lights of the cameras came on again, microphones were thrust forward once more, and the crowd's gaze turned as one to Monica.

Just minutes before, she had been playing the victim for the media, and now that same media was coming forward for her explanation.

A reporter rushed forward, thrusting a microphone in Monica's face and said,

"Monica, Mikhail has made very serious allegations against you. Do you have anything to say?"

Another quickly added,

"He said you became pregnant by other men twice and miscarried both times. Is that true? Do you deny these allegations?"

Another reporter, biting his lip, asked in a curious tone,

"Just a few minutes ago, you were saying very clearly that Mikhail had cheated on you. Are you going to respond to his allegations now?"

Everything seemed to spin before Monica's eyes. The confidence she had spoken with moments before was gone from her face. Her breath caught in her chest, her fingers clenching the hem of her dress. The image of that report in Mikhail's hand kept replaying in her mind.

It felt like all she could hear was a cacophony of sounds—questions, whispers, flashes—but in reality, it all blended into one heavy, muffled noise in her head.

"Monica, are you claiming that Mikhail is lying?"

"Do you want to go to court? Are you going to file a defamation suit?"

"Were you having an affair before the wedding?"

The questions flew at her one after another. Monica wanted to speak, but her throat was dry. For a few moments, she just stared, her mouth agape, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

The same thought kept spinning in her mind—Mikhail had exposed everything today. The very thing she never believed, the thing she had always thought, "He'll never say it. He couldn't be that cruel."

But reality had turned out differently.

Monica suddenly felt the cameras closing in from all sides. Some of the reporters had a strange satisfaction in their eyes, as if they had just found another 'hot scandal' to fill the channel's prime time.

She let out a trembling breath, then suddenly tried to push the microphones away and move past them.

"I… I don't want to say anything," she said in a trembling voice. "This is a private matter between us. You—you're acting like this… I won't say anything else."

A reporter stepped forward, his voice slightly excited, blocking her path and asking,

"But you were talking about your personal life just a moment ago, Monica. You didn't hesitate then. Why are you so quiet now?"

A shadow of pain crossed Monica's eyes for a moment. She realized that no amount of reasoning could save her image now. The fear she felt wasn't just for Mikhail, but for the cameras and the crowd of people—who would devour her story today, only to be busy with someone else's tomorrow.

Without another word, she spun around and hurried away. The click-clack of her high heels on the concrete sounded even louder in the tense air. Some cameramen tried to chase after her, while others stayed put to capture Mikhail's reaction.

Monica crossed the path in front of the hospital and headed for the parking lot. Her pace quickened. Only one thought echoed in her mind—I'm getting out of here. Now.

She reached the car and hurriedly opened the door. Her hands were shaking, but it didn't take her long to insert the key. The engine roared to life as she turned the ignition.

At that moment, a few reporters rounded the corner of the parking lot. One of them shouted,

"Monica! Not a single word? Just tell us, is Mikhail's accusation false or not!"

Someone else tried to step in front of the car, but Monica didn't look anywhere. All she could see was the road out of the gate. She gritted her teeth, grabbed the steering wheel, and slammed on the gas.

The car sped off. Someone raised a camera to frame its rear end, while another, panting, began giving a live update on the phone—

"Monica just left the scene without answering any questions…"

Mikhail was still standing in front of the hospital. Elvira had stepped back slightly beside him, as if to give him space. The fire of anger on Mikhail's face was slowly dying down, turning into a kind of silent exhaustion.

As he watched Monica's car disappear into the distance, Mikhail felt a slight pang in his chest. No matter how much it hurt or how angry he was, he had once married that girl and wanted to stand by her. Erasing that history completely wasn't easy either.

One of the reporters turned back to Mikhail and held out a microphone.

"Mikhail, Monica left without making any comment. Do you intend to take legal action after today's incident?"

Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment and took a breath. He could feel that if he said more, this would escalate, and what he had set out to do today had already been accomplished—he had told the truth and cleared Elvira of suspicion.

He said in a calm voice,

"I've answered everything I wanted to today. There's nothing more to say."

There was a clear exhaustion in his voice.

Elvira was looking at him, her eyes holding mixed emotions—on one hand, sorrow for Mikhail's state, and on the other, the strain of the entire ordeal. But she said nothing, simply standing silently by Mikhail's side, as if her presence alone were giving him strength.

At that moment, a familiar voice came from the front row of the crowd.

"Mr. Mikhail, today you have shown an outstanding level of composure under pressure."

The words were spoken in English, but the tone was clearly one of praise. Everyone shifted slightly to look.

Anthony Clerk had stepped forward. A couple of colleagues stood beside him, and a few security guards stood back, keeping their distance. Anthony wore a perfectly tailored suit, a slight but controlled smile on his face.

The press cameras now turned to him as well. Some were mentally calculating that this man was the hospital's main investor, a major player in the healthcare sector. His words were bound to be big news.

He looked at Mikhail and said,

"In situations like this, many people break down or make things worse by shouting unnecessarily. But the way you brought the truth to light today, and how you held yourself together, is truly commendable."

There was a firmness in his voice that wasn't just praise for the words, but a form of public endorsement. When an influential businessman publicly supports someone in front of the media, it carries a different kind of weight.

Mikhail was slightly surprised. He looked at Anthony and gave a very brief nod.

"Thank you, Mr. Clerk," he said in a calm voice. "I just wanted to tell the truth."

Anthony glanced at the reporters standing nearby and continued,

"What you saw today wasn't just a personal scandal. You saw a man under pressure speak the clear truth, clear his name, and in the process, protect an innocent colleague.

Some reporters were quickly taking notes, while others were capturing Anthony's words directly on camera.

Anthony added,

"For those who were skeptical about the future of Kingsley Hospital, you should have understood one thing today—this place is now in the hands of someone who knows how to admit their mistakes, and who doesn't stand silently in the face of false accusations."

These words were further solidifying Mikhail's public image. An influential businessman, with whom he had previously done business, was now praising him in front of the media—what a huge advantage, Mikhail knew this all too well. Yet, there was no extra joy or arrogance on his face. He just stared at the flash of the camera with tired eyes, wondering if there would be any peace left after today's pressure.

Anthony finally placed a light hand on Mikhail's shoulder and said in a low voice,

"Go home and get some rest today. We'll talk about the rest later."

After a while, the press crowd slowly thinned out. Some were heading back to the office, while others were finishing up their live broadcast and packing up. Mikhail and Elvira, feeling immense fatigue, were inside the hospital.

had gone in. The impression that scene left on everyone's mind, however, lingered even after the cameras were turned off.

—

The next morning, the city's atmosphere was much calmer than the day before, but the storm brewing within the media hadn't completely died down yet. On various online news portals, TV channels, and gossip magazines—almost everywhere—the same headline was circulating.

"Famous influencer Monica Dixon exposed in cheating scandal."

"Rumors of foreign deals being canceled over Monica's scandal."

"Mikhail, the new head doctor at Kingsley Hospital, exposes his ex-wife's secret past."

Mary was sitting in her living room in the morning, holding a coffee cup in one hand and scrolling through her phone with the other. The further down she scrolled on social media, the more new posts, edited videos, and live recordings she came across.

In one clip, Monica could be seen shouting, "Mikhail has always cheated on me with Elvira!"

Then it cut to Mikhail's stern face, holding the DNA report, saying, "I didn't cheat; I was cheated on."

Mary's eyelids tightened. Just moments before she'd wanted to walk hand in hand with Anthony Clerk, and now Anthony himself was praising Mikhail in front of the press! The thought burned inside her like hot coals.

She put the phone on the table, then grabbed it again, as if she wanted to obliterate every piece of news on the screen. One headline after another danced before her eyes—"Dixon family failed to secure fund…", "Mary Dixon's hospital proposal rejected…", "Monica's scandal overshadowed family business…"

Mary's facial lines grew even sharper. This wasn't just Mikhail's victory; it was her own defeat. That day at the hospital presentation she had tried to humiliate Mikhail, repeatedly trying to make him look small. And now that very man was being portrayed in the media as "honest, composed, protective."

But what was hardest to bear was seeing the words "cheating scandal" next to Monica's name over and over. It wasn't just a blow to the family's honor; it was a direct hit to the business. Their foreign clients didn't like news of such scandals—Mary knew that all too well.

She set the coffee cup down on the table. Just then, her phone rang. The screen read—"Salvatore."

A slight tremor ran through Mary. Her husband didn't call unless it was urgent, and when he did, it was usually for something serious. She quickly answered.

"Salvatore?" There was anxiety in his voice. "Why are you calling so early? Have you seen the news?"

The male voice on the other end sounded tired and cold.

"I have time to watch the news, too, Mary," he said in a low voice. "And I have to tell you the results of that news now."

Mary sat up straight.

"What's the result?"

Salvatore was silent for a moment. The silence was even more terrifying for Mary.

"Remember that foreign investment deal that was making the rounds last week?"

The image of that big deal immediately flashed before Mary's eyes—the foreign company, the new joint project, the financial gain, the social impact—it was a huge opportunity for their family. She said quickly,

"Of course I remember. The confirmation was supposed to come today—"

Salvatore cut him off.

"Yes, the confirmation came. Just not in our favor."

Mary was frozen for a moment.

"What do you mean? Did they…?"

"They canceled the deal," Salvatore said, his voice clear. "Their representative said outright they don't want to be in business with a family whose name is mired in media scandals. They're well aware of Monica's scandal. They said they don't want to take any risks."

The phone nearly slipped from Mary's hand. It felt like someone had dropped a heavy weight in her head.

"Did they mention Monica by name?" she managed to ask.

"Yes," Salvatore said without any mercy. "Their email was clear—'Given the current media climate, we are not interested in moving forward with our proposed foreign collaboration with the Dixon family they

He used diplomatic language, but the real reason was clear."

Mary's voice cracked. She knew the business world was never very patient with these matters. Once a name got a bad reputation, many would stay away, because money always prefers to be with good standing and stability.

"Salvatore, you… didn't you say anything?" Mary said in a trembling voice, "Didn't you try to explain that it could… maybe be handled?"

"They didn't give us a chance, Mary," her husband replied irritably. "They only saw the facts—Monica's scandal has been trending online since last night. And they canceled the deal first thing this morning. No one waits in business."

Mary sat there with her eyes closed. A fierce calculation was running through her mind—the deal that would have propelled them financially had been reduced to dust by a single night's headline. And where did it all begin? Monica's unbridled drama, throwing baseless accusations in front of Mikhail, and then Mikhail's cold, merciless revelation of the truth in response.

Salvatore's voice on the other end of the line was still harsh.

"I've been working on this deal for the past few years. And at the last minute, your sister's personal scandal ruined everything. You know we've warned her many times before. But no one listened."

Mary clenched her lips. A fierce anger welled up inside her—at Monica, at Mikhail, even at herself, for she too had thrown herself into this whole game with emotion.

"Whatever you do from now on, think it through," Salvatore added. "I don't want our business dragged into another media 'drama'."

Mary couldn't answer until the phone was hung up. She just mouthed "Yes," but no sound came out. When the call ended, the silence of the room crashed down on her even louder.

She gently placed the phone on the table, then picked it up again. The news links were still flashing on the screen—Mikhail's name, Kingsley Hospital's success, Anthony Clerk's glowing statement, and alongside it, the details of Monica's scandal.

Mary felt how much had changed in just one night. As recently as last week, she'd been confident they, as the Dixon family, would carve out a prominent place in the city's healthcare sector. And now the media was calling them the "scandal-hit family."