Chapter 4: Cracking under the Pressure
Preston rushed into the penthouse to find Esther curled up in the corner of the bedroom closet, her hands over her ears, sobbing uncontrollably. The television in the living room was still blaring the voice of a talk-show host analyzing her background, calling her a "shameful social climber."
"Esther! Esther, look at me," Preston knelt, pulling her gently into his arms.
"They’re right... they’re right, Preston," she cried, her body shaking violently. "I ruin everything. Look at your company, look at your name. Your mother was right, I don't belong in your world. I should just disappear. If I leave, they will stop attacking you."
"Don't you dare say that," Preston said, his voice fierce with love, his own eyes welling with tears as he held her tight against his chest. "You are my world. They are parasites trying to save themselves. They are using their last gasps of breath to hurt you because they know they lose if you are strong."
"But the media... everyone hates me..."
"The media believes whoever speaks loudest, but I am about to speak with facts," Preston whispered, kissing her forehead. He stayed with her for hours, rocking her until her breathing slowed, singing the soft melody they had danced to at their wedding.
Once Esther fell asleep under the care of a trusted private medical professional he had hired, Preston went to his study. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a terrifying resolve. He called his legal team and the private investigators.
"What did you find on Julian and my mother?" Preston demanded.
"Sir, we found a goldmine," the investigator replied. "Julian has been skimming money from the company's charity foundation for years. And your mother, Victoria, has been taking illegal kickbacks from offshore suppliers to fund her lifestyle. We have the bank statements, the signatures, and the voice recordings."
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Preston leaned back in his chair, a cold, predatory smile spreading across his face. "Excellent. Draft the criminal indictments. We aren't going to file a civil lawsuit. We are going to send them to federal prison."
He also contacted a major international news network. "This is Preston Vance. I want to schedule a live, prime-time interview for tomorrow evening. My wife and I will be addressing the rumors personally."
