Chapter 36 - The Press AttackJosephine, unaware that her financial ruin had been discovered, launched her first public strike against Emily.
The morning edition of the city’s most prominent financial newspaper carried a devastating, anonymous front-page article.
THE MAID’S HEIR: IS THE ELEANOR FOUNDATION HEMORRHAGING FUNDS UNDER INEXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP?
The article was a masterclass in character assassination. It cited “anonymous high-level social sources” claiming that Emily Carter was emotionally unstable, deeply traumatized by her past, and quietly mismanaging the charity’s eighty-million-dollar endowment on frivolous revenge projects.
Emily sat at the kitchen island, staring at the newspaper.
Alexander stormed into the mansion, holding a crumpled copy of the same paper, his face flushed with anger.
“This is a targeted hit,” Alexander said, slamming the paper onto the counter. “Someone is trying to publicly undermine your fiduciary credibility. I’ve already called my firm’s defamation team. We’re going to sue the publisher and force them to reveal the source.”
Emily looked up at her fiancé. He was brilliant, protective, and entirely blind to the knife in his own house.
“We don't need a defamation team to find the source, Alexander,” Emily said quietly.
“What do you mean?” he frowned.
“Look at the terminology in the third paragraph,” Emily pointed to the text. “The foundation requires heritage. New wealth tends to be emotional.”
Alexander’s eyes scanned the words. His brow furrowed in confusion, and then, a slow, horrifying realization washed over his face. They were the exact words his mother had used at the dinner table.
“No,” Alexander whispered, taking a step back. “My mother can be difficult, Emily, but she wouldn't do this. She wouldn't try to destroy the foundation’s public trust.”
“She isn't trying to destroy it,” Arthur said, stepping into the kitchen holding his briefcase. “She’s trying to create a panic. If the public believes Emily is unstable, Josephine can petition the attorney general for an emergency conservatorship over the foundation’s assets once you two are married.”
Alexander shook his head in absolute denial. “Why would she do that? She has her own money!”
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Emily stood up, picking up the red forensic audit file from the counter. She handed it to Alexander.
“Read this, Alexander. And then you’ll understand exactly who your mother really is.”
