Ethan pocketed his phone, the confirmation of two hundred million dollars received settling into his account like a weight of justice. He looked down at Vanessa and Tyla, still crumpled on the floor, their faces swollen and bloody, their spirits completely broken."I'll be collecting the rest," he said calmly. "Three hundred million dollars from each of you. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what you have to sacrifice. You made a deal, and you will honor it. Every. Single. Penny."Vanessa let out a broken sob, her shoulders shaking. Tyla had gone completely silent, staring at nothing, her mind seemingly shut down from the trauma and humiliation.After experiencing such complete and utter humiliation—the mockery, the beating, the financial devastation, the public spectacle—both women felt like dying would be preferable to continuing to exist in this nightmare."Remove them," Sophia commanded the security guards with cold finality. "Throw them out of my estate. Make sure ever

Vanessa struggled to her feet, her face twisted with desperate defiance. "You don't understand! You're not LISTENING! Ethan didn't suddenly become rich! He got a sugar mummy! That woman—Rebecca—the one who came with him to the Morrison party! SHE'S the one with the power! SHE'S the one with the money! Ethan is just... he's just using her resources!"Tyla stopped walking, turning back with an expression of utter disbelief. "Are you SERIOUSLY still on that?""It's the TRUTH!" Vanessa insisted, her voice rising with hysteria. "That woman was older than him! She was clearly wealthy! She had to be his benefactor! His sponsor! His—""His WHAT?" Tyla cut her off, limping back toward Vanessa with fury in her eyes. "His sugar mummy? Fine! Let's say you're right! Let's say Ethan DID hook up with some rich older woman! You know what that means?"Vanessa blinked, confused by the question."It means he's SMARTER than you!" Tyla spat. "It means he saw

Derek paced back and forth in his father's office, his face flushed with anger and anxiety. Even after Vanessa had been dragged out, he couldn't stop ranting, his words tumbling out in an agitated stream."This is ridiculous! RIDICULOUS! I can't believe she did this to us! To ME! The videos are EVERYWHERE! People are already calling! Asking questions! Making jokes! This is going to destroy our reputation!"He ran his hands through his hair, pulling at it in frustration. "The company stock is going to tank! Investors are going to see this mess and pull out! Partners are going to question our judgment! Father, this is going to cost us MILLIONS! Maybe TENS of millions!"Richard Morrison remained seated behind his desk, his expression stony, watching his son's meltdown with cold eyes."And it's all HER fault!" Derek continued. "That stupid, worthless WOMAN! I should never have—I should have listened to my instincts! She was always too ambitious, too calculating, too—""Too much like you?"

Vanessa stood frozen in Richard Morrison's office, tears streaming down her battered face, her entire body shaking with the weight of crushing disappointment and devastating realization. She'd lost everything. Her dignity. Her money. Her future. And now, even the man she'd betrayed Ethan for was throwing her away like garbage.Her reddened eyes swept across the three faces before her—Derek's cold indifference, Celeste's satisfied cruelty, Richard's dismissive contempt—and something inside her finally, completely broke.Without another word, without another plea, without another attempt to justify or explain or beg, Vanessa turned and ran.She stumbled through the doorway, her broken heels clicking erratically against the polished floor, her torn and bloodstained designer dress trailing behind her like a tattered flag of defeat. Behind her, she could hear Celeste's voice, sharp and commanding, but she didn't stop. Couldn't stop. Had to get away be