THE HEIR'S REVENGE

Chapter 18: Media Warfare Begins

The conference room at Blackwell Media Holdings felt like a war room at midnight. My jaw still throbbed from Daniel's punch, but I ignored the pain as I sat at the head of the polished table. Around me, five of the sharpest media executives my grandfather's money had assembled waited for orders. The city lights sparkled through floor-to-ceiling windows, unaware that we were about to shake their foundations with truth.

Margaret Chen, my chief editor, spread newspapers across the table like playing cards. Each headline from the past week showed the Pierce family's growing troubles, but we hadn't released the real story yet. She adjusted her glasses and looked at me with the intensity of someone who'd exposed corruption for thirty years.

"The video of Daniel attacking you has eight million views already," she said, tapping her tablet. "Public sentiment is completely on your side. This is the perfect time to strike."

David Kim, head of digital strategy, pulled up his laptop. "I've had our investigative team verify every document you provided. The embezzlement trail is bulletproof. We can prove Victoria stole three point two million over five years." His fingers flew across the keyboard, bringing up charts and timelines on the main screen. "But we need to release this strategically. Too much at once and people get overwhelmed. Too little and Victoria has time to spin the narrative."

"What do you suggest?" I asked, accepting a coffee from my assistant. The hot liquid helped clear my head after the chaos of the evening.

"We go with the debts first," Margaret said, pulling out a folder. "The Pierce family owes money to half the suppliers in the city. We have invoices going back two years, all unpaid. Start with sympathy for the small businesses she's destroying. Make her the villain who hurts ordinary people."

Thomas Rodriguez, our legal advisor, raised his hand slightly. "Everything needs to be fact-checked three times. Victoria will sue if we make one mistake. But if we're accurate, she has no defense against truth."

I nodded, remembering Marcus's broken expression when he'd learned about his wife's betrayal. "Run the first article tomorrow morning. 'The Pierce Family's Hidden Debts.' List every business they owe money to, with amounts and dates. Let the city see who's really suffering from their greed."

Sarah Williams, our youngest executive but brilliant at social media, looked up from her phone. "I can have it trending within an hour of publication. We'll use testimonials from the business owners, maybe some video interviews. People connect with faces, not just numbers."

"Do it," I approved. "But keep my name out of it for now. This should look like investigative journalism, not personal revenge."

David pulled up a mock layout on the screen. The headline was bold, the subtitle devastating: "How One Family's Luxury Lifestyle Destroyed Twenty Local Businesses." Below were photos of closed shops, unemployed workers, families who'd lost everything because the Pierces wouldn't pay their bills.

"This is perfect," Margaret said with satisfaction. "But Victoria will respond. She always does. We need to be ready for her counterattack."

As if on cue, my phone rang. Unknown number. I had a feeling I knew who it was.

"Put it on speaker," Thomas advised quickly. "And record everything."

I hit the record button first, then answered. "Hello?"

"You little parasite." Victoria's voice sliced through the speaker like a blade dipped in poison. The entire room went silent. "You think you've won something? You think destroying my son makes you powerful?"

"Your son attacked me, Victoria," I said calmly, noting how Thomas was already taking notes. "Multiple witnesses and video evidence prove that."

"I know what you're planning," she hissed. "That pathetic husband of mine already called, sobbing about evidence and arrests. You turned him against me, just like you turned Emma against Daniel."

"I didn't turn anyone against you," I replied, keeping my voice steady while my executives leaned closer to listen. "Your own actions did that. The embezzlement, the fraudulent documents, the hidden medical payments—"

"You know nothing!" Victoria's control cracked, her voice rising to nearly a scream. "That money was mine! I earned it through years of managing that worthless company while Marcus played golf and pretended to work!"

Margaret's eyes widened. David started typing furiously, documenting every word. This was better than any confession we could have hoped for.

"The three point two million you stole?" I pressed, watching Thomas give me a thumbs up to continue. "The businesses you destroyed by not paying them?"

"They were weak!" Victoria spat. "If they couldn't survive without our money, they deserved to fail. This is business, you foolish child. The strong take from the weak. I thought your precious grandfather would have taught you that."

"My grandfather taught me that strength means protecting others, not destroying them," I said. "And he taught me to always record threatening phone calls."

The silence that followed was deafening. I could almost hear Victoria's rage building through the phone.

"You're recording this?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, which was somehow more terrifying than her screams.

"Every word," I confirmed. "Including the part where you just admitted to the embezzlement."

"I'll destroy you," Victoria said with deadly calm. "I'll take everything. Your company, your reputation, that little girl you're protecting. Oh yes, I know about Lily. Such a fragile child. Accidents happen to fragile children."

The room erupted. Margaret gasped. David slammed his laptop shut in anger. Thomas was writing so fast his pen tore through the paper. But I stayed calm, even as rage boiled in my chest.

"If anything happens to Lily," I said, my voice dropping to match her threatening tone, "I'll release everything. Not just the embezzlement. The medical records from Peaceful Gardens. Room 314. The person you've kept in a coma for three years."

This time Victoria's silence lasted longer. When she spoke again, her voice shook slightly. "You're lying."

"Lily's mother is alive, Victoria. In a coma you've maintained to keep control of her inheritance. We have the medical records, the payment trail, everything." I leaned closer to the phone. "Tomorrow morning, the first article publishes. Each day after that, another piece of your empire falls. Unless you confess everything to the police tonight."