2026-06-13 22:03:44
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 578
The courtroom was packed as reporters filled the press gallery, their laptops open, their fingers poised over keyboards. Cameras lined the back wall, their red lights blinking. Spectators crowded the benches, whispering among themselves, craning their necks for a better view. The air was thick with anticipation.At the plaintiff's table, Ava sat composed and still, her dark hair pulled back, her suit sharp, her eyes fixed on the judge. Beside her, Chance sat with his hands folded, his jaw tight. He had wanted to be here because this was his fight too.At the defendant's table, Miranda Cross was a study in controlled power. She wore a cream-colored suit, her silver hair swept back, her face unreadable. She looked like she had been born in a courtroom, like she had never known a moment of doubt.Judge Patricia Holloway entered the room. The bailiff called the court to order. Everyone rose."Be seated," Judge Holloway said.She was a small woman, barely five feet tall, with sharp eyes an
Chapter 577
The news cycle shifted overnight as what had been a steady drumbeat of speculation about Julia's "secrets" suddenly became a legal drama, a heavyweight showdown between two of the most formidable legal teams in the country. The headlines blazed: "President's Attorney Takes on Stella Wayne." "Defamation Suit Could Reshape Election." "Ava Rennet vs. The Shark: Who Will Win?"Stella's campaign had responded quickly. Too quickly. Within hours of Ava's press conference, they had announced their legal team: a consortium of attorneys led by a woman named Miranda Cross—known in legal circles as "The Shark."Miranda Cross was a legend. She had defended corporations against class-action lawsuits, protected politicians from corruption charges, and once made a federal prosecutor cry during cross-examination. She was brilliant, ruthless, and utterly without sentiment."The Shark," Ava muttered when she heard the news. "Of course they hired The Shark."Gerald looked up from his laptop. "Is that bad
Chapter 576
"Stella's campaign is using manipulated photographs. They've taken images of my mother and altered them to make her look like something she's not." Chance paced the length of the library. "That's defamation. That's intentional infliction of emotional distress. That's grounds for a lawsuit."Chloe looked up at him. "You want to sue Stella Wayne?""I want to make her campaign spend so much time and money defending themselves that they can't run any more attack ads." Chance stopped pacing. "I want to take the fight to them on ground they don't expect."Harry spoke from the floor, his pendant glowing softly. "Would that work? Suing a presidential candidate?""It would if we had the right attorney." Chance reached for his phone. "And I know exactly who to call."***Ava answered on the second ring."Chance." Her voice was cool, professional, with a hint of warmth beneath. "It's been a while. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me.""I could never forget you, Ava." Chance stepped
Chapter 575
The Oval Office was silent except for the soft hum of the teleprompter and the distant click of cameras. Julia sat behind the Resolute Desk, her hands folded, her face composed."Good evening, my fellow Americans."Her voice was steady, warm, and familiar. The same voice that had guided the nation through crises, comforted them in times of grief, inspired them to hope. But tonight, even the most loyal supporters could feel something different. A weight. A weariness."Over the past week, there have been questions about my private life. About visitors to my family's estate. About photographs that have been circulating in the media."She paused. The teleprompter scrolled. She didn't look at it."I am not going to address those questions tonight. Not because I have something to hide but because they are distractions. Distractions from the real issues facing our nation. The economy. Healthcare. Climate change. National security."She leaned forward slightly, her eyes meeting the camera len
Chapter 574
The ad aired at 8 PM Eastern Time, during the commercial break of the most-watched news program in the country. It was sixty seconds long but it was short enough to be repeated, long enough to do damage.It opened with grainy footage of the O'Connor estate, shot from a distance, the camera zooming in on the gates, the old stone walls, the dark windows that seemed to watch. The music was low and ominous, a single cello note held too long.Then the cuts began.A figure in a dark coat, entering the estate at midnight. A woman with golden hair walking through the garden."What is President O'Connor hiding?" The voiceover was calm, measured, and devastating. A woman's voice though not Stella's, but someone who sounded like a concerned neighbor. "Why won't she tell the truth?"The footage shifted. A photograph of Julia at the United Nations, standing at the podium, her face serene. Then the same photograph, manipulated, her eyes glowing gold."Secret visitors. Strange rituals. A woman who c
Chapter 573
Marcus Webb didn't wait for permission. He crossed the Oval Office and stood before the Resolute Desk, his tablet already glowing with data. "Madam President," he said, "I'm going to give it to you straight."Julia leaned back in her chair. "I'd expect nothing less."Marcus set the tablet on the desk. The screen was filled with polling data, fundraising totals, and media analysis—all of it bad. "Stella Wayne has momentum. She's raised forty million dollars in the past week alone. Her approval ratings among independent voters are skyrocketing. And she has the backing of some of the most powerful people in the country."Julia's brow furrowed. "What kind of powerful people?"Marcus hesitated. This was the part he didn't fully understand—the part that made him question everything he thought he knew about politics and power."Business leaders," he said. "Media moguls. Foreign interests. People who move in shadows—people I can't identify." He paused. "It's like she has the entire underworl
You may also like
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
Kaiser Ken98.1K viewsSecretly Rich Son in Law
Banin SN198.5K viewsThe Legendary Conglomerate
Lord MOH122.8K viewsTHE SECRET HEIR AND HIS SECRET POWER
Wednesday Adaire170.0K viewsThe Medical Doctor's mother died in his arms
Allahamdullilah books24 viewsThe Breakers of Divine Boundaries
Alice109 viewsHidden Mask of a betrayed son-in-law
Luchywrites75 viewsThe man they called insane
Veekeey108 views