Chapter 97: The Smear Campaign

It's a strange feeling, waking up one morning with everything in your life finally feeling right, and then having it all come crashing down. The weight of our past, the damage caused by Damien's family, it was all starting to feel like it was behind us. The wedding preparations were in full swing, our business ventures were on track, and most importantly, Damien and I had settled into a routine that felt normal, even peaceful.

But I should have known better. Peace never lasts when you have someone like Victor Ashford in the picture.

It began with whispers—rumors that spread like wildfire through the city, carried by every media outlet that seemed to have a hand in sensationalizing the truth. We were used to some criticism, of course, but this was different. These weren't just the usual headlines that came with power or business success. This was personal. This was a calculated attack on everything we had worked for, everything we had built.