Chapter 24: Victoria Strikes Again

Chapter 24: Victoria Strikes Again

Elena

Elena woke to the sound of her phone vibrating aggressively on the nightstand. Groggy, she reached for it, her heart lurching when she saw the number of missed calls and unread messages.

Her boutique's public relations manager, Mia, had sent several frantic texts.

Mia: You need to see this NOW.

Mia: The media is everywhere.

Mia: Victoria leaked something. It's bad.

Elena shot up in bed, her exhaustion from the previous night vanishing instantly. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she clicked the link Mia had sent.

SOCIALITE ELENA SINCLAIR: A CONTRACT WIFE FOR POWER?

Insider claims the Sinclair marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement.

Elena's blood ran cold. A wave of nausea hit her as she scanned the words, each line twisting the truth into something humiliating. The article detailed supposed "sources" who had inside knowledge of her marriage to Jason—claiming it was all a sham, that she was merely a tool for his empire, and that their relationship was strictly contractual. It painted her as nothing more than a woman who traded her independence for power, reducing everything she had worked for to nothing more than Jason Sinclair's influence. Her hands clenched into fists. No. She had built her business on her own, fought for every success, and she would not let this story rewrite her reality.

Victoria.

It had to be her. No one else would benefit from exposing this.

Her hands trembled as she scrolled further. The article spun a humiliating narrative, making it seem like she had sold herself for success, that her boutique was only thriving because of Jason's influence.

Anger flared in her chest. This wasn't just an attack on her marriage—it was an attack on everything she had built.

A sharp knock on her bedroom door made her jump. She barely had time to react before Jason pushed it open, his phone in hand, his expression pure fury.

"You've seen it," he stated.

Elena nodded, gripping the sheets. "Victoria."

Jason exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "She's overplayed her hand."

Elena scoffed. "Has she? Because right now, the world thinks I'm nothing more than a business pawn."

Jason's jaw tightened. "That will change. I'll handle it."

Elena stared at him. "How?"

His eyes darkened with resolve. "You'll see."

Jason

Jason had spent years carefully crafting his image, controlling every narrative attached to the Sinclair name. But Victoria had made one fatal mistake—she had dragged Elena into the war.

And he would not let that stand.

Less than an hour later, he was seated in the Sinclair Enterprises boardroom, his PR team working at lightning speed. His assistant handed him a list of media contacts, but Jason didn't need to read it.

"We're shutting this down immediately," he said. "Every major outlet will retract or risk a lawsuit."

His head of PR hesitated. "Sir, a retraction won't erase the damage. The rumors are out there. People believe them."

Jason's grip on his pen tightened. "Then we give them something bigger to believe."

A plan was already forming in his mind. The perfect counterstrike.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Prepare the jet. I'm making a statement."

Elena

By the time Elena arrived at the Sinclair offices, the entire city was buzzing. Screens in the lobby played a live stream of an exclusive press event—and at the center of it all was Jason, standing in front of a crowd of reporters.

She pushed through security, her breath catching as she saw him on the large display, speaking with calm authority.

"My wife, Elena Sinclair, is no pawn," Jason said firmly. "She is one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in the industry, and her success is entirely her own."

Elena's heart pounded as he continued.

"I will not tolerate baseless attacks on her integrity or our marriage," Jason declared. "The Sinclairs do not bow to rumors. And we certainly do not allow vultures like Victoria to dictate our lives."

Murmurs rippled through the press. He had named her. Publicly.

The camera flashed to the audience, where reporters whispered furiously. Naming Victoria in a public statement was a bold move—one that could ruin her credibility forever.

Jason wasn't just shutting down the rumors. He was making an example out of Victoria. With one statement, he had publicly dismantled her credibility, ensuring that every journalist and investor would think twice before taking her word seriously again. She had wanted to control the narrative—now she was the one being scrutinized.

Elena watched in stunned silence as Jason turned to the camera, his expression unyielding. "Elena and I will be making a public appearance this evening, and I invite every reputable journalist to see for themselves the truth behind our marriage."

Elena's breath hitched. A public appearance?

The broadcast ended, and the crowd erupted into a frenzy. Journalists scrambled, headlines were rewritten in real time, and just like that—Jason had seized control of the narrative.

She barely had time to process before Jason strode into the lobby, his eyes finding hers instantly.

He stopped in front of her. "Get dressed. We're going out."

Elena blinked. "Jason—"

His voice softened just slightly. "Trust me."

For the first time since the scandal broke, Elena exhaled, the tightness in her chest easing ever so slightly.

Jason Sinclair had gone to war for her. And that realization unsettled her more than the scandal itself. He was holding a public appearance for both of them to prove a point, reinforcing their carefully crafted image. But the bitter truth remained—this marriage had an expiration date. No matter how convincing their display, no matter how fiercely he defended her now, in the end, it would all mean nothing. The contract would end, and they would walk away, their objectives fulfilled. That was how it was supposed to be. That was what they both wanted… wasn't it? She had expected him to protect his empire, to fight back because his reputation was at stake—but this was more. He had made it personal. And as she met his gaze, something twisted in her chest. Was she just another battle he refused to lose, or did this mean something more?

And God help her, but it made her see him differently.