Chapter 328
Carter’s lips pressed into a thin, cold line. He fell silent.
Julliard didn’t stop. “It was Nate who kept pushing you, telling you to get a divorce first. He kept talking about teaching Sharon a lesson and making her come crawling back. But look how that worked out. Not only has she shown no intention of coming back, she’s getting farther and farther away. (1)
“I know… maybe I shouldn’t be the one saying this. But, Carter… I don’t want to watch brothers turn against each other. Do you understand?”
Julliard had never been one to speak much, especially about other people’s business. Yet today, the words kept coming.
Carter’s expression darkened, shadows settling across his features.
Just then, a sudden knock echoed against the office door.
“Carter, Nate’s been taken by the police!”
Kelly rushed in, her face tight with panic, her brow creased with anxious urgency. “The lawyer tried to get him out on bail, but… they refused. They won’t release him.”
It was only after blurting this out that she noticed Julliard standing there as well. “Oh. Julliard, you’re here too.”
Julliard gave her a polite nod. “Kelly.”
Carter’s voice cut through her wandering thoughts. “Why won’t they allow bail?”
Kelly replied, “The internet’s gone completely mad. People are furious after reading Sharon’s post about fighting back against the corporations. They say Nate filed a false report, framed her, and slandered her… now they’re demanding the police hold him. fully accountable.
“Originally, it might’ve been handled as a misunderstanding. But someone just leaked Nate’s dirt online-reckless driving, drunk driving, even hitting someone.
“Now the police have reopened old investigations based on that. If the charges stick…” Her hands clenched, her voice dropped. Nate could face serious consequences.”
A suffocating tension filled the room. The air itself felt heavier.
The Sharon situation had spiraled into something far beyond anyone’s control.
Carter’s face darkened. “What are the lawyers saying?”
“There’s still room to negotiate. Most of that stuff happened years ago.” Kelly exhaled slowly. “But… the public outrage right now is overwhelming. Everyone wants answers and a resolution.
“The lawyer says… there are only two options left. First, Nate publicly apologizes to Sharon. But that… that’s basically admitting everything. The smear campaigns, the blacklisting-it’ll all fall on him.”
Carter’s tone didn’t waver. “And the second option?”
She bit her lip, hesitation flickering in her eyes. “The Hendricks Group’s media branch launches a full PR campaign. They push the narrative that Sharon’s whole ‘fight against the capitalists’ story… was just manufactured. A PR stunt.
“Technically, there’s ground to spin it. After all… the livestream that first made her go viral came from Nate’s account. We could twist it. Say it was all part of a scripted show.”
But everyone in the room knew the truth.
11
It would mean swallowing the humiliation. Nate would have to take the fall quietly-pretend none of it was real. Worse, he’d be forced to promote Sharon himself.
It would be a slap to his own face.
Losing the battle, the war, and his pride-all at once.
This time, Sharon had come out of it with everything. Public opinion was on her side. Nate fell hard, and yet, she gained not just victory but an even stronger reputation. Free publicity, a spotless image, and a powerful narrative.
She’d played it perfectly.
As for Nate losing… Kelly could accept that. But watching Sharon walk away, triumphant and untouchable… that, she couldn’t
stomach.
