Chapter 49
If Sharon was right, the live broadcast had already been cut.
Everything she was about to reveal today-none of it would make it out. It would only look like she had called a press conference for nothing, played a trick on the public, and walked away with empty hands. (1)
Carter would still be able to run full-scale PR for Kelly. He might even find a way to twist this back on her. He really didn’t hold
back.
In the quiet of the backstage lounge, Sharon looked at Carter.
“Mr. Biggs, what is it you want to say to me?”
His voice was calm and low, like water with no ripples. “I’ll take care of the online attacks, the public backlash…”
Before he could finish, Sharon interrupted him coolly.
“If all you have to offer is pressure and silence, I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse. Even if you manage to erase every post, scrub the news clean-what’s imprinted in people’s hearts won’t vanish. Those labels-vicious, a murderer-it’s already been carved in.”
She stared into his deep black eyes, her voice light, almost amused.
“Who knows, I might just stir up public anger again, provoke a real siege this time.”
Carter’s gaze flickered toward the scabbed wound on her forehead. His eyes darkened.
“I’ll make a statement to clear your name.”
“A statement?” Her tone turned mocking. “Now you want to clear my name? After all this time, after my scandal’s been plastered everywhere? Isn’t it a little late, Mr. Biggs?”
He looked at her steadily. “If you have any conditions, name them.”
Her eyes shifted slightly. “I have two.”
Without hesitation, he nodded. “Fine.”
Sharon’s voice was calm. “Maybe you should hear them first before agreeing.”
“Go ahead.”
“My first condition,” she said, “I want ten million.”
His gaze dimmed. That wasn’t a small amount.
“What do you need that much money for?”
“Emotional damages. And compensation for my reputation.” Her tone didn’t waver. “I’ve been cursed out for days. You don’t seriously think an apology from Kelly is enough to settle this?”
After a brief silence, Carter spoke, “Alright.” 1
Sharon laughed inside. For Kelly, he really was willing to give anything. Ten million, just like that–no hesitation.
But then Carter’s voice cut through the air again. “So this is what you were after?”
She looked up. “What?”
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Chapter
“You went in circles, played this whole game, just to extort money from me?”
Her expression turned flat. She didn’t even bother to explain. “If that’s what you think, then sure.”
His dark eyes never left her, deep and unreadable like a cold, still lake, or some shadowed mountain pass.
“This footage,” he said, “came from your dashcam. You had evidence all along, but you didn’t say anything. You didn’t turn it over to the police. Sharon, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
“I did.” Her smile was cold and empty. “If I’d shown my hand too soon, how could I wring ten million out of you, Mr. Biggs? Besides… I wanted to see what Kelly would do without evidence. And how much you would believe me. And just like I thought… everything played out exactly as expected.”
There was no grief on her face. No disappointment. She spoke as if recounting someone else’s story.
Carter frowned. “You’d let yourself be slandered, attacked, hated-just for money? Sharon… is money that important to you?”
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