Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 311

The screenshot displayed the headline of a lengthy article: *Vantage Media Journalist Willa Vance's Messy Private Life: Father of Child a Mystery, Mother Tearfully Speaks Out.*

After sending the link, Lana Thorne added a follow-up text. "No comment. Just read it for yourselves."

The group chat exploded, notifications flooding the screen one after another.

"Is this talking about Willa from our department?"

"Oh my god, this is too much..."

"Her own mother came out to expose her, how could it be fake?"

Willa tapped the link, and the page redirected to a gossip forum.

The article was extensive, accompanied by over a dozen photos. It painted her private life as a calculating climb up the social ladder, accusing her of using her child as a bargaining chip to cling to the wealthy elite.

The final section featured a video. Naomi Whitman sat before the camera, crying softly. "My Willa... she never listened to me, even as a little girl. I still don't even know who the father of her child is. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn't listen..."

Willa closed the link.

The group messages continued to roll in, but no one mentioned her name anymore. They were all gossiping with a tacit, knowing tone.

She stood up, phone in hand, and walked straight toward Lana's desk.

Lana was looking down at her screen with a smug smirk. Sensing someone approaching, she looked up and saw Willa. Her smile instantly froze.

"Willa, I just shared it casually so everyone could see the facts. Why are you glaring at me?"

Willa scoffed. "How do you know it's a fact? Spreading baseless rumors is legally actionable."

Lana fired back self-righteously. "Willa, if you think I'm making things up, then sue me!"

"Wait for it, then. You'll get exactly what you asked for," Willa dropped the cold warning, turned on her heel, and walked away.

Wasting another breath on someone like her was pointless.

Willa turned off her phone, forcing herself to focus on the work in front of her.

During her lunch break, she went to the convenience store downstairs to grab a sandwich. While waiting in line, she heard two girls whispering behind her.

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