Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 90

Willa's grip on the paper tightened. "Those shops..."

"They're all getting torn down," Iris cut in. "Every single place you interviewed is in the demolition zone."

The faces of the elderly shop owners flashed through Willa's mind.

They had worked for decades, carrying the legacy of generations, and now it was all being ripped away.

They didn't have the energy or the capital to start over.

"Do they... know?"

Iris nodded. "The notices are posted everywhere. They know."

"Then what about my article..." Willa started.

"It's not running. The higher-ups just killed it."

Iris leaned back in her chair, her voice flat.

"The redevelopment project is a massive city priority. The developers have serious backing. The more traction your articles get, the worse it looks for them. They're never going to let that kind of narrative spread."

Willa clenched the document in her hand. "So we're just going to let it go?"

Iris looked at her in surprise. "You still want to publish it?"

Willa nodded without a second of hesitation. "Yes."

Iris smiled, a flicker of genuine admiration in her eyes.

She offered a warning instead. "Do you understand what doing this means?"

Willa knew. The moment the article went live, she would be making a direct enemy of the developer.

She hesitated for a second before asking, "Do you know who the developer is?"

Iris pulled another document from her drawer and slid it over. "See for yourself."

Willa took it, her eyes dropping to the developer's name. She froze instantly.

Vanguard Properties.

Those two words burned her eyes, and her hands began to shake.

Iris laughed. "Alright, I won't try to talk you out of it."

She slid a business card across the desk. "We can't run it through the company. This is a contact of mine who runs an independent media platform. Mention my name, and he'll help you get it out."

Willa took the card. "Thank you."

Iris's tone remained cool. "Don't thank me yet. Once this is published, you're on your own with the fallout. If things blow up, leave me out of it."

Willa pocketed the card and smiled. "Iris, you really are a good person."

Iris chuckled. "How do you know I'm not just trying to get you fired?"

Willa didn't say anything else and walked out of the office.

When the second installment of the Legacy Brands series dropped, it instantly detonated online, sparking an even more massive public outcry than the first.

But right as Willa was caught up in the thrill and triumph of it all, she received a call from Sean Thorne.

"Willa, your dad was beaten in prison. It's pretty bad."