Chapter 10
Ethan wasn’t just talk. He actually backed it up.
A week into the project, Rose posted online. Title: The Bitter Truth of an Adopted Daughter, My Sister Stole My Work, But I Still Love Her.
Selfie, tear-streaked, with a photo of her getting an IV for “staying up working on the proposal.”
Insinuations, I stole her work, jumped to the client side to bully her.
The internet exploded.
The Mitchells had connections. Lucas paid for bots. I became public enemy number one. “Ungrateful,” “office bully,” “shameless”, tags all over my socials. Someone even doxxed my address. Sent a wreath.
Next morning, reporters swarmed me outside my building.
“Ms. Mitchell, did you steal your sister’s work?”
“Did you target the Mitchells out of jealousy?”
“Any response to the backlash?”
The flashes burned my eyes. My leg still hurt. The crowd pushed me, nearly knocked me down.
Then a coat, warm from someone’s body, wrapped around me.
Ethan stood in front of me. Unflinching under the cameras.
“Peterson Group’s legal team is already collecting evidence.” He stared down the lead reporter, the one practically shoving a mic in my face. “Official statement in ten minutes. Anyone who touches her? Try me.”
Ten minutes later.
Peterson Group’s official account posted legal threats. And two videos. One, security footage of Rose asking someone to ghostwrite the proposal, her lips forming “just copy
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something.” Crystal clear. Two, the full, uned ted recording of that pitch meeting.
Public opinion flipped in an hour.
Someone even compared Rose’s lifestyle to mine over the years. The mob turned on the
Mitchells. Rose deleted her post, locked comments. Heard she trashed her room, had an “asthma attack,” ended up in the hospital.
That night, Ethan drove me home.
Warm car. My leg relaxed.
“Thanks.”
He stared ahead, calm. “Don’t thank me. You did nothing wrong. Oh, and that
apartment? Move. Security’s crap.”
He handed me keys. “Company-owned flat near the office. Staff housing. Rent comes
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Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Her fifth daughter died, so she deleted his bloodline.