Just My Hockey Roommate’s Filthy Desires by Esther Pen novel Chapter 225

Chapter 225

Chapter 225

ÁRIA’S POV

The next morning, the sun rose over the city like a brilliant, sharp blade. I sat in the back of the sleek black car, my fingers laced tightly together in my lap.

The media hall was only ten minutes away, and my phone was already exploding with notifications.

The internet was still completely on fire from yesterday’s leak, but inside my chest, the panic had completely dried up. There was only a cold, hard focus left behind.

Brandon sat right next to me, his presence large and comforting in the quiet car. He didn’t say a word about Julian. He didn’t ask me if I was sure about doing this alone.

Instead, he reached across the leather seat, took my hands in his, and brought them up to his lips. He pressed a warm, lingering kiss against my knuckles.

“You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, Aria,” Brandon said, his deep voice carrying a wave of absolute certainty. “But I know you want to prove yourself today. Just remember, no matter what happens inside that room, I am standing right behind you. My legal teams, my security, and my entire heart are yours. Use my strength if yours starts to shake.”

I looked into his dark eyes and felt a sudden rush of warmth. He wasn’t trying to take over. He was simply the solid ground beneath my feet. “Thank you, Brandon,” I whispered, squeezing his hand back. “I won’t shake.”

When the car pulled up to the venue, the scene outside was chaotic. Dozens of news vans were parked along the curb, and reporters were already crowding around the entrance.

Brandon stepped out first, his tall body instantly blocking the view of the flashing cameras. He reached back to help me out. keeping his arm firmly around my waist as his security team pushed a clear path for us through the shouting crowd.

Backstage, the air was thick with stress. Chloe was pacing back and forth, her face/incredibly pale as she clutched her tablet.

“Miss Aria, thank goodness you are here,” Chloe gasped, rushing over. “The room is completely packed. Every major financial network, gossip channel, and local newspaper is out there. They are looking for anything that could ruin you after yesterday. Are you sure you don’t want to release a written statement instead?

“No,” I said, my voice completely flat and steady. “A written statement looks like a shield for a coward. I am going out there.”

I walked over to the backstage mirror. I wore a sharp, snow-white suit today, a striking contrast to the dark storm the media had been

nd my family name.

used to belong to my father, drawing one last breath of courage from his memory. Brandon

rge hands on my shoulders.

idn’t say anything. He just gave me a firm, solid nod. It was all the reassurance I needed.

my head high, and stepped through the heavy curtains onto the stage.

e hall erupted. The

sects.

of dozens of camera shutters clicking at maximum speed sounded

my eyes, but I didn’t blink. I

a a calm precision that made,,th slow, deliberate steps up to the podium, adjusting the

slowly fall into a tense silence.

at the sea of eager, aggressive faces. I could see the doubts in their eyes. They expected a crying victim, or a angry executive. I gave them neither.

09:03 Thu, Jul 9

Chapter 225

55 voucher

“Good morning,” I began, my voice echoing through the speakers with a sharp, clear resonance. “Yesterday, a collection of stolen internal documents from our company was illegally leaked to the public. These files were manipulated and presented in a way to suggest that my late father’s legacy was built on fraud, and that this institution is crumbling. I am here today to give you the absolute truth.”

I opened my folder, sliding a set of certified documents onto the podium.

“The records leaked yesterday were outdated, incomplete drafts from an old project over four years ago. They do not reflect our current financial standing, nor do they reflect the legitimate, hard-earned success of my father’s work,” I said, looking directly into the main television cameras.

“I have already submitted our fully audited, legally verified financial statements from the past three years to the federal regulatory boards. By noon today, those official records will be fully accessible to the public.”

A reporter in the front row immediately shouted out, “Miss Aria, if the files are fake, who leaked them? There are rumorsit, came from someone close to you-an act of personal malice.”

A tiny, icy smirk touched the corner of my lips, but I kept my face professional. Julian wanted a war.

He wanted me to scream his name, to drag him into the spotlight, to show the world that he still had the power to affect my life. I was going to deny him that satisfaction completely.

“The source of the leak is currently the subject of an active criminal investigation by our cyber-security and legal teams,” I replied coldly, dismissing the question with a wave of my hand.

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