Her

Night had fallen, and Matilda was enjoying a n 

rare moment of peace in the back of her red Bentley, cruising down the highway towards downtown. 

“Mrs. Berry, we’ve got trouble! Max said, thrusting a tablet into her hands, his voice tinged with panic. 

Her eyes flew open, radiating intensity. Ever since Christian’s birthday party last week, it had been one disaster after another, some threatening their very lives. So the mere mention of “Trouble” had her on edge. 

“It’s about Miss Helen… Max’s voice faltered. 

Matilda grabbed the tablet and was immediately hit with a trending headline screaming, “Scandal Between Helen Berry and the Directors. 

Right beneath the trend about “Berry Group’s Stock Surge, another headline caught her eye. “Murder Rumors Involving Helen” 

Her hand trembled as she tapped on the link, and that video played. 

Her heart skipped a heat seeing Helen on the screen. Matilda sucked in a breath and dialed a mimber quickly. 

“Nixon, Helen’s video weren’t you supposed to have scrubbed all this shit from the net? Why the hell is it trending again?” she demanded. 

Just when she thought this mess was cleaned up, with money and effort poured into silencing it, it resurfaced, casting Helen into the unforgiving spotlight once more. 

The consequences were unimaginable. 

Trending What the hell are you talking about? Nixon sounded clueless on the other end. He was swamped with hospital duties and out of the loop. 

“Nixon, if Helen gets hurt, you’re fucked. Remember that” Matilda snapped, her voice ice–cold. 

She had invested everything to protect Helen, giving Nixon whatever he needed to deal with the mess. He had promised her he would handle it But he didn’t make it 

“Look, Matilda, I care about Helen as much as you do. I’m on it. I swear” Nixon reassured her quickly. 

“Pull that headline now and clean up this mess tonight?” she demanded, her tone booking no argument, and then she hung up, cutting the call short. 

In his office at Fraley Hospital, Nixon swiped through his tablet, reviewing the trending topics. His expression darkened as he made another call. 

“Why the hell is that video still up? Are you guys trying to get fired His voice was icy, slicing through the media company on the other end. 

The director stammered. “Mr. Donovan, we’ve had our hackers on it, but the video’s encryption is tough–top–notch security. We haven’t cracked in yet. But we have found that the source is an overseas site. They’re damn good. We’re on in, but it’s a tough nut to crack.” 

Nixon was taken aback. Fraley Medical was a leader in tech, employing the best hackers in Vaporleon City. Yet, the opposition seemed even more formidable. There was now a blatant smear campaign targeting Helen and Matilda. 

ad this. 

He couldn’t firgue out who was behind 

“Handle this now, immediately!” Nixon barked into the phone, then quickly briefed Matilda on the situation. 

“Could it be Lea?” Matilda’s face tensed, her voice shaky. – 

“That kid?” Nixon’s tone dripped with disdain. 

Lea was a prodigy who had developed a sophisticated AI, but it was built on Berry Group’s tech and supported by their veteran researchers. They’d even enlisted a world–class international Al team to adapt it for medical applications. In Nixon’s view, Lea was still just a talented kid, overly reliant on others, hardly someone who could fend for herself. But Matilda’s concern inade him take note. 

“Isn’t she supposed to be under your watch?’ he prodded. 

Matilda paused, weighing her thoughts carefully, then exhaled slowly. “Il tighten surveillance on Lea. You need to clean up this online mess immediately. Find out who’s behind this video. I want them gone–vanished!” 

Sening an opportunity, Matilda ended the call swiftly, switched devices, and dialed another number, her eyes flashing with resolve. 

“What’s Lea u 

up to now! 

“Doing homeworks, studying for the SAT examTM 

0 

5.11 PM 

As they spoke, a photo was sent–Lea at her desk, papers and books strewn about. The test paper was in clear view. 

Matilda smirked. “Still dreaming of Conrad University, huh” She mused, then returned the phone to her ear. “Keep a 

a close watch on her Alert me immediately if anything seems of 

“Yes, Mrs. Berry,” the man replied. 

In Lea’s room on the second floor of the Berry Mansion, a window popped up on her computer–a screenshot from a hidden camera outside her window. Matilda had placed a few before, but Lea’s servants kept finding and removing them. Only this one remained, slyly hidden behind a muutain, capturing just a comer of her desk. 

Matilda thought she was cunning, but she underestimated Lea, who had her own secrets and skills, unbeknownst to anyone else. 

Just as Matilda ended the call her phone rang again. It was Shawn, and she answered with a frown. 

“Ms. Fraley, I need 100 million immediately. I have to leave the country!” Shawn shouted. 

Matilda’s jaw dropped “100 million dollars?” 

“It’s not a lot, Ms. Fraley. Im not asking for the moon. Just what’s needed for your daughter’s sake. Can you expedite the transfer?” Shawn’s urgency bled through the phone. “Ill also take Mr. Jensen with me, no loose ends.” 

Matilda was seething. Aside from her family’s enormous wealth, 

had married into billions. 

However, to stabilize Berry Group’s stock, she had liquidated her assets–mansions, jewelry, cars–all sold. Now she was billions in debt, with interest piling up by the millions daily. She couldn’t believe he was asking for 100 million 

“What the hell is going on? Why the sudden need to flee?” she asked. 

“Helen’s video’s surfaced again, it’s all over the news, and now we’re getting sued!” Shawn shouted. 

“Sued Matila questioned. 

“Yeah, it’s a big deal. If I get caught, I can’t guarantee Helen’s secrets stay buried. You need to send that money, fast he urged. 

Matilda was overwhelmed. If Shawn spilled the beans about Christian’s birthday party, both her and Helen’s reputations would be ruined. 

She had already spent a fortune making those two take the fall for her daughter, arranging for them to lay low abroad, hoping people would forger Hoever, they were deeply embedded in the entertainment industry, controlling companies, investing in films and TV shows, and signing dual contracts with artists. Breaking away from these ties would be complicated. 

Her media company, alongside Nixon, was already in the works to acquire all that. She had previously ensured they were well–compensated. ‘Now they want another 100 million? Even if 1 have it, i wouldn’t send it she thought. 

“I gotta hit the airport now. When am I getting that money? Just book me a flight, alright? Doesn’t the Berry family have a private jet or something?” Shawn exclaimed 

Matilda was seething with rage as Shawn’s demands escalated. “Yeah, the Berrys have a jet, but it’s not like it’s ready to jer off just because you snapped your fucking fingers. He is really overstepping now, she thought 

“You figure out your own escape plan, I’ll handle the finances…” Matilda stated. 

“Matilda, if I knew what to do, I wouldn’t be on the phone with you,” he interrupted impatiently. “Just send the monry and get me on any flight- private or commercial I don’t care, just make it happen now.” 

Matilda was about to lose her cool when she heard a loud crash through the phone, followed by a commotion 

“What the hell is going on there a servant shouted in the background. 

“We are making a lawful arrest. Do not interfere,” a stern voice responded. 

Then, the call abruptly ended. 

“Hello Hello?” Matilda called out a few times, but it was to no avail 

A sinking feeling took over as she realized Shawn had been arrested. If he spilled everything. Helen’s secrets would be out in the open. 

No, I can’t allow that to happen, Matilda vowed internally. 

That evening, the entertaiment industry in Vaporleon City was stunned by a headline. “Shawn Bowen, a major entertainment mogul, arrested on serious charges.” The news exploded across all media platforms. 

A series of shocking revelations followed. 

“Multiple actresses accuse Shawn of exploitation” 

“Shawn allegedly abuses a famous actress who k 

kills herself five years ago. 

“Shawn’s group is accused of manipulating their artists” 

“Chandler is identified as a member of Shawn’s circle.” 

“Shawn and Chandler are implicated in a scandal with heiress Helen Berry 

The internet was flooded with photos and videos: the police dragging Shawn from his home, his arrest making waves far beyond the entertainment 

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