The moment the article hit the internet, everything shifted.
Agnes sat in her living room, the television playing in the background, but her attention was fixed on the phone in her hand. The notifications were endless—messages of support, threats, warnings, and outright condemnation. It was as if the entire world had turned its gaze on her. She had expected some fallout, but this... this was something else.
The world was watching. And so were her father's people.
Majek paced in front of her, his eyes sharp as he checked his phone again. "The media's gone wild. I just spoke to Tolu—she says your father's legal team is already working on a counter-story. They're trying to discredit everything. They've even got people spinning lies about you, making it look like you were manipulated by me."
Agnes's stomach twisted, the thought of her father's manipulative machine turning its gears against her once again. "That's exactly what they do. They'll try to paint me as a victim—someone who didn't know better, who was under his control." She clenched her fists. "But they won't win. Not this time."
Majek stopped pacing and knelt in front of her, his eyes steady and full of resolve. "You're right. They won't win. We're not backing down. But we need to be prepared. If we do this, we need to go all in."
Her heart raced. "What do you mean?"
"There's more to this than just exposing the financials. We need to go after the core of his power—his political connections, his dirty dealings. Everything. The truth needs to be undeniable."
Agnes nodded, feeling the weight of their shared mission. "Then we do it. We tear everything down."
But even as she said it, doubt gnawed at her. She had been raised to be careful, to protect the family name, to hide the dirt beneath the surface. Now, she was choosing to expose it all. She had never been so sure of anything—and yet, a part of her couldn't shake the fear that the consequences would be far more devastating than she could predict.
The Backlash
By the next morning, the tide of public opinion had shifted—if only slightly. The story had dominated the headlines for hours, but the powerful machinery of her father's influence was already working behind the scenes to silence the truth. His legal team had released a counter-statement, calling the allegations "false and fabricated." They painted Agnes as an emotional, unstable heir who had been manipulated by outsiders, namely Majek.
The public was divided. Some believed the accusations. Others sided with her father, dismissing the article as a baseless attack on his legacy.
But it was the private messages and phone calls that truly terrified her.
Every time Agnes checked her phone, it was another threat. Anonymous accounts online warned her to "back off" or else. A few even went so far as to say she would regret crossing her father.
"Agnes, don't you dare think you're going to get away with this," one of the messages read. "We'll make sure the world knows what a liar you really are."
And still, amid the hate, there were messages of support. From the few that mattered most.
From people who had been silenced, from workers who had never had a voice. Agnes felt their hope like a beacon.
But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
The Showdown
The worst part about the storm was the constant feeling of being watched. Agnes couldn't go anywhere without someone making a comment, whether on social media or in person. She couldn't go out in public without feeling like eyes were on her. Every whisper felt like a knife digging deeper into her skin.
But it wasn't the public pressure that had her on edge now. It was her father.
He hadn't called. Not yet.
She had spent days dreading the moment when he would finally reach out, when he would twist her into someone she no longer recognized. She had spent her entire life being his obedient daughter, but now, she was a threat to everything he had worked for. The realization hit her hard—this wasn't just a fight for freedom. It was a fight for survival.
That night, after hours of strategizing with Majek, Agnes received the call.
"Agnes," her father's voice crackled over the line, cold and deliberate. "I suggest you put an end to this madness before things escalate any further. This isn't a game. I will make sure you regret this decision, I promise you."
Her heart pounded as she stared at the phone, her father's words sinking deep into her chest. For years, she had been conditioned to obey him, to be his pawn. And now... now, the world was watching. She wasn't just his daughter anymore. She was his greatest enemy.
"You've gone too far this time," he continued, his tone venomous. "This article—this stunt—it's going to ruin everything. Do you think the public will forgive you? Do you think they'll side with someone like him?"
His words were laced with hate, venom dripping from every syllable. But Agnes wasn't afraid.
"I'm not your puppet anymore, Father," she said, her voice steady, cutting through the tension like a knife. "I'm done hiding your lies. You'll have to face the truth, whether you like it or not."
There was a long pause on the other end. Then, her father's voice returned, colder than ever.
"You'll regret this, Agnes. I'll make sure of it."
The line went dead.
Agnes put the phone down slowly, a knot tightening in her stomach. She knew what this meant. This wasn't just a battle for her reputation. This was a battle for her soul.
But there was no going back now.
"Are you okay?" Majek asked from across the room, his eyes full of concern. He had heard the tension in her voice, felt the weight of her words.
Agnes took a deep breath, wiping a tear that had unexpectedly slipped down her cheek. "I will be. We will be."
Majek walked over to her, standing beside her. His hand gently cupped hers, the warmth of his touch a reminder that, even in the darkest times, they were in this together.
"We're not backing down, Agnes. We've already made our choice. And we're stronger than you think."
Agnes nodded, feeling the truth of his words settle inside her. She wasn't alone in this fight. She had Majek by her side. And that, in this moment, was enough.
The Final Blow
The next day, the media storm hit full force. Tolu's article had opened the floodgates, and more whistleblowers began to emerge from SMG Conglomerate. Former employees, investors, and politicians began speaking out, all corroborating what Agnes and Majek had uncovered. The tide of public opinion began to shift in their favor—slowly but surely.
But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
Agnes and Majek knew that they needed to land the final blow—something that would cripple her father's empire once and for all. The only way to do that was to expose the full extent of his political corruption, the web of power he had woven for years.
They couldn't trust anyone in the company anymore, not even the ones who had helped them. The only way forward was to go directly to the people.
And so, with Tolu's help, they made a bold move.
At 8:00 AM, the world was once again rocked. This time, it wasn't just an article.
It was a live broadcast.