Chapter 61 — The Cost of Truth
The world did not applaud forever.
Kiera learned that before midnight.
By the time the sun dipped beneath the skyline and the glass walls of Nightwell Holdings reflected nothing but darkness, the praise had already begun to sour. Headlines shifted tone. Comment sections turned feral. Sympathy twisted into suspicion.
Truth always had a short shelf life.
Kiera sat on the edge of the couch, phone in her hand, scrolling slowly. Each article felt like a paper cut.
"HERO OR MANIPULATOR?"
"IS KIERA FROST USING TRAUMA TO DESTROY A BILLIONAIRE?"
"QUESTIONS RISE AFTER SHOCKING PRESS CONFERENCE."
She exhaled shakily and locked the screen.
"So it begins," she murmured.
Kade stood by the window, jaw tight, phone pressed to his ear. He hadn't stopped moving since they returned home—pacing, strategizing, absorbing calls from lawyers, board members, security heads.
