The drizzling rain soaking Manhattan that morning added a somber gray hue to the Caldwell estate. Inside the grand library of Green Garden, the scent of aged oak and steaming coffee failed to dampen the tension creeping through the air. Victoria Caldwell sat regally in her high-backed chair, her eyes fixed on a tablet displaying a collection of the last twenty-four hours' headlines.
Her sharp eyes narrowed as she scanned the increasingly wild titles. They were no longer just attacking Julian; they had made Scarlett the target of a full-scale character assassination. Tabloids had begun using words like "manipulator," "toxic influence," and "dynasty destroyer."
"Thomas," Victoria called out, her voice low yet vibrating with an indisputable authority.
"Yes, Madam?" her trusted assistant stepped forward from the shadows of the bookshelves.
