The cost

The next second, Matthew snatched John’s phone from him. Matthew’s eyes burned as he scanned the screen, his jaw clenched. In this age of digital wildfire, a single post could ignite a storm, especially with their kind of high–profile background.

On the display, a long–dormant social media account had suddenly sprung to life with a post that screamed Mia’s style. It read: [No affair, not a homewrecker, just a peaceful divorce. The comments section, however, was anything but peaceful, seething with venomous words that stoked Matthew’s already simmering rage

“Sir, what should we do about this?” John Enally managed to ask, his voice wavering.

“Get rid of those nasty con

comments immediately,” Matthew commanded sternly, his tone leaving no room for debate. He couldn’t stand the thought of his personal life being dissected by the public.

John nodded and set to work. But before he could even start, the vitriolic comments vanished, along with all the gossip about Matthew and Mia’s divorce. The cleanup was so swift that even John, a seasoned PR expert, was left stunned. He wondered, Who could possibly outmaneuver the most elite PR team in town?”

Outside Reed Villa, as the car pulled to a stop. Eliot’s fingers flew over his keyboard, his gaze landing on the woman in the passenger seat. “Ms. Reed, it’s done. All traces of your information online have been wiped clean”

“Good job,” Mia replied, sliding off her sunglasses, completely unaware that she had become the source of Matthew’s current turmoil. She casually cleaned her glasses and added, “You know how to handle my identity details going forward, right!“.

“Yes,” Eliot affirmed, though internally, he marveled at her meticulous discretion

Sensing his thoughts. Mia reassured him with a soft tone. “Don’t worry, my secrets won’t drag the Reed family into any trouble. I just don’t want to be shackled by the past At least, for the sake of the child she was carrying, she must never have any contact with Matthew again.

After settling the online chaos, Mia stepped out of the car and made her way slowly to the villa. Now that she was the head of the Reed family, it was time to start weeding our the rol.

Inside the villa, Mia immediately noticed three figures waiting in the living room. David lounged against the sofa like an unpleasant tyrant and questioned her as soon as she walked in. David began, his voice dripping with false concern. “Mia, I don’t mean to judge, but you’d better explain this.” He shoved a tablet across the codee table roward her, a photo of her and Manhew at the courthouse glaring up at her.

Though his words sounded like an accusation, the smug satisfaction in his tone was unmistakable. Mia didn’t flinch. “It’s exactly as it looks. What’s there to explain!”

Her cousin Kirsten Reed chimed in, her voice laced with scorn. “Min, you got a divorce without telling anyone. If this gets out, it’ll be a disgrace to our family

Ivan Reed, Kirsten’s sister, scoffed, “Kirsten, you’re wrong. Who even knows she’s one of us! After that scandal five years ago, she never appeared in a newspaper. But now it looks like she’s finally making headlines again.”

David. feigning sternness, rebuked his children, though the mockery in his eyes was clear. “Don’t be so rude to your cousin! Mia, I know you’ve been through a lot these past few years, but if people find out who you really are, your rash decision could ruin the Eldoria Group.”

Mia merely smiled, fully aware that they were still vying for control of the company. “It’s not that serious, Uncle David. Since I managed to handle my divorce, I can handle the consequences, she said softly but firmly, raising her eyebrow playfully, “Well, you’ve clearly gone to great lengths to get that photo, just to confront me the moment I walked through the door.”

“I’ve managed to silence the entire internet, so I can certainly handle a few remarks from you,” she continued with a sneer. “Remember, we’re all in the same boat. If I go down, none of you will excape unscathed. And if any word of my identity leaks, Uncle David, you’ll likely be the first one to face the consequences.”

ex

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