After her failed attempts to plant doubt in Lynam's mind, Michelle doubles down. She decides to target Xanthe directly, spreading rumors about Xanthe's supposed infidelity within Lynam's social and business circles.
Michelle stages a public confrontation at a social event, ensuring the press captures the interaction.
Michelle's voice rang out across the ballroom, loud enough to draw the attention of every guest.
"Xanthe," she said, her tone deceptively sweet, "I hear you've been spending quite a lot of time with other powerful men. Should Lynam be concerned?"
Xanthe froze mid-conversation with a pack elder, her sharp gaze slicing through Michelle's thinly veiled insult.
"And I hear you've been spending your time clinging to a past that doesn't belong to you," Xanthe replied, her voice calm but edged with steel.
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder as Michelle flushed but didn't back down.
"I wonder," Michelle continued, her smile brittle, "how many secrets you're keeping from him. A marriage built on lies never lasts, after all."
Lynam's arrival silenced the room. He stepped between the two women, his protective stance clear.
"Michelle," he said icily, "if you can't behave yourself, you're not welcome here."
His public defense of Xanthe earns her trust and solidifies her position, but the damage from Michelle's insinuations lingers.