Elizabeth woke up to the sound of hushed voices in the living room. The penthouse, usually serene in the mornings, was alive with an undercurrent of urgency. Sliding out of bed, she threw on a robe and padded barefoot toward the commotion.
Xavier stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his phone pressed to his ear, his sharp tone carrying across the room. Victoria and Clara were seated on the couches, their laptops open, screens glowing with news articles and emails.
"...I don't care what it costs," Xavier was saying, his voice cold with authority. "Shut it down before it gains traction."
Elizabeth's stomach knotted. Another attack.
Clara noticed her first, her gaze softening. "Good morning, Elizabeth," she said, though her tone lacked its usual warmth.
"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked, her voice tight.
Xavier ended his call and turned to her, his expression a mix of anger and concern. "Thomas isn't stopping. He's taken the story international—feeding it to foreign tabloids, painting you as some kind of scandalous figure who climbed her way to the top."
Elizabeth's heart sank. She sat down, her legs suddenly weak. "International?"
Victoria nodded, swiveling her laptop around to show Elizabeth the headlines. Bold letters screamed accusations across every page:
"The Gold-Digging Heiress: Elizabeth Cole's Secrets Exposed"
"From Rags to Riches: The Truth About Xavier Cole's Wife"
"Scandals and Lies: The Woman Behind the Billionaire"
Elizabeth felt like she was falling, the ground beneath her crumbling. She'd faced rumors and judgment before, but this? This was an all-out assault on her character, her life.
"What do we do?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Xavier crouched in front of her, taking her hands in his. "We fight back. I've already got my legal team issuing takedown notices, and Clara is working on new angles for the media. But Elizabeth…" He paused, his jaw tightening. "This is going to get worse before it gets better."
Her chest constricted. "How much worse?"
Xavier hesitated. Victoria answered for him.
"Thomas isn't just going after your reputation—he's trying to unravel everything Xavier has built. If he can convince the board that Xavier's judgment is compromised because of you, he'll push for Xavier to be removed as CEO."
Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Removed?"
Xavier's voice was steady, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "He's not going to succeed. I built Cole Enterprises from the ground up. I won't let him take it."
The rest of the day was a blur of meetings and strategy sessions. Elizabeth felt like a spectator in her own life, watching as Xavier and his team worked tirelessly to contain the fallout.
But as the hours dragged on, she realized something: she couldn't just sit back and let everyone else fight for her. She had to take control of her own narrative.
That evening, as Xavier reviewed a list of potential allies on the board, Elizabeth approached him.
"I want to do an interview," she said, her voice firm.
Xavier looked up, his brow furrowing. "An interview?"
"With a trusted journalist," she clarified. "Someone who won't twist my words. If Thomas wants to drag my name through the mud, I'm going to tell my story myself."
Xavier studied her, his expression unreadable. "Are you sure? Once you put yourself out there, it's going to invite even more scrutiny."
Elizabeth nodded. "I'm sure. I can't hide anymore, Xavier. If I stay silent, I'm letting him win."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "All right. But we're doing this on our terms. I'll have Clara set it up."
Two days later, Elizabeth found herself sitting in a tastefully decorated studio, facing one of the most respected journalists in the industry, Diane Carter. The cameras were rolling, and every word she said would be broadcast to millions.
Diane offered her a reassuring smile. "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Elizabeth. I know this hasn't been an easy time for you."
Elizabeth returned the smile, though her nerves were palpable. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity."
The interview began with soft questions—about her life before meeting Xavier, her passions, her work. But soon, Diane shifted to the elephant in the room.
"Let's address the rumors head-on," Diane said gently. "There are claims that you've been dishonest about your past and that your relationship with Xavier is more about power than love. How do you respond to that?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath, her heart pounding. "I won't deny that my life before Xavier wasn't easy. I come from a small town, and I've had my share of struggles. But every decision I've made was to survive and build a better future for myself.
"When I met Xavier, I wasn't looking for wealth or status. I was looking for a partner, someone who saw me for who I truly am. And that's what I found in him."
Diane nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "And the accusations about your past relationships? Specifically, your connection to Mario?"
Elizabeth felt a surge of anger but kept her tone composed. "Mario was a part of my life before Xavier. We ended things long before I met my husband. He has his own reasons for getting involved in this mess, but I won't let his mistakes define me."
The interview continued for nearly an hour, with Elizabeth speaking candidly about her life, her marriage, and her determination to rise above the smear campaign. By the time it ended, she felt both exhausted and empowered.
That night, as she and Xavier watched the interview air, Elizabeth braced herself for the public reaction. But to her surprise, messages of support began flooding in.
On social media, hashtags like #IStandWithElizabeth and #TruthOverLies began trending. Even major news outlets praised her for her poise and honesty.
Xavier turned to her, pride shining in his eyes. "You were incredible."
Elizabeth leaned against him, a small smile playing on her lips. "We're not out of the woods yet, but maybe...just maybe, we're starting to turn the tide."
But as Elizabeth and Xavier celebrated their small victory, Thomas seethed in his office.
"Unbelievable," he snarled, throwing a glass against the wall.
His assistant flinched but stood firm. "The media is starting to shift in their favor. If we don't act soon, we'll lose our leverage."
Thomas's eyes burned with fury. "Then we escalate. I don't care what it takes—find me something I can use. Something that will destroy them both for good."
The battle was far from over, and Thomas was prepared to go to any lengths to win. But Xavier and Elizabeth weren't backing down. The war between brothers was just beginning to reach its boiling point.