The news hit like a thunderclap, a headline so explosive it seemed to rattle the foundations of everything Malia had worked for. Her company, the one she'd built from the ground up, the one she had fought to keep afloat through every storm, was now in the center of a scandal. The financial discrepancies—the fraudulent payments, the doctored documents, the illegal transfers—were all laid out for the world to see. And Malia? She was the one everyone blamed.
Her phone buzzed incessantly, the screen filled with a barrage of notifications—news outlets, social media, messages from business partners, and even clients. Her inbox was flooded with requests for comments, interviews, and, worst of all, demands for answers.
"Malia, where are you?" Lucas's voice crackled through the phone when she finally picked up. She could hear the panic in his tone. He was one of the few people who hadn't immediately turned on her, but even he was struggling to mask his concern.
