Chapter 434 A Confession and a Lawsuit
Fitlished
“You know,” Eliza said, “when I first met you, you were so cold and gruff. Totally unapproachable. I really thought you were targeting me or something. I was scared of you.”
“No wonder you kept avoiding me,” Nolan replied with mock offense. “It was because I looked foo fierce.. huh? Well, what about now? Am I still scary?”
Eliza thought for a second. “No. Not anymore. Now you’re really sweet to me.”
“I overheard you just now,” Nolan said with a grin. “You told Tristan you liked me.”
Eliza flushed. She’d been stating a fact, not making a declaration, and hadn’t realized she said it until now. “I didn’t! You must’ve heard wrong.”
“I don’t mishear things,” he replied, smiling. “I definitely heard you say you liked me.”
“Enough already!” Eliza waved him off. “Just pretend it was a slip of the tongue. I didn’t get any sleep thanks to Tristan sending movers over first thing this morning. I’m going back to bed – you should head to work.”
But just as she got up, Nolan reached out and caught her by the arm.
“Don’t go.”
Thrown off balance, she tumbled into his arms.
Since the whole incident with Elaine, Eliza had kept some distance between them. This was the first time she’d said she liked him since then.
“Eliza,” Nolan whispered, “be mine. Stay with me. Forever.”
Meanwhile, in a luxury hotel room, Elaine hurled her phone across the room in a fury.
In just one night, the news coverage had completely shifted. It was like the whole world had forgotten she’d ever been engaged to Nolan. The comment sections were flooded with positive spins, and Nolan’s PR team had done such a clean sweep that even her own smear campaign couldn’t gain traction.
She had paid good money to discredit Eliza – and yet all those critical posts were deleted within minutes.
To make matters worse, Nolan’s team had released an official statement. The document claimed Elaine suffered from mental health issues, that there had never been any real relationship between her and Nolan, and that their engagement had been entirely arranged. It even hinted that Elaine had feelings for Nolan’s uncle, thus painting Eliza in a sympathetic light rather than as a homewrecker.
“You worthless idiot!” Elaine screamed at the reporter standing before her. “I paid you to destroy Eliza’s reputation, and this is what I get? You’re useless!”
The reporter shifted uncomfortably. “Ms. Elaine, we really did try. But Mr. Hayes‘ team is too powerful. We’re just a small outfit. We don’t have the resources to go up against someone like that.”
He added, “Last night, Hayes Corp actually called our office. They warned us that if we kept publishing defamatory stories, we could shut down for good.”
As he spoke, he placed an envelope of cash on the table.
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Chapter 434 A Confession and a Lawsuit
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“Here’s the money you gave us. Aside from a few fees, we’re returning it all. We can’t help you. Good luck. Ms. Elaine.”
And with that, he turned and ran before she could unleash another tirade.
Elaine was livid. After spending all that money, she still hadn’t managed to bring Eliza down.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Frowning, Elaine opened it to find a delegation from Hayes Corp Nolan’s personal secretary, several assistants, and an entire legal team.
Her stomach dropped.
“What are you doing here?”
One of the assistants stepped forward. “Mr. Hayes sent us.”
For a moment, Elaine’s heart lifted. Maybe Nolan had remembered her.
But the next words shattered that illusion.
“Ms. Elaine, due to your deliberate attempts to defame Ms. Sue online, Mr. Hayes has decided to take legal action. This is our legal team. If you have anything to say, please address it to them.”
Elaine’s smile slowly vanished.
“What are you talking about?! When did I spread any lies?”
Unmoved, the assistant presented a thick file of evidence. The first piece was a record of Elaine’s anonymous post – the one where she uploaded a photo of Eliza and Matteo. It had been posted from one of Elaine’s own burner accounts, easily traceable.
The assistant then produced transcripts of Elaine’s conversations with the news outlet’s editor–in–chief, detailing her request to smear Eliza.
It was more than enough to prove that Elaine had orchestrated the entire slander campaign.
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