Alexander's lips pressed into a thin line, his silence heavy in the air.

Dominic exhaled before continuing, "It was Nathan—always whispering in your ear, pushing you to file for divorce first. He thought it would teach Amy a lesson, make her come crawling back to you."

He shook his head, regret lacing his words. "But look where that got you. Not only hasn't Amy returned, but she's slipping further away with each passing day."

Dominic hesitated, then added quietly, "I know it's not my place to say this, but... Alex, I don't want to see you and your brother turn into enemies. You understand me, don't you?"

For a man who rarely spoke at length, this sudden flood of words was unusual.

Alexander's expression darkened, shadows of unspoken thoughts flickering across his face.

Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the office door.

"Alex—it's urgent! The police just arrested Nathan! His lawyer tried to post bail, but they refused."

Victoria stormed in, her face pale, eyes wide with panic.

"Alex, you have to do something. We need to get him out now."

Only after she finished speaking did she notice Dominic standing there.

"...Mr. Whitmore? I didn’t realize you were here."

Dominic gave a polite nod. "Ms. Langley."

Unlike Alexander and Nathan, Dominic never addressed her by her first name. There was always that unspoken distance, that invisible line he wouldn’t cross. It made her hesitate every time she considered calling him anything other than Mr. Whitmore.

She had mentioned it to Nathan once, offhandedly, but he had just waved it off. "Dominic? That's just how he is with everyone. Don't take it personally."

Alexander's voice, calm but edged with steel, cut through the tension.

"Why wasn’t bail granted?"

Victoria swallowed hard before explaining. "The internet is in an uproar. People are convinced Nathan is exactly the villain Amy painted him to be—some ruthless corporate predator. They're accusing him of filing false reports, slandering her, setting her up... The public is demanding the police throw the book at him."

She exhaled shakily. "This could have been dismissed as a misunderstanding, but..."

She hesitated, then dropped the bombshell. "Someone just leaked dirt on Nathan—claims he's not only reckless behind the wheel but that he once hit someone while drunk driving."

Her gaze flickered to Alexander, worry tightening her features. "The police are reopening the investigation based on these new allegations. If they stick..."

She didn’t need to finish. The implication was clear—Nathan could be facing serious jail time.

The air in the office grew suffocating, thick with unspoken dread.

Amy’s retaliation had spiraled beyond control.

Alexander’s jaw clenched. "What do the lawyers say?"

"There’s room to negotiate, given how long ago most of this happened. But public outrage is at an all-time high. People want blood."

She hesitated before continuing, "The lawyers say Nathan has two options. First, he could publicly apologize to Amy—which would mean admitting he orchestrated the smear campaign against her."

Alexander’s eyes narrowed. "And the second option?"

Victoria bit her lip. "Prescott Media Group could launch a counterattack—paint Amy as a manipulative opportunist, playing the victim to boost her brand. We could also leak that the viral videos that made her famous originated from Nathan’s own livestream. There’s room to spin it, but..."

But it would require Nathan to swallow his pride and take the fall. Worse, he’d have to promote Amy in the process—something he’d never agree to.

It would be a complete surrender—not only would he lose, but he’d be handing Amy even more fame on a silver platter.

This time, Amy was winning on every front—public sympathy, reputation, and free publicity.

Victoria didn’t care if Nathan took the hit. But watching Amy bask in victory? That was a poison she couldn’t swallow.