Chapter 417

Just when Dominic Reeves believed he had successfully reversed public opinion and was heading toward redemption, a viral video surfaced online, shattering his carefully constructed image.

An anonymous account uploaded the footage with the provocative caption: "I might have believed in true love... if only I hadn't witnessed this moment myself."

The video revealed Dominic standing outside Phoenix Labs' headquarters, clutching an extravagant bouquet of 99 blood-red roses. As the camera rolled, dozens of heart-shaped balloons ascended into the sky, each trailing satin ribbons bearing the embossed words: "Evelyn Carter, I'm yours forever."

Evelyn had strategically released this damning evidence. Multiple angles existed—security footage, bystander recordings—all showing the same humiliating spectacle. She'd refused to play dirty before, but since Dominic adored public spectacles, she'd give him one he'd never forget.

Dominic initially dismissed the video's impact. He even preened at the thought of his grand romantic gesture going viral. But as views skyrocketed, the ominous caption gnawed at him. "If only I hadn't witnessed this moment myself"—what hidden meaning lurked beneath those words?

Internet sleuths quickly pinpointed the location: Phoenix Labs' corporate headquarters. The timestamp on the balloons' ascent placed the incident mere days after Vanessa Blake's scandal broke.

Public sentiment shifted like quicksand. Comments flooded in:

"Wait—wasn't he supposedly heartbroken over Vanessa's downfall? Why was he love-bombing another woman during his 'grieving period'?"

"I defended this snake! The audacity to call Evelyn obsessive when he's the one staging these cringeworthy public displays!"

"Proof he was cheating all along! That 'poor wronged man' act makes me sick!"

Dominic watched helplessly as his reputation crumbled. How had one video undone months of careful image rehabilitation?

A handful of die-hard supporters attempted damage control:

"People move on! The breakup was amicable—why shouldn't he pursue happiness?"

"Deepfakes exist! This could be fabricated!"

But their voices drowned in the tidal wave of outrage. The court of public opinion had rendered its verdict: Dominic Reeves wasn't a tragic hero—he was the villain in Evelyn's story.