Chapter 301

Natasha's livestream was a masterclass in manipulation. Her tear-streaked face and trembling lips played perfectly to the audience's voyeuristic tendencies.

With calculated precision, she spun a web of lies, positioning Vivian as the villain in her carefully constructed narrative.

The implication was clear - despite Vivian's marriage to Adrian, she'd allegedly been stringing Maxwell along, fueling his obsession until it turned violent.

Natasha's dramatic pause before revealing her "rape" sent shockwaves through the chat. Viewers ate up every word, their outrage growing with each fabricated detail.

She even flashed what appeared to be official medical documents. Though they contained no direct evidence against Vivian, the bureaucratic stamp lent credibility to her claims.

Sympathy flooded the comments, but Natasha wasn't after pity. This was strategic warfare.

Her true objective? Forcing Vivian to bail out Richard's failing enterprise - Dawson Enterprises.

The company had been Catherine's brainchild, built from her life savings and family connections. She'd nurtured it through its infancy before marriage shifted her priorities.

When Catherine handed the reins to Richard, the decline began. Now, years later, Dawson Enterprises stood on the brink of collapse.

Desperate, Richard had first tried exploiting Maxwell's obsession with Vivian. Then, when Vivian married Adrian, he'd briefly considered targeting Blackwood Group before realizing his mistake.

"That bastard Maxwell should've married that snake Natasha from the start," Audrey hissed, stabbing her salad with unnecessary force. "They're made for each other - both determined to drag you down with them."

Across the table, Vivian's grip on her cutlery tightened. Her mind was miles away from their lunch.

She mechanically speared a piece of chicken, dipped it in Audrey's homemade dressing, and chewed without tasting. "They're drowning," she said quietly. "And they'll pull anyone under to save themselves."

The food turned to ash in her mouth, her appetite destroyed by the growing storm.

The rumors themselves didn't frighten Vivian - she'd weathered worse. What kept her up at night was the potential fallout for her current project.

Negative publicity could derail everything.

Fortunately, Natasha's livestream was short-lived. Reports flooded in, and the platform took it down within hours. But screenshots were already circulating.

Vivian's phone buzzed incessantly. The first call came from Damien, his voice tight with concern. "Vivian, have you seen Natasha's broadcast?"

"Yes," Vivian sighed, exhaustion weighing down the single syllable. "And she's not my sister - she's my stepmother's daughter."

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