Chapter 4 - The Counter-Attack
The news of the impending criminal investigation hit Linda like a freight train. But instead of surrendering, the Vance women dug in their heels. Desperate people do desperate things, and Linda Vance was a master of psychological warfare.
Two days after Ethan discovered the truth, a video went viral on local San Diego Facebook groups and TikTok.
In the video, Linda sat in a poorly lit, cramped apartment (which she had rented for a day just for the optics), weeping heavily into a handkerchief. Beside her sat Chloe, Madison, and Olivia, all looking pale and distraught.
"My son, Ethan Vance, has abandoned us," Linda sobbed into the camera. "Ever since he met his new fiancé, he changed. He became controlling. When we tried to help his fiancé around the house, he flew into a violent rage. He threw us out of our family home in the middle of the night. Now, my daughters and I have nothing. He has frozen our assets and is using his wealth and corporate connections to frame me for financial fraud just to keep his father’s inheritance all to himself. Please, share this. Don't let a wealthy corporate manager destroy his own mother."
The video exploded. Within twelve hours, it had over two million views.
The internet, quick to judge without facts, unleashed a torrent of hate. Ethan’s architectural firm was bombarded with one-star reviews. Angry comments flooded his company’s LinkedIn page. His boss called him into a panicked emergency meeting via Zoom.
"Ethan, this is a PR disaster," his boss, Richard, said, looking stressed. "The board is panicking. Clients are threatening to pull out of our multi-million dollar luxury high-rise projects if we keep you as the lead project manager. You need to fix this family mess, or we’ll have to suspend you."
"It's a lie, Richard. She stole millions from me and forged my signature," Ethan explained, his voice tight.
"I believe you, Ethan, but public perception is everything," Richard sighed. "Right now, you're the villain who threw his grieving mother into the street. Fix it. Fast."
Ethan closed his laptop. He felt the walls closing in. He walked down the hospital corridor toward Emily’s room. He needed to see her face to remind himself what he was fighting for.
But when he opened the door, his heart stopped.
Emily’s eyes were open.
She was awake. She looked incredibly weak, her pale skin contrasting with the white hospital sheets, but she was looking right at him.
"Ethan..." she whispered, her voice incredibly raspy.
"Emily!" Ethan rushed to her side, falling to his knees and grasping her hand, kissing it repeatedly. "Oh my god, you're awake. You're back."
"The... the baby?" she gasped, terror instantly flooding her eyes as she remembered the fall.
"He's alive, Emily. He's in the NICU. He's fighting. He looks just like you," Ethan smiled through his tears, trying to soothe her.
Emily let out a ragged sob of relief, but then she looked at Ethan’s face, noticing the deep dark circles under his eyes, the absolute exhaustion radiating from him. She reached up with a trembling hand, touching his cheek.
"I heard them," Emily whispered.
Ethan blinked. "Who?"
"Your mother... and sisters," Emily said, a tear rolling down her temple. "Before I fell... they told me that if I didn't get rid of the baby, they would make sure you hated me. They told me I was just a temporary distraction. Ethan... they didn't just make me clean. They... they threatened me. Madison pushed me right before I slipped. It wasn't an accident."
Ethan’s blood turned to liquid ice. Madison pushed her.
"They told me if I told you, they would ruin your career," Emily sobbed. "I was so scared, Ethan. I'm so sorry."
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Ethan gripped her hand tighter, his knuckles cracking. The internet thought his family were the victims. The world thought he was the monster.
"Don't cry, Emily," Ethan said, his voice dead and cold. "They want a public war? I’m going to give them an execution."
