Chapter 4

At that evening's banquet, Dominic was unusually lively and chatty. He was normally aloof and distant, but he seemed like a different person that night. The guests milled around him and Zara, showering them with endless flattery. "Mr. Knight and Ms. Clarke, you're truly a match made in heaven." No one remembered that Dominic was already a married man. His wife, who had never shown her face in public, had been completely forgotten. When everyone saw the scandal-ridden Zara attending as Dominic's partner, they merely froze briefly, then continued flattering them even more enthusiastically. A smile played on Dominic's lips as he watched Zara navigate effortlessly among the business elites who had once shunned him. There was a hint of satisfaction in his gaze. On the ride back home, he told Zara, "Thank you for your hard work tonight." Zara flashed a smile. The tips of her fingers glided across his sleeve lightly. "Isn't this my job, Dominic? Once my reputation improves, I'll bring even greater benefits to the company." Hearing that, Dominic looked thoughtful. Back home, he returned to the bedroom and lay down beside Isobel. He wrapped an arm around her waist. Sensing Isobel trembling beneath him, he knew she was still awake. "Darling…" As Isobel stayed quiet, his low voice drifted past her ear again. "I only treated Zara kindly for the company. Her reputation is in shambles, and it's hurting us, so I came up with a plan. "Public opinion needs someone to blame. I'm going to fabricate a manager who's been exploiting and threatening her for years, someone who can take the fall for everything. Now, it's time to expose this supposed manager, and Zara will become the wronged victim who finally found the courage to speak up." He paused, then calmly delivered the cruelest news. "Why don't you play that role?" Isobel froze, refusing to believe her ears. She sat up on the bed and fixed her gaze on the man who felt both familiar and strange. Her voice shook as she demanded, "Dominic Knight, do you even realize what you're saying? How could I ever agree to something like that?" The warmth in Dominic's gaze disappeared instantly. Without saying anything, he got up and left. That night, Isobel lay awake till dawn. The following morning, she woke up to a pounding headache and realized her phone had been bombarded with countless texts. The moment she clicked into the trending list, she felt her blood run cold. Her face took up the entire screen. In the video, "she" snarled and threatened Zara. Every expression looked terrifyingly real. Zara was sobbing. "She's been controlling and threatening me all these years. If I refuse to obey her, I'd have to pay an outrageous penalty fee!" The comment section was filled with insults aimed at Isobel and sympathy for Zara. Isobel felt a chill travel down her spine. She had no idea they'd use AI to generate a fake video of her! Unable to bear it any longer, she rushed all the way to Dominic's office. She threw her phone on his desk and questioned, "Dominic, what is this? Did you even get my permission? Delete the videos!" "No way." Dominic leaned forward and pressed his hands against the chair's armrests, effectively trapping her. "Zara has already secured three endorsements. Her reputation will recover quickly, and we need to keep it that way." Isobel nearly burst out laughing. "You're using my reputation to recover hers?" "Your reputation?" Dominic stood up, his gaze turning cold. "Isobel, do you remember what happened three years ago?" She felt her heart sink. "Your mother was in a serious car accident and needed to be transferred abroad for treatment. At that time, our company was competing for a major investment. I gave up the project and spent three months with you. When we returned, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy." Isobel's face gradually turned pale. Dominic had never blamed her for that, but now he was using it to force her into submission just for Zara. "I gave up so much for you. Can't you make this small sacrifice just for me?" he demanded. The tips of Isobel's fingers were trembling as she repeated, "A small sacrifice? You're asking me to destroy my life!" Dominic's gaze turned cold as he said casually, "By the way, regarding the special drug Martha needs for next month, I've already contacted the lab in Stentland. They agreed to supply it out of respect for me. Isobel, don't make things difficult for me at a time like this." Isobel's fierce resistance froze instantly at his words. Her father had passed away a long time ago. Her mother, Martha Kent, had worked tirelessly to raise her, only to be bedridden by a car accident before she could enjoy her retirement. She could disregard her own reputation, but she couldn't gamble with Martha's life. Seeing his dark gaze, she knew there was no room for negotiation. … That night, at the press conference Dominic arranged, Isobel wore a mask and stood facing the harsh flash of the cameras. She watched Dominic and Zara standing side by side beneath the stage. They exchanged knowing glances. Isobel's voice carried across the room through the microphone. "I admit to all of Ms. Zara Clarke's accusations." … By the time Isobel got home, she was utterly exhausted. She pushed open the nursery door to find Myles sitting on the floor, playing with blocks. Myles looked up with a cold gaze. Suddenly, he picked up a toy car and threw it at her. "Bad! Bad!" he screamed. He then proceeded to throw all her blocks at her. "Pretty Mommy… good! You… bad!" When she saw the fury in Myles' gaze, Isobel stood up with blood trickling down from her temple. She slapped Myles without hesitation.