Chapter 4: The House of Cards
The news cycle was brutal. "Thorne Dynasty Collapses," the headlines screamed across every major US network. The family estate became a battlefield. Julian’s high-priced legal team tried to spin the narrative, painting the victims as "disgruntled" and "unstable."
But they hadn't counted on the digital age. The video from the restaurant had gone viral, and with it, a wave of other employees and victims came forward. The "family secret" wasn't just Julian’s abuse; it was a systemic cover-up of his illegal business dealings that had kept the whole family hostage.
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Elara and Beatrice sat in their attorney’s office, high above the city, watching the coverage. Beatrice held a stack of ledger pages. "He used to tell me that if I left, I’d be broke. He didn't realize that I’d been keeping copies of the real books for a decade."
The strategy was set. They weren't just going to file for divorce; they were going to testify. They were going to dismantle the throne from the inside out.
