Chapter 7

As I expected, Jonathan called right after he managed to turn public opinion in his favor.

I stared at his name popping up on my screen and felt nothing but pure irony.

I used to get flustered seeing his name. Now I only felt cold disgust.

I picked up the phone, but didn't say a word.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before his low voice came through. "Emily, are you done throwing this fit?"

He sounded calm, but there was a clear, entitled edge to his tone.

I almost laughed at how absurd he was. "Jonathan, what's wrong with you?"

My bluntness caught him off guard.

He paused, and when he spoke again, impatience crept into his voice. "Sophie already apologized and got punished for what she did. What more do you want? Do you want to drag us both through the mud for everyone to laugh at?"

"Laugh at us?" I let out a cold scoff. "You're the biggest joke in Rivesville right now. You're with a woman who planned to hurt your own fiancée, and you still act like you're some good guy?"

"Emily," he snapped, clearly annoyed. "Watch your mouth. Sophie did mess up. But she's young and naive, and she already owns up to it. You've changed. You're bitter and unyielding now, nothing like you used to be."

"I was stupid back then," I shot back sharply. "I took a stab for you and barely made it out of surgery alive. And what did you do? You dropped our engagement right away and flaunted your new girl in public.

"She admitted to plotting an attack on me, and you write it off as youthful mistakes. Then you turn everything around and make me look like the bad person. Do you have any morals at all?"

"I called off the engagement to protect you," he argued, sounding unfairly wronged. "Everyone thought you had HIV back then. If I stayed engaged, the Reed Group and your family would've taken huge hits.

"I did it to save both our families' reputations. I've looked after Sophie for seven years out of responsibility. I care about her, but it's never been romantic. It's all your fault. You kept pushing her until she cracked and said those things out of frustration."

I couldn't believe how fake and self-righteous he sounded.

He painted his betrayal as a necessary sacrifice for everyone's sake. He called cheating on me and supporting another woman a sense of responsibility. He even framed a deliberate attempt on my life as nothing more than angry words spoken in the moment.

In that exact second, I saw clearly the kind of person I had once loved. He was selfish, cold, and incredibly narcissistic.

"Save both our families' reputations?" I repeated his words, thick with unmasked sarcasm. "Stop making yourself look like some kind of hero.

"You only cared about your ridiculous ego and controlling nature. You panicked that my ruined reputation would tarnish your image as a successful CEO, so you dumped me without hesitation.

"You wanted Sophie hanging around. She worships you and acts totally obedient, and you love feeling like a big hero.

"You need her to feel like some noble rescuer, but she is just another possession you refuse to let go. Do you think every woman should revolve around you?

"Do you believe I deserve to lose everything without you, while Sophie has to suffer in that small town if she leaves you? Who do you think you are?"

"Emily, you're out of line," Jonathan growled, completely losing his cool. His breathing turned heavy and uneven. "Jealousy clouded your judgment. I have feelings for Sophie, and there is nothing wrong with that.

"She is simpler and more dependent than you. You have your family's wealth and status to fall back on, but nothing else.

"You always carry that arrogant rich girl attitude. You took a stab for me once, and that proves you still have feelings for me. If you love me so deeply, why can't you be more understanding towards Sophie?

"She has struggled a lot to get where she is today. Why refuse to cut her any slack? Do you only feel satisfied when you destroy her life?"

"My feelings for you have nothing to do with whether I forgive someone who tried to kill me," I retorted, utterly stunned by his warped logic. "How can your mindset be this messed up?

"Sophie has struggled a lot, but does that make my struggles meaningless? Do I deserve to get schemed against, get my name destroyed, and live with false HIV rumors that almost cost me my life?

"Does her poor background grant her full freedom to hurt others without facing consequences? Am I supposed to be the bigger person, forgive everything she did, and bless your relationship?"

I took a steady breath and added in a firm tone, "Listen, Jonathan. I'll own up to being stupid enough to take a stab for you. I messed up trusting you, and I've already paid for that mistake.

"But this is where it all ends. I'm not letting either of you get away with any of this. I have clear proof that Sophie planned the attack and spread terrible lies about me, and I'm pressing charges for every last bit of it.

"You're just as guilty. You covered for someone who committed a crime, fooled the public, and twisted the truth to hurt me. We're settling this in court.

"Let's see if your sad excuses and fake love stories work on a judge, or if the law will finally give me the justice I deserve."

With that, I ended the call abruptly, not giving him a chance to talk back.

My chest was heaving with anger, but inside, I felt nothing but cold, clear resolve.

I knew there was no point in reasoning with someone like him.

He lived in a bubble of his own self-importance. He expected everyone to bend to his will and always blamed other people for every mistake.

There was no point in talking things through. I was going to settle this with real power instead.

I unlocked my phone and scanned the flood of new online comments, my expression turning cold by the second. More people were starting to defend Sophie and call me cruel and unreasonable.

Jonathan thought he could twist public opinion to flip the truth in his favor.

Sophie thought playing the victim would let her escape all responsibility.

They had no idea what real influence truly looked like.

I dialed my father's number. "Dad, the Reeds are making their move. I want to use every media resource our family has. Contact that key connection we have too. It's time to show them how real public opinion control works."