Chapter 9 - THE FINAL GAMBIT
We thought the war was over, but a cornered animal is the most dangerous.
Eleanor, out on bail, orchestrated a massive smear campaign, leaking to the press that I had "trapped" Cole with illegitimate children to merge our empires. Paparazzi swarmed my Seattle headquarters and Cole's Chicago towers.
But Eleanor underestimated the woman I had become, and she severely underestimated her son.
Together, Cole and I went on national television. We didn't hide. We sat side-by-side, our hands intertwined. Cole looked directly into the camera and announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Hartwell Industries, transferring his voting shares to a trust for his sons, and moving to Seattle permanently.
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“My mother tried to destroy my family,” Cole told the world, his voice vibrating with power. “But my wife—my brilliant, formidable wife—saved them. Norah Kingsley is the only empire I care about.”
The public narrative flipped instantly. Eleanor was universally despised, her social standing obliterated. We had won.
