Chapter 7 - THE TIDE TURNS
At eleven in the morning, the grand press room at Carter Global headquarters was packed wall-to-wall with journalists, news anchors, and camera crews. Flashbulbs erupted like lightning as I walked up to the podium, flanked by Ethan and our chief legal counsel, Marcus Vance.
I didn't offer a dramatic speech. I didn't cry. I didn't ask for sympathy.
"Good morning," I said simply into the array of microphones. "Over the past fourteen hours, false narratives have been circulated regarding an incident at the Mitchell estate in Belle Meade. Rather than issue a statement, I prefer to let the unedited truth speak for itself."
I gestured to Marcus Vance.
Behind me, a massive high-definition projector screen lowered from the ceiling. Marcus pressed a key on his tablet.
The room went dead silent as the raw, unedited footage began to play.
The audio echoed with crystal clarity through the high-end speakers. The journalists watched in stunned horror as Vanessa Mitchell sneered, "Beggars have no place at weddings here," followed by the loud, brutal blast of water. They saw the wealthy guests laughing. They heard Patricia Mitchell ordering a search of my bag. They saw Vanessa threaten a terrified young server who tried to offer me a napkin.
And finally, they saw the moment I looked into Vanessa's eyes and told her that her immunity to consequences had just ended.
When the video finished, the silence in the press room was deafening.
I stepped back up to the microphone.
"Effective eight o'clock this morning," I stated calmly, "Carter Global Holdings has formally terminated all credit lines, investment trusts, and co-development projects with Mitchell Capital. Furthermore, we have initiated a full audit of all joint accounts previously managed by Mitchell Capital, having identified severe irregularities that suggest systemic financial fraud."
A chorus of gasps echoed through the room. Hands shot into the air, reporters shouting questions simultaneously.
"Mrs. Carter! Are you pressing criminal charges against Vanessa Mitchell?"
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"Mrs. Carter! Is Mitchell Capital facing insolvency?"
I held up a single hand, silencing the room instantly. "I am filing criminal charges for assault and battery against Miss Vanessa Mitchell. As for Mitchell Capital... their financial fate rests entirely in the hands of the law."
