Chapter 140
Megan’s POV
The article dropped at noon.
A clickbait headline with my name in it, bold and ruthless.”
“Twin Betrayal: Megan Sage’s Secret Romance with Divorce Lawyer?“}
Underneath it was a photo of me and Elijah outside the courthouse. Innocent, until it wasn’t. Cropped just right. His hand on the small of my back. My smile mid–laugh.”
I wasn’t surprised.\
Jane was never subtle. Only strategic.
I tossed my phone on the couch and paced the living room.”
Two hours later, I got a call from my lawyer.[
“We expected this,” she said. “They’re trying to rattle you. Let the press cycle pass. We’ll release your statement by morning.”
“I don’t want to release a statement,” I said. “I want to release the truth.”
That evening, I went through the files from the estate box.
The one I found that night. The handwritten letter from my grandfather.
Not legal. Not notarized. Just personal notes.
It wasn’t part of a will.
But it was proof.
Proof that I was never the mistake.[
I scanned it. Sent it to my lawyer. “Use it. Wherever it helps.”
Then I closed the folder and grabbed my keys.”
I needed fresh air.
Just when I opened the door, I found Jaxon standing outside, tired, rumpled, and nothing like the polished man I used to know.
“Megan,” he said.[
“No,” I said immediately. “We’ve done this already.”
“I know,” he said. “But please. Just let me say one thing.”
I didn’t let him in.
I stepped outside and shut the door behind me.”
“One minute,” I said.”
He looked down. Hands shaking slightly. Phone in hand. Thumb hovering over a headline like it had personally attacked him.” Then he held it up. The headline. “You want to explain this?”
I didn’t flinch. “You believe that?“\
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” he snapped. “It’s everywhere. The press. The shareholders. My mother’s losing her mind.”
I crossed my arms. “And I’m supposed to care about your mother’s nerves now?”
“This affects all of us-”
“No,” I cut in. “This affects you and your family because I stopped letting you control the story.”
He didn’t say anything.
So I kept going.
“You want the truth? That article came from Jane. Maybe even from Mellan. They’re trying to drown me before I can speak.“N He swallowed hard. “And you and Elijah?”
“We didn’t start anything until after I left you. And even then, I didn’t owe you anything.“N
His eyes dropped. “I know.”
That surprised me.”
“I saw the video,” he added, voice lower now. “The one with Mellan and Elijah outside the café. She said it was nothing, but… it didn’t look like nothing.”
I didn’t respond. Just held his gaze.
He shook his head. “I keep thinking I’m waking up from this, and then it just keeps getting worse.”
hapter 14
“Then stop pretending she’s a victim.”
He looked at me for a long time. “I think she wants to ruin you. And I let her, for too long.“”
Before I could respond, we both heard voices. Across the street. Familiar.
“Elijah!“}
We both turned.}
Down the street, Mellan was stepping out of a car.
She spotted Elijah exiting his building and made a beeline for him.”
He didn’t move as she smiled.
“What is she doing?” Jaxon muttered.&
We stayed back, out of sight.
“Can we talk?” Mellan said.\
“Mellan, go home,” he said.
But she stepped in anyway. Fast.
And kissed him.
Not a cheek kiss. Not gentle.
She kissed him like she thought she still had power.
Jaxon saw it, too.
His whole body went still.
My throat burned.
I looked at Jaxon.
His eyes were locked on them.
Something in his face cracked.
He didn’t say anything. Just stormed across the street.
“Elijah,” he called.
Elijah jerked back. Mellan turned around, startled.[
“What the hell was that?” Jaxon asked, stepping between them.
Mellan recovered quickly. “It wasn’t anything.”
“No?” he snapped. “Because it looked like you were throwing yourself at someone else’s man in the middle of the damn
street.”[
Elijah raised his hands slightly. “I didn’t kiss her back.”
“You didn’t stop her either,” Jaxon shot back.Bi
Mellan reached for his arm. “Jaxon–“[
He pulled away, “I’ve defended you my whole life. Covered for you. Chose you over Megan because I thought you were broken, not cruel.”
“I was just talking to him-”
“Don’t lie to me,” he said, “Not this time.”
Then he turned to me
He looked tired. Embarrassed. Done.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You didn’t deserve any of this.”
Then he grabbed Mellan’s wrist, not hard, but with finality and started pulling her away.
“I can walk!” she snapped.
“Then do it,” he said. “Before I say something I’ll regret.“\
They disappeared around the corner.
I didn’t move for a long time.”
Elijah started to speak, but I held up a hand.
“I need space,” I said.”
He nodded.
And walked back inside.!!
Alone.
Later on, I sat on the couch when my phone buzzed.
A neighbor sent me a video clip.
Mellan and Elijah. The kiss.” Already posted.
Already spreading.
My lawyer called just after I was done watching the video.”
“We saw the footage. The neighbor uploaded it publicly. We’r have it first.”
I closed my eyes, breathed out.
Finally.
Her poison was on tape.
downloading a clean copy now. If she tries to spin this, we’l
