跳过内容
Novel Catalog
Chapter 93
John’s voice came through, steady and calm despite the weight of the situation. “I know you’re in the middle of a storm, Cordy. But I need to ask—how much of this is true?”
Cordy’s grip tightened on the phone. The audacity of him to ask now. She had heard the whispers and seen the accusations. It was as if everyone had turned their backs on her all at once. But John? He was asking the wrong question.
“I don’t owe you any explanations, John,” Cordy replied, her voice colder than she intended. “You’ve already made up your mind about me, haven’t you?”
“I haven’t made up my mind,” John answered quickly, though his voice sounded almost tired. “But I need to hear it from you. Is any of this true? What they’re saying about you, about… everything?”
Cordy closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the weight of his words. The people who knew her—really knew her—wouldn’t question her integrity, but now, even those who hadn’t seen the truth were ready to jump to conclusions. She couldn’t control the narrative that was swirling around her, and part of her resented that John was even asking.
“No,” she said, finally, the word firm, but heavy. “None of it is true. The rest of it—the lies, the manipulation—they’re all part of a plan to ruin me. To ruin Starstream. And to hurt everyone who’s involved.”
John’s silence hung in the air, and Cordy could feel the weight of his hesitation. She didn’t need him to believe her—she would rebuild her empire with or without his support—but a small part of her hoped that he would stand by her, just like he had in the past.
After a long pause, John finally spoke. “I… I can’t just turn my back on you, Cordy. But I need you to know that this is bigger than you and me. You’re fighting a war right now, and I want to see you win. But it’s going to take everything you have.”
Cordy exhaled, her jaw clenched as she fought to keep her emotions in check. “I didn’t ask for this,” she said softly, almost to herself. “But I’ll fight it. I’ll fight it all.”
John’s tone softened, his voice almost a whisper. “Then I’ll be here. For whatever you need.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and for a brief moment, Cordy felt a sense of warmth she hadn’t realized she was craving. But she quickly shoved it aside. She wasn’t going to rely on anyone else. Not anymore.
“I need you to stay out of this, John,” she said, her voice firm once more. “This is my fight. And I’ll win it on my own.”
“I’ll respect that,” he replied. “Just… don’t shut me out, okay? If you need anything, don’t hesitate.”
Cordy hung up the phone with a finality that sent a ripple through her. For a moment, she let herself linger on the call, the flicker of old feelings that threatened to resurface. But she shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. There was no room for distractions now.
She took a deep breath and walked toward the conference room. Her team was waiting. The storm was only beginning, but Cordy Sachs was ready to weather it. She had no time for sentiment, no time for anything other than taking control and proving that she was more than the scandal the world had tried to create.
As she entered the room, the anxious faces of her department heads greeted her, but Cordy was resolute. “We fight back,” she said, her voice steady. “This scandal may be ugly, but it’s just noise. We will rise above it. Here’s what we’re going to do…”