The morning after the story broke, Ruby woke to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly on the nightstand.
She groaned, reaching for it blindly. The screen was flooded with notifications—missed calls, text messages, news alerts. She blinked, trying to focus, and saw the headline that made her blood run cold.
"MP Edward Ashworth Accuses Sterling Foundation of 'Political Witch Hunt'"
Ruby sat up abruptly, her heart pounding. She read the article quickly, her stomach sinking with every word. Ashworth had gone on the offensive. He was denying everything, calling Mia's investigation a "personal vendetta" and painting the Sterling Foundation as a "politically motivated organization trying to destroy his career."
"Nicholas." She shook his shoulder. "Nicholas, wake up."
He was awake instantly, his eyes sharp and alert. "What happened?"
"Ashworth is fighting back. He's accusing Mia of fabricating evidence. He's saying we're trying to destroy him for political reasons."
