Chapter 8 - The BacklashBy the next morning, the empire began to strike back.
I woke up to a barrage of notifications on my professional social media accounts. Fake reviews, malicious comments, and anonymous emails were flooding my architectural firm’s business page.
“Valerie is highly unprofessional.” “She steals designs from other architects.” “Mentally unstable and prone to violent outbursts.”
One local Denver lifestyle blog had even published a blind item clearly pointing to me, claiming that a "jealous, greedy daughter-in-law" had staged a domestic violence incident to extort a prominent local family.
I sat at my desk, my hands clenching into fists. They were trying to destroy my career—the one thing I had built entirely on my own.
"They want a PR war?" I muttered to myself. "They have no idea who they're dealing with."
I immediately called Marcus Vance, a top-tier crisis PR specialist who had helped several major corporations navigate high-profile scandals.
"Marcus, I need your help," I said, outlining the smear campaign. "They are trying to paint me as an unstable gold-digger."
"Valerie, in the digital age, the best defense is a massive, undeniable offensive," Marcus said. "We don't defend. We expose. Do you have physical proof of the assault?"
"I have the police report, the hospital photos, and the audio recording from the courtroom," I said.
"Perfect. And do you have any proof of their financial desperation?"
May you like
"I have a whole folder of their financial fraud," I replied, glancing at the manila envelope Natalie had given me.
Marcus let out a low whistle. "Oh, this is going to be beautiful. Give me two hours. I’m going to pitch an exclusive story to the Denver Post. We’re not just going to clear your name, Valerie. We are going to dismantle the entire house of cards."
