Monique released her hold on Ernesto and reached for her handbag, rummaging through it until she found her phone. Seeing it was Carolyn calling, her expression tightened, and she quickly answered. "Carolyn, it's Mom. What is it?" "Mom, I just saw something unbelievable." Carolyn's voice came through the phone, sharp and loud enough to make Monique wince and pull the device away from her ear. Carolyn's exclamation was so clear that Ernesto, standing nearby, could hear every word. "What is it? Why are you so worked up? Is there anything more unbelievable than that witch Chloe securing a fifty-billion-dollar investment from Cosmos Group for Lewis Group?" "Mom, Chloe is involved with a man behind the scenes—it's shady. She... she's clearly trading favors for influence. And I've got solid proof!" "What did you say?" Monique straightened up, suddenly fully alert. "Do you remember that man named Eugene?" Carolyn pressed. "What about him? Isn't he just some idle rich kid with no real job, always hanging around doing nothing?" Monique struggled to recall who this Eugene was. She remembered having him looked into before, but nothing substantial had turned up. He seemed to be just another trust-fund type. Since he was often with Landon, he might even be one of Landon's hangers-on. So what did Eugene have to do with any of this? "Eugene and Chloe are unusually close. They're... involved." Carolyn's voice trembled with excitement. "I took pictures of them meeting secretly on the rooftop. The scene was... explosive! "Mom, I'm going to post the video right now and expose them. Let public opinion tear them apart. I want to ruin Chloe's reputation completely." Carolyn grew more agitated as she spoke. Monique nearly blurted out "Go ahead," but caught herself. "No, don't post it yet. Wait! I'll send you an address. Come meet me right now." "But I'm still at work. I have an office to clean later," Carolyn complained. "Mom, I really can't stand this anymore. I'm a star, for heaven's sake—not a janitor." "Enough. Find a way to slip out. We'll talk in person." Monique hung up abruptly and looked up at Ernesto. "Ernesto, it seems Chloe really has been up to no good behind everyone's backs. No wonder she landed such a massive investment. Hah! Maybe that Lawrence is mixed up with her too."The thought made Monique curl her lip in disgust. "She could have had Arthur—a man of real standing—but she acted so high and mighty. Turns out she has no standards—young or old, she'll take anyone who can help her climb the ladder!" Monique lowered her voice. "The little schemer is clever—she hides it well, using her looks to win favors and get ahead. Can you imagine the board's reaction if this got out?" She looked intently at Ernesto. "If I remember correctly, Lewis Group is holding a celebration gala within the week. All the shareholders, senior executives, and even hundreds of employees will be there." Ernesto's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's right. Mr. Wills is handling it. Invitations will probably go out tomorrow." A slow smile spread across Monique's face. "Ernesto, I've thought of a way to destroy Chloe's reputation for good." "What is it?" Ernesto watched her closely. Monique leaned in and whispered her plan into his ear. When she finished, Ernesto allowed a faint, cold smile to touch his lips. "Good. That's worth looking forward to. This time, we'll make sure she has no way to recover." "Leave it to me! I'll handle this personally. It seems Carolyn has finally done something useful for once." Monique rose onto her toes and murmured again into Ernesto's ear, "Once this is done, it'll be time for our wedding—and for Carolyn to finally call you Dad openly." Ernesto's expression clouded over for a split second, but in the next breath, a faint, knowing curve tugged at his lips. "I'm looking forward to it." "Come on, let's go meet Carolyn together," Monique said, taking his hand. Ernesto glanced down at her grip. His expression shifted almost imperceptibly, then settled. "Alright." At a discreet coffee shop down the street, Carolyn slipped inside. So afraid of being recognized, she had wrapped a scarf tightly around her head, leaving only her eyes visible.