Chapter 207

Chapter 207:
Stella skimmed down to the bottom of the page, her gaze catching the flood of online comments.
“Didn’t I see this woman at a nightclub once? She was charging five grand a night. Not exactly cheap.”
“If I were her husband, I’d lock her up and toss the key!”
“William Briggs, interested in her? That’s utterly absurd. She’s delusional. William Briggs is not running a charity, let alone a recycling center.”
The online backlash came from every direction—men and women alike, piling on with barely a voice questioning the rumors’ truth.
In the story the media spun, the men’s roles were scrubbed clean, leaving Stella alone as the villain in the spotlight.
It didn’t take her long to guess who’d orchestrated the smear campaign. Only one person stood to benefit from twisting the narrative so viciously—Haley. No one else came to mind.
Her phone buzzed again with another call from Sharon. “Stel, did you see what’s going on? What are you going to do about it? The story’s everywhere now. Even if you don’t care about your own reputation, think about your job—and your boss. I heard Haley’s holding a press conference this afternoon to drag this out even further.”
Stella blinked, momentarily thrown. Haley had the nerve to call a press conference? Was she really so fearless—or just reckless?
Apparently, last time hadn’t taught her anything.
“If Haley wants to go onstage and make things up, let her,” Stella said, a slow, dangerous smile curving her lips. “I’m actually curious to see what kind of story she’ll spin this time. But you’re right, Sharon. I shouldn’t just sit back and let her drag my name through the mud. Trust me—I know exactly how to deal with her. Don’t worry about me.”
Sharon said, “What do you need? I’ll help you.”
Stella said, “No, it’s fine. I’ll handle it myself. I have to get to work now—we’ll talk later, okay?”
After ending the call, Stella made her way to the director’s office. “Mr. Hoffman, I’d like to request some time off this afternoon,” she said as she pushed open the door. “There’s something personal I need to take care of—”
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But the moment she stepped in, she froze. William was already inside, seated across from Paul.
Realizing she’d interrupted, Stella quickly apologized. “I’m sorry—I didn’t know you were in a meeting. I’ll come back later.”
She backed out of the room, and only a few minutes later, William stepped out.
Stella waited a moment before re-entering and explained her leave request.
Given the way things had exploded online, Paul clearly already knew what she was dealing with. He didn’t hesitate. “Go ahead and take the time, Sylvia. Just be careful with how you handle it—this involves your future. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Your identity is legitimate. Don’t let anyone shake your confidence.” His calm support hit Stella harder than she expected. Her throat tightened a little.
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