Chapter 55

• She couldn’t go to work now, even if she wanted to. The news had turned her life upside down, and the weight of it was too heavy to bear. Sylvia walked back into their bedroom, the familiar surroundings now feeling foreign and oppressive. She lay down on the bed with her laptop, seeking solace in the routine.
• Opening her browser, she checked the news. Most of the articles that had once flooded the internet were gone, just as Stephan had predicted. A deep sigh escaped her lips. The silence felt ominous, a stark contrast to the chaos that had surrounded them just days before. She closed the tabs, frustration tightening around her like a vice. This wasn’t just about her; it was about Stephan, about the fallout from rumors that seemed to spread like wildfire.
• Next, she logged into her stock app. The numbers flashed before her eyes, each red digit a painful reminder of the damage that had been done. Stephan’s company shares were plummeting, and her heart sank further. The headlines had painted a bleak picture, and the market was reacting swiftly. She felt a surge of anger and helplessness; she didn’t want to clarify anything, yet there was a nagging need to protect him, to shield his company from the aftermath of the scandal.