Chapter 43

• The news didn’t arrive all at once. It came in slivers, each one sharper than the last.
• First, a subtle shift in the media narrative. Headlines no longer praised our bold unveiling or the depth of the investigative article. Instead, they questioned the timing. Asked whether the exposé had been coordinated to distract from “growing rumors of internal mismanagement.” Words like “financial desperation,” “leadership gamble,” and “fractured legacy” bled across articles like a slow leak, deliberate and insidious.
• Then the calls began. A few vendors hesitated to confirm delivery schedules. One of our dye houses in Portugal sent a carefully worded email requesting “additional reassurances of stability.” A boutique in Paris that had previously requested an exclusive pre-season capsule quietly withdrew interest. There was no outrage, no accusation. Just retreat.