Chapter 3 - The Gathering Storm
By the next morning, the internet was in a state of absolute chaos. A leaked video of Vivienne cutting Mara's hair had gone viral on social media, sparking outrage and intense debate. On Facebook and TikTok, millions of users expressed sympathy for the pregnant maid, while others, influenced by high-society publicists, accused Mara of being a calculating social climber who had trapped the Mercer heir.
Inside her pristine office, Vivienne Mercer sat behind her glass desk, her eyes red from a sleepless night of rage. Across from her stood her personal lawyer, Arthur Vance.
"We have to invalidate the marriage, Arthur," Vivienne hissed, slamming her manicured hand on the desk. "There must be a prenuptial loophole. A mental incapacity clause. Anything! I will not allow that servant girl to inherit my family's legacy."
"Vivienne, the marriage took place in a private courthouse upstate. It is entirely legal, signed, and sealed," Arthur said with a heavy sigh. "Furthermore, Julian’s shares are ironclad. If you push him too hard, he could liquidate Mercer Enterprises’ assets, which would bankrupt your charitable foundations and your private estates."
A cold, venomous smile spread across Vivienne’s face. "Then we don't target Julian. We target her. A girl like Mara doesn't have the stomach for a real fight. She comes from nothing. If we put enough pressure on her, she will run. And if the baby... well, if the baby doesn't survive the stress, Julian will have no reason to stay married to her."
"Vivienne, that is highly dangerous," Arthur warned, taking a step back. "Julian will destroy you if he finds out."
"He won't find out," Vivienne whispered.
Meanwhile, at the penthouse, Mara was trying to find some peace. Julian had spent the morning on emergency conference calls with his executive team, fighting to stabilize the company's stock, which had taken a minor dip due to the public drama.
While Julian was distracted, Mara’s phone rang. It was an unrecognized number, but thinking it might be the doctor with her blood work results, she answered it.
"Do you really think he loves you, Mara?"
Vivienne's cold, mocking voice sent a shiver down Mara's spine.
"Ma'am..." Mara gasped, her hand instinctively flying to her stomach.
"Don't call me that, you pathetic little thief," Vivienne spat. "Let me tell you how this ends. Julian is a Mercer. Right now, he is playing the knight in shining armor because it feeds his ego. But when the board strips him of his power, when his friends turn their backs on him, and when he realizes he has traded a billion-dollar empire for a broken-down maid with a fatherless bastard, he will hate you. He will look at you and feel nothing but disgust. Save yourself the pain, Mara. Take the check I’ve left with your old landlord, leave the city, and never look back. If you don't, I will make sure the state takes that child away from you the moment it's born."
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The line clicked dead.
Mara stood frozen in the middle of the living room, her breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps. The room began to spin. A sharp, burning pain flared in her lower abdomen, so intense that she fell to her knees, crying out in agony.
