CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 103 THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND IT ALL

Serena’s POV

I arrived at our destination with Julian and Celeste, but Julian suggested they wait in the car.

"Mr. Will has never met me before, so he’ll let his guard down. Wait for my call before coming in."

"Alright," I agreed.

I trusted Julian’s ability to handle situations like this. Sure enough, barely fifteen minutes later, my phone buzzed with his message.

"Let’s go, Serena," Celeste whispered as we headed inside. "Whatever we find out in there, try not to get too worked up, okay?"

I nodded, placing a protective hand over my stomach. "I’ll keep calm, don’t worry."

When we entered the meeting room, Mr. Will’s welcoming smile instantly vanished. Despite my disguise, my silhouette had given me away immediately.

"Ms. Quinn, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded, looking cornered.

I removed my hat, not bothering with pleasantries. "Mr. Will, Holly was your secretary. She’s dead, and you don’t seem the least bit upset about it. Why is that?"

"Oh my!" he exclaimed dramatically. "What good would being upset do? That girl couldn’t get past her own demons. This outcome was inevitable, sooner or later."

My eyes narrowed sharply. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Mr. Will seemed to realize he’d slipped up, immediately trying to backtrack and change the subject.

"Mr. Will," I cut him off, "if you don’t tell me the whole truth today, I’ll have the best legal team in the country review our contract. Hiding from responsibility won’t be an option."

"Are you threatening me?" he snapped, color rising in his cheeks.

"I just want the truth. Why can’t you tell us? Did Holly have some kind of mental illness?"

It was just a guess, but watching his reaction, I knew I’d hit the mark. His face paled instantly.

"You know?" he asked, voice suddenly quiet.

"So it’s true? Then why keep her employed?"

Mr. Will exhaled heavily, collapsing back in his chair. "You think I wanted to? My worthless sister married some deadbeat, and then they had this... this problem child! What was I supposed to do?"

The three of us exchanged shocked glances. So that was it—Holly was Mr. Will’s niece. No wonder someone with such mediocre skills had remained in his employ.

"I kept her where I could see her, to keep her from causing trouble," he continued, rubbing his temples. "I’ve been dealing with this for years. I’m exhausted! I just thought sending her to your studio might toughen her up a bit. How was I supposed to know she’d do something this extreme?"

He slammed his fist on the table, making me flinch.

"I should never have felt sorry for my sister! Should’ve let them figure out their own damn problems!"

A heaviness settled in my chest. I’d never experienced mental illness personally, but I’d heard how those suffering often lived in a kind of private hell that others couldn’t see.

"Ms. Quinn, this isn’t entirely your fault," he added, seeing my expression. "She chose this path herself."

My chest tightened as I fought to control my breathing. "Why didn’t you tell me about her condition before sending her to my studio? Did you deliberately plant a time bomb next to me?"

"Please," he scoffed, waving dismissively. "If I’d told you, would you have taken her? This situation was impossible from the start."

"Maybe it’s better this way," he muttered coldly. "Now I don’t have to worry about what she might do next."

I felt bile rise in my throat at his callousness. Celeste tensed beside me, clearly about to tear into him, but Julian stepped forward first, his voice measured but firm.

"If you were truly as heartless as you’re pretending to be, Mr. Will, you wouldn’t have helped Holly in the first place," Julian said. "Since we can’t bring her back, perhaps the best thing now is for Ms. Quinn to meet with Holly’s family."

"Some compensation or at least words of comfort might help. And your assistance in explaining the situation would be invaluable."

"Ultimately, Holly’s death stemmed from long-term suffering, not from anything Ms. Quinn did. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Will?"

Mr. Will fell silent, considering Julian’s words. After what felt like an eternity, he reluctantly nodded his agreement.

With Mr. Will’s help, we finally arranged a meeting with Holly’s parents.

When we arrived at their modest apartment, they were still raw with grief and anger. I let them scream and cry, accepting their pain without defending myself. Only after they’d exhausted their initial fury did I speak.

"I deeply regret what happened to Holly," I said softly, tears stinging my eyes. "While I can’t bring her back, I want to do everything in my power to help your family through this difficult time."

The elderly couple sobbed uncontrollably, clearly devastated by their daughter’s death. The pain in their eyes made my heart ache—no parent should have to bury their child.

Mr. Will explained everything to them and later issued a public statement clearing me of direct responsibility. He also revealed Holly’s history of mental health struggles, though respectfully and without unnecessary detail.

Slowly, public opinion began to shift. The hateful comments on Dreamland’s social media accounts gradually gave way to more understanding messages. Some mental health advocates even reached out, wanting to collaborate on awareness initiatives.

It would take time, but the studio’s reputation was beginning to recover.

Exactly the way I want it

---

Sophie’s POV

Meanwhile, in a luxurious penthouse across town, I paced furiously, the sharp click of my heels echoing off the marble floor as I scrolled through the latest news updates.

【Mr. Will Issues Statement: Serena Quinn Has No Direct Ties to Holly’s Death】

【Company Confirms Holly Had a History of Mental Health Issues — Urges Public to Stop Unfounded Speculation】

I let out a bitter laugh, jaw tightening as I tapped into the comments section.

️ @DramaWatcher88

Told you—Serena never seemed like the type. Now that Mr. Will spoke up himself, maybe she’ll finally get the justice she deserves.

️ @DesignInsider101

So many people trashed her before, and now they’re all conveniently silent? Holly had issues, the company was a mess—Serena was just caught in the crossfire.

@LogicOverHype

"Washed clean"? Please. She didn’t need to be. She never did anything wrong—people were just too quick to judge.

@NoBS_Nancy

If Mr. Will is stepping in personally, you know it’s serious. Clearly the company investigated this thoroughly. I fully support Serena—hope she’s doing okay.

@RegretfulGossip

I’ll admit it—I got swept up in the hate. I feel awful now. She never deserved it. We were way too quick to believe the worst.

@ThinkFirstActLater

Let’s be real—Holly was added to the team last-minute, and her behavior was off even before the incident. All the signs were there, yet people chose to blame Serena.

@TeamQuinn

Serena has always been professional and low-key. She didn’t deserve this mess. Thank God Mr. Will had her back—finally, someone in this industry with integrity.

@UnfilteredTea

Where are all the loudmouths who accused her? Funny how they disappear when the truth comes out. Maybe next time, don’t crucify someone before you know the facts.

I scrolled through the feed, cold laughter bubbling in my throat as the comments piled up. My chest tightened, fury simmering just beneath the surface.

So that’s it? Just like that, she’s clean?

"How is this getting resolved so quickly?" I hissed, throwing my phone onto the couch.

Kane sat nearby in his wheelchair, watching me with that maddening calm. “Seems my nephew stepped in. He’s rather protective of his ex-wife, isn’t he?”

His words only twisted the knife.

Protective? Please. Try obsessed. Always shielding her, always ensuring she came out spotless—no matter how much dirt clung to her.

My jaw clenched as a cold, burning resolve settled in my chest.

This isn’t over.

No. I won’t let it be.

One way or another, Serena Quinn will pay.