Morning didn't bring peace — only noise.
Phones buzzed. Reporters swarmed the entrance of Helix's headquarters like vultures sensing fresh blood.
Screens flashed with headlines, radio stations dissected every sentence, and social media burned with theories and outrage.
"Helix Scandal: The CEO's Hidden Family."
"Sarah Darselle — The Woman Behind the Lie."
"Clara Darson: The Secret Daughter."
Sarah stood in front of her mirror, her reflection pale, her eyes ringed with sleepless darkness. She'd been awake all night — thinking, dreading, fighting to keep herself from breaking.
Behind her, the TV murmured on low volume. Every channel repeated the same narrative: betrayal, ambition, scandal.
Her phone rang again. Another unknown number. Another reporter. She turned it off.
Then — a knock.
Not the hesitant knock of someone afraid, but the firm, confident rhythm of a man who knew he was welcome despite the storm.
She opened the door.
Eric stood there — dark suit, rain on his shoulders, exhaustion buried beneath determination. He looked at her like someone who had already made his choice.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
She gave a bitter laugh. "You shouldn't ask questions you already know the answer to."
He stepped inside without waiting for permission. "Then let's talk about what we can fix."
Sarah crossed her arms, her voice sharp but fragile. "Fix? Eric, the entire country knows. Every contract Helix holds is under review. My name is being dragged through the mud — again. How do you fix that?"
He didn't flinch. "By not running away."
She looked up at him, her anger trembling against the weight of tears. "I've spent my life not running, Eric. But this… this is different. It's not just about us anymore. It's about Clara."
At the mention of her daughter, her tone broke. Eric took a step closer, lowering his voice.
"I've spoken with the board. They'll hold an emergency meeting this afternoon. They're expecting both of us."
She blinked, stunned. "You want me to face them? After this?"
"Yes," he said firmly. "Because if you don't, they'll rewrite the story without you."
For a long moment, silence filled the room. Then Sarah straightened her posture, wiped her tears, and nodded slowly.
"Then let's go write it ourselves."
---
The boardroom was a battlefield.
Every eye in the room was fixed on Sarah and Eric as they entered. Cameras were forbidden, but tension was a living, breathing thing.
At the head of the table sat Mr. Halberg, chairman of Helix — a man whose face never revealed more than what he intended. His fingers drummed against the glass table as the whispers subsided.
"Mr. Darson," he began coldly, "Ms. Darselle. You both understand the severity of this situation."
Eric nodded. "Completely."
Halberg leaned back. "The press has painted a picture of deceit and immorality. Investors are spooked. The market is bleeding. So tell me — why shouldn't I call for your resignation right now?"
Sarah swallowed hard but said nothing. She glanced at Eric, who met her eyes, silently giving her the floor.
She stood.
Her palms were damp, but her voice — when it came — was steady. "Because what you see on the front page isn't the full story. I made mistakes, yes. But not crimes. I protected my daughter, not for profit, not for image — but because I was a mother caught in a war she didn't start."
A murmur rippled through the board.
Sarah continued, her tone gaining strength.
"I didn't hide Clara to gain advantage. I hid her to protect her from a world that would judge her before she could even speak. And I won't apologize for being her mother."
Halberg's expression barely changed. "And what about the impact on this company?"
Sarah met his gaze without flinching. "Helix has always sold innovation — the ability to turn failure into progress. Well, this is our moment to prove it. Not by pretending perfection, but by showing integrity. We face it, we own it, and we move forward. That's how leadership survives scandal."
For a moment, the room fell silent. Then Halberg's gaze shifted to Eric.
"And you, Mr. Darson? You've built this company on the foundation of discipline and control. Yet you concealed something that directly contradicts your own ethics."
Eric stood, his presence radiating calm authority.
"I built Helix to outlast any one man — including me. What matters now is stability. I won't resign. If the board needs to punish someone, punish me, not her. Sarah doesn't deserve to bear this alone."
Sarah turned sharply toward him. "Eric—"
But he didn't let her interrupt.
"I made my choice years ago when I left her behind. And I've been paying for it ever since. If I lose this position to protect what's left of my family, then so be it."
Gasps filled the room.
For the first time, Halberg's expression softened — only slightly.
"Very noble," he murmured. "But this isn't about nobility. It's about damage control."
Then, surprisingly, another voice cut through the silence — Ms. Lenoir, the youngest member of the board.
"With respect, sir," she said, "what the public wants isn't control. It's truth. And right now, Helix looks more human than it ever has. We should use that."
Heads turned. The tension shifted — suddenly, not all against them.
Halberg studied Sarah and Eric for a long moment before finally nodding once.
"You have forty-eight hours to clean this up," he said. "After that, if the numbers keep falling, I'll have no choice but to act."
---
When they left the building, the sunlight was harsh, reflecting off the cameras waiting outside. Reporters shouted, flashes exploded — but this time, Sarah didn't lower her head. She kept walking beside Eric, chin high, eyes steady.
Each step felt like reclaiming a piece of herself that the world had stolen.
At the car, she turned to him. "You didn't have to offer your resignation."
He smiled faintly. "I didn't offer it. I just meant it."
That earned a small laugh — the first in days.
But before she could answer, her phone buzzed again. This time, she froze.
It was Clara's number.
Her heart clenched. She answered with trembling hands.
"Clara?"
The voice on the other end wasn't crying — it was calm, wounded, and far too mature for her age.
"Mom… is it true?"
Sarah's throat tightened. The world around her seemed to fade — the crowd, the noise, even Eric's presence — until there was only her daughter's voice.
"Yes," she whispered. "It's true."
A pause. Then: "Why didn't you tell me?"
Tears burned her eyes. "Because I wanted to protect you."
Clara's tone softened, but the hurt lingered. "You always say that. But maybe what I needed wasn't protection, Mom. Maybe I just needed the truth."
Sarah's breath broke. She couldn't speak.
Then Clara's voice grew quieter, trembling. "Dad's here."
Sarah's pulse spiked. "Laurent?"
"Yes. He says he wants to help me understand… everything."
Sarah's voice sharpened. "Clara, listen to me. Don't believe everything he says—"
But the line went dead.
She stood frozen, the phone still against her ear. Eric stepped closer, concern written all over his face.
"What happened?"
Sarah looked up at him, panic flickering beneath her composure. "Laurent. He's with Clara."
Eric's jaw tightened. "Then we go now."
---
The drive to the Darselle residence felt endless. The storm clouds returned, thick and heavy, echoing the chaos in their minds.
When they arrived, Laurent's car was already in the driveway. The front door was slightly ajar.
Sarah's heart pounded. She rushed inside, calling out. "Clara!"
Her daughter stood in the living room, arms crossed, eyes red from crying. Laurent stood beside her, too calm, too rehearsed.
"Well," he said coolly, "the perfect couple arrives."
"Get out," Sarah said immediately. Her tone cut through the air.
Laurent smiled. "Not until Clara understands the truth."
Clara turned toward her mother, tears glistening. "He said you both lied to me."
Sarah took a deep breath, then knelt before her. "Clara, listen to me. We never wanted to lie. We wanted to protect you — from the noise, the press, the anger. From him."
Laurent's smile faltered. "Oh, that's rich."
Eric stepped forward, eyes locked on him. "You've done enough, Laurent. Don't drag her into your war."
Laurent turned sharply. "My war? You stole my family, Eric! You took everything from me!"
"You lost it yourself," Eric shot back. "When you stopped seeing them as people and started treating them as property."
For a long, excruciating moment, the room was silent except for the sound of rain tapping against the windows.
Then Clara whispered, "Stop."
Both men froze. She looked at them, trembling, her voice breaking.
"I don't care who's right. I just want this to end. I just want to know who I am."
Sarah reached out, tears streaming freely now. "You're my daughter, Clara. That's all that matters."
But Clara shook her head, her voice sharp and raw. "No, Mom. It's not enough anymore."
She turned and ran upstairs, leaving silence in her wake. Sarah started to follow, but Eric caught her arm gently.
"Let her breathe," he said softly. "We'll fix this. But not by forcing her."
Sarah closed her eyes. For the first time in years, she felt utterly powerless.
Laurent turned toward the door, his expression unreadable. "She'll see the truth, Sarah. Sooner or later."
He left without another word.
---
When the door finally closed, Sarah sank into the couch, her strength gone. Eric sat beside her, silent.
The storm outside broke into thunder.
"Everything's falling apart," she whispered.
"No," he said quietly. "It's falling into place."
She looked at him through her tears, searching for the meaning behind his words.
"Sometimes," he continued, "the truth has to burn everything before it can heal what's left."
She leaned against him, exhausted.
And for the first time, she allowed herself to believe that maybe — just maybe — they could still rise from the ashes.