Just as a fragile new understanding began to bloom, a specter from the past resurfaced. Derek Vance, having lost everything and burning with vengeance, had been tracking Marcus's new life. He didn't attack financially. He attacked narratively. He published a vicious, self-published "exposé" online, filled with half-truths and twisted timelines, painting Marcus's entire transformation as a calculated, manipulative PR stunt to rehabilitate his image after the "stalking" scandal. The headline screamed: "THE TRILLIONAIRE'S ULTIMATE MASK: How Marcus Thorne is Gaslighting a City."
The article specifically targeted Chloe, implying she was a willing participant in the charade, a paid actress in his redemption arc. It was designed to poison the well of his new life and destroy the fragile trust he'd built in the neighborhood and with her.