Chapter 6: The Smear Campaign
By Monday, the mountain town was buzzing with rumors. The Vales had launched a preemptive strike. Whispers circulated that Claire had suffered a mental breakdown, that she was trying to extort the wealthy family, and that the bruise was self-inflicted.
Local vendors started canceling Claire's independent event-planning contracts. Richard was systematically suffocating her finances. Claire sat at Sarah's kitchen table, looking at her dwindling bank account. She touched her belly. She couldn't afford to be weak anymore.
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