Out Of The Shadows Tilda’s Brilliant Second Life novel Chapter 4

Out Of The Shadows: Tilda’s Brilliant Second Life Chapter 04

Chapter 4 The Sweet, Innocent Kyla?

“So? After seeing all this, you still feel nothing?

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“Tilda, we had an agreement. You promised we’d wait for the right time to reveal your identity–so it wouldn’t hurt Kyla. You swore you’d keep quiet until then.

“But you-“Wade’s voice shook with anger as he pointed a trembling finger at her. “You told us one thing, then went behind our backs and fed the tabloids the story! You sent them the photos. Don’t even try to deny it–we’ve confirmed it!”

The way Wade looked at Tilda was full of hostility, like she was his worst enemy instead of the sister they had searched for all these years.

“Tilda.” Russell said coldly, “because you grew up without the right environment, I’m giving you one last chance. Bow and apologize to Kyla, and I’ll forgive you. Apologize, and you can stay in this family as the rightful heiress.”

Russell glared at Tilda coldly.

He expected her to panic. To show regret. Maybe even cry.

Instead-

“Oh? Where’s your proof?” Tilda’s voice was calm, almost casual.

“Proof?” Wade blinked, caught off guard.

“You can’t just throw out random accusations. If you’re going to claim I leaked everything to the press, you’d better have evidence. If you don’t, I could sue you for defamation.”

Her composed reply stunned them all.

Sue us?

Defamation?

ง

Was this really Tilda–the same timid girl who used to keep her head down and avoid conflict?

Even Kyla, still sniffling beside Russell, glanced up through her cry.

Tilda was different.

Something had changed.

Same face. Different fire.

She stood there, calm and poised.

More confident than ever.

And there was something about her–an elegance that seemed to radiate from the inside out.

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Chapter 4 The Sweet, Innocent Kyla?

A cold ripple of unease ran through Kyla, but she quickly buried it.

No. My plan is perfect. It has to be.

She kept her head low, hiding her expression.

Russell’s jaw tightened. “Fine. You really want to play tough?”

He pulled out his phone, dialed a number, then hit speaker and tossed it onto the table.

The call connected within seconds.

A respectful voice answered, “Mr. Jenson.”

“Mr. Read, tell everyone–who gave you the tip for that front–page article?”

A short pause. Then, “Didn’t we already go over this? It was Ms. Tilda.”

All eyes turned to Tilda.

This time, they thought, there’s no way she can talk her way out.

But Tilda didn’t flinch.

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Instead of breaking down, she calmly pulled out her phone, turned the volume all the way up, and hit speaker mode.

“You’re saying I gave you the tip?” she asked.

Her voice wasn’t her own. Using a voice–changing app, she’d softened it into something higher and more delicate. Anyone who actually knew Tilda’s voice would recognize instantly–this wasn’t her.

Russell frowned.

What on earth is she doing?

Kyla’s stomach tightened. This is bad. Really bad. But if I jump in now, I’ll look guilty.

“Yes, Ms. Tilda,” Stan Read’s voice came through the speaker. “This isn’t my fault–I didn’t expect your father to find out so fast. Look, we’re just a small media company trying to keep the lights on. If we upset the Jenson Group, we won’t last a week in this city!”

Stan kept talking, but cracks were already showing in his story. The Jensons were starting to notice.

“Then tell me,” Tilda said evenly, “how exactly did I contact you in the first place? And why would I be stupid enough to give away my real identity?

“If the Jenson Group is as powerful as you claim, and you folded the second someone scared you—wouldn’t

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

He’d been told Tilda was timid–eager to please, easy to break. That if they pushed her hard enough, she’d crumble, apologize, and take the blame without a fight.

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No one said she’d fight back.

No one said she’d call his bluff.

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If he hadn’t been promised that Tilda wouldn’t cause a scene, he never would’ve framed the true heiress of the Jensons. One wrong move, and it could cost him everything.

Kyla’s heart thumped wildly.

Idiot! She screamed silently.

You botched it that fast? What kind of idiot becomes an editor–in–chief with half a brain?

Even Russell was starting to sense something was wrong.

“Mr. Read.” he growled, “didn’t you say Tilda gave you instructions herself?”

“There’s got to be some kind of misunderstanding,” Stan stammered. “It must’ve been someone pretending to be her who set me up.”

Desperation bled into his voice as he scrambled for a way out. He didn’t even know who the real mastermind was. All he knew was that the reward he’d been promised was too good to pass up.

Still, he had a guess. A suspicion. But the moment he said that name out loud, his career–and maybe more -would be over.

“I swear, I’ll find out who’s behind this,” Stan said quickly.

Russell’s gaze shifted toward Kyla.

She kept her head bowed, shoulders trembling, quiet sobs slipping past her lips. She looked so fragile, so small–like something that needed to be shielded from the world.

Russell shook the thought away.

No. It couldn’t be Kyla.

Kyla is kind. She is pure. Sweet and innocent.

There was no way a girl like her could have dreamed up such a cold, calculated plan.