To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 191

As soon as his words faded, a round of applause swept through the room.

Elara knew he'd seen yesterday's trending headlines—and believed every word.

Her reputation in his eyes had always been shaky at best; now, it had crashed straight through the floor.

If she wanted to change her situation, she'd have to prove her innocence herself.

But in the face of relentless rumors and tangled webs of vested interests, such a move felt like little more than an invitation to further humiliation.

With her gaze lowered in thought, Elara wondered how she could possibly carve a way out of this siege.

"So a handful of rumors are all it takes to judge someone's character? Are you all really so thin-skinned, given your lofty positions?"

Brian strode through the crowd, his voice cool and sharp, yet carrying the kind of authority that demanded attention.

"And tell me—of everyone standing here, how many can honestly claim to have only one partner? Before the tabloids caught up, everyone played the perfect spouse."

A hush fell over the room, so deep you could hear a pin drop.

No one had expected Brian to defend his wife so openly.

Even Zane's gaze turned thoughtful as he regarded him.

"Mr. Vincent's words aren't just for his beloved, but for his wife. Well said."

Brian ignored the sarcasm, turning instead to Elara, his expression gentler now.

But Elara averted her face, refusing to acknowledge his gesture.

Jason, sensing the moment, finally stepped forward.

"Mr. Vincent is right. We're all industry veterans here—why gang up on the newcomers? Ignition Dynamics has only been around a few years; there's no need to be so threatened."

His rare agreement with his rival left everyone glancing at each other in confusion.

Zane's eyes swept over Jason, calm but carrying weight with every word.

"We're all people of standing here. Resorting to slander and underhanded tactics to attack competitors just seems beneath us. I trust none of us would stoop so low."

With that, the message was clear.

Enough was enough.

The crowd began to disperse.

A few older business moguls gathered around Zane, shifting the conversation to the latest breakthroughs in battery technology.

Elara wasn't swayed by Brian's or Jason's attempts to shield her. She turned to leave, but Jason called after her.

"My assistant found a pair of new shoes for you. They should fit."

"If you've already done what you've done, there's no point pretending to patch things up. I'm no match for you, Mr. Lawrence. Wounds may heal, but scars remain. I'm not asking for forgiveness—let's just go our separate ways from here."

With that, she stood and walked away, leaving him behind.

"Mr. Lawrence, Miss Jules is a tough one," his assistant remarked quietly.

But that, Jason thought, was exactly what made her so intriguing.

He let out a low, cryptic chuckle as he watched her go.

When Elara returned to the lawn with her bag, Summer was already deep in conversation with a CEO interested in partnering up.

Remembering the rumors swirling around her, Elara decided not to interrupt and headed toward the exit alone.

But as she turned, she found herself face-to-face with Zane.

He stood among a group of executives, including CEO Shepherd.

The sight of their faces brought back every stinging word she'd overheard.

She inclined her head to Zane in greeting.

This time, Zane's eyes didn't leave her face.

Unbothered by the company of the other CEOs, he said, "Ignition Dynamics' technological breakthrough is impressive, no doubt. But some industries simply aren't that big. Even the best weapon ends up gathering dust. Isn't that just like a beggar cradling a pot of gold?"