Jane's POV

I woke up early. My phone was buzzing nonstop. News alerts, emails and missed calls. I sat up in bed and read the headlines.


'Mason Group Exposed: Secret Server Uncovered."

'Inside Mason's Digital War Machine: A Global Tech Scandal."

My hands trembled slightly. It was happening. The truth was finally coming out.


Investigators found a hidden server in one of Mason Group's satellite offices. On it were copies of everything, the fake videos, the contracts with influencers, the AI-generated articles, even emails between Richard and his team planning the whole attack on me. It's undeniable.

A famous tech journalist, Leah Kwan, published a huge expose and It included interviews with former employees, screenshots of the digital campaign, and step-by-step breakdowns of how Mason Group tried to destroy me. It spreads like wildfire. Every news outlet picked it up.


By afternoon, people were protesting in front of Mason Group's headquarters. Influencers who took money from Richard posted apology videos and one even cried on camera, saying she didn't know how it went deep to that extent.

The court called Richard back in. This time, it was federal.

The courtroom was quiet as the judge read the verdict.

'Richard Mason and Mason Group are hereby fined eighty billion dollars for corporate defamation, illegal digital warfare, and breach of public trust."

There were gaspsed and silence echoed in the room. Richard didn't even blink, he just stared at the ground.

Later that evening, Richard held a press conference and the cameras were live. He walked up to the podium, his face was paled and his voice was dull.

'I want to apologize… to the public, to Jane Grande, and to those misled by our actions. Mistakes were made under my leadership."

However, no one claps, not even a single cheer by anyone, the damage was already done.

Richard's POV

The lights were too bright, the cameras were too close and my throat was dry, and my palms were sweating, I really never thought it would end like this.

Eighty billion dollars? The number echoed in my head again and again and I tried not to show emotion, but inside, I was really crumbling and I wanted to really scream.

I walked off the stage after the press conference and ny legal team was waiting for me, they didn't say anything, what could they say? They lost, I lost.

The hallway outside the press room was filled with reporters shouting questions. I kept my head down and pushed past them, everything I built was falling apart, stocks were crashing and partners were backing out, sponsors were disappearing like smoke.

In my office, I slammed the door and screamed and I threw a chair across the room, my assistant walked in slowly, and held a file firmly across his arm.

"Another subpoena," she said "And a resignation from the head of PR."

I didn't even respond. What could I possibly say? I sat on the floor and breathed heavily.

How did I let it come to this?

It was everything that they uncovered, emails, contracts and even the damn server.

I actually underestimated Jane and I thought she would crawl away in shame. But she didn't, instead She stood tall and I? I let my arrogance destroy me.

The media called it poetic justice, but called it war and then I lost.

Jane's POV

I sat in my office, and I watched from a distance, my phone rang and Investors wanted to come back, journalists wanted interviews and employees who left were asking to return.

We held a company town hall and I stood on stage in front of my team.

'I know it has been hard," I said. 'But we are still standing and we will rise again. We will rise smarter, stronger and unshaken."

They all cheered and even some wiped tears and it really felt so good to breathe again.

In the weeks that follow, we restructure the company. I built a new board of directors, one that includes cybersecurity experts, legal analysts, and ethical advisors. We created a digital watchdog department to monitor for future threats.

Richard's POV

I couldn't sleep and I have not slept in days because the weight of eighty billion pressed on my chest like a boulder and every time I closed my eyes, I saw Jane's face. It was cold, calm, victorious and I saw the headlines, the outrage and the disgust.

I paced around my penthouse like a trapped animal and my legal team warned me, but I didn't care. I picked up the phone and called her, it was straight to voicemail.

And then I tried again, and again, however there was still nothing.

I finally decided to send her a message:

'

Jane. Please. Let's talk. There has to be another way. I will negotiate. I will go public again. Just, not this"

But there was no response.

My lawyers called, he was furious. 'You are violating the terms of the restraining order. Do not contact her again, Richard. She could reopen the case."

However I couldn't stop. I wrote her an email and then another and then ten more mails to her. I started pleading and I even offered her some deals.

It was half the fine and should be paid in Installments, an apology tour, I mean anything she wanted, I was willing to do.

And then three days later, I was dragged back into court.

The judge doesn't even flinch as he slammed down the gavel.

'This court orders that Mr. Richard Mason is permanently prohibited from contacting Ms. Jane Grande in any form, direct or indirect.

Further, any attempt to renegotiate the imposed fine will be treated as obstruction. If Mr. Mason fails to pay the full sum, he will face criminal charges and a federal prison sentence."

My throat tightened and my world collapsed again.

My lawyer whispered, 'That was your last chance."

I sat there in silence, I was numb.

Jane didn't just win, he made sure I could never touch her again.

And if I didn't pay, I would rot in a cell.

Justice, that was what they call this, but to me, it was death by silence.