Chapter 131 A Lawsuit
Chapter one hundred and thirty one
Third Person POV
The world moved fast, even though Val’s heart moved slow. While she sat alone in her house, barely holding herself together after Nona’s death, Natasha made her move.
By noon, every major news station interrupted their programs for a breaking announcement. Cameras flashed everywhere. Reporters crowded around Natasha as she stepped onto a platform in a black dress, pretending to be the victim.
She held a stack of papers in her hand and spoke into the microphone with a shaky voice.
“Stefan ruined my life,” Natasha announced. “He left me at the altar. He humiliated me in front of the world. He used me and threw me away.”
Reporters shouted questions at her.
“Are you filing charges?”
“What did Stefan do to you?”
“Was he abusive?”
Natasha lifted her chin dramatically.
“I am filing an official lawsuit for emotional harm, public humiliation, and professional damage. I was abandoned on a day that was meant to be beautiful. He has destroyed my reputation.”
Gasps spread through the crowd.
She took out more papers.
“I also have proof that Stefan manipulated me during our engagement and used me for his own business goals.”
Lies. All lies. But she said them with confidence.
“Stefan is dangerous emotionally,” Natasha finished. “And I refuse to stay silent.”
The crowd erupted.
By the time she stepped off the stage, the world had changed.
At Stefan’s company, chaos started immediately.
Phones rang nonstop. Emails poured in. Investors demanded answers.
“Sir, we are losing millions,” one of the board members said. “This is extremely damaging.”
Another added, “People are calling for your resignation.”
Stefan rubbed his forehead, exhausted. “I didn’t do anything she’s claiming. She planned this. She wants to destroy me.”
A board member shook his head. “The public believes her. The evidence—”
“I don’t know where she got that evidence,” Stefan snapped. “It’s fake.”
“Then prove it,” the man replied.
Stefan slammed his fist on the table. “I will.”
But even his voice shook.
He stepped out of the meeting room and leaned against the wall, breathing hard.
“How could she do this…” he whispered to himself.
He opened his phone.
Dozens of messages. Hundreds of notifications and thousands of hateful comments.
"What kind of man leaves his bride?"
"He used her!"
"Stefan is unstable!"
Each one hit him hard.
He sat down in his office chair and whispered to himself, “I’m losing everything.”
Across the city, Val’s house was quiet.
She held Nona’s scarf tightly in her hands and stared at the TV screen as Natasha’s press conference replayed.
The headline ran across the bottom:
NATASHA SUES STEFAN FOR RUINING HER LIFE
Val closed her eyes, feeling her chest tighten.
“No… Stefan didn’t do that to her,” she whispered.
Her phone buzzed nonstop. She ignored it until she saw her name flash on the screen.
Trending #1: #ValenticiaDykstra
Her stomach dropped.
A reporter on TV said, “Natasha claims that Val Dykstra manipulated Stefan and is the reason he ran from the wedding.”
Another reporter added, “Social media is tearing Val apart.”
Val’s breath became uneven.
She grabbed her phone again and saw the comments:
“She is a homewrecker.”
“She stole another woman’s groom.”
“This woman destroys relationships.”
Her hands started shaking.
She whispered, “Why am I being dragged into this…”
She didn’t want to cry again. She didn’t want more pain. She had no strength left.
But the world didn’t care about her grief.
Her phone rang again—Lucas.
But she let it go to voicemail.
Then Stefan’s name appeared.
She turned the phone face down.
She didn’t have the energy to hear anyone’s voice.
Meanwhile, Stefan sat in his office staring at his phone.
He whispered to himself, “Please answer… please.”
He tried calling Val again.
But there was no response.
He tried texting her.
— Val, please talk to me.
— I didn’t do what she’s saying.
— I’m not letting Natasha drag you into this.
No reply.
He set the phone down slowly and buried his face in his hands.
His assistant ran in. “Mr. Hale—there’s more.”
Stefan looked up. “What now?”
“Natasha just released documents claiming you misused company funds during the wedding.”
“What?!” Stefan stood up. “That’s completely false!”
“She has recordings too,” the assistant whispered.
“What recordings?”
“Recordings of your voice saying you used her for business.”
Stefan froze.
“What…” he breathed out.
“They sound real,” the assistant whispered. “But we know they’re edited.”
Stefan paced around the room looking, angry and scared.
“She wants to destroy me… all because the wedding didn’t happen.”
He stopped and looked at the window, feeling lost.
“And she dragged Val into this too,” he whispered. “Why…”
He grabbed his coat and rushed out of the office.
At Val’s house, there was a soft knock on the door.
She didn’t move.
Another knock came, louder this time.
Still she didn’t move.
Her entire body felt heavy from grief and shame and exhaustion.
She whispered into the empty room, “Please… I need everything to stop…”
The knocking continued.
She finally stood and walked slowly to the door. Her hand shook as she reached for the knob.
When she opened it—
Stefan stood there, breathless, with his eyes filled with worry and pain.
“Val…” he said softly. “Please… let me explain.”
Val’s heart twisted.
But she couldn’t speak.
She couldn’t breathe.
And she couldn’t handle more chaos.
She stepped back and shook her head.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered.
Stefan took a step forward. “Val, please—”
“No,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I can’t… not right now.”
Stefan flinched slightly. “I never meant for you to be pulled into this. Natasha—”
“I know,” Val said softly. “But I can’t handle anything. Not today. Not now.”
Stefan’s shoulders lowered. “Val… I’m losing everything.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I already lost everything.”
They stared at each other in silence.
Then Val slowly closed the door.
Stefan stood outside, stunned, his world falling apart.
Val fell to the floor inside, holding Nona’s scarf tight, and crying softly as the noise of the world grew louder against her name.