Chapter 70 Chase is Exposed
Dandelion.
"Dandy! have you seen the news?" Lilian's voice was breathless and excited.
I was having lunch in my room when my phone rang out, her name flashing across the screen.
"What news?" I asked in confusion because I was yet to check my phone before she called.
"Check Greenville Entertainment Weekly website. Right now." She said hurriedly.
"Uhm, okay." I put her on speaker and checked the site.
My phone immediately exploded with notifications. And the headline slammed into me like a physical force.
PRODUCER CHASE BRUSSEL: A PATTERN OF ABUSE
My heart paused.
It was news alerts, Social media mentions, Text after text of Chase.
"Dandy? Are you still there?"
"I,,,i'm here," I whispered, scrolling down.
The article was massive. Thousands of words. Photos, Video testimonials with blurred faces and altered voices.
"It's huge right?," Lilian exclaimed, "They're calling it the biggest scandal in Greenville entertainment history. Chase is done. Completely done for."
I couldn't speak. I Couldn't process what I was reading.
"Seven women have come forward with allegations of a systematic blackmail and coercion against movie producer Chase Brussel, painting a disturbing picture of predatory behavior spanning nearly a decade."
The News reporter explained.
"He made me believe he loved me," says Sarah M., whose identity were protected for her safety. "Then he showed me the photos he took, He said if I report him for abusing me, everyone would see them. I was only nineteen. I didn't know what to do."
The article continued with testimony after testimony. Each story was slightly different but devastatingly similar. Chase would, gain their trust, secretly capture their intimate moments, then use those images as blackmails.
"Dandy, this will justify you," Lilian said softly. "Everyone who called you names, everyone who believed you were just some fame hungry actress, they're all going to see the truth now."
I scrolled to the financial section, and my eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh my God he even extorted them,"
"Yep."Lilian muttered.
Records of payments Chase had received from his victims. Producing credits he had extorted. A literal paper trail of his crimes.
"How did they get their hands on this evidence?" I asked in surprise.
"The article says an anonymous source provided the evidence. Someone with serious resources who wanted Chase exposed and dealt with." Lilian explained.
One name immediately popped up in my mind. Alexander.
My chest tightened. He did this?.
No wonder he refused to tell me the extent of what he had planned.
"Uhm, Lily I have to go now," I told Lilian.
"Wait, Dandy are you sure you're okay?" She asked worriedly.
"Don't worry Lily I'll be fine. I just need to process this."I whispered.
She sighed, "Alright, talk to you later."
I hung up and continued reading the article. It was really devastating. The fact that he had the heart to do this to several women and even extorted them. It was really heartbreaking.
In another section of the article a Lawyer explained how chase would be potentially charged with loads of criminal charges.
His fans were already distancing themselves from him.
My phone rang again. And this time it was a number I didn't recognize.
"Hello?" I answered with hesitation.
"Miss Williams? This is Tara Oakley from Greenville Daily. I'm calling for a comment on the Chase Brussel story."
"I---I have no comment." I hung up immediately.
Almost immediately another call from Another reporter came in, then another.
I had to turn my phone off completely to ignore them, God knows how much I didn't want to remember the past.
I moved to the window to take in some fresh air.
So Chase was finally being punished.
Everything he built, every relationship he networked, every project he manipulated his way into, it was all crumbling in real time.
Because of Alexander.
A knock on my door made me turn.
"Come in."
Walter entered, his expression professional but with a hint of satisfaction. "Mrs. Graham. Mr. Graham asked me to inform you that the press release has gone live. So you should anticipate a lot of media attention he wanted to ensure you're prepared."
"Prepared for what?" I quizzed.
"A lot of reporters may attempt to contact you. And some might show up at the estate. But don't worry I've increased security."
I nodded slowly in gratitude. "Thank you, Walter."
He hesitated. "You're welcome Mrs Graham, but If I may say so, ma'am, it's Mr. Graham you should thank, what he did for you and those other women, it took a lot of consideration and resources and personal risk. He could have simply dealt with Chase and bury him quietly if he wanted to, but Instead, he chose a public exposure, knowing it would pay Chase back in his own coin."
He's right, Alex handled Chase more worse than I expected and I can't help but feel satisfied,
"I really do understand Walter, I'll make sure to thank him."
"Although he doesn't really believe in seeking credit for doing what he considers the right thing." Walter's expression softened slightly. "But you should know that, what he did, he did it genuinely for you."
A small smile escaped my lips.
Walter finally nodded and left.
After he left I grabbed my laptop to search for more videos. The story had spread everywhere. Entertainment sites, mainstream news, even international outlets were already picking it up.
CHASE BRUSSEL'S AGENCY DROPS HIM AMID ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
THREE MAJOR STUDIOS PULL CHASE BRUSSEL PROJECTS
ACTRESSES UNION CALLS FOR INDUSTRY REFORM FOLLOWING BRUSSEL EXPOSÉ
I clicked on a video. And it was a press conference hastily arranged by Chase's former agency.
"We are horrified and disgusted by these allegations," the agency head read from a teleprompter. "Effective immediately, we have terminated our relationship with Chase Brussel. We stand with survivors and are cooperating fully with the authorities."
Then another video. An actress I recognized, someone who had worked with Chase on three films.
"I had no idea," she said with tears streaming down her face. "If I had known what he was doing to those women, I never would have worked with him. Never. I'm so sorry to everyone he hurt."
The sincerity in her voice was clear. People were genuinely shocked. The industry was in chaos.
I turned off my phone and sat on the table. I could imagine the amount of messages piling up. All the Reporters wanted to hear my side of the story now, something they didn't do when I was accused. Some of my former friends suddenly reached out. People who'd abandoned me now wanted to apologize.
But I don't care about any of them.
I only cared about finding Alexander.
I found him in his study, on the phone. He gestured for me to sit, but I remained standing.
"I don't care what his lawyers say," Alexander was telling someone. "The evidence is documented. They can threaten lawsuits all they want. Make sure the judge knows I want them aggressive on this."
He muttered hmm and hung up, turning to me. "You saw the article?."
"Everyone saw the article." I moved closer to his desk. "It's everywhere,
"Hmm, that's Good,That's the goal."
I stared at him, this man who'd orchestrated the complete destruction of my abuser without me even asking him to go this far.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked softly, "That you were planning something this big?"
"I told you I would handle it."
"You said you'd expose him. You didn't say you would burn his entire world to the ground."
He leaned back in his chair, studying me. "Would you have wanted me to do less?"
A small smile tugged at my lips, "No. But you should have told me the plan I was really curious you know."
"I just didn't want to get your hopes up in case something had gone wrong or if the story didn't t run, Chase hurt you. I had to deal with him using his own scandal method."
My throat felt tight." Thank you Alex, no one else believed me. My family, my friends, people I had known for years. They all assumed the worst. But you," my voice cracked slightly, "you believed me without question. You didn't just believe me, you gave me an option, even though it's quite a weird option. But at least it saved me from my humiliation. So thank you."
Something in his expression shifted. "Dandy, you should know you always had power, Chase just made you forget it. And anyone would have---"
"No, they wouldn't have." I cut him off. "Most people would have kept their distance. Avoided the scandal. Protected their own reputation. But you accepted me."
Alexander stood, coming around the desk to face me. "What Chase did was unacceptable. Someone needed to stop him."
"But it didn't have to be you. You could have walked away."
"No," he said quietly. "Actually I couldn't have."
My brows narrowed in confusion, "Why not?"
He was quiet for a long moment, his green eyes searching piercing into mine. "Because when I think about what he put you through, when I imagine you watching your life fall apart, I want to destroy everything he's ever touched. Because you didn't deserve what happened to you, and he didn't deserve to get away with it."
He continued, his voice dropping lower, "He hurt you and I can't stand it Dandy."
The air between us suddenly felt thick. We were standing too close, the distance we usually maintained was completely gone.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Stop thanking me."
"I mean it Alex."
"I only did what I should have done months ago."
"No, You did it for me." I needed him to acknowledge it. "Not because of the contract, not for my revenge, not even just for those other women. You did it because of me."
He sighed. "Yes."
That single word of admitting made my heart race. This wasn't part of our contract. This wasn't fake husband duties or fulfilling an obligation.
This was real.
"My phone's been ringing nonstop," I said, changing the subject before I did something stupid, like kiss him out of excitement. "Probably from Reporters."
"Don't worry, Walter increased security. They won't get into the estate."
"What if chase retaliates." I asked with concern.
"Let him try." The coldness returned to Alexander's voice. "I have lawyers waiting for any move he makes. And I still have some evidence we didn't release. If he wants to play dirty, I can bury him deeper."
I raised a brow in amusement, "You really have everything planned out."
"He smirked, "I had weeks to plan, although the timing isn't ideal with Noona's vacation coming up. The story will be dominating headlines while we're supposed to be relaxing on some beach."
"Oh, yeah, the vacation." I muttered awkwardly, I almost forgot about that unnecessary vacation, and if we cancel, she'll definitely use the cancellation as proof that our marriage was fake.
"So we go on the trip, while Chase gets buried in lawsuits?" I quipped in amusement.
He smirked, "Apparently."