“Always,” I say simply. “Always, Olivia.”
And as we drive toward Ralph’s office, toward clearing her name and fixing this mess, I feel something I haven’t felt in days.
Hope.
Because we’re about to prove the truth matters.
And that we’re stronger together than any lie that tries to tear us apart.
Chapter Nineteen
Olivia
Walking into Ralph’s office with Mark standing beside him, feels very different from when I was in Mark’s office. Yesterday, I walked into this building feeling defeated, expecting the worst. Today, I walk in with evidence that could change everything.
When we enter, Mark’s expression is unreadable, but Ralph looks almost... hopeful.
“Show me,” Ralph says without preamble.
I hand over the envelope, my hands steadier than I expected. Carter stands beside me, his presence a solid anchor as Ralph spreads the documents across his desk.
Mark leans forward, reading over Ralph’s shoulder. The silence stretches, broken only by the rustle of paper and the tick of Ralph’s desk clock.
Finally, Mark speaks. “This is legitimate?”
“Carol Martinez brought it to us herself,” Carter says. “Her nephew worked stadium security. He admitted to fabricating the anonymous sources and lying about Olivia leaking information.”
Ralph picks up the confession, scanning it carefully. “This is notarized. Dated yesterday.” He looks up at me. “Did you know anything about this before today?”
“No. Carol contacted me out of the blue last night.” I pull out my phone, showing him the messages. “I didn’t know who she was or what she wanted until this morning.”
Mark takes my phone, reading the texts. His jaw tightens. “Jake Martinez. I remember him. Hired him because Carol vouched for him.” He looks at Ralph. “Can we use this?”
“Absolutely.” Ralph’s already pulling up something on his computer. “With this confession, we can force Sports Insider toretract the article. Issue a public apology. And we can pursue legal action against Jake Martinez for defamation.”
“I want him prosecuted,” Mark says flatly. “He damaged this organization’s reputation. Damaged Olivia’s reputation. And he profited from it.”
“Agreed.” Ralph types rapidly. “I’ll have our legal team draft everything. We can have a press conference scheduled for this afternoon if you want to move fast.”
“This afternoon?” My voice comes out smaller than I intend.
Mark’s gaze shifts to me, and for the first time since this started, I see something like approval in his eyes. “You’ve been dragged through the mud for twenty-four hours, Olivia. The longer we wait, the more damage it does. We need to get ahead of this. Clear your name publicly and decisively.”
“What about Carter?” I glance at him. “The article said things about him too.”
“The article painted me as a victim,” Carter says. “Which I’m not. But you, they made you look like you orchestrated everything. That’s what needs to be corrected.”
Mark nods. “Storm’s right. The focus needs to be on clearing your name and exposing Jake Martinez for what he did. We’ll handle the rest later.”
Ralph prints several copies of the documents. “I’ll get these to our PR team. They’ll draft a statement, coordinate with Sports Insider’s legal department for the retraction, and set up the press conference.” He looks at me. “You’ll need to be there, Olivia. Standing beside Mark, showing that the organization supports you.”
My stomach twists. “I have to face the press?”
“Yes.” Ralph’s voice is gentle but firm. “I know it’s intimidating. But this is how we control the narrative. You stand up there, professional and confident, while we present theevidence. Let them see that you’re not the person Jake Martinez made you out to be.”
Carter’s hand finds the small of my back. “I’ll be there too.”
Mark shakes his head. “Actually, Storm, I think it’s better if you’re not. This needs to be about Olivia and the organization. Not about your relationship.”
