Ella tucked theblanket around Karen and quietly left the room.

As she descended the staircase, she found Austin and Judith waiting in the living room below, exactly as she'd expected.

Judith's face wore a mask of false concern, but her eyes betrayed both triumph and curiosity.

"Ella, what were you and Mrs. Raymond talking about? She's not well-you shouldn't be upsetting her with anything," Judith said.

Austin stood beside her, his expression dark as storm clouds. He had clearly noticed Ella's actions upstairs.

"Ella, what did you take from my grandmother?" His tone was accusatory.filled with entitlement. "Hand it over. Now!"

Ella paused on the last step of the staircase, looking down at them with cold detachment.

"What did I take?" She asked with a bitter smile that never reached her eyes.

"Austin, should I empty my pockets and show you my phone, keys, and wallet for inspection too?"

"Under what authority are you questioning me?" She continued. "As my husband? Sorry, but I've discarded that title."

She continued, "Or perhaps as the CEO of Raymond Group? If that's the case.I have to wonder-does the great Mr. Raymond control everything.including his ex-wife's pockets?"

Austin's chest tightened with anger at hersharp retorts.

"Don't forget that whatever's in your pocket might rightfully belong to the Raymond family," He said coldly.

"The Raymond family's?" Ella descended the remaining steps,approaching him with deliberate slowness.

"Since when did my mother's keepsakes become Raymond family property?Or is it that you have always been this tyrannical, trying to claim whatever catches your eye?"

Seeing the tension escalate, Judith quickly grabbed Austin's arm with a fragile grip, her eyes immediately reddening.

"Austin, please don't be angry. Ella surely doesn't mean it," She said softly.

"Ella,we've all seen those trending topics online. People are saying such awful things-why don't you explain yourself?" Judith continued.

"Just teIl Austin that those photos were misunderstood, that you weren't accompanying investors for drinks to secure funding. Right?"

While Judith's words appeared supportive, each sentence was another knife to Ella's heart, reminding Austin of how disgraceful she supposedly was.

Ella looked at Judith's innocent face with undisguised disgust.

"Judith, how does it feel to purchase trendingtopics?"

The color drained from Judith's face as she clutched Austin's arm even tighter.

"Ella, what are you talking about? I would never hurt you! Why would

you accuse me of such things? Austin, she's making false accusations!"Judith cried, her voice breaking.

"Enough!" Austin shouted, his voice cutting through the tension.

"Ella, you've become completely unreasonable," He said, glaring at her with contempt. "You embarrass yourself publicly and then turn around to slander Judith. Apologize to her now!"

"Apologize?" Ella laughed as if she'd just heard the century's best joke.

"Austin, you expect me to apologize to someone who bought an online smear campaign against me-someone who would happily see me destroyed? Has your heart become so twisted that you can't even distinguish right from wrong anymore?"

"I said, apologize to Judith. Now!" Austin had lost all patience. He stepped forward,reaching for Ella's arm.

A sharp,resonant crack echoed through the spacious living room.

Time seemed to freeze.

Judith covered her mouth,eyes wide with disbelief.

Austin's face was turned to one side, five distinct fingermarks rapidly forming on his handsome cheek.

He slowly turned back to face her, his eyes storming with destructive fúry.

"You dared to slap me?"

Ella's hand was still tingling, but her heart felt an unprecedented sense of liberation.

"I slapped you to wake you up," She said calmly.

"Austin, drop your self-righteous judgment act. I am no longer the woman who will tolerate your abuse and humiliation!"

Her icy gaze shifted to Judith.

"As for you, Judith, this is just the beginning. You'll pay a thousand times over for your smear campaign against me."

Austin was so enraged that he raised his hand to strike back.

Ella didn't even flinch. She merely looked at him coldly.

"What? Want to hit me back? Go ahead. Let everyone see that Austin not only suffers from selective blindness but also resorts to violence against his ex-wife."

Austin's hand froze in mid-air. He stared into those fearless eyes that now held nothing but contempt, and a strange panic crawled up his spine like an icy serpent.

He realized he couldn't bring himself to strike her.

Ella gave a derisive snort. "Austin, from today onward, I won't set foot in this house again. Keep your nauseating display of affection away from me."

Without another glance at either of them, she turned and walked away.her back perfectly straight and dignified.

Austin stood there, holding his burning cheek, watching her resolute departure. Something in his chest felt hollowed out, yet simultaneously filled with a suffocating heaviness.

Beside him. Judith trembled, barely daring to make a sound.

Ella had truly changed.

Driving at high speed along the highway, Ella discovered her hands were shaking violently.

She took a deep breath and called Jason.

"The trending topic,"She said.

Jason's voice came through the line, completely unruffled,steady as a rock.

He said confidently, "Trust me to handle it. I've traced the IP addresses and followed the trail. Three main marketing accounts, al linked to a shell media company. I hacked their accounts and found the transaction records.The shell company's legal representative is Hugo Brooks, Judith's cousin.The evidence chain is completely solid. Judith can't wiggle out of this one."

Ella's eyes instantly hardened. Jason's efficiency had exceeded her expectations.

This was exactly the kind of partner she needed.

"When should we release the evidence? I can contact PR right now and ensure the narrative flips within half an hour. Let her feel what it's like to have her own stone drop on her foot!" Jason had already grown excited.

"We won't release it," Ella said flatly.

"What?" Jason was stunned.

"Judith chose this moment to attack because she wants to throw me off balance before my negotiation in Lumeria. She wants me to panie, to lose focus, to rush into defending myself. I refuse to play into her hands."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.