Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 223 Unjustly Targeted "Do you think it's true? That they've been married for months?" one of the reporters asked, adjusting her earpiece as she stood near the cordoned off area.

"Depends who you ask," said Kelron Baines, a senior field anchor from Vista Signal News. He flipped through his notes." Just last year, Isabella Rossi was with Calen Weiss of Weiss Inc. I heard that Mr. Weiss had saffairs that were exposed during a company event and that prompted Miss Rossi to leave the company. If she's really married to Mr. Horvath then... wouldn't that make her relationship with Mr. Weiss a joke?" Across the lot, several media vans were lined up outside the glass-fronted conference building. A long red backdrop had been placed behind a single podium. It was sleek, minimal, Horvath-brand neutral. There was no official signage beyond a generic statement: Media Briefing - 9:00 A.M.

Reporters checked their mics and light gear while muttering among themselves.

"I heard this press con is just a PR stunt to clean up after the Sarano mess," said Leena Ardell from Daily Praxis. "Why else go public with a marriage now?" "Con, Liam Horvath doesn't need to marry anyone for PR, someone behind her chimed in. "He's already the heir. He doesn't answer to anyone." Leena turned to face him. "Then why now? Why make it public right after Cassandra's claims started falling apart? A younger reporter, Benzo Vale from Channel Tenfold, was typing something into his tablet. There's a file floating around showing Cass had contact with Olivier Horvath's office days before the incident," he said. "If that's true, this whole thing could blow up from both ends." Kelron raised a brow. "You saying Olivier Horvath set this up?" Benzo shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first tHorvath Holdings cleaned up its mess by making a bigger one? Another voice joined in from the group. "What about the rumors from two years ago? The ones about Liam and that model from Ardesh? The one who disappeared from the industry overnight?" "You mean Saphira Kess?" Leena asked. "That was never confirmed." "It never needed to be confirmed," someone muttered. "Billionaires bury problems. Everyone knows that." Most of them turned as a sleek black car rolled into the drop-off zone. Security shifted formation immediately. Cameras were immediately lifted. Lights adjusted.

Benzo double-checked his setup. "We're live in seven minutes." Kelron kept his eyes on the doors. "Let's see what they say. Either this is damage control... or something much bigger." Behind them, whispers grew louder as other journalists joined the crowd, waiting. A few independent bloggers had set up tripods near the back, desperate to get clean audio. The press assistant walked past with a clipboard, checking names against a list.

A few minutes before the clock struck nine, the murmur of voices grew quieter.

A man wearing a dark grey suit stepped up to the podium. He adjusted the microphone and tapped a few buttons on the small control panel attached to the side. The background music faded out immediately. The reporters turned their full attention toward the stage.

The man cleared his throat, then lifted a clipboard in front of him.

"For those attending," he said, "thank you for your patience. We ask that you hold all questions until after the formal statement. There will be an opportunity for a short Q&A session afterward." As he spoke, several individuals entered from the side door. They took their places behind the podium in a line, Most of them wore tailored suits stamped with the subtle Horvath Industries logo on the breast pocket.

A few reporters quickly murmured among themselves, recognizing faces from past corporate press events.

Only one person stood out among the line-Maria Alcaraz, sharp in a deep navy suit, her badge clearly reading Rossi Group, Chief Counsel.

The moderator continued. "Please welcMr. Nolan Reeve, lead counsel representing Horvath Industries." He placed a few neatly organized papers on the Successfully unlocked! Nolan Reeve, a tall man with sandy hair and a stern build. podium and adjusted the mic slightly.

He glanced once across the room before speaking.

"This morning, we are here to present facts. Not rumors. Not speculation." The reporters shifted, attention sharpening.

1/2 Unjustly Targeted Nolan turned the first page in his file.

"On the day Miss Sarano alleges misconduct, Mr. Liam Horvath was attending to a family emergency. His grandfather, Mr. Victor Horvath, suffered a medical complication that required immediate hospitalization. Mr. Liam Horvath remained at the hospital for the entire duration of that evening." Nolan lifted another document from the stack and held it up slightly.

"We have hospital logs, signed by attending physicians, security footage from the emergency department, and sworn affidavits from hospital staff. Mr. Horvath never left the hospital premises that evening." A ripple of murmured surprise passed through the reporters.

"And furthermore," Nolan continued, his voice steady, "a few days ago, Mr. Horvath's wife, Mrs. Isabella Rossi- Horvath, was admitted due to injuries sustained in a vehicular accident." Several more reporters gasped. A few others immediately jotted frantic notes. They noticed how they used the word WIFE! Nolan ignored the stir.

"Like any husband would, Mr. Horvath prioritized the safety and care of his wife. He has been by her side throughout her recovery. There was no meeting with Miss Sarano. There was no contact of any kind." The moderator stepped back up quickly, tapping the microphone again.

"Please," he said, "hold your questions until after the full statement is complete." Nolan turned the page in his file and tapped it lightly against the podium once.

"In addition to the hospital records," he said, "we have time-stamped security footage, hotel check-in records, and verified images showing Mr. Horvath and Mrs. Horvath together in New York State during the timefrMiss Sarano claims the alleged incident occurred." He lifted a slim black folder and set it down on the podium.

"These materials will be made available to all credentialed media representatives following this briefing. Each file is time- stamped, verified, and includes corroborating witness statements." A few reporters began whispering among themselves, clearly caught off guard. Nolan pressed forward. "Meanwhile, Miss Sarano was documented participating in fan events in Los Angeles. Social media posts, official event schedules, and live streams place her there-over two thousand miles away." The moderator stepped forward again, briefly motioning for the crowd to hold their questions.

Nolan set both hands on either side of the podium, steady and firm.

"We did not seek this public confrontation. However, since Miss Sarano chose to escalate the matter in the public sphere, Horvath Holdings and Rossi Group will be responding accordingly." He flipped another page.

"Effective immediately, we are filing multiple counterclaims against Miss Sarano. These include: defamation, attempted extortion, emotional distress, and interference with business relations." The list hit the room like a punch. Reporters scrambled to jot everything down.

"In addition," Nolan continued, "we are pursuing punitive damages. We will also be seeking a formal public retraction from Miss Sarano and all parties who distributed the false accusations without verifying their validity." Kelron Baines from Vista Signal News scribbled furiously on his notepad. Benzo Vale from Channel Tenfold typed even faster, eyes darting between Nolan and the documents being waved toward the press table by the moderator's assistant. "This is not simply a matter of reputational harm," Nolan added. "This is a deliberate, coordinated attempt to damage not only Mr. and Mrs. Horvath but two multinational corporations tied to thousands of employees and stakeholders." Leena Ardell whispered something under her breath, her brow furrowed. Nolan gave the gathered press a single nod.

"We will allow a few questions after Ms. Maria Alcaraz, representing Miss Rossi, delivers her statement. Please remain seated." He stepped back from the podium, allowing Maria to step forward, a slim folder in her hands, her expression unreadable. The moderator moved to adjust the microphone height slightly for her as the press braced for what cnext. Maria Alcaraz stepped up to the podium, setting her folder down neatly before her.

She took a moment to flip to the correct page, then looked up at the room full of reporters, her voice steady as she spoke into the microphone.

Unjustly Targeted "As Mr. Reeve has already detailed," Maria began, "Horvath Holdings is pursuing a comprehensive legal response to the false accusations made by Miss Cassandra Sarano." She turned a page crisply.

"Rossi Group is likewise pursuing action-specifically, on behalf of Mrs. Isabella Rossi-Horvath." There was a stir in the press row again, but no one dared interrupt this time.

"Mrs. Horvath was involved in a vehicular accident shortly before these aweremadem Maria continued." Her injuries required hospitalization and ongoing medical treatment. During her recovery, she faced not only physical hardship but also a sustained public attack, rooted entirely in falsehoods." She paused, giving the reporters tto catch up.

"As such, Rossi Group's legal team has prepared to file an additional lawsuit against Miss Sarano for intentional infliction of emotional distress." A few reporters gasped softly.

Maria lifted another paper from her folder.

"We will be seeking damages for the emotional trauma inflicted upon Mrs. Horvath

during her recovery, aggravated by the public nature of the false allegations. Mrs. Horvath's physical condition, verified by medical records, was directly and negatively impacted by the additional stress placed on her by these defamatory claims." Benzo Vale from Channel Tenfold quickly typed something into his device, glancing up at the stage.

Maria didn't slow down.

"Additionally, we are reserving the right to pursue charges related to cyber harassment, given the coordinated nature of the attacks Mrs. Horvath faced online in the aftermath of Miss Sarano's claims." Maria laid the papers back down neatly.

"We want to make this clear: We are not filing these actions for spectacle or revenge. We are ing them to protect the basic dignity of an individual who was unjustly targeted at her most vulnerable moment." The moderator moved forward again, checking his watch.

"We will open the floor to questions now," he announced. "Please state your nand affiliation before asking your question." anyone could speak, someone called out for the others to check their phones. A moment later, a wave of However, before gasps filled the room. Then the quiet broke instantly into chaos.

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