Chapter 3 You're Suing Me !

Ava Carter's phone buzzed relentlessly the moment she opened her eyes the next morning. Groggily, she reached for it, expecting the usual flood of social media notifications and her editor's cheerful "Good morning!" message. Instead, the screen displayed an email subject that made her heart skip a beat: "Legal Notice-Blackwood Industries Defamation Claim."

For a split second, Ava stared at the screen as if it were a particularly nasty typo. "You're... suing me?!" she murmured, almost disbelieving the words. Her mind raced-had Damian decided to take the high road and escalate this into a legal war? In all her years of exposing corporate corruption, she'd never been taken down with a subpoena before.

She fumbled for her phone's speaker and dialed Sophia. "Soph, get in here! I need you-I'm being sued, like, officially!" Her voice was a mix of panic and an odd thrill.

Within minutes, Sophia burst into the cramped apartment kitchen, her eyes wide as she clutched a bowl of leftover granola. "Suing you? No way, Ava. That's insane-and kind of awesome!" she declared, half laughing, half in shock.

Ava paced the living room. "Insane, maybe-but I can't let this slide. Damian Blackwood isn't just going to let his reputation get tarnished by a couple of scathing paragraphs, is he?" She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to steady the rising adrenaline. "He wants a war, and if he's suing me, he's serious. But I'm not backing down now. Not when I have every bit of evidence to prove he's a crooked, overpaid tyrant."

Across town, in the ultra-modern corridors of Blackwood Tower, Damian Blackwood watched the same email on his tablet with a cool, measured expression. In his glass-paneled office, he summoned his lead counsel, Margaret Price-a sharp, no-nonsense lawyer who had handled high-profile cases for more than a decade.

"Margaret," Damian said, his voice low and deliberate, "I want every legal avenue open to silence this... nuisance, Ava Carter. We can't let her tarnish my name with her sensational lies."

Margaret's eyes narrowed behind her designer glasses. "I've already started drafting a defamation claim. We have substantial evidence that her article misrepresented our finances and implied criminal activity. She's making this personal."

Damian allowed himself a brief, cold smile. "Good. Let's make sure she understands that in the world of Blackwood Industries, truth is a luxury-one that she can't afford."

Back in her apartment, Ava had already taken a deep breath after the initial shock. With the lawsuit notice printed out and spread across her coffee table like a gaudy, unwelcome invitation, she decided to call her trusted lawyer, Elena Martinez. Elena was known for her razor-sharp wit and a streak of rebellious defiance against corporate bullies-exactly the kind of advocate Ava needed.

On the phone, Elena's confident voice filled the tiny kitchen. "Ava, I've seen the notice. This is classic Blackwood intimidation. But let me tell you something: when a billionaire resorts to suing you for exposing corruption, it's a badge of honor in my book."

Ava allowed herself a small laugh, though her pulse still pounded in her ears. "I appreciate that, Elena. I'm not backing down, you hear me? I'm going to publish everything I've got-even if I have to do it from a basement with a leaky roof."

"Good," Elena replied. "I'm reviewing the documents now. We'll file a counter-motion if necessary, and I suggest you keep your next article under tight wraps until we see how this unfolds. But honestly, Ava-this lawsuit will only add fuel to your story."

Ava glanced around her apartment at the familiar chaos of scattered papers and half-empty coffee cups. "Fuel to a fire I intend to burn down, Elena. You know what? I'm drafting a response as we speak."

Sophia, still hovering nearby with a bowl of granola now half-forgotten, quipped, "I always knew you had a flair for the dramatic. Just imagine the headlines: 'Journalist Fights Back Against Tyrant-And Wins!'"

Ava rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Yeah, right. More like 'Billionaire Blackwood Loses His Cool, And My Article Loses His Shirt.'"

Later that morning, Ava found herself in a bustling public courthouse. Though not scheduled for a hearing yet, her lawyer had advised her to get a sense of the system-and to make it clear she wasn't intimidated. Clutching her folder with the lawsuit documents and her laptop bag slung over one shoulder, she navigated the marble-floored corridors with a mixture of determination and the kind of nervous energy that only comes before a major battle.

In the waiting area, she overheard snippets of conversation: hushed tones about "high-profile cases" and "corporate lawsuits." For a moment, the reality of what she was up against sunk in. But then she remembered the scathing humor in her own words, and a defiant smile crept across her face. She wasn't just a journalist-she was a fighter, and her pen was her sword.

When a friendly clerk called her name for a scheduled appointment with Elena, Ava stepped into a cramped office lined with law books and the hum of a nearby copier. Elena was already waiting, reviewing a thick binder of documents. "Ava," she said warmly, "I'm glad you came in. We're in for a bit of a roller coaster, but I promise, this will work in our favor."

Ava sat down, smoothing out the wrinkles on her blouse. "I'm ready to fight," she declared. "I want you to go after every single piece of evidence that shows the truth-about Blackwood Industries, about Damian, everything."

Elena leaned forward, her eyes glinting with a mixture of excitement and resolve. "Then let's do it. We'll file the necessary counterclaims and prepare a response that not only defends you but exposes the underlying corruption."

Ava nodded, feeling a surge of adrenaline. Outside the office window, the city buzzed with life, unaware of the battle brewing inside those polished halls. For Ava, each case was personal-a chance to avenge the memory of her mother and to stand up for the voiceless victims of corporate greed.

After she met with Elena, Ava returned to her apartment and immediately booted up her laptop. The digital clock on her desk blinked at 2:15 PM. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she began drafting her next article-a detailed account of the legal intimidation tactics used by Blackwood Industries, sprinkled with biting wit and hard-hitting facts. She mixed in personal anecdotes and subtle jabs at the hypocrisy of the corporate elite, all while maintaining the journalistic integrity that had made her name.

Every so often, she paused to re-read a sentence, a small smile tugging at her lips as she imagined the headlines and social media buzz that would soon follow. She could already picture tweets like "Ava Carter doesn't just write articles-she writes revolutions!" and "Defiance is the new currency in the fight against corruption."

As dusk settled over New York, Ava stepped out onto her fire escape for a breath of fresh air. The city's neon lights flickered in the distance, and she felt a mixture of anxiety and exhilaration. Tonight, she wasn't just a journalist; she was a symbol-a fearless fighter challenging one of the most powerful men in the country.

Her phone buzzed again. It was a message from Sophia: "You're going to make history, girl. Can't wait to see Damian squirm!"

Ava grinned. "History's just another word for the truth we're about to expose," she texted back.

At that moment, as the cool evening air brushed against her skin and the weight of the lawsuit seemed almost exhilarating rather than crushing, Ava made a promise to herself: She would not be intimidated. Not by a billionaire's lawsuit, not by the corruption of a powerful empire, and certainly not by the fear that had once held her back.

Instead, she would use this as a catalyst-a spark to ignite even more groundbreaking journalism. Every challenge thrown her way was fuel for her next story. And she knew that while Damian Blackwood might think he could silence her with a legal suit, he had only given her more ammunition to rally the truth.

Later that night, as she curled up with her laptop and a much-needed cup of herbal tea, Ava finalized her draft and hit "save." The article was raw, passionate, and uncompromising. It was exactly what she needed to send a message to the world: "I'm not afraid to stand up for what's right-even if it means facing a billionaire head-on."

She leaned back, exhausted but empowered. Outside, the city hummed its nocturnal lullaby, and Ava whispered to herself, "Let them come. I'm ready for whatever comes next."

And somewhere in a highrise office, Damian Blackwood's phone chimed again. His legal team was working round the clock-but so was Ava Carter. The war was officially on, and both sides were determined. In this battle of words, wit, and unyielding determination, only one truth remained clear: Neither would back down without a fight.