THE STARDUST FORTUNE

Chapter 38: Public Relations

The headline screamed across Eleanor's tablet: "GENESIS PROJECT LEADER'S HUSBAND CAUGHT IN RESEARCH TRYST."

"Turn it off," Alex paced the conference room. "It's not what they're making it out to be."

"Is it not?" Eleanor's voice remained eerily calm as she swiped through photos. "You and Luna, connecting neural interfaces. Her hands on your temples. Your faces inches apart."

"We were calibrating the consciousness matrix!"

"While I was in Washington." Eleanor set down the tablet. "How convenient."

The door burst open as Sebastian Drake strode in, designer suit immaculate despite the transcontinental flight.

"Darling sister! Always such a pleasure to clean up your messes."

"I didn't call you, Sebastian."

"No, the board did." He dropped into a chair. "Something about protecting their trillion-dollar investment from scandal."

Luna entered, faltering when she saw Sebastian. "I should go..."

"Stay." Eleanor's tone left no room for argument. "We need to address this."

"First rule of crisis m