Page 107 of Burning Your Lies

Regarding the murder accusation against Henry Pruitt, I must clarify that neither myself nor my father had any knowledge of the identity of her lover until XR Securities was established. Henry Pruitt’s life took a turn for the worse when his wife discovered his infidelity. In an act of desperation, he made contact with the intention of extorting me by revealing intimate details of my childhood. To shield my father from harm, I faithfully continued to provide him with financial help until his tragic murder a few weeks ago. Payments were consistently conducted through online transfers. Until recently, I had not visited him. However, with the commencement of this witch hunt initiated by Scottie Noel, I became concerned about his safety.

This brings me to the accusation of stalking and murder involving Caitlyn Noel. Without a doubt, this accusation caused considerable distress. Caitlyn was the first woman I truly loved. We were young and had big dreams for the future. Our friends and family were witness to our affection. The relationship ended amicably when she was given an opportunity to work abroad that would have been unwise to decline. Despite the potential consequences of the relationship, I urged Caitlyn to take advantage of the opportunity. As XR Securities expanded,finding time for one another became more and more difficult. It was mutually agreed upon that we would prioritise our dreams and seek each other out if the opportunity presented itself. I am prepared to furnish the police with all the evidence at my disposal, showing that Caitlyn departed my premises unharmed. Moreover, I will disclose the scarce communication we had over several years.

I would like to formally withdraw my earlier assertion that Scottie instigated this witch hunt. The person responsible for all of this is none other than Savannah Hayes. The woman who has just completed a live interview beseeching the world to rescue her from my clutches. I met Savannah when she worked at EspresSoul. She was kind and provided a supportive presence as I discussed the fertility issues affecting my marriage. I can attest to her role as our surrogate, however, I firmly refute her assertions of an affair or any form of relationship after my wife’s passing. There was no hint of romance in my relationship with Savannah.

She is a woman who harbours delusions and poses a risk to the safety of myself and my child. Hence, in response to her request for joint custody, I have persistently opposed and will continue to do so. Despite her malicious behaviour, I never disputed her request for supervised contact with my child. The courts have overlooked the true magnitude of the danger she represents. I am in no position to blame them, for I too once held the same mistaken belief. However, it should be noted that Savannah Hayes has been admitted to the hospital because of her schizophrenia. She was involuntarily admitted at my insistence because of her reclusive behaviour, erratic actions, and persistent belief of being stalked. It is my belief that she contrived this delusion, knowing that I would feel compelled to safeguard her. I made efforts to assist her, but they proved to beineffective, compelling me to intervene when she attempted to leave the country with my child.

I will never fully comprehend the reasons behind her decision to harbour animosity towards me, and I will not endeavour to do so. This is a task meant for mental health professionals whom Savannah declines to engage with. She is a troubled woman, and my ongoing endeavour to aid her remained even after she was set free. However, I find myself fatigued by this perpetual cycle. I secured a position for her after she was fired from EspresSoul. I failed to fulfil the policy’s requirement of conducting thorough background checks. Had I been informed, I would have realised her need for financial help. Upon her eviction from her residence, I allowed her to live with me. She took advantage of my generosity and attempted to sabotage my marriage by manipulating my wife and seducing me. I consciously ignored the violation of clauses in the surrogacy agreement. Since meeting Savannah, I have continued to lie to protect her. But that stops now. Savannah, I know you are listening to this. So, please hear me. This game ends here. I am done carrying your lies.”

I take a deep breath and mentally pat myself on the back for my performance. No doubt, the world will believe me. My tone and posture convey transparency. I showed enough vulnerability to gain sympathy. After seventeen years of being extremely private, the public will be too obsessed with the few details I shared to question the gaps in the story.

“Just to confirm, you say there was nothing romantic between you and Savannah?” The female journalist stares at me like she doesn’t believe me.

I turn on the charm and let out a soft laugh. “Nothing at all.”

“You never slept with her?”

“Not even once.”

She’s having a staring match with me. “Why should we believe you?”

Was this bitch on Savannah’s roster or something?

“I could ask why you believe Savannah.”

“Because she provided proof of your affair. And if you lied about that, who’s to say anything else you said is true? How are we supposed to believe you?”

I can feel my smile slipping away. I clasp my hands tight. “What proof?”

“Your sex tapes are all over the internet, Mr Rivers.”

48

Xavier

My blood is boilingin my veins as the videos play one after the other on my laptop. Every interaction Savannah and I had in my house is all over the internet. Our whispers of a forever love and moans of pleasure are wracking up views faster than my erratic heart is beating. I watch, without blinking, as I kneel before her and kiss her bump.

I slam my laptop closed and punch my fist into my desk. “Francesca!” I scream.

With a terrified expression, she hurriedly enters the room. “Yes.”

“Get those taken down!” I snarl. “Every single one! Get my lawyers on the phone. I’m going to drown that fucking whore in so many lawsuits she’s going to suffocate in them.”

“Yes, sir.” She practically runs back to her desk.

My fingers are pulling at my hair, but nothing relieves the pounding in my head. The urge to scream at the top of my lungs fills me. I want to find her and kill the fucking bitch.She played me.

“What?” I snap into the phone when it rings.

“Mr Rivers.” My lawyer sounds as terrified as Francesca looked.

“File every fucking lawsuit you can by the end of the day. This counts as revenge porn, does it not? I want the fucking bitch in handcuffs before I get home.”

He hesitates on the line. “We would need to prove it was her that leaked them.”

I grip the phone so tight it may just snap in half. “Who else would it be?” I can hardly breathe. No matter how fast my chest rises and falls, it feels like someone is choking me. I pull at my tie, hoping it will help.

“I don’t doubt your intuition. But we would need to prove she had a copy of those tapes. Did you ever share them with her?”

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