Villain MMORPG: Almighty Devil Emperor and His Seven Demonic Wives - Chapter 1846: Quiet Investigation
Chapter 1846: Quiet Investigation
Villain Ch 1846. Quiet Investigation
09:01 AM
The weekend sunlight stretched lazily across the marble floors of the Goldborne estate, slipping through the towering windows in hazy golden stripes. Outside, the garden staff were already trimming hedges and watering the orchid walls. Somewhere far off, a sprinkler hissed.
But inside Allen’s room, everything was still.
He sat on the edge of the bed, dressed, clean, calm—at least on the surface. Black long-sleeve polo, charcoal slacks, silver watch fitted perfectly against his wrist. He looked like the ideal eldest son of a legacy family. Composed. Polished. Immaculately indifferent.
But his jaw was tense.
His suitcase stood by the door, already zipped and prepped for the weekend trip. Everything was ready.
Except him.
Because before anything else today… there was this.
Sophia.
The damn video. The scandal. The fallout.
He’d followed the news like everyone else. Seen the leaked clips, the edited AI-enhanced versions that flooded anonymous forums. He knew about the circulating hashtags, the speculation, the split in public opinion—half calling it fake, the other half calling it real.
And he knew Sophia’s name was on fire.
But Allen didn’t care about rumors. Not really.
He wanted facts.
He wanted truth.
Which meant asking Kai.
After all, it wasn’t a secret anymore that Jordan had agreed to back a quiet investigation. Of course he did. It was what Jordan did—he protected the family. And Allen, whether he liked it or not, was finally acting like part of it.
And Jordan?
Jordan welcomed it.
He’d said, “If you want to look into her, then do it right. And trust Kai. He already knows how to move in silence.”
Which brought him here.
Waiting.
Right on cue, a knock. Precise. Rhythmic.
“Enter,” Allen said, voice low.
The door opened with a soft click.
Kai stepped in, suit pressed, hair immaculate, as always. His silver tray wasn’t with him this time. He wasn’t here to serve breakfast.
“You called for me, sir?”
Allen gestured to the armchair across from him. “Have a seat.”
Kai blinked once. Then obeyed.
The butler didn’t look surprised. He rarely did. But there was a faint tightness in his expression. He knew what this was about.
Allen leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, hands laced together. “I want to ask about the Sophia situation.”
Kai didn’t blink. “I assumed you would.”
“You’ve started?”
“Yes. Following your father’s approval, I’ve begun collecting data—legitimate sources, not rumors.”
Allen nodded. His voice was calm, but his fingers tapped once against his knee. “And?”
“As you’re aware, the video leaked in two versions.”
Allen gave a short nod. “I’ve seen both.”
Kai’s tone remained calm. “We’ve traced the two files to separate sources. The first—the raw version—originated from a local device. Metadata points to Sophia’s old phone. It was uploaded through a burner VPN, but the signal bounce wasn’t clean.”
“So it was her.”
“We believe so.” Kai paused. “The original leak aligns with her known period of media silence, when she claimed to be ’on retreat.’ She sent the video—intentionally, we believe—to a private account. It was meant to reach a limited audience… but it didn’t stay limited.”
Allen didn’t speak.
Kai continued. “After the initial leak, backlash hit fast. That’s when the second version appeared—cleaned, AI-assisted. Same setting. Same players. But the tone was different.”
Allen’s eyes narrowed. “The source?”
“Darren and Liam. We’re ninety-five percent certain. They used a known AI enhancement tool designed for adult content reworks. Watermark was embedded in a few frames, barely scrubbed.”
Allen gave a soft exhale. “To turn themselves into victims.”
“Correct. Their legal team has quietly issued cease-and-desist notices to hosts, alongside a joint statement threatening lawsuits for ’emotional exploitation.’”
Allen rolled his eyes. “Of course they did.”
Kai’s face didn’t change. “However, Sophia responded first. She launched a GoFund page—’Justice for Consent’—with a well-written manifesto about women’s rights, image theft, and emotional trauma. It’s gained traction.”
Allen’s brows lifted faintly. “How much?”
“Last check—Ten thousand in under a week.”
Allen blinked. “God.”
“She’s getting backing from feminist student groups, a few activist circles, and—interestingly—some indie legal funders.”
“She’s weaponizing pity,” Allen muttered.
“She’s a professional,” Kai agreed. “Meanwhile, Darren and Liam are attempting to mirror her success. Their team released a joint podcast appearance yesterday—speaking vaguely about betrayal and mental health pressure. One of them even teared up on air.”
“Who?”
“Liam.”
Allen snorted. “That’s news.”
Kai didn’t blink. “Mr. Bell is still backing both boys. There are rumors of him pressuring media contacts to redirect narrative sympathy.”
“Classic Bell,” Allen said dryly. “Any legitimate lawsuits filed?”
Kai nodded, slow and firm. “Yes. It’s official now. Sophia filed charges first—accusing Liam and Darren of rape. Emotional manipulation, non-consensual recording, distribution of illicit footage. The works.”
Allen’s brow twitched. “Of course she did.”
“And they responded immediately,” Kai continued. “Counter-sued her for defamation, false accusation, and reputational damage. Their statement calls the entire video sequence fabricated—AI-enhanced revenge porn. Darren’s lawyers are already pushing to get the footage deemed inadmissible.”
Allen exhaled sharply, pacing toward the window. His shoes were silent against the polished marble. Outside, the garden glowed in sunlit peace—a contrast that made his stomach turn.
“She leaked the first one,” he murmured. “Before they could. The real one. Played the victim card first. Turned a raw scandal into a redemption arc. Then waited for them to panic and overcorrect.”
“Yes.”
“She’s playing both sides.”
“Exactly.”
Allen’s jaw clenched, his reflection in the glass glinting back at him—colder now, harder.
“I don’t want her near this family again. Not even close.”
Kai’s voice was cool but resolute. “Already in motion. Her name’s been flagged. Social blacklisting applied across every business vertical linked to us. Any attempt to use your name or Jordan’s will be intercepted before it sees the light. She’s not getting back in.”
Allen nodded slowly. “She’ll try.”
“She already is.”
That made Allen pause. “What do you mean?”
Kai pulled out a slim tablet and tapped it. “This came in yesterday. A cease-and-desist letter drafted against your name. Not served. Not filed. Just… prepared. Found it buried in a draft folder linked to her PR team.”
