Web Fic
Chapter 450
Tony was in a sheer panic. Without Chloe, he felt like he was invisible to Claire. She wouldn't even spare him a glance. To make matters worse, apart from the few shares Claire had tossed his way, he'd sunk everything he had into buying more shares of the station. It all seemed for nothing when even the station manager couldn't sway Chloe's decision. Everyone watched helplessly as she packed her things and walked out of the television station.
As Chloe made her way out, she wandered through the corridor lined with photos, each capturing moments and people who had made their mark on the station's history. There were snapshots of politicians visiting Riverbrook, Riverbrook TV Station journalists receiving honors, war correspondents reporting amidst chaos, and initiatives to support African orphanages.
Chloe's steps slowed as she took it all in, stopping in front of a single portrait. It was the only one in the entire gallery. It was Ruby—her country's only journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize. Ruby's life was a testament to battling darkness and injustice, from exposing the nation's largest child trafficking ring to uncovering underground surrogacy clinics, her stories about missing children shook the world. Even now, a vibrant woman in her fifties, she was constantly on the move, striving to make a difference for underprivileged children worldwide.
Ruby was Chloe's inspiration, her hero. Chloe's desire to work at the station, to be a journalist, was all because of Ruby. Back when Chloe was in kindergarten, her school was embroiled in a harrowing terrorist kidnapping. A group of terrorists targeted their elite school during a field trip, hijacking a bus and rigging it with a bomb, demanding a hefty ransom. The nation was gripped with fear as the standoff stretched over two days.
In a daring move, a journalist infiltrated the scene, disarmed the bomb, and risked her life to give the military a chance to save everyone. All 57 children and 6 adults were rescued without harm. Chloe vividly remembered Ruby standing defiantly among the terrorists, a gun to her head, yet
fearless and articulate, almost swaying the hardened criminals with her words. That image of Ruby, glowing with courage, left an indelible mark on Chloe's heart. NôvelDrama.Org owns all content.
From that moment, Chloe nurtured a dream—to shine brightly, to be someone who saves lives and fights for justice. She wanted to be a journalist. Despite Leah's disapproval and the endless lectures, Chloe secretly enrolled in media studies. College was a whirlwind, but she never lost sight of her dream and eventually landed a job at the station.
Her ambition was clear: to be a front-line reporter. She started out pounding the pavement, uncovering injustices, and stirring public debate. But the station, dazzled by her looks, soon had her front and center as a host. She accepted it, figuring she was still delivering news and not straying too far from her path. Yet, over the past year, the backstabbing, the facade of relationships, and the station's politics had left her disillusioned. Riverbrook TV Station wasn't the same place Ruby had worked at.