Chapter 31
“Maybe it’s just that you’re too gorgeous tonight.”
“Oh, stop,” Nina laughed, rolling her eyes as she pulled out her phone to check her reflection. Before she could even open the camera, Joseph’s name popped up on her screen.
“Where are you? Get home. Now.”
She frowned, not understanding why he sounded so frantic. “I’m at the bar with Cindy. Why, what happened?”
Joseph sounded like he was about to lose it. “You’re trending. Go look for yourself. And after you see ít, find somewhere quiet and get out of there. Immediately.”
Still confused, Nina tapped open Twitter. But the second she saw the top post–a blurry video that left nothing to the imagination–her whole body went cold.
Her phone slipped from her hand and crashed against the bar.
Everyone turned at the loud crack. The back of her iPhone was shattered, shards of glass digging into her palm as she picked it up, blood instantly welling up and dripping down her hand.
“Nina, are you okay?” Cindy’s eyes widened in concern.
“I’m fine… I just–I have to go. Sorry.”
She barely heard Cindy calling after her, “Nina, that’s the wrong way-” as she ducked her head, hair falling forward to hide her face, and rushed out the back door. She’d hoped to slip away unnoticed, but she hadn’t realized her whereabouts had already blown up online. The second she stepped into the alley, it was chaos–reporters and gossip bloggers everywhere, shoving cameras and microphones in her face.
Honestly, it wasn’t even surprising. Nina had never bothered to make friends in the industry. She was known for throwing shade at other celebs online and talking smack behind their backs.
When things went south, of course everyone would pile on.
Within minutes, every influencer and blogger was livestreaming the scene, turning her nightmare into entertainment for the whole internet.
It took Joseph and his team a full hour to break through the mob and get her out.
Now, curled up in the back of the van, Nina looked like she’d had every ounce of energy drained from her, shivering and pale.
Joseph twisted open a thermos and handed her a cup. “Here. Drink some hot water. Try to calm down.”
“I told you to stay in for a while, didn’t I?”
Nina’s hands shook as she accepted the cup. “I thought everything was cleared up. I didn’t expect this to blow up again.”
Joseph let out a long sigh, but before he could answer, his phone rang. He picked up. “Mr. Miller? Any
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Chapter 31
news on who leaked it?”
“We’re still looking into it, sir.”
Nina bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper. “Could it be Patricia? I’ve pissed her off enough times–she probably hates me.”
Joseph tapped on the window, and the driver immediately raised the privacy screen. He turned to Nina, his voice low and serious. “Guessing isn’t enough. We need proof.”
“All of this isn’t enough for you?”
Joseph’s gaze was steady. “Haven’t you realized yet? Theo never planned to divorce Patricia.”
Their flashy wedding had been the talk of the city. If they split now, it’d be a disaster–for Theo, for Newton Enterprises, for the whole Newton family. He’d barely had a few years at the helm. A messy divorce so soon after getting married would destroy his image and the company’s reputation.
“He’s not leaving her. Not anytime soon. And trying to force Theo’s hand with nothing to go on? Not gonna work.”
“So what do we do now?”
“We follow the clues and see where they take us. If we find the truth, Patricia’s the one who’ll have a headache. And even if Theo can’t let go, maybe Kelly will.”
Outside, rain pounded the city. Inside Newton Enterprises, the storm was just as fierce.
When the press called Patricia for a comment, she was all calm smiles, politely greeting every reporter and insisting her marriage to Theo was strong as ever–never even hinting at the rumors swirling all around them.
