Chapter 74
“How many dinners have you had with the Seabay people? Was all that just for show? Now, at a time like this, the brand actually chooses to stand by a nobody like Celestine! Are they trying to tank their own label, or have they lost their minds?” Joanna’s nails dug furiously into the wooden tabletop, leaving deep scratches in the finish.
Her agent’s face was grim. “Joanna, be careful what you say. Someone could use this against you. We’ve already made inquiries at Seabay. The spokesperson has been decided.”
“Who is it?!”
“Mirabelle.”
“It’s her? Seriously–her?!” Joanna shot out of her seat. “I knew it! That sanctimonious act of hers, always pretending she’s above it all, and now she’s suddenly sticking her neck out for Celestine? Turns out she just wanted to cozy up to the brand, that’s what this is! You idiots–none of you saw this coming from the start?!”
The agent tried to explain, “Joanna, the Seabay team keeps things locked down tight. It took weeks just to get those two dinner invitations.”
“I’m not interested in excuses. Get out!”
“Joanna, you need to calm down-”
But as soon as the agent left, Joanna, still seething, pulled out her phone and dialed
Zeke.
The moment the call connected, her voice trembled with tears, the sound almost crackling over the line.
“Zeke, they’re all bullying me¬
“What’s going on, Joanna? What happened?” Zeke tensed as soon as he heard her crying, his heart knotting with worry.
Joanna only sobbed harder, refusing to explain,
“Joanna, don’t cry. When you cry, it’s like my heart shatters.” Zeke coaxed her as gently as he could.
He’d been run ragged the past few days, scrambling to cover the gap in the shipping line, and hadn’t kept up with the online drama..
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Chapter 74
Between hiccupped breaths, Joanna twisted the story almost beyond recognition. “Zeke, please don’t blame Mirabelle. Maybe she just wanted that endorsement too much, so she went along with Celly’s lies. As actresses, I understand how she must feel. I just… I just feel so alone–no one listens to me, so I had to call you.”
Zeke’s temper flared instantly.
“Joanna, don’t worry about this. I’ll make sure you get justice!”
Celestine’s off–limits–she has a husband. But Mirabelle? His own girlfriend? She wouldn’t get away with this.
“I’ll make her delete the post, apologize to you in person and online, and turn down the Seabay deal. She’ll drop out herself.”
Joanna’s eyes flashed. “Zeke, isn’t that… a bit too cruel to Mirabelle?”
Zeke spat, “Cruel? She brought this on herself! If she covets what isn’t hers, she’ll have to pay for it! I should’ve known better–I let her selfishness hurt you. Once this whole farce is over, I’m breaking up with her!”
Joanna’s just too kind, he thought–even after all this, she’s still worried about the person who hurt her.
And Chester–useless! Not even standing up for Joanna when it matters.
If Chester can’t protect her, Zeke certainly wouldn’t mind swooping in.
Decision made, Zeke immediately called Mirabelle–over and over, nearly a hundred times before she finally picked up.
Mirabelle sounded exhausted. “Zeke, what is it?”
“What’s that post on Instagram supposed to mean? Do you have any idea what you’ve done to Joanna?”
He didn’t bother to ask why she hadn’t answered earlier–he just exploded.
“Zeke, let me explain. Miss Selwyn, she-”
“Enough! I know exactly what kind of woman Celestine is–better than you do! You’re going to delete that Instagram post, refuse the Seabay contract, and issue a public apology to Joanna. Admit that you twisted the truth just to land that endorsement!”
Silence crackled from the other end.
Just as Zeke’s patience was about to snap, Mirabelle finally spoke again. “Zeke,
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why is it that night I went to the hospital, you never came to see me?”
“That was ages ago-”
“Answer me.”
“Honestly? Work. The company had too much going on. You think I have all the free time in the world to just play around like you?”
“All right.”
“So? What else?”
