Chapter 4
The next afternoon, just as I stepped out of the company building, my phone buzzed with a notification.
A live-stream alert popped up on my screen, “Amber Breaks Down in Tears: ‘Rich Life Isn’t Easy!’-How ‘Innocent Goddess’
Serena Fell Victim to Elite Power Games”
I stopped in my tracks.
A live stream?
I tapped in. The viewer count had already surpassed a hundred thousand.
Amber sat in front of the camera, eyes red and swollen, tear streaks still fresh on her cheeks. Dressed in a plain white
dress, she looked every bit the pitiable victim.
“Did you all know?” Her voice trembled as she spoke to the audience. “Some people think that just because they have
money and power, they can bully others however they want. My brother is a good man-kind to everyone, even to that
woman. But what did she do? She stole Serena’s necklace! And now she’s trying to steal her endorsements too!”
The comments blew up.
“What’s happening??”
“Wait, is this Damian’s sister?”
“Who’s bullying you?”
My grip on the phone tightened, blood rushing to my temples.
Amber continued, her voice breaking. “That necklace… my brother designed it specifically for Serena! But that woman not
only took it for herself, she even had the nerve to claim the brand was hers! How shameless can someone be? She even
threatened Damian, saying she’d kick him out with nothing in a divorce! Damian is such a good person-why does he have
to suffer like this?”
The barrage of comments turned vicious.
“Holy shit, what kind of villainess is this?”
“Wait, isn’t this Damian’s wife?”
“Stealing a necklace and still acting so arrogant?”
My hands shook-not from anger, but from sheer disbelief.
He designed it for Serena?
That was my design, drawn with my own hands a month ago!
Just then, a notification flashed on the livestream, “Serena has requested to join the call!”
Amber immediately wiped her tears away. “Everyone, please don’t blame Serena! She didn’t do anything wrong!”
The screen split. Serena appeared on the other half.
Her makeup was minimal, her eyes red-rimmed, her hair slightly disheveled-the picture of exhaustion and sorrow.
Chapter 4
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“Amber, stop…” Her voice quivered with suppressed tears. “Evelyn didn’t mean it. This is all my fault. I never should have reappeared in Damian’s life. I never should have caused trouble between them because of me.”
The comments section flooded with “My heart breaks for Serena!”
Serena let a single tear roll down her cheek, the perfect image of self-sacrifice. “Please, everyone, don’t attack Evelyn. She just loves Damian too much. Love can make people irrational-I understand. If she likes that necklace, she can keep it. And the endorsement… I never deserved it anyway. I’ll step aside. I don’t want anything. I just beg her to treat Damian well. He’s a good man. He shouldn’t suffer caught between us.”
I nearly hurled my phone across the street.
With acting like this, the Oscars owed her a damn trophy.
The comments went feral.
“Serena is too pure for this world!”
“What kind of evil bitch bullies someone this kind?!”
“Who is Damian’s wife? Someone expose her!”
“Evelyn Get Out Of Entertainment”
“Rich bully bitch, disappear!”
Each comment cut deeper than the last.
What had they turned me into in the public’s eyes?
A homewrecker?
A villainous heiress abusing her power?
A greedy thief stealing another woman’s necklace?
My phone began vibrating nonstop.
Unknown numbers called one after another.
I answered one.
“You’re Evelyn, right? You shameless bitch!”
I hung up.
Another call.
“Get out of the industry! Stop harassing Serena!”
I powered off my phone.
But the texts kept coming.
“Die, you evil side character!”
“Give back the necklace!”
“Gold-digging mistress, disgusting!”
Sitting in my car, I felt the weight of the world’s hatred pressing down on me.
I was the one who had done nothing wrong.
I was the one who had been deceived.
I was the one who had been set up.
So why was the entire internet screaming for my blood?
My phone buzzed again-this time, a WhatsApp message.
From Damian.
“Evelyn, are you happy now? Was it necessary to make such a scene? The internet is in chaos. Do you have any idea how much damage this will do to my career? Come to the restaurant and apologize to Serena and Amber immediately. Or face the consequences.”
I stared at the screen, then laughed out loud.
Apologize?
To them?
After they teamed up to frame me?
I turned my phone back on and dialed a number. “Mr. Whitmore. It’s me. Prepare a top-tier press conference for L&W Group. Tomorrow morning, 10 AM.”
“A press conference? Mrs. Grayson, what’s going-”
“Also, notify Horizon Pictures-terminate all collaborations with Damian Grayson. We’ll cover the breach penalties.”
A pause on the other end.
“Mrs. Grayson, isn’t Damian your…”
“Not anymore.”
“One last thing-get PR on the line. Tell them I’m gonna show the world how money talks.”
