Chapter <b>212 </b>
Charlotte’s heart sank
Mia’s words hit her like a bucket of cold water, Instantly snapping her back to reality<b>. </b>
She opened Twitter. Sitting at the top of the trending list was <b>a </b>headline that made her stomach drop:
“Jasper Corporation CEO and Actress Lucinda Lambert Spotted Together.”
Charlotte stared at the headline, frozen. She couldn’t bring herself to tap it.
<b>Lucinda </b>was a top–tier actress–one of the biggest names in entertainment Charlotte had even watched some of her dramas in the past.
Why would Sean be involved in a scandal with her? He <b>had </b>never once mentioned knowing Lucinda.
“Hello? Lottie, are you listening?” <b>Mia’s </b>voice crackled through the phone, sharp and furious. “I can’t believe this! I thought Sean was one of the good ones. You told me yesterday you two were just having a light, and now he’s caught going into a hotel with some actress? What a total scumbag! I can’t believe this!”
“Going into <b>a </b><b>hotel</b>… together?” Charlotte murmured. She felt her entire body go cold, as if she had fallen into an icyke.
Herhand <b>trembled </b><b>as </b>she finally clicked into the trending topic,
Her screen filled with tabloid <b>gossip</b>.
“Recently, top actress–Lucinda was spotted entering a hotel with <b>a </b>mysterious man. The two appeared close<b>, </b>sparking rumors <b>of </b><b>a </b><b>rtionship</b>. Sources im the man is none other than Sean Jasper, CTO of Jasper Corporation and the heir to one of Jersey City’s most powerful families. So far, Lucinda’s studio has not issued a
Below the post was a series of candid photos. In one of them, Lucinda had med <b>back </b>just in time for a perfect shot, her face fully visible. <b>The </b>man beside her only
showed part of his face.
Anyone else might not have recognized that partial profile but Charlotte knew instantly. It was Sean.
He wore a ck <b>coat</b>, walking beside Lucinda. The two looked like a picture–perfect couple. Onlinements were flooded with <b>praise</b>, calling them “a stunning
<b>match</b>”
Another post read, “Icinda about to <b>marry </b>into wealth? Insiders im the man seen entering the hotel with her is <b>Jasper </b>Corporation CEO Sean Jasper, and the <b>Two </b>are currently <b>daring</b>. Sources say wedding bells may not be far off.”
The attached photos were nearly identical to the first.
As Curlolle scrolled down, she found more posts saying the same thing
By the time she reached the end, her <b>hands </b>were shaking. Herchest felt tight. It was getting hard to breathe.
Tears sshed down onto her phone screen, blurring the images.
She ended the call with <b>Mia </b>and Immediately dialed Sean.
It rang for a long time. No one picked up.
She called again. Still no answer.
With each try<b>, </b>her heart grew colder and heavier.
On the fifth attempt, the line finally connected.
Her voice was choked with tears, shaling
“Tell me it’s not true. The trending posts, the pictizes…. that’s not you, right? Sean, please…. If you tell rgie’ske<b>, </b><b>1’il </b>believe <b>you</b>”
There was a
Then a woman’s valor,
and unmistakable, came through the receiver
“Um…who is this? (uricinda. <b>Sean’s </b>in the shower and can’t <b>take </b>the call right now. <b>Do </b>you want me to pass along a message?*
Chadotte felt her heart stop. Her breath caught in her throat.
Silence
“Hello? Can you hear me?” <b>Lucinda </b>asked again.
“Sheinung up,” Lacinda sald with <b>a shrug</b>, tossing the phone back toward sean, she looked him in the eye.
“Tinjast saying – you really went too <b>far </b>this time. If I were her, <b>I’d </b>hate you forver”