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She arches a brow, lips curving with disgust.
“Yes, you heard that correctly. Fresh reports from our sources suggest a consistent pattern. She allegedly convinced Theo Smith to let her move into his home—where she still resides—and later inserted herself into Ethan Hardy’s highly publicized relationship. The two were even spotted leaving a police station together just weeks ago, with Hardy carrying her in his arms.”
A deliberate pause.
“Tell me—would any of you expect that from Ethan Hardy? Especially considering his long-standing friendship with Theo Smith. Perhaps that friendship isn’t what it used to be. Or perhaps… their boundaries were never as clear as the public believes, and they share their women once they get bored?”
A chair leg scrapes harshly against the floor. Someone mutters a rough, “What the hell?!” under their breath, cut off mid-sentence.
My stomach twists, shame flooding my face, then vanishing just as quickly, leaving me cold.
Click.
Next channel—a male host, speaking with the solemnity of a judge delivering a sentence.
A new victim
“Yes, that’s correct. Thalia Gomez has now been seen in the company of John Suarez, yet another high-profile businessman. Which only reinforces what multiple sources are now suggesting—that she is actively pursuing relationships that secure her financial future.”
A slow, disapproving shake of his head.
“Coincidence? Highly unlikely.”
A dull thud sounds beside me as Zayn’s fist connects with the arm of the couch, the impact vibrating through the room. Sierra flinches, exhaling through her nose.
Click.
Liam doesn’t hesitate this time.
A more “investigative” network fills the screen, the reporter’s tone almost clinical.
Who is the real Thalia Gomez?
“We’ll tell you. She grew up in a trailer, in a household that struggled financially. A difficult child—at home, at school, by every account available to us. And when an opportunity to leave presented itself, she took it, cutting ties with her family entirely.”
The reporter folds her arms, expression tensing.
“Her parents, we’re told, made repeated efforts to guide her. But according to our sources, she chose a different path—one that offered faster rewards.”
The room goes completely still.
The sound in my ears dulls, like everything is being pulled underwater. My fingers curl at my sides, numb, useless. I can’t move. I can’t even swallow.
Click.
The remote snaps against Liam’s palm before he presses the button again, harder this time.
An agitated talk-show host leans into the camera, voice raised, barely contained.
CEO Ethan Hardy resorting to a manipulative stunt like this?
“But why? Why would he? Isn’t the level of power he already holds enough? Cities at his feet, empires under his control, and yet he fabricates a relationship with Antonia Bordeaux?”
He points straight to the camera.
“Do you see it now? Do you understand the pattern? This is the kind of behavior that demands scrutiny. Someone needs to be watching this man—closely. No one should operate with this much unchecked influence.”
“Jesus,” one of the guys breathes out, the word slipping into the heavy air.
