Chapter 22
Backstage at the press conference, Ashton found a few visible scratches on his arm from when Qurtis grabbed taim.
Giselle gently tried to calm him down while cleaning and bandaging the wounds as best she could.
It wasn’t until Jake’s call came through that they realized something was wrong. Somehow, footage from five press cordeonsor had made its way outline.
The video had been edited very cleverly. The contrast was stark–Curtis, looking worn down, pitiful, and heartbroken, versus Astros, seant or stage, sosteg polished and composed.
The final shot, showing the frail–looking Curtis being dragged out by security, was the emotional gut punch that really fit the fize
Public outrage was already starting to build. The majority of the internet users took ourris‘ side, voking their support for him.
“Boycott the homewrecker! A homewrecker doesn’t deserve a platform!”
“Ew, a homewrecker. Did his mother not teach him basic ethics?”
“What a bastard. Everyone at the press conference should apologize to Mr. Miller, and we demand a public apology from that homewrecker, the Miller deserves
one!
Giselle suppressed the raging anger within her and put away her phone to console Ashton “Come on, let’s go home. Dou’t worry about this ‘ll fix it was best gave perpetrator go, and you have my word.”
Ashton knew this wasn’t the time to wallow in emotions. He followed Giselle out through the security exit
Just as they reached the door, though, they ran straight into Claire, who looked visibly flustered and panicked.
“Ash, I swear I didn’t do this! I didn’t even know Curtis would be here! Please–will you trust me on this? I never would’ve imagined he’d do ritis no slander grow.
As she spoke, she nervously approached Ashton and tried to hold his hand.
Before she could touch him, Giselle coldly pushed her away. “And you have the audacity to show up here. If it weren’t for you, Ashton would have bad to go
through such a thing!”
Claire knew she was in the wrong, but she still clung to her defense. “Just listen to me, Ash. I swear I didn’t know he’d pull something like this. You have to believe
me…
When Claire had seen the footage from the press conference spreading online, along with the wave of angry, vicious comments, she felt like a hole bad been punched straight through her chest
She couldn’t even begin to imagine how devastated Ashton must’ve felt reading those remarks. But what truly terrified her was the thought that be angat believe she had something to do with all of it.
“I know you didn’t do it.” Ashton looked at her, and there was no hostility in his geze
Claire’s eyes lit up with hope as she gazed up at him.
Ashton believed her–he actually believed her! Did that mean he forgave her?
The surge of emotion left her nearly speechless with relief, but Ashton shattered every last one of her illusions the next moment
“But the evidence he used to smear me came from you. So, Claire, don’t fool yourself. You’re not entirely innocent in this,” he said, taking Giselle by the head and walking away without a second glance.
Claire stood frozen in place, lips trembling, but no words came out. She could only watch helplessly as Ashton walked funker and further away will be disappeared.
Meanwhile, the discussions online had only gotten more heated.
“I have tea to spill! Ashton Gill once tagged along with Curtis Miller and his wife to our school reunion. At that time, I found it strange that they realled eye contact with each other. It turns out he’s the other man!”
“Who gave Ashton Gill the audacity to do that?”
“Come on out, Ashton Guilt. It’s time for your apology.”
The final nail in the coffin was the marriage certificate that Curtis posted online. It sealed the ded, maing booklike Ashton was, without a dentor, the
homewrecker
The public backlash spiraled out of control. That very night, Claire got a call from her company. Her boss was furious.
He warned her to handle her personal affairs in a timely manner, or she would have to park her belongings and leave
She had spent six years clawing her way up to her current position. Never in her wildest dreams did she imegint that one reddess decision would blow up like thes
The shrill ring of her phone snapped her out of her spiral. Seeing the name flashing on the screen, Claire gritted her teeth and picked up
“Where the hell did you find the nerve to smear him like that, Curtis? You better dear this up right now, or swear I’ll expose everything you’ve doswir
By then, Curtis had lost all reason. He was all in, ready to bum everything just to drag Ashton down with ki
“Oh, Claire. Let’s not kid ourselves. We’re in this together now. If you pin everything on Ashton, I promise to help you clean up the mess.
“Your future or your ex–you’re smart enough to know which one to choose ”
As his voice faded, Claire’s grip on the phone tightened until her knuckles tumed white. Her temple throbbed as cage and pass surged through farer.
