Chapter 9 - The Social Media Firestorm
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I woke up at eight the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee and toasted brioche.
I wrapped myself in the silk robe and walked out into the massive living room. Sebastian was sitting at the marble kitchen island, wearing a crisp white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, reading the New York Post on a tablet.
"Good morning," he said, setting down his espresso cup. "Did you sleep?"
"Surprisingly well," I admitted, pouring myself a cup of coffee. "What's the damage?"
Sebastian turned the tablet toward me.
The front page of the Page Six entertainment portal featured a grainy, high-definition photo of Danielle in her duplicate dress, accompanied by a massive headline:
BRIDE-ZILLA OR BETRAYAL? SISTER CRASHES MIDTOWN WEDDING WITH GROOM—BUT VICTORIA VANCE STEALS THE NIGHT WITH BILLIONAIRE SEBASTIAN STERLING!
The video recorded by Danielle's friend had gone viral on TikTok overnight, racking up over twelve million views. But it hadn't worked out the way Danielle intended.
The comment sections were overwhelmingly brutal toward Danielle and Ryan:
“Imagine buying your sister’s exact wedding dress to steal her man... absolute trash behavior!”
“The bride dropping the ring and turning it into a party with a literal billionaire is THE ultimate flex!”
“Ryan looks like a wet cardboard box next to Sebastian Sterling, lol.”
I stared at the screen, letting out a stunned laugh. "They tried to ruin me, and instead they became a national joke."
"Public opinion is a fickle beast," Sebastian noted, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Your sister tried to weaponize shame against you. But you refused to accept the shame, so it bounced right back to her."
Suddenly, my phone—which had been buzzing continuously on the counter—rang with an incoming call.
Caller ID: Ryan.
I looked at the screen, my expression turning to ice.
"Do you want me to block him?" Sebastian offered softly.
May you like
"No," I said, sliding the unlock button and putting the phone on speaker. "I want to hear what he has to say."
"Victoria?!" Ryan’s frantic, raspy voice exploded from the speaker. "Where the hell are you?! Why are you in the newspapers with Sebastian Sterling?!"
