Ellinor yawned sleepily, âNo biggie I just noticed that you have a fairly spacious spot here! Mr. Rex, mind if I sit next to you?â Bartlett chuckled, âNot at all, Iâm just worried others might.â
As he said this, he shot a glance at Theo Theo didnât look up He was engrossed in his phone, propping his forehead up with one hand.
Elinor barely glanced at him before she turned away, reaching for some snacks on the table.
A sci-fi movie was playing on the TV, but no one was watching.
Ellinor slouched a bit, munching on her snacks, her eyes fixed on the changing scenes on the screen, deep in thought.
Jonah perched on the arm of the sofa, chatting with the girls and occasionally joking with Kemp.
The atmosphere seemed relaxed, but an undercurrent of tension was palpable.
Ellinor, Iâve seen your photo album. You looked stunning in that wedding dress. Itâs a shame I only got to see the pictures, not you in person,â Bartlett poured her a soda, grinning.
Ellinor accepted the soda, expressed gratitude, and placed it on the table, untouched.
Her move caught the eye of the man on the nearby couch. His gaze was inscrutable.
Setting down the soda, Ellinor said to Bartlett, âIâm not all that. Wait till you get married. Then youâll see your bride in a wedding dress.â
Bartlett smiled, âRight you are! I hope I get to marry the girl I love. I hope she could beâ¦
It seemed Ellinor knew what Bartlett was about to say next. She frowned, but before he could finish, Belindaâs voice echoed from upstairs.
âEllinor!â
Belinda called out abruptly. She rushed down the stairs, panting heavily.
âEllinorâ¦youâ¦â
Breathless, Belinda stopped in front of Ellinor, unable to finish her sentence, her face pale.
Ellinor felt drained. Thinking this was about Chase again, she massaged her temples and said, âIâm not dealing with that. Figure it out yourself.â
Belinda looked desperate and said, âNo, itâs not that! Check Twitter! Youâre trending!â
Ellinor raised an eyebrow and asked, âMe? Trending?â
With Belindaâs words, everyone pulled out their phones and checked Twitter.
Indeed.
#Mrs. Blanchetâs college entrance exam results were forged #
#Mrs. Blanchet was a troubled girl#
#Ellinorâs college admission was fake#
#The Blanchet Corporation stocks plummet #
#The Blanchet Corporation oppresses the poor #
After reading the trending hashtags, Ellinor frowned slightly. Looking up, she found everyone staring at her with curiosity.
Everyone except Theo.
Theo was still engrossed in his phone, tapping lightly on the screen. He seemed uninterested in the situation.
Belinda asked nervously, âWhatâs going on?â