Chapter 168

Chapter 168 The moment Winnie began to spill the beans, the live chat went dead silent.

It was only after she revealed the truth behind the so-called Breakup Curse that the virtual dam burst open, unleashing a torrent of vitriol.

“| thought | believed in love again, but reality is just repulsive!”

“So this is what they mean by profiting off others‘ pain, huh?!”

“The girls you duped are just down on their luck!”

“| can’t even... she said the wite’s spirit stayed because she missed Carter, wanting to be near him, only to witness him betray her, step by step!”

“| had a gut feeling his act was a bit too much. How could so many fall for it?”

“What a total jerk!”

The more the B&B owner, Carter, had been idolized online, the harsher the backlash was now.

Carter stood there, dumbfounded, as Winnie narrated how he’d manipulated the sympathy of these girls to get them into bed. He felt the judgmental stares — some contemptuous, some disdainful. Though they no longer suspected him for his wife’s death, those looks were hard to stomach.

Facing the live stream camera, he knew he was in deep trouble. But he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. He’d been a shoestring traveler for years, and now, he’d built a business, amassed a following, even trademarked his B&B, with plans to expand.

All that was in jeopardy now.

Carter was stubborn. What had he done wrong? He’d just told stories online, and the girls had come to him willingly. He wasn’t a fraud, he hadn’t lured them, and he made sure they were all consenting adults.

By his account, he hadn't crossed any legal lines.

With that thought, he calmed himself and quickly tried to salvage his reputation in front of his online audience.

“| can’t deny what you're saying... I've done those things,” he started, his voice taking on a sharp turn. “But | haven’t broken the law or killed anyone. I’ve just done what any normal guy would do! | have my needs, isn’t that normal? This isn’t even cheating!”

From a guy's perspective, Carter's words gained traction with male viewers.

He was right, wasn’t he? A widower shouldn't be expected to stay alone forever.

In the real world, it wouldn’t have been unusual for a widower to remarry within a few years.

The chat started to sway in his favor until Candace stepped in with a fierce rebuttal.

12:53 “Don't twist the truth! What’s ‘normal’ about leading girls on while playing the devoted widower online? That's fraud!” Candace had ditched her delicate persona, hammering Carter with a tirade.

“If you'd been upfront about moving on, I'd respect you, but no, you want it all! Don’t you dare compare yourself to other men!

None of the guys | know, none of my male fans, would ever stoop to your level of deceit!”

Her words effectively sided with the moral majority and Implied that any who defended Carter were ethically compromised.

The chat that had leaned toward Carter now turned against him, with men Joining in the condemnation.

Candace’s fans, meanwhile, were quick to play peacemakers.

“Don't be too hard on our Candy. She’s usually sweet as sugar. Just... not when she’s riled up.”

The mood in the live chat softened a bit with their humorous interjections.

Carter, publicly chastised, left the scene to avoid further embarrassment.

After he left, the ambulance and rescue team arrived, whisking the injured Sara away, while Thorpe, caught in attempted murder on live stream, was promptly taken away by the police.

Bagot couldn't fathom how his metaphysical show kept entangling with murder investigations.

But unlike last time, he seemed much more composed.

“With Winnie and Kane uncovering the truth about the Breakup Curse, we're wrapping up this episode early,” Ned announced to the camera, causing an uproar among viewers.

The two-night, three-day adventure was barely into its second day!

The viewers didn’t care about the ethical debate anymore; they were just upset about the abrupt end.

Bagot smirked at the flood of complaints scrolling across the screen, while Ned smoothly continued.

“To honor our commitment to our live audience, we'll go ahead with the original plan. Let’s hike up Golden Horizon Hills and catch the sunset!”

With a dramatic gesture, Ned transformed the esoteric variety show into an outdoor adventure. Mae, thinking she’d get to go home early, looked visibly annoyed, while the others shrugged and continued their climb. After all, since they were already there, why rush back down?

Golden Horizon Hills was renowned for its breathtaking sunrises, yet its sunsets held an equal claim to fame.

It was a rare treat to visit, and the guests were determined not to miss out on the full experience.

12:53 Thus, the group began their laborious trek upward once more, utterly oblivious to the online world, which was in an uproar over the second episode of the show.

Beyond Mae’s secretive hoarding of the bracelet, within just half an hour, two new phrases dominated the top three trending searches: “Golden Horizon Hills Wife Murder” and “Golden Horizon Hills B&B owner’s True Color.”