Page 75 of Fallen Princess: Shadow Stalker

“I know, Ash doesn’t believe it either. Not anymore. The more I think about it, the more I believe your stalker had something to do with it. If they were stalking you, then they knew about us and didn’t like it. It probably angered them, and they wanted to take their frustration out by damaging you.”

She remains utterly still, lost in thought.

I notice her hand holding the toast is slightly shaking. If I ever discover the piece of shite who did this to her, I will kill himself myself. There isn’t anything any of us wouldn’t do for this woman, and knowing that we left her vulnerable and alone that night does things to my psyche that I wouldn’t want to release to the world. She was our woman, and he violated her home and threatened her life.

It doesn’t sit well with me at all.

“But whoever released it must have had connections with the media because it was released fairly fast. We were at the hotel in New York only a week before. Most media outlets check for authenticity because they don’t want to become embroiled in a lawsuit if it’s from Deepfake content.”

She’s right. I guess she’s thought deeply about this. It only adds to her innocence in this incident.

“Obsessed journalist?”

“Could happen,” she casually shrugs her shoulder.

“That would make them a pedophile,” I mutter angrily.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if the stalker was one,” she remarks, biting her lip as if restraining further words. The way she discusses her stalker hints at a knowledge that makes me suspect she might already know their identity.

“But that doesn’t account for the recent stuff.”

“So you believe someone’s been following me since I arrived in LA?”

“Siren,” I sit on the bed closer to her and watch her put the remaining slice of toast back on the plate. I take that piece and pop it into my mouth, giving me a second to think about how I’m going to explain the recent media event.

“Can you identify the man who broke into your home?”

Her gaze meets mine, and fear resonates in her eyes. It speaks volumes, suggesting that it was someone she knew, perhaps even trusted.

"No," she replies firmly, attempting to quash my thoughts. "He wore a mask and used a device that distorted his voice."

I clench my fists and bite my lip, restraining the anger that threatens to spill from my mouth. It becomes clear that she's concealing the truth out of lingering fear.

It's apparent she must be made aware of the current circumstances and the importance of facing the truth.

“Something happened,” I admit. “That’s what Haze is currently trying to fix. A photo circulated the internet and you were tagged in it.”

“Tagged?” she stares at me, confused. “How? I don’t have any online socials.”

“Well, you do. For marketing purposes to create an online buzz, Haze had his PA create a profile of you, linking all of us to the Velocity Vortex group.”

“I see,” she says as her shoulders relax.

“You don’t seem upset by this.”

“About the account in my name? No. I might be ten years behind the news and what’s the vibe with socials. I had that, and all kinds of current news media banned at home. I was so absent of current affairs that World War Three could have erupted, but I wouldn’t have known about it!”

“Sometimes it's better that way.” Every now and then, ignorance is bliss.

“Yeah, but I understand the importance of having an online presence, especially as a new band, and fans want to connect. But as long as someone else runs it, I personally don’t want to know. I don’t want to see the comments or socialize online. I just want to create music and perform it.”

I think most of us feel that way. I know my brother loves the attention, but he’ll never admit it. The rest of us harbor a deep disdain for social media. It seems overrun with keyboard warriors lurking behind screens, eagerly awaiting the chance to tear others down. They fancy themselves as critics, but in reality, they're nothing more than professional poncers seeking to boost their own self-worth by belittling those who dare to take action. Eden became a victim of an online witch hunt run by trolls aimed at not just destroying her career but herself as a person.

“And this content of me that was released?”

“Stills from the old video blanked out, so it was permitted online. I reckon the person wants people to remember you as the singer who was damaged, not the performer you are today.”

“I’m a shell of who that girl was ten years ago.”

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