Page 32 of Confusing Cade
As I drove, I called RepuMang one more time, this time requesting their investigation department rather than customer service.
“I want you to look into who did this,” I said when they pulled up my information once again. “I want you to figure it out and let me know as soon as possible.”
“Will do, sir,” the man on the other line said.
Something has to show up.Who did this to Bella? Was it a personal attack or just something some asshole did for kicks?
“The whole point of being on that site was to gain a following and have control over my images. It was for subscribers only...”
I’d only been back in Isabella Moretti’s life for a short time, but I’d never seen her so desolate. Gone was the confident woman from earlier this evening. The woman who had taken back control of her life and was moving forward, despite her family’s losses. In her place was a woman who looked like she’d lost everything.Again.
All I knew was that I’d stop at nothing to see her confidence return.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BELLA
Once Cade left my apartment, I changed into my nightgown and climbed into bed, wanting sleep to come. It didn’t. Instead, I tossed and turned underneath the covers, my mind racing as I went back over all the images and messages I had received as part of the leaked information. Who would do something like that? Why?
And fuck, there’s no way I’m going back on there, but how the hell am I going to make money now?
When I couldn’t take it any longer, I pulled my phone off its charger and doomscrolled, checking obsessively for updates from RepuMang. To my shock, they were moving way faster than they promised Cade. Emails from them trickled in every few minutes, confirming takedowns across sites and search engines. By the time my eyes grew heavy, it was basically all scrubbed clean, the nightmare vanishing into the digital void. Relief washed over me; nobody seemed to have noticed, no frantic texts from friends or family blowing up my phone. Exhausted but calmer, I passed out.
I slept until midafternoon.
I woke up in a sweat, the sheets twisted around me, my heart racing.Let me check my phone again.Thankfully, Lilly hadn’t texted or called me yet. My private life had been on display for the entire world, but at least it hadn’t reached her. That wasanother plus for the boarding school she attended. The campus was isolated, and the staff limited cell phone usage for students. In a world where so much of our daily lives were spent online, that was like gold.
Cade, however,hadreached out.Just checked with the team one more time. It’s almost over.
I typed out a short thank-you message and staggered to the kitchen. There wasn’t much in the fridge, and I had almost no appetite, but I still knew I needed to eat something. I made a roast beef sandwich from the ingredients I found in the crisper, forced down several bites, and then headed to the shower for one of the longest rinses I’d ever taken.
When I emerged, I had another message from Cade.Give me a call when you can. It’s important.
My stomach lurched, and I wondered if I was going to throw up the sandwich. Had something gone wrong? Had they found something else? Was there another twist in this horrible chain of events? I moved to my bed and sank onto the duvet. Then I took a deep breath and dialed Cade’s number.
He picked up as soon as the call went through. “How are you?”
“Okay.” I balled some of the comforter fabric in my fist as if it would brace me against whatever he had to say, whatever unwelcome news he had to deliver. “I don’t know. Terrible. Is everything... do you have an update?”
“Yes.” I heard warmth in his voice. “RepuMang just contacted me. It’s done. All wiped from the internet, Bella. No traces left on search engines, forums, or anywhere else. You’re clean.”
Relief washed over me, loosening the knot in my chest just a fraction. “Really? It’s... gone?”
“Completely. Their team is the best for a reason.”
