Page 30 of A Royal Disaster
She watched as the Channel Three live broadcast popped up. The instant Chad’s face appeared on the screen, her good mood was erased faster than a charcoal sketch.
“That’s right,” Chad said, nodding vigorously. “I used to date Elena Murphy. We practically lived together, so if there’s anyone who can confirm the Mad Eyes label is accurate, it’s this guy.”
The stupid ass actually pointed to himself as he said it. Nia was right, she never should have dated him. What kind of douche exploited his ex-girlfriend on TV?
The kind who had the gall to slap her with a frivolous lawsuit—obviously.
Lena’s temper flared as the camera panned back to the bubbly blonde reporter.
What the hell was Chad up to?
The reporter smiled, flashing a dazzling set of pearly white veneers. “I’m sure you’ve heard that Prince William is rumored to be dating Elena. Any advice for the World’s Most Eligible Bachelor?”
“Run,” Chad said, cracking a toothy grin. “Seriously, Lena seems like a cool chick at first, but when she lets her freak flag fly, she’s wild and unpredictable. Maybe even a little crazy. I barely got out alive.”
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Lena’s hands began to shake, her fury beating a punishing rhythm as it coursed through her veins.
“Really?” the reporter asked, gobbling up all the shit he was shoveling like it was going to earn her an Emmy. “Is it true you’re currently suing Elena for physical and emotional damages?”
“Unfortunately,” Chad said, adjusting his glasses and feigning contrition. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but like I said, Elena’s completely unhinged. Totally beyond reason.”
Lena blanched at the insidious implication. This could not be happening. Not when things at the studio were finally starting to look up. But of course it was happening. She was cursed, and she’d been a fool to believe things would play out any other way. The media thrived on pain and suffering, consequences be damned. Of course they dredged up the bullshit lawsuit.
Sensationalism sold, and Chad’s story had it in spades.
“Can you tell our viewers the exact nature of the litigation?” The reporter was practically salivating. Did this woman have no conscience?
“I wish I could,” Chad said, flashing the once charming smile that now made her want to punch him in his tiny little cock, “but my lawyers have advised me not to discuss the case. Suffice it to say, the truth will come out in time. It always does.”
The truth? The lying hijo de la gran puta wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit him on his flat hairy ass. Lena’s pulse pounded against her right temple. Her head was going to explode like greenware in a kiln. What the hell had she ever seen in him anyway? All Fin’s work would be for nothing once this interview went viral. Her studio couldn’t withstand another character assassination.
She was going to lose everything.
Her home. Her business. Herself.
When Chad whipped out a picture of Lena dressed like a zombie bride from last Halloween, she saw red. Now she really did look like a complete psycho. An ugly one.Ay Dios mío.Surely people would realize it was a costume, right? No one could seriously believe she was that wretched in real life. Not that it would matter. The trolls would have a field day.
With a sigh, Lena closed the web browser and tapped out a quick message thanking Nia for the heads-up.
Nia’s reply came almost immediately and Lena couldn’t help but smile at the Real HousewivesI will cut a bitchGIF, even if it was totally inappropriate and would probably land them in jail. Where there was no wine or donuts. A second message popped up, and Nia promised to swing by the studio after class so they could plot Chad’s demise and drown their sorrows in a bottle of cheap rosé.
Puñeta. It was definitely time to lawyer up. It was bad enough strangers were dragging her online, but it had never occurred to her that people who actually knew her would do the same. Then again, she’d never imagined Chad would file a lawsuit against her, either, so clearly she wasn’t exactly the best judge of character.
Lena reopened her browser and typed in NYC Legal Aid, doing her best to ignore the sour taste in her mouth. It was a bitter reminder of just how deeply Murphy’s Law impacted her life. It was also depressing as hell and—if she was being honest—all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and hide under the comforter, but ignoring Chad’s asinine lawsuit was no longer an option.
It was time to deal with the problem head on.
She was still scrolling through legalese, trying to make sense of her options, when the bells over the front door jingled. Lena glanced up and immediately wished she’d closed the studio early, because she was in no way prepared to explain this latest disaster to Liam, and judging by the hard set of his mouth, he didn’t find it the least bit amusing. Not that she expected him to. God knew she was mortified, the shame staining her face like spilled paint.
Once again, she’d made a fool of him in the press and it appeared he was here to call her on the carpet.
…
Liam locked the studio door and flipped theOpensign toClosed. The last thing they needed was a goddamn audience. Jack and Ethan could keep the vultures at bay, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
Not after the shitstorm on the twelve o’clock news.
