“Briony.”
Chapter 35
Stewart grew impatient when she didn’t answer right away. His voice tightened with urgency. “As compensation, I’ll add another ten million to the agreement. You-”
“That’s not necessary.” Briony cut him off, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. “The agreement doesn’t need to change. I’ll help you clear things up.”
Her heart was numb, colder than ever. All she wanted now was to end this marriage as quickly as possible, to get as far away from Stewart and Rosita as she could.
She was done being the fool in their love story.
On the other end, Stewart was silent for a moment, then tried again. “Or you can ask for something else. Anything.”
“Other than getting this divorce finalized,” Briony replied, her voice icy, “I want nothing from you. Nothing at all.” With that, she hung up the phone.
Her hands trembling, Briony opened Facebook and logged in.
But Facebook offered her no refuge, either.
The very first post on her feed was from Rosita.
She clicked in—
Rosita: *First of all, thank you to all my fans and everyone who’s reached out with concern. Mr. Wentworth and I are both doing well. As for the rumors and wild stories being spread based on photos, I never believed them, and I hope you won’t either.*
*I really don’t want my personal life to take up public space, but seeing so many unfair comments about Mr. Wentworth has upset me deeply.*
*He’s not just my partner; he’s an outstanding lawyer and a private person. I don’t want his life to be turned into gossip fodder just because he’s with me. I hope my fans can give him some space, just as you’ve always supported me.*
*If you care about me, please care for Mr. Wentworth too.*
The moment Rosita posted her lengthy statement, the story exploded again.
Fans flooded the comment section with
support.
Soon, someone posted a screenshot of a statement released by Stewart himself.
He’d used his law firm’s official account to issue a formal statement–complete with a notice of legal action against the original source of the rumors.
That was classic Stewart.
In an instant, Rosita’s fans rallied behind Stewart, flooding her comments with praise for their “brother–in–law” and messages of congratulations.
On social media, hashtags about “Rosita’s fiercely protective boyfriend” began trending, and the buzz only intensified. Rosita’s fans were celebrating, riding the wave of excitement, while internet onlookers kept speculating about the other woman in the photos.
Doubts about Rosita and Stewart’s relationship still lingered.
Briony, nearly numb, closed the page and returned to the registration screen.
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Chapter 35
Creating a new personal account was tedious, but she forced herself through the steps.
When it was finally set up, she made a single post:
Briony: *I am the woman in the photo. Attorney Wentworth and I are only professional colleagues. Attorney Wentworth and Ms. Lockwood have been deeply in love for years. Please don’t be misled by gossip accounts.* Once she posted it, Briony logged off Facebook.
For the last time.
She told herself this would be the last thing she ever did for Stewart–a way to repay him for helping her two years ago.
From this moment on, she swore, she would never let Stewart affect her life again.
But Briony had no idea the storm she’d just unleashed.
Fans and trolls alike descended on her Facebook page, hurling abuse. Some internet sleuths even dug into her personal history.
Within hours, someone unearthed Stewart’s high–profile defense of Julia from five years ago, and a wave of online agitators began to steer the conversation.
Suddenly, Briony became “the murderer’s daughter.” Rumors swirled that she was playing the victim to seduce Stewart….
The backlash was swift and vicious.
Then, a user claiming to be Briony’s own relative posted this:
*Briony and Stewart are just colleagues, sure, but five years ago her mother killed her father. She and her
mother milked Stewart’s sympathy, and he stepped in to help–her mother, the murderer, escaped the death penalty because of him! Our family has been cursed ever since those two showed up!*
The shocking revelation sent the internet into a frenzy.
Rosita’s fans and eager gossip–hunters pounced on the “relative,” demanding more details.
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