Filed to story: Watch Out, I’m The Lady Boss (Eleanor & Sebastian) Book PDF Free
“Why me?”
“You’re in the same hospital.”
“I happened to leave my telephoto lens at home. Even if I took the pics, I wouldn’t know a reporter to leak them to “H’im.” Yvaine gave the puzzle two seconds” thought and gave it up.
“Doesn’t matter who did it. Whoever it was clearly hates Daniel’s or Catherine’s guts. That’s good enough for me.”By morning, finance blogs had picked up the story. Hashtags were trending.
Even the city’s serious daily ran a brief mention.
Granger Development Group was a big name, after all, and shareholders were foaming at the mouth.
“Was it you?” I asked Sebastian as he brought breakfast, holding up the news.
“Hospital hallway’s a public place. Plenty of people come and go. Anyone could’ve taken the photos.”
“That’s an evasive answer.”He looked straight at me.
“Would you want it to be me?”I gave it a moment’s thought, then shrugged.
“Doesn’t really matter to me.”After all, it had nothing to do with me.
Or so I thought.
I was flicking through crap cable channels when a mirse came in.
Mrs Laurent, there’s a man outside who wants to see you.”I sat up.
“Did he give a name?”
A Daniel Granger.”I sat back down.
“I’m not receiving visitors.”
“Noted.”She came back a minute later.
“He says he has urgent business to discuss and refuses to leave.”
“Call security.”
“Got it, Mrs Laurent.”Two hours later, my phone lit up with Louisa Granger’s name.
I almost didn’t answer. I should’ve followed that instinct.
She launched into it before I even said hello.
Once I heard enough to get the gist, I cut her off, “Aunt Louisa, it wasn’t me. I didn’t take those photos. And I certainly didn’t leak the news.”
“I know, I trust you, it’s just that… Daniel says you were the only one he ran into at the hospital.”I borrowed Sebastian’s line.
“It’s a public place. Plenty of people come and go. And Daniel and Catherine were talking in a hallway. I saw them. So did the nurse. So did at least two dozen other people walking by at the time.”Louisa let out a long, resigned sigh.
“I see.” Then she lapsed into silence.
I sensed her hesitation.
“Is there something else?”
“The story… about Catherine’s pregnancy, is it… is it true?” Her voice was tight, like she didn’t want to hear the answer.
I paused, then said, “Yes.”The truth would get out eventually anyway.
Louisa went quiet again. I heard her breathing shift, shorter and shallower.
I’d heard that sound before. Her stress-breathing.
“Please don’t work yourself up over this again,” I cautioned.
“You’ve already ended up in hospital once because of Daniel-related nonsense.”
“Alright,” she said, though it didn’t sound like the end of it.
“Eleanor, are you absolutely sure this has nothing to do with you? I know you’re upset with Daniel, but if this spins out of control, the company’s stock could tank.”That stopped me. I hadn’t expected her to throw me under the same bus Daniel was driving.
It really has nothing to do with me, I-“Sebastian took the phone right out of my hand.
Hello. Sebastian Laurent speaking. My wife was with me all day yesterday. She hasn’t spoken to a single reporter. I suggest you stop slinging baseless accusations at her, or we’ll consider legal action for defamation.”He hung up.
I looked at him. He handed the phone back.
Are you mad?” I asked.
“Not at you. I just don’t like people accusing you like that.”I don’t either. Can’t believe Aunt Louisa actually thought I’d stoop that low.”Turns out, she wasn’t the only one.
The story didn’t die after the usual 24-hour cycle. New spins started cropping up.
“Unnamed sources” claimed Daniel’s ex was behind it all.
The motives varied. Some said she wanted him back, others said it was revenge.
Either way, the ex was the villain.
“What the actual fuck is this?” Yvaine was furious.
“I thought the person who leaked the story hated Daniel. Why is all the heat on you now?”
“I don’t think the person who leaked the original story and the one behind this are the same,” I pointed out.
The former was Sebastian. If not, I’d eat my necklace.
As for the latter, I had a fairly solid guess.
Yvaine sat cross-legged on the bed and started typing.
[You’re all being played.]
[From what I know, Daniel’s ex hasn’t had contact with him in ages. Why would she pull a stunt like this to win him back?]
[Why is it always the woman getting torn apart? Drag him for once.]
She hit “post”.
Nothing. Not a single like. Not even a pity emoji.
Yvaine swore.
Then she jumped up.
“I’ll go find Daniel and beat the crap out of him. Bet he’s the one who engineered the new spin.”A woman of action, she was gone before I could say a word.
I returned to the post. The tone didn’t sound like Daniel. It was more.. catty.
Sebastian plucked the phone from my hands.
“You shouldn’t be stressing about things like this. Let me deal with the trolls.”
“But it’s my phone.”
“Confiscated till further notice.”
“Fine. I’ll just use my tablet.”He paused.
“Thanks for the reminder.”A minute later, I was phone-less and tablet-less.
All I had left was the TV remote.
A nurse came in to change the IV fluids.
“Can I borrow your phone?” I asked.
She blinked but handed it over.
“Sure.”
“Thank you.”I didn’t find what I was looking for.
It had only been thirty minutes, if that, but the internet had been rubbed clean.
Every article, post, hashtag, and headline about “Daniel Granger’s Revengeful Ex” was gone.
I didn’t bother asking Sebastian; He’d just give me the same non-answer as before.
Yvaine returned with a stunned look on her face.
“The news is gone.”I nodded.
“I know.”She frowned.
“I called you. No reply.”
“My phone’s been… confiscated.”
“By whom?” Then she clocked it. Her frown curled into a teasing grin.
“The hubby, eh?”I didn’t answer. She already knew.
Yvaine climbed into bed beside me.
“So. How’s married life treating you?”I gestured vaguely around the room.
“Feels like prison.”
“Doc says you need peace and quiet. And this is a nice place.”
“It is. But you know I hate hospitals.”