The News

The buzzing phone on Ashley’s lap wouldn’t stop. She groaned, rubbing her tired eyes as she sat up on the stiff hospital chair.

The previous night had been a blur of exhaustion and worry. She had spent every moment beside Demitri’s bed, silently praying for him to wake up. His pale, lifeless face haunted her thoughts.

Finally, she snatched the phone and answered without looking at the caller ID.

“Ashley!” her mother’s voice boomed through the phone, causing her to flinch.

“Mom?” she whispered, quickly glancing at Demitri’s still form. She didn’t want to disturb his mother, who was asleep in the chair across the room. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” her mother’s voice rose. “Where are you? Why are you making the headlines again?”

Ashley froze. “Headlines? What are you talking about?”

Her mother sighed dramatically. “Go online and check for yourself. This is exactly what I warned you about! You should’ve stayed far away from Demitri. Now look what’s happening!”

Ashley’s stomach churned. She excused herself, slipping out of the hospital room to avoid waking anyone, and leaned against the cold hallway wall.

Her fingers trembled as she opened her browser and typed her name into the search bar.

It didn’t take long for the headlines to pop up: “Donaldson Heiress Rumored to Be CEO Demitri’s Ex-Wife.”

She cursed under her breath. “Oh, for God’s sake…”

Her thumb hovered over the screen as she scrolled through the article. The speculation about her relationship with Demitri was relentless, complete with blurry photos of them together, presumably from their business trip. The media frenzy was bad enough, but the comments were worse.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she clicked on the comment section. The first one that caught her eye made her blood boil:

Elena: It’s not a rumor. It’s the truth. I am Demitri’s girlfriend, and he divorced her because of me.

Ashley let out an incredulous laugh, a mix of disbelief and anger. “Of course, you’d throw yourself into this mess, Elena,” she muttered under her breath.

Her annoyance grew as she read more of Elena’s comments, but to her surprise, most people weren’t siding with Elena.

User1: Wow, she’s proud of being a homewrecker? Bold of her to assume that’s something to brag about.

User2: Demitri better get Emerald back and let go of this bitch. She’s toxic.

User3: Elena? Isn’t she the same woman who chased Demitri around while he was married? Pathetic.

Despite the situation, Ashley couldn’t suppress a small, bitter smile. At least the public wasn’t buying Elena’s sob story. But then her gaze shifted to the harsher comments aimed at Demitri.

User4: Demitri sounds like a jerk. Who marries someone and then divorces them for a gold digger?

User5: This guy doesn’t deserve another chance. Hope the Donaldson heiress knows better this time.

Ashley’s smile faded. She hated that Demitri was being dragged through the mud, especially when he wasn’t in a position to defend himself. No one knew the full story, and seeing him reduced to a villain stung more than she expected.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of her phone again. It was Ethan, her business partner.

She sighed, her frustration mounting. “Ethan,” she answered curtly. “What is it?”

“Well, good morning to you too,” he said dryly. “So much for going to Texas together. I heard you’re still there, and from the looks of it, things are going so well.”

Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ethan, I—”

He cut her off. “I saw the news, Ashley. Care to explain why you’re trending for all the wrong reasons?”

“I didn’t ask for this,” she snapped. “And I certainly didn’t want it to affect business. Demitri and I—”

“Oh, I know all about you and Demitri,” Ethan interrupted again, his tone turning icy. “Or should I call you Demitri’s ex-wife? Because apparently, that’s who you are now.”

Ashley’s breath caught in her throat. “Ethan, listen—”

“No, you listen,” he said sharply. “I’ve had enough of this drama. Our partnership was supposed to be professional, but this… this is a PR nightmare. I’m pulling out, Ashley. Effective immediately.”

Her jaw dropped. “Ethan, you can’t be serious! We have contracts, commitments—”

“Take it up with your lawyers,” he said dismissively. “I’ll see you when you’re back, Demitri’s ex-wife.”

The line went dead.

Ashley stared at her phone, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.