Chapter 80 – Marrying a Secret Zillionaire: Happy Ever After

Hearing these carefully orchestrated questions, Marisol felt a wave of smug satisfaction wash over her. Everything was falling into place perfectly.

Feigning exhaustion, she let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Before the live stream, she and Joanna had meticulously applied makeup to make themselves appear pale and haggard. Now, under the harsh glare of the camera lights, their faces looked even more gaunt and weary.

Marisol squeezed out a few well-placed tears, her voice weak and trembling as she began her carefully crafted narrative. “Felix is our only son, the sole heir to the Wells fortune,” she began. “I never dreamed things would come to this. I don’t blame Linsey, though. I’m sure she had her reasons for leaving Felix. Even so, I know my son. He would never do anything wrong.”

She took a deep breath, pausing for dramatic effect, and then deliberately continued, “While it’s true Linsey married another man, I’ve known her for years. She’s always been perfectly polite and well-mannered in my presence. There must be some kind of misunderstanding. I implore everyone not to rush to judgment and to stop spreading these hurtful, unfounded rumors.”

The instant Marisol’s carefully constructed words escaped her lips, the entire room exploded into a cacophony of excited chatter. On the surface, Marisol appeared to be clarifying the misunderstandings surrounding Linsey, but in reality, she directly confirmed the swirling rumors: Linsey had indeed dumped the man she had dated for five years and married another man.

This revelation solidified the gossip about Linsey’s alleged infidelity, transforming it into accepted truth.

“Did you hear what Mrs. Wells said? Apparently, Linsey used to put on this sweet, innocent act when she was around her. Turns out it was all a big sham.”

“Linsey is such a two-faced phony. She’s absolutely disgusting! It’s unbelievable that Mrs. Wells even went live to defend her.”

“Poor Mrs. Wells. She looked absolutely drained. Her son is still locked up, so she must be worried sick to death. And yet, she still went out of her way to speak up for Linsey. She’s such a genuinely kind woman.”

“Exactly! And where’s Linsey in all of this? She’s still hiding, and hasn’t said a peep. She’s probably too chicken to face the music. They were together for five whole years, and then she had the nerve to send him to prison like that? How utterly heartless.”

Sensing that the moment was ripe, Joanna, affecting an air of delicate innocence, chimed in at just the right time. “Marisol is my godmother. And Felix and I go way back. I know the kind of person he is. Besides, Marisol has dedicated her life to charity work, helping countless people through their darkest times over the years. Someone as genuinely kind as her couldn’t possibly raise a bad kid. I refuse to believe Felix would do anything illegal. He must be the victim of some terrible injustice.” Joanna’s voice trembled with manufactured concern as she added, “But Linsey has stubbornly refused to come forward and address any of this. Marisol and I are both beside ourselves with worry.”

Joanna’s carefully chosen words amplified the growing wave of sympathy for Marisol and Felix.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking. Mrs. Wells has done so much good in the world, and now her son is being dragged through the mud like this.”

“Linsey is utterly despicable. Why hasn’t she come out and offered some kind of explanation yet?”

“Mrs. Wells is still trying to give Linsey the benefit of the doubt, even after all this. The difference in character between the two women is glaringly obvious-it’s crystal clear that Linsey is the one to blame here.”

“This is beyond infuriating! Is there anyone out…”

“Is there anyone who can dig up some dirt on Linsey? We owe it to Mrs. Wells to teach that girl a lesson she won’t soon forget.”

“Yeah, let’s find Linsey’s social media accounts and give her a taste of her own medicine. Let’s show her what happens when you mess with decent, upstanding people.”

After Marisol and Joanna’s carefully orchestrated performance in the live stream, a tidal wave of netizens expressed their sympathy for the pair. Initially, everyone was just passively following the gossip, as it didn’t directly involve them. But now, witnessing Marisol and Joanna’s distressed state, everyone became righteously indignant and began to harshly criticize Linsey’s behavior. Some even joined the online mob in doxxing Linsey, revealing her personal information without her consent.

“Linsey! Stop hiding and face the music! Admit what you did!”

“Someone dug up a photo of Linsey. Honestly, she’s not even that attractive. I can’t believe any sane man would marry her.”

“That’s rich! I bet Linsey’s current husband is kicking himself for marrying such a venomous woman.”

“She looks so sweet and innocent in her pictures, but wow, what a two-faced bitch.”

“Am I the only one who thinks Linsey’s face is fake? I bet she’s had a ton of work done.”

Overnight, a cacophony of voices online were hurling insults at Linsey. As the online mob continued its barrage of insults and accusations, a comment suddenly appeared out of the blue, grabbing the attention of many netizens…

The remark read, “Spill the tea-I work at the same place as Linsey. Our company is super picky about who they hire, but somehow, she, a total newbie, waltzed in with the highest interview score. It’s insane. Word is, she’s got some kind of connection to one of the interviewers, which is probably how she landed the job so easily.”

The netizen then remarked, “And get this-she’s a total pain to work with. Most of us can’t stand her. She uses her connections with a few big clients to throw her weight around like she owns the damn place. She’s seriously problematic. I can’t believe she’d pull something like this-it’s just unbelievable.”

The netizen’s comments shot to the top, racking up likes, and tons of people were asking questions.

“Hey, OP, what company is she with?”

“I’ve got a brilliant idea! Let’s complain to her company. No boss is going to put up with an employee like that. Let’s get her canned!”

“Come on! Has anyone found out her company? I’m ready to pounce!”

Marisol and Joanna watched the online pile-on against Linsey with smug satisfaction.

“These people online are so gullible-they’ll eat up anything we feed them,” Marisol said, pleased with herself.

Joanna grinned. “Marisol, you’re a genius. This was a brilliant plan. If this keeps up, Linsey’s toast.”

Meanwhile, Cynthia scrolled through the nasty comments about Linsey on her phone, a wide, excited grin plastered on her face. All she had done was throw out two jabs to start things, and unbelievably, so many people had actually fallen for it.

And with Anthea out of the country, there was no way she could come to Linsey’s rescue.

Cynthia smirked. She knew Linsey wouldn’t get away with this. As the online hate for Linsey reached fever pitch, Joanna felt a rush of pure triumph. After numerous defeats at Linsey’s hands, Joanna finally relished the opportunity to witness Linsey’s downfall. She remembered Linsey’s past arrogance with a bitter taste.

As she scrolled through the seemingly endless barrage of hateful comments directed at Linsey, Joanna’s spirits lifted considerably. However, she reminded herself to stay focused on the overall strategy and not get carried away by the moment.

After a moment of contemplation, Joanna decided to reach out to Linsey directly.

Linsey answered promptly.

Joanna paused, and when Linsey remained silent, she assumed that Linsey was wallowing in despair due to the online backlash.

Adopting a deceptively gentle tone, Joanna inquired, “Linsey, starting to feel the pressure?”

Linsey responded evenly, “Joanna, what’s your point?”

Joanna scoffed. “Linsey, I suggest you cut Felix loose and issue a public apology to us. Otherwise, you’ll live to regret it. Marisol and I are giving you one final opportunity,” she warned, her voice hardening.

Linsey let out a dry laugh. “Joanna, I think you’ve got your facts twisted. You’re the ones who started this smear campaign against me. If anyone owes an apology, it’s you to me. The public might be clueless, but you know the truth. Felix betrayed me because of you, remember? That’s what drove me to marry my husband.”

She then quipped, “You and Marisol are masters of manipulation, always playing the injured party.”

“Linsey!” Joanna hissed, her teeth clenched. “You’re still talking tough, huh?”

Linsey spoke with unshakable calm. “Joanna, I don’t regret my decision in the slightest. Do whatever you want-I’m unfazed by your threats.”

Joanna responded with a scoff and a chilling laugh, her eyes glittering cruelly. “Linsey, don’t blame us for what’s coming.”

With a sharp click, Joanna ended the call, her mind already weaving darker schemes against Linsey.

Despite the ominous nature of Joanna’s threats, Linsey remained detached and unaffected. She leisurely scrolled through her phone, her eyes skimming over the barrage of insults flung at her online.

Collin, glimpsing the toxic spew on her screen, halted and advised, “Linsey, ignore that garbage. It’s not worth your peace of mind.” He understood that Linsey had strategies up her sleeve, yet the venom in those comments still gnawed at him.

Turning to face Collin, Linsey offered a comforting smile. “Don’t worry. Tomorrow marks the third day of our plan. Once it passes, we’ll be free from all this chaos.”

As she reassured him, a shadow flickered across Linsey’s expression, hinting that the time for action was drawing near.

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