Lana's POV
Her words dropped like stones into my gut. My breath stilled.
The line crackled, Bella waiting. My fingers tightened around the phone until my knuckles ached.
The bastard hadn’t just humiliated me, his public rejection was already tearing apart everything I’d been building.
Bella’s voice on the other end of the line was shaky, though she tried to sound composed.
“Lana… there’s more. Rumors are bustling all over about you and Liam. People are twisting the story, saying you must’ve done something for Liam to reject you so publicly. And the CEO, Mr. Gerald,” she sighed audibly, “he isn’t lifting a finger to help. It’s almost like he’s enjoying the show.”
I closed my eyes, my chest tightening. “I’m not surprised,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.
Because truly, I wasn
