The scream of the morning alarm wasn’t what woke Julia—it was her phone. Buzz after buzz, the vibration rattled against the nightstand like a desperate pulse.
She groaned, dragging herself upright. One glance at the screen, and the air left her lungs.
Breaking News: “Disgraced Heir and Mystery Woman—Caught in the Rain.” Under the headline—her face. Blurry, but recognizable. And Brandon’s—too close, too raw.
The world tilted.
She scrolled down. The photo showed them outside the apartment last night—her hand clutching his arm, his jacket draped around her shoulders. The caption: “Hughes Heir Finds Comfort in Commoner.”
“Oh, God…” Her voice was barely a whisper.
The phone buzzed again. Messages from coworkers. From her manager. From her landlord.
“Miss Bailey, I don’t want drama in my
