Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin)

Zane felt something was off. His breath caught in his throat. "!"

He fumbled for his phone, heart pounding, and checked his notifications.

No way. Clips of his conversation with Winona-some pretty damning stuff-were already blowing up online!

Zane was in shock. He could've sworn he'd cut off the Wi-Fi. How the hell did Winona manage to upload the videos?

The internet was a wildfire of outrage:

#Oh my god, is he for real? This is a whole new level of trash!#

#This isn't just trash, this is straight-up evil!#

#World's Best Guy? More like World's Biggest Jerk! I'm gonna be sick!#

#He's reached the ultimate freeloader status wants the whole pie and the bakery too!#

#Thank God Winona's got nine lives, or she'd already be six feet under thanks to this scumbag! Die, loser!#

Even though Zane denied the whole kidnapping and poisoning thing in the videos, no one was buying it. The court of public opinion had already ruled: guilty as charged.

People were even digging up rumors about him and Sarah, the nurse, and Lyra.

Years of carefully crafted "good guy" image-gone in a puff of smoke.

Zane's breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving in panic.

"Winona, are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Winona was still filming, steady as ever. "Take a breath, Zane. The whole country's watching right now."

He clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth might crack, eyes burning red.

He wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off Winona's face, but he knew there were bodyguards everywhere. He couldn't get near her.

"You're playing dirty. Fine-you win this round."

Without another word, Zane spun on his heel and stormed out.

With the internet in meltdown mode, he knew the press and paparazzi were probably swarming the building already. He needed to get away, find some quiet cornerto figure out his next move.

As he was leaving, Winona called after him, "And by the way, that fancy penthouse Priscilla's been

livingin? It's mine. She's moving out

today."

Priscilla's face turned purple. "You bitch! Who do you think you are, taking my home? That's my place!"

Winona's tone was ice. "Actually, I paid for it. The deed's in my name."

"You said it was a gift! It's mine!"

"I gave it to you out of respect, but if you can't show any, don't expect me to,

either. You brought this on yourself."

"You-! I'll kill you!"

Priscilla lost it and lunged at Winona, but Zane yanked her back.

"Don't make a bigger fool of yourself. Let's go."

"My house, my house..." Priscilla sobbed as Zane dragged her away. Before disappearing down the hall, he shot Winona one last glare.

"You'll regret this."noveldrama

Zane and Priscilla were gone, but the internet was just getting started.

#So mad right now, I swear I'd slap that old witch senseless! How dare she call Winona evil-she's the real monster!#

#No wonder Zane turned out the way he did, look at his mother! Like mother, like son.#

#If that woman lived in my house, she'd have caught a frying pan to the face already!#

Number One Mansion.

Elysia and Blossom scrolled through

satisfied. Zane might have squirmed out of admitting anything, but his reputation was officially toast.

Sax. comments, thoroughly

For Zane, this was game over.

Elysia and Blossom grabbed Caroline and headed out to meet up with Winona,

with Evan trailing behind as their self-appointed bodyguard.

Back at the house, Tarquin, Elliot, and Elijah huddled in the study for a private strategy session.