What's Wrong With You?

Sienna's eyes widened momentarily at the glowing screen before bubbling over with bright laughter at Kaelen’s playful message. Recognizing the sheer boldness of his initial challenge, he had quickly clarified his meaning in a second text. He stated he was merely saying he was physically strong enough to toss her around like a ragdoll, ensuring she knew it was just banter. The unexpected message worked to lift her mood.

Her sudden smile surprised her father, Warren, as he stepped through the hospital room door carrying the warm soup he had gone to fetch. He paused just past the threshold, clutching the plastic bag. Relieved to see her looking cheerful despite the day's heavy stress and the ongoing public smear campaign, he approached the bed. He asked what brought on the smile, a clear note of hope in his tired voice.

Sienna's expression wavered as she realized she must cover her tracks. She claimed she was just trading silly jokes with her trusted childhood best friend, Nolan Gallagher. The excuse slid off her tongue with practiced ease. Satisfied with the lie, Warren walked closer and set the soup down on the bedside table. He encouraged her to lean on Nolan during this crisis, noting that true friends were crucial right now. Sienna reached out and reassured him with an affectionate pat on the arm, promising she wasn't going to fall apart under the pressure.

Despite her brave front for her father, the vile online drama had ruined her appetite. She managed only a polite spoonful of the soup before setting the container aside, her stomach twisting into a knot. Hours dragged on. Late into the quiet night, while Warren slept nearby on the small visitor's cot, she reached out to the actual, real Nolan.

She needed him to dig deep into Gia and Damon's history, searching for any loose threads they left behind. Furthermore, she needed to secure a massive, powerful Twitter account through his wealthy family's vast entertainment connections. The Gallagher Group had unparalleled reach, and she required a digital megaphone.

Nolan, ever loyal to his lifelong friend, provided an account with massive reach within minutes. He offered to throw his family's weight behind her to blast Gia's manipulative game into oblivion. He wanted to crush the false narrative before dawn. But Sienna's eyes gleamed with a stubborn, fierce resolve in the dark room. She texted him back, insisting she had this handled, stating with a dark smile that it was much more fun this way. Nolan understood her need for personal vengeance and let her take the reins, stepping back to watch her work.

The very next morning, Sienna woke to a lagging phone buzzing with a flood of harsh, toxic mentions. The device felt red-hot in her palm. The rabid online mob was demanding she issue a public apology to Gia. Trending top on Twitter was Gia's brand-new follow-up video.

Sienna clicked the thumbnail. Looking pale, puffy-eyed, and dressed in a very plain, humble gown, Gia played the perfect, wounded victim. She wiped away nonexistent tears, speaking in a fragile, trembling voice. She subtly and masterfully painted Sienna as an out-of-control, privileged brat who was lashing out purely from malice. The internet ate it up without question, instantly turning against the wealthy heiress. Reading below the video, there were thousands of comments questioning how Sienna could ever measure up to a gentleman like Damon, while praising Gia's genuine nature.

Rolling her eyes at the screen, Sienna couldn't help but laugh out loud at exactly how easily the mindless crowd swallowed the manufactured spin. The lack of critical thinking from the masses was comical to watch unfold.

However, her amusement faded to ash when Damon’s name flashed on her incoming caller screen. The ringing shattered the quiet morning.

After ignoring his persistent, annoying calls for hours, letting the screen dim only to light up again, she finally lost her patience. The relentless buzzing pushed her over the edge. She answered the phone with a frosty, uncompromising greeting. "What's up, Damon?"

His familiar, soft voice, which she once loved, now only grated on her raw nerves. He asked, sounding bewildered and almost hurt, if she was still mad at him.

She scoffed bitterly at the sheer audacity. Trying to sound reasonable and put-upon, Damon pleaded with her to step in and fix the mess. He told her she had it all wrong, noted how much the scandal had blown up across all platforms, and demanded she help him set the record straight publicly. He swore that once this was all over, they could figure things out between them. He maintained the lie that he hadn't cheated, claiming she was all he cared about and that the hotel incident was a twisted misunderstanding.

A sickening wave of deep disgust washed over her body. Sienna gripped the phone tight, her knuckles turning bone-white. She sneered directly into the receiver, asking Damon if he was actually for real. She was appalled that he wanted her to publicly vouch for him and his mistress, stating she never pegged him for this specific kind of absolute low.