"The video is about you."
With those words, her legs froze, and so did her stare, filled with dubiousness.
"What's the video about?" June asked, taking a cautious step back toward Jane, who hesitated to say more.
"I ain't gonna bite. Just say it," she cracked out.
Jane swallowed. "First, I think you should meet Linda. She instructed you to see her the moment you arrived."
That didn't sound good. If Linda was calling her in this early, there was definitely a storm behind Jane's cold, calm words.
Bracing herself for reprimand, June made her way to the one office no one wished to be summoned to—especially not at this hour.
"Good morning." She greeted upon entering, her eyes falling on Linda, who sat behind the square table, poised, beautiful as always.
"What did I do this time?" June asked, getting straight to the point.
Linda didn't answer. Instead, she tossed her phone across the desk toward June.
The moment June's eyes landed on the screen, her stomach twisted.
A video of her. Blabbing about her views on love and family.
Damn her big mouth.
She definitely shouldn't have taken on more than she could handle that day. But it had been a friendly gathering—a team-building event. They were all having fun. So she went along, played truth or dare, and in her not-so-sober state, she might have let out her most vulnerable secret.
And now… it was out. The stupid video was out.
"Fix this, or I'll be forced to make a decision that won't be pleasing," Linda said, her voice firm, eyes sharp.
She was the type to be both cool and hot at the same time. There were no exceptions when it came to her business. It was no secret that her marriage had fallen apart because of her devotion to the company. Her husband had needed her. She wasn't there. He chose to leave.
June let out a long breath. "How did the video get out in the first place?"
She turned to Jane, then locked eyes on May—the one person who had every reason to ruin her.
"You can stare all you want, but you won't prove I did it." May smirked, crossing her arms. "I have more important things to do with my time."
Jane scoffed, but May ignored her, striding right up to June with a smirk still tugging at her lips.
"She's a bitch," one of June's team members muttered, eyes locked on May's faded peach lips.
June didn't respond. Her phone buzzed. She checked the screen.
The internet was on fire.
Harsh comments flooded in.
"Two-faced bitch."
"Scam."
"Fraud."
"Liar."
"Cheat."
The betrayal her audience felt was evident. Her eyes burned from scrolling through the backlash.
Then came the voice—stern and laced with warning.
"Ma'am."
June looked up at the security guard standing at the door, his right hand hooked onto his belt, the other resting near his gun.
"What?" She asked, exhausted.
"There's a crowd of protesters outside."
Her stomach clenched.
That… wasn't good.
She followed him out.
And sure enough, there they were.
Holding signs with her face crossed in red.
"Wow. They're really mad," Jane muttered, suppressing a smirk.
June squared her shoulders. So what? She lied about her love life. She wasn't the first. The media thrived on fabricated perfection. Besides, even if she had faked being in a happy relationship, she'd still helped people. She'd fixed marriages. Healed relationships. Given hope.
"You're a scam! You don't deserve to be here!" A teenage girl shouted.
"We looked up to you, and you turned out to be a liar!" Another yelled, launching a tomato straight at her.
It hit her face. The foul taste of rot slid to her lips.
"Damn it."
And then—another. And another. The crowd showered her with rotten vegetables, their anger turning physical.
The guard reacted swiftly, shielding her and ushering her back into the building.
"It's worse than we thought," Liam muttered.
"Does this mean the show is going to be canceled?" someone from the back asked.
"Not a chance." June's voice was firm, her eyes fierce. "I won't let that happen. This is my dream. My years of hard work. I won't let it fall—not without a fight."
May scoffed from the side. "Just saying it won't help. Your supporters have turned against you. No one will watch your show. It's over, June."
June clenched her fists, but deep down, she knew May was right. Her entire career was built on an image that was now shattered.
And then—
"Guess you haven't seen the new feed."
May laughed, flipping open a laptop.
The screen loaded.
A live interview.
June's exes—all of them—sitting together in one place, dressed in black like they were mourning her downfall.
Oh, hell no.
The studio was buzzing with excitement as the five men sat comfortably in the interview room. The audience murmured in anticipation, and the live chat flooded with comments, both angry and eager for juicy details. The screen behind them displayed a bold headline:
"THE TRUTH ABOUT JUNE – THE MEN WHO KNOW HER BEST SPEAK OUT!"
The interviewer, a sleek woman in her mid-thirties, adjusted her mic before flashing a charming but calculating smile at the men before her.
"Welcome, gentlemen," she began. "The world is in shock over the revelations about June. People believed in her, admired her, and now they feel deceived. Who better to give us insight than the people who knew her intimately? So, let's start with the question on everyone's mind—was anything she ever said about her relationships true?"
A man with sharp features and a lean frame leaned in first. It was David, one of June's earliest exes. His expression was neutral, but his tone held an edge of resentment.
"Honestly? No. June's entire life is built on lies. When we were together, she was always crafting a story, turning simple moments into something grander, something dramatic—something fit for an audience. She never truly lived in reality, only in the version of it she wanted people to believe."
The interviewer nodded, then turned to another man, Alex, who adjusted his navy blue blazer before smirking.
"She plays the perfect victim," Alex said, rubbing his jaw as if recalling something distasteful. "Whenever things didn't go her way, she'd twist the narrative. I remember once she accused me of being unfaithful when she was the one who couldn't commit. She had this habit of keeping multiple people interested, always needing someone to feed her ego. But publicly, she made it seem like she was this devoted, loving girlfriend."
A few audience members gasped. The comments section blew up:
"I knew she was fake!"
"How could she deceive so many people?"
"She's worse than we thought."
The interviewer turned her attention to Brandon, a tall man with an air of confidence but a hint of wariness in his eyes. He crossed his arms before answering.
"Look, I'm not here to bash her. But let's not pretend she's innocent," he said, shifting in his seat. "She'd get irrationally angry over the smallest things. One time, I was ten minutes late picking her up from a dinner reservation, and she flipped. Screamed at me in the middle of the restaurant. I was shocked. I mean, the way she acts in public—calm, collected, understanding—it's all a show. Behind closed doors? She has a temper, and she doesn't know how to control it."
The interviewer took a moment to absorb his words, her brows slightly raised. "Are you saying she was emotionally unstable?"
Ethan, the fourth ex, scoffed. "Emotionally unstable is putting it lightly. The woman is mentally disturbed. When I broke up with her, she stalked me. Called me at odd hours, showed up at my place uninvited, even trashed my apartment when she thought I was seeing someone else. It was terrifying."
June clenched her jaw as she watched the interview unfold on her screen. That was a lie. Yes, she had trashed his apartment, but she had every reason to—he had cheated on her with rich women who bought him things. But stalking him? That was pure fiction.
The final ex, Marcus, who had remained silent until now, let out a deep breath before speaking.
"The June I dated was a different person from the one people see on TV. I truly believed she cared about me, but I was just another prop in her story. She manipulated situations to gain sympathy. She wanted to be seen as the perfect woman, the perfect lover, but the truth is—she doesn't know how to love. She only knows how to perform it."
The interviewer tilted her head, studying his words before addressing all of them.
"So what do you think was her goal? Why fabricate all these lies?"
David, the first ex, answered without hesitation.
"Fame. Recognition. She built an entire career off being someone she's not. The irony? She helps others fix their relationships, but she's the most broken person I've ever met."
Ethan let out a dark chuckle. "If only the world knew just how much of a fraud she is."
The interview ended with a dramatic pause, the screen fading to black before flashing back to a LIVE broadcast of audience reactions. Viewers were already calling for her complete cancellation.
June's fingers curled into fists.
She wasn't perfect. She had made mistakes. But this? This was a calculated attack. Someone had arranged for all her exes to be in one place at the same time, feeding the media with stories designed to destroy her.
And she had a good idea who was behind it.
Her eyes burned with fury as she whispered, "May, you b*tch, this is war."
"This is just the beginning," May whispered, stepping closer.
June's glare burned through her. "Get out."
May smirked and walked away.
"I think she's behind this," Jane said.
"I agree," Liam added.
Linda. June stormed into her office.
Linda sighed, ending a call.
"Not now, June. I was just on the phone with J. The show has to be canceled."
June's heart clenched. "You can't do that. You know how hard I worked—"
"And you've also ruined it."
June's breath hitched.
Linda continued, "I had to leave my daughter's school function to deal with the mess you created."
She was exhausted. And June could see why. Linda's sixteen-year-old daughter barely spoke to her. She'd lost her marriage because of this company. Now, this scandal was another hit to her already fragile relationship with her child.
"Take a break," Linda said. "Take it until things cool down."
The weight of failure crushed June.
But this wasn't over.
She wasn't the type to quit.
If one foot falls, you raise the other.
Meanwhile…
Dora rushed out of the bookstore after getting the news.
But in her hurry, she slammed into something solid.
No, someone.
Her eyes lifted.
The most dazzling man she'd seen all day.
"Sorry," she muttered, hurrying past him.
He called after her, holding the book she'd dropped.
He glanced at the cover and smiled.
They shared a taste in books.
Later that night, Linda sighed as she stepped out of her car, the exhaustion of the day settling deep into her bones. The cool night air did nothing to ease the headache forming at her temples. Today had been absolute chaos—June's scandal, the media storm, the show's future hanging by a thread. She had spent hours trying to clean up the mess, only to come home to yet another one.
She barely had time to turn the key in the door before she heard the sharp sound of heels against the hardwood floor.
Beth.
Her sixteen-year-old daughter stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed, face set in stone. She had Linda's sharp features but her father's cool, detached stare—a stare Linda knew too well.
Linda's ex-husband, Thomas, sat on the couch, silent but present. His gaze wasn't angry, just tired. His presence alone sent an unspoken message: She called me. Again.
Linda exhaled slowly. "What's going on?"
Beth's lips twisted into a humorless smirk. "Oh, you don't know? That's a first," she shot back. "Should I schedule an appointment? Maybe then you'd actually show up."
Linda ran a hand through her hair, already regretting walking through the door. "Beth, I don't have time for whatever this is"
Beth scoffed. "Whatever this is?" Her voice rose, thick with frustration. "You promised you'd be there today. You swore! But of course, something more important came up. Like always."
Linda closed her eyes briefly. The school function.
Damn it.
"Beth—"
"Don't," Beth cut her off. "Don't say you're sorry. I don't want another apology you don't mean."
Linda's jaw tensed. "I do mean it. My job—"
"Is more important than me," Beth finished, her voice laced with venom. "It always has been. You missed my recital last year. You missed my birthday dinner two years in a row. And today? You didn't even text to say you weren't coming!"
Linda's stomach twisted. She hadn't realized how much she had missed.
Thomas leaned forward slightly, finally speaking. "Beth called me in tears, Linda. She was the only kid sitting alone while the other parents cheered for their children. Do you know how humiliating that is for a sixteen-year-old?"
Beth laughed bitterly. "No, she doesn't. She wouldn't know what that feels like. She's never there to see it."
Linda flinched.
"Beth, I am trying," she said, her voice softer now.
Beth's eyes flashed. "No, Mom. You're not. You've never tried. You tell yourself that so you can sleep at night, but let's be real—you chose your company over your family a long time ago. That's why Dad left. That's why I'm leaving too."
Linda's breath caught in her throat. "Beth, don't do this."
Beth's expression didn't waver. "I already packed my things. I'm going to stay with Dad."
She reached for the duffel bag near the door, hoisting it onto her shoulder as Linda stepped toward her.
"Beth, please," Linda tried again, voice breaking. "I love you. You are the most important thing in my life"
Beth let out a hollow laugh. "That's funny. Because I don't feel loved. I feel abandoned."
She turned to the door, yanking it open.
Linda reached for her arm, desperate. "Beth, wait—"
Beth jerked away as if Linda's touch burned. "Don't act like this is a surprise. You lost me a long time ago."
Linda felt something inside her crack.
Thomas gave her a long, unreadable look before shaking his head. "I thought after our divorce, you'd realize she needed you more than your company. But I guess I was wrong."
Linda didn't have the strength to argue.
She watched, helpless, as Beth walked out the door with her father, not sparing her a single glance back.
The door shut with a quiet but final click, leaving Linda standing alone in the middle of her cold, empty house.
For the first time in years, she let herself sink onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.
She had spent so much time chasing success, building an empire, fighting for power.
And now, she had nothing.
At another end, June sat curled up on the couch, arms wrapped around her knees. The weight of everything—her ruined reputation, the show's uncertain future, the betrayal—pressed heavily on her chest. The headlines were relentless. The hate online was suffocating. And worst of all, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just about the scandal. This was about something deeper. Something she had been running from for years.
Dora, sitting beside her, sighed. "June, you need help."
June let out a humorless laugh. "What I need is for everyone to forget this ever happened."
"I'm serious," Dora said firmly. "You can't keep doing this. The anger, the outbursts, the way you hold onto things that should've been let go a long time ago… it's not healthy."
June's jaw tightened. "I don't need a therapist."
"Fine," Dora said, undeterred. "Then see a psychiatrist. They can do therapy too, but if there's something really wrong up here"—she tapped June's forehead—"they'll actually fix it."
June exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "It's pointless."
"It's not," Dora insisted. "If you keep pretending you're okay, you'll end up losing more than just your career. You know that."
June didn't respond.
Dora placed a hand on her shoulder, her voice softening. "Please. Just try."
A long silence stretched between them before June finally sighed in surrender.
"Fine," she muttered. "But I won't see a therapist. They're boring."
Dora smirked. "No problem. I know a psychiatrist. You have an appointment tomorrow morning."
June's head snapped up. "Tomorrow?!"
Dora grinned. "Yup. Bright and early."
June groaned, but deep down, she knew she had no choice.
The Following Morning she was at the hospital, which smelled like antiseptic and bad coffee. June stood outside the psychiatrist's office, arms crossed, staring at the door like it was her worst enemy.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to push it open.
Then she froze.
The man sitting behind the desk lifted his head, his sharp blue eyes locking onto hers.
June's lips parted in shock.
"You," they both said in unison, voices thick with disbelief.