Chapter 5: Scarlett's Secret
Scarlett Leigh had always been a master of control. On screen, she could embody any emotion, but off-screen, she was careful to keep her true feelings hidden. For years, she'd harbored a quiet, unspoken affection for Ethan Carter.
She never planned to act on it—not when Ethan had been so clearly happy with Alara. But as the media frenzy surrounding them escalated, Scarlett found herself in a difficult position. The world was already obsessed with the idea of her and Ethan as a couple, and though she hadn't asked for it, she couldn't deny how it made her heart race.
When Ethan defended Alara in that interview, Scarlett felt a pang of jealousy she wasn't proud of. She pushed the thought aside, reminding herself that she valued their friendship more than anything. But as weeks passed and the internet slowly began to forget the drama, Scarlett's emotions started to unravel.
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The Calm Before the Storm
By now, Alara's social media had started to recover. Her latest Instagram post—a campaign shoot for a luxury brand—received 2.1 million likes and a flood of supportive comments:
"Queen energy. Don't let the haters win." (32k likes)
"So glad Alara is back to slaying as always!"
Even Twitter was quieter. The hate hadn't completely disappeared, but it was manageable.
Alara finally felt like she could breathe again. She focused on her work, her relationship with Ethan, and rebuilding her confidence.
But peace was fleeting in the world of celebrity.
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The Headline That Shook the Internet
Three weeks after the drama had died down, Scarlett posted a cryptic Instagram story:
"Sometimes the heart wants what it wants. 💔"
Within hours, celebrity gossip sites picked it up. Speculation ran wild:
"Is Scarlett Leigh hinting at a secret love?"
"Fans think Scarlett's post is about Ethan Carter!"
By morning, the internet was ablaze again. A fan account claimed to have "insider information," posting on Twitter:
"A close friend of Scarlett's confirms she's been in love with Ethan for years. She's heartbroken seeing him with Alara."
The tweet gained over 500k likes in a matter of hours.
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Alara's Reaction
Alara saw the news while scrolling through her phone during a break. Her chest tightened as she read the speculative articles. Ethan was out of town filming for another project, so she couldn't even talk to him about it.
Later that evening, Scarlett called.
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Scarlett said, her voice dripping with faux remorse. "The post wasn't even about Ethan. People just ran with it."
Alara's grip on her phone tightened. "You know exactly what you're doing, Scarlett. This is the second time your 'innocent' posts have thrown me under the bus."
"I can't control what people think," Scarlett replied, her tone calm. "But if you're so worried, maybe that says more about your relationship than me."
Alara ended the call, her anger simmering.
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The Public Fallout
Days later, the tension boiled over during a live-streamed event. Ethan, Scarlett, and Alara were all invited to a prestigious film gala, and cameras were everywhere. On the red carpet, reporters couldn't resist bringing up the drama.
One reporter turned to Alara, microphone in hand. "Alara, how do you feel about Scarlett's recent post? Some fans believe it was a confession about Ethan."
Alara's composure cracked. "I think Scarlett enjoys the attention, and frankly, it's exhausting."
The reporter raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying Scarlett intentionally caused the rumors?"
"Yes," Alara snapped, her frustration spilling out. "She knows exactly what she's doing, and I'm tired of pretending otherwise."
The internet exploded.
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Twitter Trends
1. #AlaraMeltdown (1.2M tweets)
2. #ScarlettAndEthanForever
TikTok Reaction
Videos dissecting the moment flooded the app:
"Did you see how Alara just exposed Scarlett?!"
"Wow, Alara is jealous and insecure. Not a good look."
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Alara's Instagram
Within hours, Alara's follower count started dropping. Her latest post—a red carpet photo—was bombarded with comments:
"This is so unprofessional. You're embarrassing Ethan." (22k likes)
"Scarlett is too classy to respond. Queen behavior."
Scarlett, meanwhile, posted a soft-filtered photo of herself with the caption: "Always rise above the noise. 💕" It racked up 4.5 million likes and cemented her as the public's favorite.
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Ethan's Dilemma
Ethan returned home to chaos. He called Alara, who was curled up on the couch, exhausted from the constant backlash.
"This is getting out of hand," Ethan said. "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"
"I didn't want to drag you into it," Alara admitted. "But I can't do this anymore, Ethan. I'm losing everything."
Ethan hugged her tightly. "We'll fix this. Together."
But as much as Ethan wanted to support Alara, he couldn't deny the growing tension between her and Scarlett. He'd always seen Scarlett as a friend, but now he couldn't ignore how her actions were affecting his relationship.
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Cliffhanger
As Alara scrolled through her feed that night, she came across a newly viral post: a clip of Scarlett during the gala, talking to a friend off-camera. The caption read: "Scarlett caught saying Alara is 'too dramatic'!"
The clip had no sound, but that didn't stop fans from believing the caption. The video had 1.8 million views and climbing.
Alara's hand shook as she read the comments:
"If Scarlett said this, she's right. Alara IS too dramatic."
"Scarlett is unbothered, and Alara is pressed. This is so embarrassing for her."
Alara knew it was fake—Scarlett hadn't said anything remotely like that—but the damage was already done.
As tears welled up in her eyes, Alara realized she was facing a battle she couldn't win.