Pete had expected the article to hurt Eliott considerably more than it did.
His name was everywhere that morning, but Royal Corp's shares barely moved. Most people knew almost nothing about his private life, which meant the story landed as gossip rather than scandal — a brief, satisfying complaint about rich men and their messes, quickly abandoned for the next headline.
Alex absorbed almost all of it instead.
Ethan's fans filled her accounts with insults. Some told her to quit the film and never work with him again. A few brand partners called Fidelia to ask about their contracts — nothing ended yet, but Alex understood exactly what that kind of call meant. They were waiting to see which way this would break before deciding anything.
