Unmasking the Heiress

chapter 54

"Miss, you know how it is-gossip spreads faster than wildfire. How about I call in the PR team to sort this mess out? Give it a few days, and those keyboard warriors will have moved on to their next target," offered Wade.

"Hold on. Let things play out just a bit more," said Evangeline calmly, unfazed. If Julia was so keen on grabbing the spotlight, Evangeline was more than happy to help her. shine-right before taking her down a notch. Wade watched Evangeline, who seemed to enjoy the drama unfold, and felt exasperated. She had the full weight of her family's power behind her, yet she stubbornly refused to use it, letting some nobody strut around like she owned the place. Wade was about to try his luck at persuading her again when her phone buzzed with a call from her eldest uncle, Yale Foster.

"Hey, Uncle Yale, you've just finished a Peacekeeping mission. Didn't you head off to Bali for a vacation? What's up with calling me?" Evangeline's voice was playful.

Her uncle was a tough guy, a real straight shooter who had stayed out of the limelight for years, but he doted on Evangeline, his only niece. Since he was a lifelong bachelor with no kids, he treated her like the daughter he never had.

"No matter where you are, you're a handful, you know that? With the way you're going, I'd be worried sick even if I were off gallivanting through outer space. Have you seen the trash they're

talking about you online?" Yale's voice was laced with worry, the nasty comments were hard to stomach.

"Yeah, I've seen them. No biggie. I can't be bothered with that crowd," said Evangeline with a dismissive flick of her wrist.

Getting dragged through the mud online would get to anyone, and Evangeline was no different. However, she had a game plan and was set on seeing it through for a little longer.

"I heard you told the PR folks to back off. I just can't figure you out anymore." The Fosters were ready to jump into action the moment the scandal broke, but Evangeline had waved them off. Asher had already sought her approval the night the video hit the Internet. "Look, Uncle, I'm all grown up now and I've got my own plans, so stop fussing over

me, okay? But hey, you're off to Bali-land of love stories! Why don't you bring me back a new aunt and a little cousin for company?" Evangeline teased, swiftly ending the call with Yale before he could respond.

Her uncle was a sweetheart, but boy could he talk her ear off.

Next, Evangeline tackled the pile of calls she needed to return, "fering reassurances left and right until she was wiped out.Exclusive content from NôvelDrama.Org.

She was the one who was supposed to be upset, was she not? Instead, there she was, playing the comforter. Being the good guy was no walk in the park.

After a moment's thought, she logged into her dusty old Twitter account and whistled at the sight of over 999 notifications. Those social media users were like private eyes, tracking her down even there.

She scrolled past

the demands for an apology to Julia, ignoring the insults and the downright nasty comments. However, when she saw a compliment, she could not help but hit 'like'-some folks still had taste.

Her feed was flooded with posts about her. She clicked through each mention, her eyebrows rising as she read. They had unearthed everything: Her mother's death when she was six, her shoeless days in kindergarten, and even her truancy.

It all came flooding back. After Andrew married Lydia, her life had been turned upside down. Julia had tossed her shoes in the trash, and Lydia had locked her in, leaving her to starve for two whole days. She could have died.

As she dwelled on the past, her bitterness twisted into a wry smile. Oh, she would make sure they all got what was coming to them.

Julia was on Twitter, pouring her heart out about how Evangeline, her so-

called sister, had been tormenting her, a girl who could not even hurt a fly. She hinted that Evangeline had snatched her boyfriend too. However, she finished her rant with a plea that read, [Don't go after my sister online. I'd rather take the hits than let her face a shred of slander.]

Talk about playing the saint to perfection.

With Twitter already buzzing, Evangeline decided to stir the pot. She fired off a tweet that shot straight to the top..

[I'm the 'sister' Julia's whining about. But let's get one thing straight-I don't claim her. Got a problem? Bring it on. Waiting for an apology? Keep dreaming. Oh, and is your stuff packed? I'm coming to clean the house tomorrow, and I won't leave a

single rat dropping behind!]

Evangeline's blunt words sent shockwaves through the Twitterverse, even drowning out the scandal of a celeb caught cheating with her sugar daddy.

The comments exploded with fresh fury.

[Lace and Pleated Skirts: I'm all about this lady. She's mine now.]

[Avril: Ugh, I'm livid. This lowlife has no shame. Anyone up for a little acid-throwing party at her place?]

[Rich and Handsome Guy: To the bitter Betty above, I've called the cops. She's my new idol.]

[Makabaka: Anyone got the address of this snake? I've got a truckload of rotten eggs on standby.]

[Big Bear Lolita: Why waste eggs? I've got a farm full of manure here, free of charge. Let's bury these boyfriend-stealers in it.]

The web was still flooded with nasty comments, but Evangeline had grown thick-skinned. Those rumors did not touch her life anymore.

She even gave a knowing nod when she spotted fans rooting for Julia and Walter in the comments of that night's video.

Jerks and mean girls, she thought, the crowd sure knows how to pick them.

Thanks to the drama, Julia's fanbase exploded by nearly two million, and

Evangeline's own following bizarrely skyrocketed from a few hundred to over eight hundred thousand. The power of the online crowd was something else. The next day came quickly.

Evangeline slipped into a red dress and admired her reflection-bold and stunning. That was who she truly was.

The hopeful bride in white, who had entered the Gordon family with dreams in her eyes, was long gone. It was time for her to be her authentic self again. It was time for her and Walter's final farewell to each other.