*Chapter 23: The Leak*
Monday hit like a brick.
7:03 AM.
Jane’s phone blew up before her alarm.
*Bella*: _JANE. CHECK THE NEWS._
*Mira*: _Don’t open Twitter. Don’t read comments. We’re handling it._
*Unknown*: _Liar._
*Unknown*: _Gold digger._
Jane didn’t look.
She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head.
Downstairs, she could hear it.
Ryan’s voice. Low. Angry. On the phone.
“Take it down. Now. I don’t care how much it costs.”
Then a small voice.
“Mommy?”
*7:15 AM - The Kitchen*
Aiden was at the table. Reading.
But not a book. A tablet.
With her face on it.
19 years old. Navy dress. Hair down.
Standing in the corner of the Sterling party 5 years ago.
Eyes scared. Glass in her hand.
Caption: *WHO IS THE REAL JANE MILLER?*
*From waitress to CEO’s baby mama. What is she hiding?*
Aria was drawing. Not looking.
Button was under the table.
Ryan was standing at the counter. Phone to his ear. Jaw clenched.
He hung up when he saw Jane.
“Don’t,” Jane said before he could speak. “Don’t explain. Don’t fix it.”
“I can fix it,” Ryan said. “My legal team—”
“It’s already out,” Jane cut him off. “You can’t un-ring a bell, Ryan.”
Aiden looked up. “Mom? Are you in trouble?”
Jane’s chest cracked.
She knelt down. “No, baby. I’m not in trouble. Some people are just mean on the internet.”
Aiden studied the photo. “You look sad here.”
Jane froze. “I... I was.”
Aria crawled into her lap. “Were you sad at the party, Mommy?”
Jane looked at Ryan.
He nodded once. _Tell them._
“Yeah,” Jane whispered. “I was sad. And scared. But that’s over now.”
*9:00 AM - Sterling Tower*
The board room was not happy.
“Damage control,” one VP said. “We need a statement.”
“She lied about her background,” another said. “She wasn’t a designer. She was staff.”
“She was drugged at your party,” Ryan said quietly. The room went silent. “And you’re talking about PR?”
He stood up. “Here’s the statement. Jane Miller is the mother of my children. She’s the Head of Design. And if anyone in this room says one more word about her past, you’re fired.”
He walked out.
Mira followed.
*12:00 PM - The Brownstone*
Reporters outside. 4 of them.
Security kept them back.
Inside: quiet.
Jane hadn’t left her room.
Ryan knocked. “Can I come in?”
No answer.
He came in anyway.
Jane was sitting on the floor. Knees to her chest.
Staring at the photo on her phone. 19-year-old her.
“I look like a kid,” she said.
“You were a kid,” Ryan said. He sat next to her. Not touching. “19.”
“I lied on my resume to get that job,” Jane said. “I needed the money. For Grandma’s meds. I thought if I could just get in the door—”
“You were surviving,” Ryan said. “That’s not a crime.”
Jane laughed, wet. “Tell that to the internet.”
Ryan took her phone. Closed the tab.
“Hey,” he said. “Look at me.”
Jane did.
“They can have the photo,” Ryan said. “They can have the story. But they don’t get you. They don’t get us. Okay?”
Jane nodded. But she didn’t believe it.
*3:00 PM - The Call*
Bella called. Crying.
“Jane, I’m so sorry. I think... I think it was Chloe.”
Jane went still. “What?”
“Remember her friend? The one who worked events? She posted something 2 hours ago. Deleted it. But someone screenshotted it. ‘Told you she was nobody.’”
Ryan was already on it.
By 3:30, Chloe Carter was trending.
#ChloeLeakedIt
Victoria released a statement: _The Carter family had no involvement._
No one believed her.
*6:00 PM - Dinner*
No one ate much.
Aiden pushed peas around.
Aria asked, “Are people mad at Mommy?”
Ryan answered before Jane could.
“Some people are confused,” he said. “Because they don’t know you. But we do. And that’s all that matters.”
After, Jane went to the back steps.
Alone.
Ryan joined her 5 minutes later. Two mugs of tea.
“I’m sorry,” Ryan said. “I should have anticipated this.”
“You couldn’t,” Jane said. “Chloe’s been waiting 5 years to do this.”
She sipped her tea. “You know what the worst part is? They’re right. I was nobody. A waitress. Broke. Desperate.”
Ryan set his mug down. “You were somebody to me. Even that night. Even when I didn’t know your name.”
Jane looked at him. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t make me feel safe. Because when you leave—”
“I’m not leaving,” Ryan said. Firm. “I’ve said it 10 times.”
“Then prove it,” Jane whispered.
Ryan didn’t answer with words.
He just reached over.
And laced his fingers through hers.
And stayed there.
While the cameras flashed from across the street.
*11:00 PM - The Post*
Mira posted it. Without asking.
A photo.
Taken today.
Ryan, Jane, Aiden, Aria, Button.
On the back steps. Hands linked.
No makeup. No gala dress. No PR.
Caption: _This is us. This is family._
_-R & J_
It got 2 million likes in an hour.
Top comment: _“She looks tired. Let her live.”_
*Meanwhile - London*
Victoria threw her phone.
Chloe was crying on the floor.
“Why did you post it?!” Victoria screamed.
“Because she deserves to hurt!” Chloe screamed back.
Victoria picked up the phone. Dialed.
“Find me Daniel Price,” she said. “And tell him I’ll double it.”