Chapter 38

Just as many had predicted, within a mere two hours, my name was soaring across the internet.

News portals. Social media. TV broadcasts.

From everyday people to celebrities, everyone couldn’t stop talking about me.

Many were thrilled at the thought of seeing me on the big screen again, while others were moved to tears upon learning what I had endured over the past five years.

[Pink_butterfly: That ugly-duckling Rowan really has the audacity to abuse our beautiful goddess!]

[Yoyoyoyo: I don’t even understand how Samantha was attracted to him in the first place.]

[Babygee48: His face looks like a fucking horse.]

[Lenitanita: Hey, don’t insult a horse like that! Even a horse wouldn’t have sex with that many females in a year!]

I smiled faintly as I scrolled through social media. Occasionally, I even laughed at the jokes people made about Rowan.

My fingers paused mid-scroll when I noticed several comments about Zephyr.

[Babygee48: Did anyone else notice the handsome man beside her? Who is he?]

[Greenlady: You don’t know him? He’s the famous CEO of Mercury Entertainment! I was actually kind of surprised to see him at an actress’s press conference.]

[Bonita555: That’s him?? I thought the CEO was an old man with a big belly!!!]

[Yoorozu: Wait... isn’t he Rowan’s uncle? Does he also despise his own nephew?]

[CC_Uno: Of course he has to despise his nephew! If he defends that bastard, then his handsome face card will be such a waste!]

[RedLady: I hope he’s not a jerk. I’m not sure, but they look like they could be a good couple.]

My smile widened as I read the comments, amusement sparkling in my eyes. It was interesting to see how people’s curiosity about Zephyr was growing, especially with his unexpected public support of me.

Everyone seemed to like him and wouldn’t mind if he became my next husband.

However, I only chuckled at the idea. Marriage was the last thing on my mind right now.

Still, I couldn’t deny that Zephyr’s presence had made everything easier. He had been my reason to stay calm in the entire conference. If he weren’t there, I wasn’t sure I would have made it through without breaking down.

My fingers hovered over the screen as more comments flooded in.

[SweetChoco: So... are they dating or what?]

[MysticRose: If Samantha ends up with him, I’ll believe in love again cry emoji]

The comments were endless, and the conversation had swiftly shifted from dragging Rowan through the mud to obsessing over Zephyr’s ridiculously good looks—and, of course, his relationship with me.

People even went as far as comparing Zephyr and Rowan’s pictures side by side, ultimately concluding that Rowan was the failed product of the Lloyd bloodline.

Good thing he didn’t share their last name.

To be fair, Rowan wasn’t exactly ugly, but when his face was placed next to Zephyr’s, he might as well have been a blurry, pixelated image next to a high-definition masterpiece.

I groaned softly, rubbing my temples. How in the world had I ever fallen for Rowan back then?

As I continued scrolling, the comments took a strange turn.

[Madame_redd: I’ve heard a rumor that the Lloyd family are werewolves. Is that actually true?]

[Yoyoyoyo: Are you from the 18th century or something? Of course, werewolves aren’t real!]

Even though supernatural beings had their own organization, their identities remained a closely guarded secret from the public.

The only people who truly understood the existence of the Nocturnal Order were politicians and other influential figures, while the rest of society simply assumed that those who looked impossibly young for their age were just blessed with exceptional genetics.

And honestly, it was better that way.

Most people would probably lose their minds if they knew that werewolves or vampires were casually walking among them.

"Auntie," Ashley's small voice pulled me from my thoughts. The little girl had been sitting beside me the whole time, watching me giggle and smile at my phone screen. "What are you reading?"

"Oh, just a funny story." I finally put my phone down, not wanting to explain the jokes I had been laughing at. "Where’s your mommy?"

Ashley shrugged. "She said she had something important to discuss with Daddy in their room, and my head will hurt if I listen to their conversation."

I raised an eyebrow. "How long have they been talking?"

Ashley tilted her head in thought before answering innocently, "I’m not sure... maybe around two hours? I tried to open the door, but it’s locked."

I let out a quiet sigh, already guessing what kind of conversation they were having.

Yeah... they’re definitely not just talking.

"Well, that’s okay." I reached out and gently stroked Ashley's hair. "You can keep Auntie company for now. I don’t have anyone to talk to either."

Because of my press conference, many parties immediately contacted Mercury. They questioned the validity of my statements and sent invitations for me to appear on their TV shows.

I didn’t have an official manager yet, so no one was handling my schedule. Fortunately, Zephyr reassured me that I didn’t have to worry—he would take care of everything.

Aside from that, Zephyr also had to manage social control to ensure that public discourse didn’t shift in a negative direction, especially regarding my divorce.

I had already prepared myself for any possibility. When a statement was released to the public, it was like throwing a burning ball into a crowd. Some people would try to put out the fire, but others would only fan the flames.

I couldn’t expect everyone to believe my story or respond with kindness.

However, Zephyr was determined not to let any negative news about me spread on media portals or social networks.

Handling a public backlash would be a nightmare, but fortunately, the majority of people stood by me and offered their support.

Besides, I thought, no sane person would hear about my situation and still choose to defend a man like Rowan.

"Are you really going to act in a movie again?" Ashley asked, her eyes shining with excitement. She had watched many of my films over and over again.

I nodded, moving closer to the little girl and gently caressing her hair. "Yes. If you want, you can visit me on set anytime. There’s a little girl named Tiana there, and I think you two would get along well.”