Chapter 271
Within moments, social media erupted. Everyone wanted to know the woman’s identity, and it didn’t take long before the topic soared up the trending charts. Holding his phone with clear satisfaction, Farrell flashed a triumphant grin. “You have to see this, Noelle. The vibe is just so romantic! I didn’t even have to guess—it was obvious it was you, mask or no mask!”
Speechless, Noelle could only stare at the screen.
At that moment, her only real concern was whether anyone online had managed to figure out who the woman in the picture was.
Noticing the look on her face, Farrell leaned in and added, “Usually, the paparazzi stay far away from posting anything about Ethan without getting the green light. This time, though, it was just someone in the crowd with a phone, and they uploaded it right away. Now everyone’s buzzing with guesses. And—”
With a pointed stare, Noelle retorted, “And what exactly are you getting at?”
Suppressing a laugh, he coughed before answering, “I just checked the online comments. A few people with sharp eyes are convinced the woman in the photo is you. Still, most can’t believe you and Ethan would ever cross paths, so the mystery is keeping them busy.”
That left Noelle at a complete loss for words.
𝗔𝘥𝘥ic𝘁𝘪𝘃𝘦 𝗇o𝘃𝘦𝗅s 𝗈𝘯 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝘯𝗼𝗏𝖾𝗹𝗌.𝘤o𝗺
A shift came over Farrell’s face as he leaned forward, his tone turning serious. “Noelle, I dug a little deeper. The only reason this single photo blew up and started trending is that someone’s been fueling the rumors behind the scenes.”
An uneasy crease formed between her brows. “Who’s behind it?”
Calmly, Farrell explained, “It’s Maxton. He’s trying to use that picture to take the public’s eyes off him. Now everyone’s caught up in guessing who you are and what kind of relationship you have with Ethan. Some are even gossiping about whether Ethan has another woman in his life. All the while, nobody seems to care that Maxton just got out of jail.”
Put side by side, Ethan and Maxton couldn’t have been more different—no surprise the spotlight gravitated toward Ethan.
Since Maxton would never dare to pick a fight with Ethan openly, he quietly hired a crew to boost the photo’s visibility online. Careful as he tried to be, he still left enough of a trail for Farrell to piece together what happened.
Hearing this, Noelle’s eyes turned cold.
The audacity of Maxton, thinking he could use Ethan as a distraction? Having grown up alongside Ethan since childhood, Noelle knew that anyone bold enough to target him was, by extension, targeting her as well.
No one could stop her revenge now—Maxton’s good days were numbered.
A jolt of nervous excitement hit Farrell. The look in Noelle’s eyes told him she was about to launch a full-scale counterattack for Ethan.
He blurted out, “Noelle, Ethan’s still in the study and probably hasn’t caught wind of any of this. What exactly are you planning?”
A cold determination settled on Noelle’s face as she answered, “We’re not backing down. I’ll meet this head-on.”
That answer left Farrell open-mouthed. “Do you need backup? Manpower, cash? Just say the word, and I’m in!”
Without looking up from her phone, she responded, “I’m not short on money, trust me.”
.
.