Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 38: The Defaming Rumor

Chapter 38: The Defaming Rumor

Joanne POV:

The plan was finally in motion, and it was time to see if the pieces fell into place as I had meticulously arranged them. I sat in my office, the glow of my computer screen reflecting off the polished surface of my desk.

I had waited for this moment with a mix of anticipation and satisfaction. Ella’s life was about to face a storm, and I would be the architect of it.

My phone buzzed with a notification.

Klaus was finally ready to go live. I leaned back in my chair, a smug smile spreading across my face.

I had found Klaus, an old boyfriend of Ella’s, and after some convincing and a hefty bribe, he was more than willing to participate in my scheme.

It was easier than I thought to find Klaus, pathetic, bitter Klaus, who would jump at any chance to tarnish his ex.

It didn’t take much to convince him. Men like Klaus thrive on being noticed, especially by someone who could wave a wad of cash under their nose. He wasn’t difficult to sway once I laid it all out for him, the money, the fame, the opportunity to hurt the woman who, in his word had " being ungrateful and uncaring. "

I could see the resentment burning in his eyes. Ella had probably scarred him deeply when she moved on faster than he had thought, and now, I’d handed him the perfect weapon to strike back.

Oh! I could remembered the sight of his stunned reaction when he learned Ella was now with someone richer than him, it had been almost comical.

His jealousy and desperation made him a perfect pawn for my plans.

I clicked on the live video link, watching with a detached interest as Klaus appeared on screen.

His face was drawn, his eyes carrying a hint of apprehension. He knew he was about to do something that would not only ruin Ella’s reputation but also potentially set him up for a fall. But greed and bitterness have a way of dulling one’s sense of self-preservation.

"Hello, everyone," Klaus began, forcing some sadness into his tone, "I never thought I’d have to share this, but people need to know the truth about Ella Davis."

I watched intently as he told the story we had crafted together, only now it was coming to life in real-time. His voice broke at the exact moments we rehearsed, and his eyes filled with the perfect amount of false emotion.

He started spinning a web of lies, fabricating stories about how Ella had left him for her current boss, Arec Weston. The term "gold-digger" rolled off his tongue with a sneer.

"Ella and I were together for years," Klaus continued. "I thought she was the one, but I guess I was wrong. You see, it turns out she had bigger plans. She left me for her boss, Arec Weston. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the truth always finds its way out. She’s just a gold-digger, using Arec for his wealth and influence. And it’s time people knew the truth."

His voice cracked in just the right place, making it sound so convincing. And the netizens, the vultures, were already swooping in.

I glanced at the comments as they started pouring in, rapid and vicious. My heart raced with excitement. This was exactly what I wanted, chaos, scandal, ruin.

The virtual mob was quick to react, showering Klaus with sympathy and condemnation for Ella. The comment section was filled with vitriol, labeling Ella with every insult imaginable, gold-digger, opportunist, and worse. It was exactly the reaction I had hoped for.

"He’s better off without her," one comment read.

"What a snake," another chimed in.

"girls like her deserve to be hanged."

The stream was lighting up, and Klaus, encouraged by the growing crowd, leaned even further into his story. He looked more confident now, feeding off the attention.

The way he described Ella as a cold-hearted opportunist, someone who’d climb over anyone just to get what she wanted, it was perfect.

He even added some extra flavor, improvising details about how Ella had supposedly flirted with other wealthy men, hoping to secure an even better deal before settling on Arec. I hadn’t coached him to say that, but it was a brilliant touch.

"She used to hang around all the rich guys at events," Klaus said, shaking his head like he was remembering something painful. "She’d pretend like she was interested in me, but I knew... I knew she was just biding her time until someone better came along."

I had to stifle a laugh. Ella would hate this, hate the attention, the lies. But that’s what made this all the more delicious.

This is what she gets for trying to snatch my man. I will make sure, she doesn’t have the face to face anyone.

Klaus ended the stream with a dramatic sigh, his hands shaking as he shut off the live feed.

"What now?" he asked, almost as if he didn’t believe what had just happened.

I smiled and look up from my screen, a smug sense of satisfaction rolling through me.

Klaus eyes was wide, filled with both excitement and nervousness.

"Now, we watch the world burn."

"Look at this," I said, showing Klaus the flood of comments on my tablet.

The public was exactly as predictable as I thought. They’d latched onto his story like a pack of wolves, tearing Ella apart in the comments. The sympathy for Klaus was pouring in from all corners of social media. His followers had skyrocketed in a matter of minutes, and Ella... well, Ella’s reputation was in tatters.

"Wow," Klaus whispered, his eyes scanning the messages. "I didn’t think it’d blow up like this."

"Oh, you did well," I said, patting his arm. "Better than expected."

Klaus’s face was a mixture of relief and unease. He had done what I asked, but the reality of the backlash was sinking in. "Do you think this will be enough?" he asked.

I saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. Good. I needed to squash that before it became a problem.

"It will be more than enough," I assured him with a cold smile. "The public loves a scandal, and you’ve given them one they won’t soon forget. Now, keep your head down and disappear for a while. If anyone finds out about my involvement, you’ll regret it."

He nodded quickly, clearly intimidated. "I won’t say a word. I swear."

"Good." I handed him the rest of his payment, watching as he greedily shoved it into his jacket pocket. "Now get out of here. Lay low."

He gave me a nervous smile before slinking away, disappearing into the night like the rat he was. As the door clicked shut behind him, I let out a small sigh of satisfaction. Everything was working out just as I had planned.

I turned back to my phone, scrolling through the endless sea of comments. People were picking up the story faster than I could have imagined. Major blogs and gossip outlets had already started reposting the video, adding their own sensationalized spin to Klaus’s lies. Headlines like "Arec Weston’s Fiancée Exposed" and "Ella Davis: The Ultimate Gold-Digger" were flooding the internet.

This was exactly the kind of scandal that could ruin Ella, and by extension, put a serious strain on her relationship with Arec. If she was seen as a manipulative woman only after his money, it would be nearly impossible for her to maintain her position by his side. Arec would have no choice but to reconsider everything.

I smiled to myself, already savoring the fallout.

And when Arec eventually turned his back on her, when the public had chewed her up and spit her out, I would be there to offer him a comforting hand. After all, I had always been the one truly fit for his world. Ella was just a distraction, a temporary detour on his path. And now, I was clearing the way, one lie at a time.