The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1389

It was late. Across town in Cabinda, Emily walked through her front door, every step heavier than the last. She kicked off her shoes, dropped her bag onto the couch, and made a beeline for the bathroom. By the time she came out, her hair was wrapped in a towel, her skin smelled faintly of lavender, and she was ready for bed. She sank back against the headboard and unlocked her phone, only to find a new message from Pam, her agent.

Pam had sent over a contract to review. Emily’s real identity was a tightly guarded secret. Aside from Pam, no one knew the truth. Emily never acted like some pampered heiress. She had talent, sure, but she was also down-to-earth and worked harder than anyone. That’s why she’d gotten as far as she had. Out of all the people Pam had managed, Emily was hands-down her favorite.

Pam’s message popped up. Since J had gifted them the contract for free, it had saved the company a small fortune. Pam told Emily she could ask for whatever she wanted.

Emily rested her chin in her palm, thinking for a minute before typing back. She told Pam to bump her profit share with the comic company up to thirty percent.

When Pam read that number, she nearly choked. Thirty percent was huge.

Pam messaged back that the company probably wouldn't go for it.

Emily’s reply was short and direct. If they didn’t agree, she wouldn’t do the project.

Pam just stared at the chat for a second. *Storm’s* comic rights had been given to Emily by J—and not in some half-hearted way. If Emily walked away, the company would lose out, plain and simple. Anyone with a brain could tell which side had the leverage.

Pam promised she’d talk to the company and told Emily not to stress. Emily thanked her, and Pam sent back a thin smile.

Her heart dropped. Something must have happened. Fingers shaking a bit, she clicked the hashtag. Blurry photos loaded up first. Kenneth was in them, walking side by side with a girl under a huge tree. The images weren’t clear, but Emily knew exactly who the girl was—the new actress who’d filmed that variety show with Kenneth a while back.

Underneath the photos was a short video. Emily hesitated, then tapped play.

The clip showed Kenneth and the girl walking together. Suddenly, the girl stumbled into Kenneth’s arms. The angle was perfect for gossip—Kenneth had his back halfway to the camera, you could almost see his hand supporting the girl’s waist. Anyone watching would think they were a picture-perfect couple in love.

The video only lasted a few seconds, but it was all people needed. Social media had already exploded. Kenneth had been in the game for ages, and despite endless rumors, he’d never once admitted to having a girlfriend. No one had ever caught him in a situation like this before.