Chapter 24

Clara POV

The office was unusually quiet that morning, save for the faint hum of keyboards and the occasional ringing of phones. I sipped my coffee, already feeling the weight of the day ahead. Kelly had texted me late last night to let me know she was taking the day off—a rare occurrence. As her assistant, I knew how much she hated leaving things unfinished, but even she deserved a break after the chaos of the past few days.

I had just started reviewing the new marketing materials for her upcoming clothing collection launch when my phone buzzed on the desk. A notification from one of the celebrity gossip sites lit up the screen.

My stomach dropped.

I clicked the link, and there it was, a fabricated clip of Kelly at a restaurant, pushing a girl away in what looked like a heated moment. The headline was sensationalized, painting Kelly as rude and out of control. The comments were worse:

“Typical diva behavior.”

“Always knew she was fake.”