I had told Hayden I didn’t want to talk about it. Yet here we were, talking about it, and he was offering advice and giving me solutions.
And whether it was planned or not, he was making me think even deeper.
I pressed my lips together—the run had made them so dry. “Maybe.”
“Sounds like you have a decision to make.”
TWENTY-FIVE
COLSON
While I was in the back seat of the SUV, on my way to Hayden’s office, I clicked on my Instagram app. I didn’t want to do it. I also didn’t want to put it off until later today, once I finished viewing the two yachts on the schedule, when things for The Weston Group could look even uglier. When the app loaded, a number appeared in the top-right corner, signifying the number of notifications—1,000+.
Fuuuck.
I thumbed through the first couple of tags, cautiously tapping a few to see exactly what we were facing. Just as I’d suspected, our name was being ripped apart. Media outlets had picked up the Gordons’ story and added their own clickbait spin. Beneath their posts were hundreds of comments, each one shredding us. Influencers were gaining just as much momentum, their videos getting shared thousands of times, their messages clear—the Westons were thieves.
Unless someone lived under a rock, where news and mediacouldn’t reach them, or in the middle of the Pacific, where there was no service, by the end of today, they would have heard the accusation made against our company.
I couldn’t take it anymore. We had worked way too fucking hard for this to happen.
I closed out of the app and toggled to my messages. The family group chat was at the top. But instead of opening it, I went solely to Eden.
Me
I looked at Instagram. I lasted about a minute before I had to close it. Eden, this is fucking bad. I thought it was going to be horrific, but it’s worse.
Eden
I know. I should be hearing back from Troy, Jenner, and our publicist within the next hour. Then we can at least release a statement.
Me
Will it help?
Eden
It can’t make things worse.
Me
Are you sure about that? Is it only going to fuel the fire?
Eden
I’d like to believe that saying something is better than saying nothing. Our silence will only draw speculation, and I don’t want that either.
Me
Are we defending ourselves, or are we apologizing?
Eden
We’re sharing our side of the story in an appropriate way.
Me
They’re not going to believe us.
