Page 42 of Golden Ruin

“Did Sterling freak out?” Jules asks.

“Well, no, but… you could tell he was a little uncomfortable.”

I don’t mention the weirdness that came after Matt left, the things Sterling said, the look on his face as he said them. I couldn’t figure out what it all meant at the time, but my best guess is that he’s just being protective. Maybe that’s all it is.

It has to be.

Anyway, I decide I’m not going to overthink it and there’s no time to, because the next second, we’re all rolling our eyes as our phones sound off with Pandora’s notification.

“Not this shit again,” Dez grumbles.

Jules gets into the app first and reads the post out loud.

*

@QweenPandora

Grab your cups, lovelies, because big sis, Pandora, has the tea.

And you do NOT want to miss this. I know, I know, this post looks light, but check that attachment I pasted below.

We’ve all had our guesses about what’s going on with the love square that is #MrSilver, #LostAngel, #The Substitute, and #TheGoodDoctor.

Well, tonight, we get to hear the REAL story from a member of this sexy quad directly.

That’s right, #TheSubstitute was recently a guest on a popular podcast, and when they made the drop tonight, I was all over it, soaking up all the juicy details. Now, I’ve brought it straight to you to judge for yourself.

Dive in and share this post with everyone you know.

Trust me… you do NOT want anyone to miss this.

Later, peeps :)

–P

*

“Oh, this raggedy bitch has completely lost her mind,” is Dez’s immediate reaction, but I’m already trying to listen to the podcast, clicking the link right before maxing the volume.

The girls scoot closer, and my skin crawls as Tiffany’s face pops up on screen. The host—Marla something—starts with formalities none of us care about, so I fast forward to the section of the video marked as “most watched” on the progress bar.

People love drama, so I’m guessing that’s where Tiffany starts showing her ass.

“Girl, let’s not gloss over how fabulous you look,” Marla gushes. “All this bling might just blind me.”

Tiffany laughs, and I fight the urge to snarl at the screen.

“Well, a girl can never really have too many diamonds, can she?”

She’s hard to look at, knowing this sweet, innocent act is just that. An act. And for a girl who’s been away from her man a whole four months, she looks noticeably unbothered.

“Yesss! Preach, woman,” Marla laughs. “But tell us what you’ve been up to lately. From what I hear, you’ve got brand deals coming at you left and right. How’s that feel?”

“It feels amazing, honestly. There was a time I wasn’t sure I’d get to this point. So, yeah, it’s been like a dream come true.”

Another fake smile.

“Well, I hope the deals keep coming. I love seeing your face everywhere. You’re absolutely stunning.”