Chapter 152
Chapter 152 A Disappearing Scandal
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Ruby immediately snatched up her phone to check. She scrolled for a good minute, a frown forming. “Naomi, where did you see this? I’m not finding anything.”
“How is that possible? It should be right there, trending,” Naomi said, picking up her own device to search.
“Huh? That’s weird. It was just at the top of the feed. How is it gone now?” Naomi’s face clouded with confusion.
“Naomi, are you sure you didn’t imagine it or see it somewhere else?”
“No way. It was just there. I clearly remember it was the number one trending topic.
“Let me scroll a little more. Maybe it got pushed down,” Naomi muttered, her thumb swiping up the screen repeatedly. Her expression grew more serious. “It’s really gone. Completely. Do you think someone had it taken down?”
“It’s possible,” Ruby said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “But it wouldn’t be Arabella. She’d want the publicity, not to hide it.
“The only one who would have the pull to get something scrubbed that fast is probably Matthew. He definitely wouldn’t want this blowing up, not while he’s still technically engaged to you. If a story got out about him and Arabella being an item right now, it would be a huge embarrassment for the Stewart family.
“People would call him a two–timing jerk. That kind of scandal wouldn’t be good for anyone in their circle,” Ruby analyzed, her voice low.
“So… you think Matthew still cares about me? About us?” Naomi asked, a fragile hope flickering in her eyes.
Seeing that hope, Ruby knew she had to be blun. “Maybe what Matthew cares about isn’t
you,
but the fact that the engagement is still official.
“My guess? The second that engagement is called off, he’ll be out in public with Arabella, no holding back. Right now, he’s just protecting his assets–his reputation, his family’s image.”
Naomi frowned. “The engagement, his name… Matthew wouldn’t be that calculated…
“Naomi, don’t kid yourself. When it comes to guys like him, everything is calculated,” Ruby stated with a certainty that brooked no argumen
“Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit here waiting for him to dump me,” Naomi said, her voice edged with panic.
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Chapter 152 A Disappearing Scandal
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Ruby’s mind worked quickly. “Naomi, it’s been a while since you went to visit Robert, hasn’t it?” Naomi gave a small, confirming nod.
“Then you need to go see him. Soon. Robert adores you. If he’s against the idea, Matthew wouldn’t dare break things off. As long as that engagement ring is on your finger, Arabella has
no room to move in.
“Everything I just said? It won’t happen. And who knows? You might still end up with Matthew in the end.”
“You mean… use Robert as my leverage?” Naomi asked, a spark of understanding lighting her
eyes.
“Exactly. I’ve been telling you, you need to spend more time with him. Right now, he’s your best card to play. The closer you are to him, the stronger your hold on this engagement.
“If you want any shot at keeping Matthew, Robert is your only real bet,” Ruby reminded her, her tone shrewd and practical.
Naomi studied the determined look on Ruby’s face. It was true–she’d been avoiding the hospital lately, partly because of the cold distance she felt from Matthew. It seemed a visit was unavoidable now.
With that resolve, her gaze hardened. “Okay. I’ll go to the hospital. Now.
“Are you free today? Can you come with me?” Naomi turned to Ruby, not wanting to face it alone.
“Sure. I’ll skip my afternoon classes. I’ll go with you.”
“Thank you, Ruby. I don’t know what I’d do without you right now,” Naomi said, managing a small, grateful smile.
“See? There’s that smile. You should keep it on. No matter what, we’ve gotta face things head- on, and a smile doesn’t hurt,” Ruby encouraged gently.
“Mm–hmm.”
*****
At Kindwell Hospital’s private wing, Matthew watched as his grandfather, Robert, sat up bed, his eyes bright and alert.
in
“Grandpa, you’ve been on Dr. Macdonald’s treatment plan for a while now. You look as sharp as ever,” Matthew remarked.
“I brought you some of those high–grade nutritional supplements we discussed. Would you
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Chapter 152 A Disappearing Scandal
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like to try one now?” Matthew figured that since his grandfather seemed back in full form, a little extra support couldn’t hurt.
“Did you check with Dr. Macdonald first to see if these are appropriate for me?” Robert asked, eyeing the bottle Matthew held.
These days, he trusted Arabella’s judgment above all else. If she hadn’t signed off on something, he wasn’t interested–not even if it came from Matthew.
Seeing his grandfather immediately defer to Arabella’s authority, Matthew replied smoothly, “Dr. Macdonald actually helped me select this specific brand. She said it would be perfectly fine for you.”
“Dr. Macdonald picked them out? Why didn’t you lead with that? Hand it here,” Robert said, his demeanor shifting instantly as he motioned for the bottle. He accepted the small capsule with a sip of water and leaned back with a contented sigh. “Dr. Macdonald certainly knows her stuff. Even knows how to pick supplements that go down easy.”
Hearing his grandfather’s praise, Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Grandpa, isn’t that a little over the top? They probably all taste about the same like nothing.”
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