Chapter 2: Clout Wars and Catfights

Everyone shot me dirty looks. I just stared back, totally done. Seriously, if everyone’s so obsessed with Lucas Grant, how did they not recognize his voice? The mysterious ‘L’ was him. That photo? I took it when he picked me up from work. Since when is it a crime to use your own husband’s photo as your wallpaper?

We’d been secretly married for three years. Lucas kept our relationship under wraps, and I loved the freedom. But Savannah acting like she was tight with him? That was new. I’d never heard of him having any private connections to other celebs. How did she even get his contact?

Savannah kept up her pitiful act. The host tried to pep her up: "Don’t worry, Savannah! Go ahead and try another call!"

She fake-wiped away tears, scrolled her contacts, and landed on someone named Carter Quinn. "Can I call Lucas Grant’s best friend?"

The host nodded eagerly. "Of course!"

As she dialed, she explained, "Carter grew up with Lucas—they go way back!"

The chat:

"Savannah’s a pro—she bounces right back even after all that!"

"Who’s Carter Quinn? Never heard that name."

"I Googled it—Carter Quinn’s family runs a huge construction company. Serious money!"

"Anyone tight with Lucas Grant has to be a big deal. Savannah’s basically a New York princess!"

"She’s not just gorgeous—her connections are insane. No wonder I stan!"

Everyone looked on, green with envy. I just frowned. Carter Quinn? Lucas Grant’s best friend? That was news to me. As far as I knew, the Quinns were just business partners with Grant Holdings. Carter had never even met Lucas. Where did this ‘best friend’ thing come from?

I couldn’t help asking, "Are you sure he’s close to Lucas Grant?"

Savannah’s smile vanished. "What’s that supposed to mean, Maya? If you’ve got a problem, just say it. Don’t come for me like that!"

I met her stare. "Just saying—bragging on a livestream never ends well."

She totally lost her cool, glaring daggers at me. "Maybe check the mirror before calling me a liar. When Carter tells Lucas, you’ll be begging me for help!"

Honestly, I was baffled. Where did she get all this confidence? I shot a look at the cameras—was anyone else seeing how weird this was?

The chat:

"What’s Maya Brooks’ problem? She can’t get into the inner circle so she just calls people out. Salty much?"

"Now that we know Savannah’s got the connections, I’m dying to know about Mr. L. He sounded whipped on the phone—maybe he’s just a model she’s sponsoring. No wonder she panicked when compared to Savannah!"

"LOL, he’s probably some nobody. With Savannah’s friends, she’s about to steamroll Maya Brooks. Grab your popcorn!"

Someone chimed in, "Don’t mind her, Savannah. Go, queen! Make your call!"

Savannah shot me a death glare, then dialed and instantly turned on the charm as soon as Carter picked up, breezing through the challenge. Everyone gushed about how awesome Carter was. She flashed a shy, smug smile.

The director, suddenly inspired, pulled Savannah aside. "Savannah, since you’ve already invited Mr. Quinn, how about having him join us in the studio tonight? Bring some real star power to our show! I tried to book Lucas Grant before, but he always turned us down."

Savannah caught on right away, giving the director a reassuring pat. "Don’t worry, Mr. Reed. I’ll send Carter the location. He just has to say the word and Lucas will show."

He just has to say the word? Lucas Grant hates staged interviews for hype. Has she even thought about what she’s doing? I shook my head, biting back a sarcastic laugh.

The show’s crew worked fast. The new plan dropped in the group chat: guests’ friends could come to the studio and join the taping as soon as they arrived. Everyone suddenly got competitive, blowing up their friends’ phones. Pretty soon, the studio was packed with plus-ones.

The real headliners were Savannah and Carter Quinn. She practically dragged him around, introducing him to everyone, and when she got to me, she leaned in for the cameras. "Maya, you’re still alone? Your friend bailing on you?"

I checked my phone—just got a message. "He’ll be late."

He really did buy a ticket to fly back. The international flight had just landed; now he was catching a domestic one. My chest fluttered—half nerves, half excitement. I bit back a grin.

One of the sidekicks snickered. "What, is he too ugly to show up? Gonna need an emergency glow-up? 😂"

I looked at their faces, totally unimpressed. "Careful what you say—it might come back to bite you."

Savannah bristled. "Are you calling me mean?"

Carter puffed up, trying to look tough. "Savannah can say whatever she wants. I’ve got her back!"

The chat:

"What’s Maya Brooks so salty about? Savannah’s just out of her league."

"Savannah’s got Lucas Grant on speed dial—why bother being nice to someone like Maya Brooks?"

I was so over it. I’d tried warning them. "Fine, you do you." I rolled my eyes internally—some people just can’t be helped.

Savannah rolled her eyes right back, about to snap, when a staffer burst in: "Hey! Savannah, you’re trending!"

Savannah bolted over, barely hiding her excitement. "Really? Is it about me?"