Chapter 5

Bridie walked down the center of the red carpet with a rapid, aggressive pace.

Her black dress hugged her body perfectly. Every step she took commanded the attention of the photographers.

Behind her, Alaina was sweating. The heavy pink gown dragged on the carpet, making it impossible for her to keep up.

Every time a photographer yelled Alaina's name, Bridie casually shifted her weight. She struck a pose.

Bridie used her long legs to take massive, commanding strides, her pace aggressive but perfectly calculated. Every time Alaina tried to catch up, Bridie would stop dead in her tracks, hitting a flawless, powerful pose that acted like a brick wall against the cameras. She reached the press zone with absolute dominance, leaving Alaina suffocating in her shadow.

A reporter from E! News lunged forward, shoving a microphone into Bridie's face. His eyes were wide with excitement.

"Bridie! You look absolutely stunning tonight!" the reporter yelled over the crowd.

"Thank you," Bridie said. Her voice was polite, but her eyes were dead.

The reporter's smile turned sharp. He smelled blood. "So, Bridie, your ex-boyfriend Jory Chambers has been linked to Alaina Cherry recently. Any thoughts on their blossoming romance?"

The cameraman instantly zoomed in. The lens was inches from Bridie's face, waiting for her to break down or scream.

Alaina finally reached the edge of the press zone. She stopped, holding her breath, waiting for Bridie to embarrass herself.

Bridie's face went completely blank. Jory's pathetic, lying face flashed in her mind.

Her stomach churned with physical disgust.

She didn't cry. She didn't yell.

Instead, Bridie rolled her eyes. It wasn't a subtle movement. It was a massive, dramatic eye roll. Her irises disappeared completely, leaving only the whites of her eyes showing pure, unfiltered contempt.

She let out a cold, sharp laugh directly into the microphone.

"Who is Jory?" Bridie asked, her tone flat. "Do I look like I know people from the garbage dump?"

The reporter actually gasped. He pulled the microphone back a inch, completely stunned by the brutal insult.

The paparazzi went absolutely feral. The flashes strobed so fast it looked like lightning. This was the headline of the month.

Alaina heard the words "garbage dump." All the color drained from her face. Her fingernails dug so hard into her palms they almost drew blood.

Bridie didn't wait for a follow-up question. She turned her back to the reporter, flipped her hair, and walked away.

She pushed through the heavy glass doors of the theater lobby, leaving the screaming reporters behind.

Five minutes later, Twitter exploded.

The hashtag BridieOrtegaEyeRoll shot to the number one trending spot in the United States.

GIFs of her eye roll flooded the timeline.

Regular users praised her. She said what we all want to say to our toxic exes.

Jory and Alaina's fans swarmed her mentions, calling her trash and a bitter loser.

Inside the lobby, Harriet stared at her phone. The analytics were off the charts. Harriet pressed her fingers to her temples, looking like she was in physical pain.

Harriet stomped over to Bridie. "Are you out of your mind? !" Harriet hissed.

Bridie casually took a flute of champagne from a passing waiter. She took a slow sip.

"I just told the truth," Bridie said, shrugging.

She raised an eyebrow at Harriet. "Look on the bright side. I own the headlines tonight. Alaina didn't even get a scrap."