Chapter 4

The news hit the internet like a bomb.

"EXCLUSIVE: POP DIVA SERAPHINA VANCE SECRETLY MARRIED FOR SEVEN YEARS!"

"SHOCKING AFFAIR: SERA VANCE PREGNANT WITH INDIE ROCKER RIVER STONE' S BABY WHILE MARRIED TO LONGTIME PRODUCER HUSBAND!"

"THE BETRAYAL: INSIDE SERA VANCE' S SECRET LIFE AND THE HUSBAND SHE DUMPED!"

Headlines screamed from every entertainment site, every social media feed.

My carefully curated dossier provided all the proof they needed.

The marriage certificate was undeniable.

The audio clips of Sera were damning.

"It' s just for River' s career, Ethan... We can get remarried later..."

"He needs me right now... He' s very sensitive..."

The video from River, though heavily censored by the outlets, was described in lurid detail, painting him as a smug, cruel adulterer.

My financial contributions, my songwriting credits for her biggest hits – songs she' d claimed to write alone in interviews – laid bare the extent of my involvement and her deception.

The narrative was clear: Ethan Miller, the devoted, talented husband, sacrificed his own ambitions for his wife, only to be brutally betrayed and discarded.

Sera and River, meanwhile, were unreachable.

They' d gone to a secluded desert retreat to "celebrate their love" and escape the initial baby announcement buzz.

No phones, no internet. Just them and their delusion.

They had no idea the world was burning down around them.

Their teams were blindsided.

Marcus Thorne, CEO of Sera' s label, Celestial Records, was in a board meeting when his phone started vibrating off the table.

His assistant burst in, pale-faced. "Mr. Thorne, you need to see this. It' s... it' s catastrophic."

Thorne, a man known for his icy composure, felt a chill as he scrolled through the alerts.

"Get Seraphina on the phone. NOW!" he roared.

But she wasn't answering.

Her publicist, a seasoned veteran named Lena, was already fielding calls from every major news outlet.

"No comment at this time," she repeated, her voice strained.

The evidence was too specific, too detailed. This wasn't some vague rumor. This was a meticulously documented takedown.

Thorne' s first instinct was damage control.

"River Stone," he spat. "He' s the problem. We paint him as the manipulator. Sera was vulnerable, grieving some past trauma, he took advantage."

A long shot, but it was all they had.

Meanwhile, River Stone' s indie label, a much smaller, scrappier operation, was in full panic mode.

His manager, a young guy named Jake, stared at his screen in disbelief.

"This is... this is bad. This is career-ending bad."

Their initial strategy was denial, then confusion.

Maybe try to spin River as a naive artist, ensnared by a predatory superstar?

Or lean into it? The rebellious rocker, defying convention?

No, the video, the sheer arrogance of it, made him look like a villain.

The public backlash was immediate and brutal.

#SeraTheSnake trended worldwide.

#RiverTheWrecker wasn' t far behind.

Comments sections were a torrent of outrage.

"Seven years?! And she treated him like that?"

"That video River sent is disgusting. What a pig."

"I used to love Sera' s music. Now I just feel sick."

Her carefully crafted image of the relatable girl-next-door-turned-empowered-diva shattered into a million pieces.