“Yes, someone uploaded a video of you standing outside Rico’s hotel yesterday, holding flowers and crying. Jane’s fans are all over it.” Lucy’s tone softened, worried. “They’re saying awful things. Don’t take it to heart, okay? You know how those fans are—they’ll attack anything that moves.”
Lucy had been Maddie’s college roommate and the only person who knew about her connection to Rico.
“I’ll take a look,” Maddie said quietly, slipping on her headphones as she opened the app.
The top trending hashtag blazed across the screen: #JaneHarperRicoHughesSoSweet. Below it, another topic hovered ominously: #RicoHughesSponsoredOrphan.
Her stomach dropped as she clicked the second tag.
Photos flooded her screen: A shot of her crying outside the hotel, flowers clutched tightly in her hands. Besides, there were images of her entering and leaving Rico’s apartment complex and a rare picture of her and Rico together as children at the orphanage.
The accompanying comments were cruel, each one like a dagger aimed at her heart:
“Who does she think she is? Rico took pity on her and paid for her education and now she’s clinging to him like a leech!”