Chapter 18

Eleanor didn't know what Sebastian was snorting about, nor did she care. Leaning against the wall, she asked, “Why did you go to college in Wavenport City?”

He looked down at her. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. I just feel like it’s more common for kids from affluent families to study abroad and make themselves seem more refined. Then again, Wavenport College is a good institution, and it couldn’t have been easy to get in there. I wouldn’t have expected you to be such an exemplary student.”

Sebastian was briefly silent. Then, he said, “My mother is from Wavenport City.”

It was hard to tell how he was feeling as he said that. His mother… well, to put it nastily, she was someone who’d come between James and Linda. It wasn’t anything to be proud of, so Eleanor didn’t push for more details. All she did was say, “Oh.”

Eleanor headed downstairs with Sebastian after touching up her makeup. Jonathan was already waiting for them at the restaurant.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, Eleanor went online to find that her clarification photo had made the trending topics.

Elle Sand: “No sneaky photos, please. It’s so embarrassing when it’s just me and my husband on a date.”

The photo of her and Sebastian kissing was attached. She’d even shared her location and pinned it at Starbright Hotel. The comments had completely turned.

“Whoa… I’ve lived in Jorstone City for decades, but this is my first time seeing Peace Avenue from this angle. This was taken in the penthouse suite at Starbright Hotel, wasn’t it?”

“Damn, she was just getting a room with her husband at the hotel! God, I’m laughing so hard. Crabapple went to a hotel with her husband, but people have been talking about her cheating. Why do you make the trending topics for something like this when you’re beautiful, talented, and rich, Crabapple?”

“Exactly! She was rumored to have slept with the wrong guy when she got married, and she’s now rumored to have hooked up with some scion when she was just on a date with her husband. Open your eyes, guys. Why would Crabapple be interested in anyone else with the way Mr. Crabapple looks?”

“Someone finally gets it! They look just like a couple from a romance novel – I imagine their faces when I read novels like that nowadays!”

“Crabapple and Mr. Crabapple want to have some newlywed fun – what’s the big deal? What if they’re embarrassed by this incident and stop sharing their sweet moments with us?”

“I support Crabapple and Mr. Crabapple in spicing up their lives!”

“I support them, too! In fact, I love seeing these things. Show me more!”

“I was the one who insisted on calling her ‘Weston Crabapple.’ I was also the one who wanted to call her ‘Crabapple.’ I willingly considered her my online family – hate me if you want! Please stop spreading rumors about her!”

Eleanor was bemused. She’d expected public opinion to change with her clarification, but she hadn’t expected Ransom Finance to retweet her tweet via its official account. It usually only shared news related to the company.

This time, however, it had retweeted her tweet and added a caption: “Our scion wants to thank Ms. Sandberg and Mr. Whitman for supporting Starbright Hotel. The penthouse suite isn’t open to the public, but we’ll pick two lucky people from everyone who retweets Ms. Sandberg’s tweet. These two lucky people will each be given a two-night stay in our presidential suite. Plus, no matter which part of the world you’re in, your flight tickets to and fro will be on us!”

One night at Starbright Hotel’s presidential suite cost six figures, so this lucky draw was worth plenty. It instantly attracted everyone’s attention.

Eleanor’s account gained several thousand new followers each time she refreshed. By the time the server brought their food, she’d already gained close to 100,000 new followers. Her clarification tweet was also retweeted tens of thousands of times, instantly shooting to the top of the list of trending topics.

This was her first time experiencing something like this, so she was infinitely grateful. She picked up her glass of fruit juice and said to Jonathan, “Let me make a toast to you, Mr. Lawson. Thanks for being such a pal.”

How could Ransom Finance’s scion know what had happened to her? Jonathan must’ve been the one who’d shown such support for her in the scion’s name. He was a great guy.

Sebastian put down his phone. For some reason, he looked rather pissed.

Jonathan stifled his laughter. “It’s no big deal; I was only doing what I should’ve.”

He ultimately burst into laughter. He had to leave to attend to something after the meal. Eleanor wanted to try other cake flavors, so she had the server bring her another serving of dessert so she could savor it. Sebastian abruptly said, “Crabapple.”

Eleanor choked on some cream. She raised her head to meet his dry gaze. “Why are you calling me that like those people online do?”

It made her feel rather… self-conscious.