The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 514

The next morning.

The first thing Riley Vance saw when she woke up was a screen flooded with missed calls and messages. There were texts from former colleagues at Unity Health Center, staff from First Hospital, a few patients, and even old college friends she hadn't spoken to in years.

They were all asking about the bombshell news regarding her and Sebastian. Some started with a polite 'Happy New Year' before prying, while others were bluntly asking if she was actually dating the billionaire CEO.

Serena Landon had bombarded her with toxic messages calling her a shameless homewrecker. Riley didn't hesitate to block her on every platform.

She carefully selected a few close friends who genuinely cared and replied to them. She didn't confirm or deny the relationship, simply stating she was safe and doing well.

Once she finished texting, she immediately opened her browser.

Sebastian had specifically told her not to look, but she couldn't help it.

During her divorce, she could ignore the media circus because her heart was dead to Pierce. She hadn't cared what people said because she was entirely disconnected from the situation.

But this was different. She cared deeply about Sebastian and was terrified for him. There was no way she could just sit on the sidelines.

Overnight, the scandal had metastasized. It was plastered across every major news outlet and social media platform. The 'Taboo Billionaire Romance' hashtag refused to drop from the number one spot, and the rumor mill had evolved into a full-blown witch hunt.

The shock and curiosity from the previous day had morphed into vicious personal attacks.

"Is Sebastian a complete psycho? Dating his own brother's ex-wife? These billionaires are incredibly twisted."

"Isn't Riley Vance a doctor? So much for higher education when she's out here seducing her ex-husband's older brother. Her entire 'angel' persona just shattered."

"A family as elite as the St. Johns would never accept her. She definitely used some dirty tricks to trap him. So shameless."