Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 75

Aria's POV

I pulled the blanket a little tighter around myself as I slowly sat up, the warmth of Aiden's skin still lingering against mine.

When I finally looked up at him, his expression was unreadable, but his presence alone had a strange way of grounding me.

"I've decided what to do," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I gave a small, firm nod. "But I don't need your help with this."

I meant it. I could handle this on my own.

When I'd vented my frustration to Aiden moments ago, I wasn't actually asking for his assistance. I'm not so weak that I can't fight back when someone walks all over me.

But somehow, without even realizing it, I ended up turning to him.

I didn't plan to. It just… happened.

But when Aiden heard me say I didn't need his help, something in his expression shifted.

His jaw tightened. "This affects both of us, Aria. We're in this together."

"I appreciate that," I said softly, clutching the sheet tighter around my chest. "But I want to handle this my way, with my own abilities. Please?"

He studied me for a long moment, his dark eyes unreadable. Finally, he released a slow breath. "Fine. But if things escalate—"

"I'll come to you," I promised. Then, hesitating, I added, "If I make too much noise online... will it cause problems for you?"

"No," he replied without hesitation, his voice firm and reassuring.

He stood and began to dress, buttoning his shirt with calm, practiced movements.

Once he was fully dressed, Aiden walked to the door. He paused for a beat, glanced back at me, and said simply, "Do what you need to do."

Then he left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

With Aiden's approval, I felt emboldened. If he wasn't afraid of the blowback, then neither was I.

It was time to take off the gloves.

When it came to social media battles, I was getting more experienced by the day. In a strange way, I almost felt grateful to Sophia for the practice.

I was about to call Summer when Lucy's voice came from downstairs, asking about lunch plans.

"Just make whatever you think is best," I called back, heading toward the stairs with my phone in hand, now properly dressed in a silk robe.

As I passed by Lucy in the hallway, she stopped me with a worried look. "Mrs. Carter, did something unpleasant happen to Mr. Carter today?"

I paused, surprised. "No. Why do you ask?"

Lucy fidgeted slightly, clearly uncomfortable discussing her employer. "It's just... when I saw him earlier, his expression seemed... displeased. I thought I'd prepare something special if he's in a bad mood."

A twinge of concern ran through me. "I'm sure it's nothing," I reassured her, though I wasn't entirely convinced myself. "Make whatever you think best."

Walking away, I couldn't help wondering—was Aiden angry? And if so, was it because of me?

I thought back to the way he'd left the room—calm, composed, not a trace of tension in his expression or movements. Nothing had seemed off.

Still, I made a mental note to check on him after handling the Diana situation. Just in case.

But before I could dial Summer's number, my phone lit up with messages from Lillian.

Lillian: Babe! It's all turning around! LMAO, Diana is getting destroyed online!

Lillian: Holy shit, Adrian Black himself is defending you!

Lillian: [Image.JPG] [Image.JPG] [Image.JPG] [Image.JPG]

Despite being both my assistant and unofficial "manager," Summer had always respected my wishes. Years ago, when entertainment companies had thrown numerous offers my way, she'd declined them all without hesitation when I expressed disinterest.

Last year, when I won that major award, most people would have leveraged it for publicity and lucrative endorsement deals.

But when I said I preferred to keep a low profile, Summer not only avoided publicity but actively contacted media outlets to minimize coverage of me.

She'd always followed my lead—except this time.

"Aria," she declared before I could speak, "I'm not letting this slide. I know you prefer staying out of the spotlight, but this is the first time someone has dared to attack you so brazenly.

Don't try to talk me out of it—I won't listen. I'm going to hit back hard online. I might not destroy Diana's career completely, but she's going to regret this!"

I was left momentarily speechless, since she'd basically stolen the words right out of my mouth.

After a pause, Summer asked anxiously, "Aria? What are you thinking? Say something."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You've already said everything I was planning to say. I'm not sure what to add."

Summer seemed surprised, "wait... you're saying you don't want to handle this privately?"

Her voice was so uncertain that I almost felt bad. I really had been too passive in the past.

"I'm not cotton that can be pushed around," I said firmly. "She's attacked me publicly—how exactly would I resolve this privately?"

The truth was, I wasn't suddenly more confrontational. In the past, I'd avoided public drama because those incidents had been contained within our professional circles. I wasn't a celebrity who needed to perform in the court of public opinion.

But this situation was different.

Diana was an entertainer who had dragged me into a massive public scandal. If I tried to suppress it now, wouldn't that just look like an admission of guilt?

When Summer realized we were on the same page, her indignation transformed into excitement. "Say no more! I'll handle the PR response. Just watch—I'll make that presumptuous girl serve you tea and apologize before this is over!"