Avery was sitting at her desk at Kane Enterprises, scrolling through emails, when her phone buzzed. It was a text from Janice, marked urgent.
Janice: Aves, you need to check Instagram. Right now.
Frowning, Avery opened the app and found a direct link to a post by Lily Crawford, her recently fired wedding planner. The caption alone sent a jolt of panic through her chest:
“The Real Bridezilla: My Experience with Avery Deveraux.”
“What the hell?” Avery whispered, clicking on the post.
The article detailed an exaggerated and highly personal account of Avery’s interactions with Lily, painting her as entitled, rude, and impossible to work with.
“Some brides are just difficult to please, but Avery Deveraux takes it to another level. From yelling at vendors to firing me without notice, her behavior was beyond toxic.”
Avery’s stomach churned as she read the comments piling up beneath the post:
• “Ugh, rich people are the worst!”
• “Why would anyone marry someone like that?”
• “This is why I could never be a wedding planner.”
She set her phone down, her hands trembling.
Just as Avery was trying to process what she’d read, her assistant Clara knocked on the door and entered with a concerned expression.
“Ms. Deveraux, have you seen the article?”
Avery nodded, rubbing her temples. “I just did.”
“It’s spreading fast,” Clara said hesitantly. “A few of the staff have already mentioned it.”
Avery groaned. “Great. Exactly what I needed today.”
Clara placed a coffee on Avery’s desk. “For what it’s worth, anyone who knows you won’t believe a word of it.”
“Thanks, Clara,” Avery said, managing a weak smile.
Later that afternoon, Janice stormed into Avery’s office like a whirlwind, her phone in hand.
“Alright, Aves, what’s the plan? Are we suing her? Because if you’re not, I’m ready to drag her myself.”
Avery sighed, sinking back in her chair. “I don’t know, Jan. The damage is already done. Even if I respond, it’ll just keep the drama going.”
“That’s true, but you can’t just let this slide,” Janice argued. “She’s making you look like a monster! And for what? Because you didn’t like blush and gold decor?”
“I know,” Avery said, her voice heavy with frustration. “But I don’t want this to overshadow the wedding or my family. I’m trying to focus on what matters.”
“Well,” Janice said, crossing her arms, “what matters is your reputation. You’ve worked too hard to let some petty planner ruin it.”