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"Are you still there?" Natalie asked.
"I'm here," Gemma replied, realizing her voice was already cracking with emotion.
"What do you think?"
Gemma was silent for a moment, trying to take in what she was looking at.
"Is it true? Are you going out with that sheikh?" Natalie squealed. "Gawd, he is so gorgeous. Tell me it's true. Please," Natalie yelled down the line.
Gemma cleared her throat and drew in a deep, calming breath. Her heart was pounding as she read the words and, more importantly, looked at the photos which were now all over her social media feed and everyone connected to it.
Like, literally everywhere and everyone!
There wasn't just one image, or one message staring right back at her. There were images of her and the sheikh smiling at each other, drinking champagne surrounded by guests; of the sheikh holding the door open for her as she stepped into what was obviously his own personal limo. There was even the selfie she'd agree to pose for outside the hotel.
But, worst of all there were images she wanted to reach down and erase. Those were the pictures, in sharp detail, of her hand being kissed by the sheikh. And the expressions on her face and the face of Sheikh Ahmed gave just completely the wrong impression about what was going on between them. If you believed those images, you'd be convinced she and Ahmed were already an item.
Gemma felt her throat tighten and, for a few moments, she could hardly speak.
"Looks like you hit it off, Gemma," Natalie said.
"It's not what it look like, Natalie," Gemma replied.
"Are you kidding me? That guy looks like he has the hots for you. And no mistake," Natalie said.
Gemma stifled a low moan. This couldn't be happening. She clicked on a few links and saw that the images were everywhere and people were already commenting on them. There was even a hashtag. "Gemmawithsheikh". When she clicked on that, she saw the full extent of the disaster. As far as everyone was concerned, this was it. After months of denials, weeks of false rumors, Gemma had finally found someone she liked.
"No," Gemma groaned out loud.
"You okay?" she heard Natalie asking.
Gemma was relieved Natalie couldn't see her face, right now. If she could, she would have recommended a swift call to the nearest medical center.
"I'm fine," Gemma replied.
"Tell me more about this mysterious sheikh," Natalie demanded.
Gemma sighed heavily. "There's not much to tell," she replied.
Natalie groaned. "I don't believe it. He is so hot, and you're telling me there are no beans to spill?"
"Really, Natalie," Gemma insisted. "There's nothing going on."
There was a stunned silence at the other end of the line. Then Natalie spoke: "But, what about the pictures?"
Gemma sighed. "I know how it looks," she said. "But it really is pretty innocent."
Natalie scoffed. "There's nothing innocent about the way he's looking at you in those pictures. Talk about burning hot."
Natalie laughed, but Gemma didn't find it in the slightest bit funny.
This was a complete disaster. As she read the growing list of comments, Gemma could tell that there was a mixed reaction to the photos.
Some people thought like Natalie. That Ahmed was one of the hottest guys they'd ever seen, and that Gemma had struck gold.
Others weren't so generous. In fact, although the photos had been up no more than a few hours, there was already a backlash growing. Some people thought that Gemma had betrayed them, that she had portrayed herself as some kind of glamorous, but squeaky-clean role model, since she'd resolutely avoided any relationships or entanglements with the opposite sex during most of the time she'd been famous online.
And now she had betrayed their trust by showing herself to be nothing more than a gold digger. The very opposite of what she'd portrayed herself to be.
