Chapter Ten: Broke-Girl Logic vs. Rich-Girl Drama
Celia had survived a lot in life.
She'd survived landlords who threatened to lock her in if rent was late.
She'd survived instant noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
She'd even survived death.
But nothing — absolutely nothing — prepared her for being publicly canceled on the internet.
She paced her bedroom like a caged tiger, muttering to herself.
"Okay, Celia, think. Vanessa's trying to ruin you. But you're not Beverly. You're you. You know how to survive scandals… even though your biggest scandal before this was microwaving an egg until it exploded."
Her phone buzzed again. More hashtags. More hate.
She snatched it up, opened Instagram Live, and hit Go Live before Lila could stop her.
The screen lit up with thousands of viewers. Comments flew like bullets.
HotTeaDaily: Here comes Miss Drama 👀
VanessaFanClub: Don't you dare talk about our queen
CuriousCat: What's she gonna say??
Celia leaned in, dead serious. "Alright. Let's clear this up. Did I say I should've stayed dead? Yes. But was I talking about Vanessa? NO. I was talking about avocado toast, because it cost fifteen dollars and tasted like sadness."
The comments paused. Then—
LOLFactory: 💀💀💀💀💀
StarGazer: SHE DID NOTTTT LMAO
TeaSpiller: No way this is Beverly??
Celia pointed at the camera. "Vanessa edited that clip. And you know what? If she wants war, fine. But let's get something straight—"
She grabbed a jar of Beverly's overpriced moisturizer from the dresser and held it up like a weapon.
"Vanessa might have fake friends, fake edits, and fake lashes—"
Gasps filled the comments.
"—but I have THIS cream. And this cream makes my face shinier than her career. Thank you. That's all."
She ended the live with a dramatic click.
Silence.
Then she collapsed face-first into the bed. "Oh my God, I'm insane."
⸻
Across the city, Vanessa was watching the live with her squad. Her face twisted.
"She called my lashes fake," Vanessa hissed.
One of her friends piped up, "But… aren't they?"
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Vanessa snapped. "She humiliated me. Again! I'll make sure she regrets this."
⸻
The next morning, Celia was bracing herself for another trending disaster. But when she checked her phone, something shocking awaited her.
#BeverlyUnfiltered was trending.
LOLFactory: She's a comedian now?? 😂
HotTeaDaily: Lowkey I like this new Beverly ngl
VanessaFanClub: She's mocking Vanessa and y'all are eating it up 😡
PrinceProtectionSquad: Okay but Prince is definitely watching 👀
Celia blinked. "…Wait. They LIKE me?"
Lila barged into her room, clutching her phone like it was the Holy Grail. "Beverly, darling, I don't know what got into you, but your engagement tripled overnight. Brands are calling me nonstop! Do it again!"
Celia groaned. "I was joking, Lila. I'm not a clown."
"Yes you are," Lila said firmly. "Now juggle."
⸻
Meanwhile, Prince sat in his office again, scrolling through #BeverlyUnfiltered.
He shouldn't have been smiling. He shouldn't have been intrigued. But damn it, he was.
The old Beverly would've never dared to clap back like that. Never laughed so freely. Never looked like she was actually… living.
"She's changed," Prince murmured.
His younger brother, sprawled on the couch with a soda, glanced over. "Maybe she just got therapy."
Prince shot him a look. "No. It's something else."
The brother shrugged. "Whatever it is, you're enjoying it."
Prince didn't answer. He just scrolled again, pausing on a screenshot of Beverly pointing at the camera with a jar of moisturizer, eyes blazing.
And for the first time in years, he laughed.
⸻
That night, Celia had another dream.
Beverly was there again, standing in a mirror, arms crossed.
"You're making a mess," Beverly said flatly.
Celia groaned. "You're welcome. I just saved your reputation from Vanessa the Menace."
Beverly tilted her head. "You don't understand. Vanessa isn't just a rival. She knows things. Things about me. About… our family."
Celia's chest tightened. "Family? What do you mean?"
But before Beverly could answer, the dream shattered, and Celia woke up in a cold sweat.