FRESCA'S POV Chapter 16 I was lounging by the pool , phone in one hand , champagne in the other , pretending the crying baby was just background noise . Nannies do the dirty work while I curate the feed , and honestly , it's the best life . Designer , villa , sun , likes pouring in . What more could a girl want ? Judas was sprawled beside me like he owned the sunbed , scrolling like every man does when he thinks he's bored . He nudged me , grinning . " You saw this ? " he said , holding his phone up . " New actress blowing up . Hot as hell ." I barely glanced . " Show me later , " I said , flicking my hair . " I'm busy being adored ." He didn't back down . He leaned in like he knew I'd cave . " No , seriously . Look . This chick is all over the place . " Fine . I looked . And for a second my world tilted . Her face that damned face- the way she looked in the clip , the voice , that broken anger . For a second I thought I was staring at Claire's ghost . " No way ! " I muttered . My towel slipped off my shoulder like it was trying to get away from me . Judas laughed , thinking it was a joke . " You jealous , Fres ? " I stood up so fast my flip - flops made a staccato slap against the deck . " Not jealous , " I snapped , " I'm pissed . That woman is supposed to be dead! " He blinked . " Dead ? What are you talking about- " I didn't let him finish . I walked straight into the villa , phone clenched so hard my knuckles went white . In the hallway the air got smaller and my pulse got louder , like a drum in a tiny room . I shoved the bathroom door open and looked in the mirror , and for a hot second the person staring back at me looked small . I smashed the thing with my palm anyway , just because smashing shit makes you feel powerful . Glass exploded everywhere and for a beat the world was glitter and danger , and I loved it . My reflection fractured into pieces and every shard reflected that same impossible face . " You see that , Judas ? " I said , breathing hard . " She's alive . Claire is alive ! Judas came in , hands up like he wanted to be soothing . " Calm down , Fres . Breathe . Maybe it's not her . Maybe it's just a lookalike . Celebs get doppelgangers all the time . " I laughed in his face , a short ugly sound . " A lookalike ? Don't insult me . Nobody copies Claire and gets away with it . Nobody makes my life a joke and then thinks they can His Choice Was Her 1/3 54.8 % 9:05 Thu , Oct 16 B 97 waltz in and steal my crown . If that red - haired witch thinks she can come back and take Beckley , she is about to learn a whole new lesson . " Judas blinked , " What are you gonna do ? " " I'm going to burn her down , " I said , slowly . " Not literally . Well , maybe . But I'm going to take everything that supports her . I'll pull the carpet from under her feet , I'll make her life a mess so big she'll wish she'd stayed dead . I'll make sure everyone remembers the real story . " He whistled . " Jesus , Fres ! You sound unhinged . " Good . I wanted him to know exactly how far I'd go . He needed to understand I wasn't the meek cousin anymore . I was the storm . " And don't act surprised , " I added , softer now , dangerous . " You help me or you watch from the sidelines . You want me to share you with anyone ? You want Beckley to look at me like he looks at her ? Then get in line and help . Find receipts , plant doubts , get people to believe what I tell them . Make the internet my hammer . Make him see her as fake . Make him choose me because he has no choice ." Judas grinned , " Consider it done . I'll get men . I'll get cameras . I'll ghost - write comments until the internet pukes . What's the first move ? " I tapped the cracked mirror with the heel of my hand , feeling that tiny thrill that comes when a plan begins to take shape . " We start slow . Leak a photo . Plant a rumor about old debts . Make her crew look shady . Find a link to some stranger who says she's an imposter . Keep it quiet , keep it surgical . Then we hit hard . " He nodded like he already wanted the applause . " Surgical . I like that. And if it goes south ? " I smiled and the smile was all teeth . " Then we make it look like Claire's the crazy one . People eat that . They love witch hunts . But this time the witch gets burned for real . " He swallowed . " You sure you're okay ? You sound ... raw . " Raw was good . Raw was honesty . Raw meant I wasn't playing the weak cousin anymore . I was the one who set the rules now . " Of course I'm okay , " I lied with perfect calm . " I'm more than okay . I'm undefeated . And if that bitch wants a war , I'll give her one she can't survive . " Judas laughed and kissed my hand like a little dog waiting for orders . " Alright, baby . What's first? " I closed my eyes and pictured her face in every headline , every gossip column , every feed . I pictured Beckley's stupid face when he realized she was just a shadow he'd been fed . " Start with the teaser , " I said . " Find any paper trail . Call the director's assistant , plant a Chapter 16 2/3 56.0 % 9:06 Thu , Oct 16 B 97 seed that she's hiding something . Leak an old photo , a ' before ' shot . Then we'll move in for the kill . " He pulled out his phone , dialing like a man who knows the right people . I stood in the shattered bathroom , the echo of glass like applause , and whispered Claire's name like a curse . " You thought you were done , " I said to the mirror . " You thought they could bury you . Watch me unbury you . I'll make sure the whole world watches you burn . " Chapter 16