Chapter 76 Under the Cameras
Tuesday Morning - 7:45 AM
Elena woke to small hands patting her face.
"Mama. Mama, wake up."
She opened her eyes. Leo's face inches from hers.
"Hi, baby."
"This bed is huge. I got lost trying to find the edge."
Despite everything, she smiled. "Did you?"
"Yeah! I rolled and rolled and there was still more bed!" He bounced. "Can we keep this bed?"
"This is Dad's bed."
"Can Dad share?"
"He already is sharing."
Alexander stirred on the other side. "What time is it?"
"Early," Elena said.
"Too early," he mumbled.
Leo crawled over him. "Dad, your bed is like a ocean. A bed ocean."
"That's—accurate."
"Can we have pancakes?"
"Leo, let Dad wake up first—"
"I'm awake." Alexander sat up. Hair sticking in every direction. "Pancakes sound good."
They moved to the kitchen. Leo explored cabinets while Elena found coffee.
"Your kitchen is very empty," she observed.
"I know. I mostly ordered takeout."
"Mostly?"
"Exclusively."
She opened the refrigerator. "You have three things in here. Milk, eggs, and something that might be cheese."
"That's more than usual."
Leo climbed onto a stool. "Do you have pancake mix?"
"No."
"How do you make pancakes without pancake mix?"
"I don't. That's the problem."
"Then what do you eat?"
"Cereal. Toast. Coffee or whatever."
Leo looked horrified. "That's SO sad."
Elena pulled out her phone. "I'll order groceries. They can deliver this morning."
"You don't have to—"
"We're staying here. We need food. Real food." She started a list. "What does Leo like for breakfast?"
"Pancake"
They made a list. Ordered. The groceries would arrive in two hours.
For now, they had cereal.
Leo examined the box. "This cereal is for old people."
"It's bran flakes," Alexander said.
"Exactly. Old people cereal."
"I'm not old—"
"You eat old people cereal. That makes you old."
Elena hid her smile behind her coffee mug.
They ate breakfast at the huge dining table. Leo's legs swinging, not reaching the floor.
"Can I watch TV?" he asked.
"Sure. But not the news."
"I don't like the news. It's boring."
"Good. Keep thinking that."
He ran to the living room. Found cartoons.
Elena and Alexander sat with their coffee.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Tired. Angry." She paused. "Grateful."
"For what?"
"Being here. Not being alone."
He took her hand. "You're not alone. Not anymore."
Her phone buzzed.
She looked. Her face fell.
"What?"
"Victoria. She says the article hit three more sites overnight. And someone posted a TikTok breakdown of the 'evidence' I'm a gold digger. Two million views."
"Don't read the comments."
"I won't." She set down her phone. "I need to do something normal today. Something that feels like life isn't completely falling apart."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Take Leo to the park. Buy groceries in person instead of ordering. Something."
"We can do that."
"Can we? Without cameras following?"
"Maybe. We can try."
After breakfast, Elena showered while Alexander entertained Leo.
When she emerged, she found them building a elaborate dinosaur habitat out of couch cushions.
"This is the T-Rex's cave," Leo explained. "He lives here because the other dinosaurs are scared of him."
"Why are they scared?" Elena asked.
"Because he has so many teeth. Remember? We talked about this."
"Right. The teeth."
Alexander's phone rang. Victoria.
He answered on speaker. "Hey."
"Have you seen the news this morning?"
"No. We're avoiding it."
"Smart. But you should know—the story hit CNN. It's national now."
Elena closed her eyes.
"And there's something else. Someone leaked information about Elena's employment history. Every job she's had for the past five years. Hours worked. Salaries. They're using it to show she was 'financially desperate.'"
"That's a violation of privacy—"
"I know. But it's out there. I'm trying to trace where it came from."
"It came from Viviana," Elena said. "Or Felicia. Or whoever they're working with."
"Probably. I'm looking into Christopher Sterling. Something's not adding up."
After Victoria hung up, Alexander pulled Elena close.
"We don't have to go out today. We can stay here. Order everything. Wait until this dies down."
"When will it die down? A week? A month? Never?" She pulled back. "I can't hide forever. And I won't teach Leo that we run when things get hard."
"This isn't running—"
"I need air. Real air. Not recycled apartment air. Just—an hour. One hour of pretending life is normal."
He studied her face. "Okay. We'll go to the park. The small one three blocks over. Quick trip. In and out."
"Thank you."
They bundled Leo into his jacket. Elena put on sunglasses. Pulled her hair into a ponytail.
Disguise. Sort of.
The elevator opened directly into the building's lobby.
The doorman nodded. "Good morning, Mr. Thorne."
"Morning, James."
They stepped outside.
The morning was cold and bright. Leo ran ahead on the sidewalk.
"Not too far!" Elena called.
"I know!"
They walked three blocks. No cameras. No reporters.
Maybe they'd gotten lucky.
The park was small. Just a playground and some benches.
Leo ran to the swings. "Push me!"
Alexander pushed while Elena sat on a bench.
Normal. This was normal.
A mother with a stroller walked past. Glanced at Elena. Did a double-take.
Elena looked away.
The woman kept walking.
Okay. That was fine. People stared sometimes.
Leo shrieked with joy. "Higher!"
"You're already very high," Alexander said.
"HIGHER!"
Another mother arrived with two kids. They ran to the slide.
The woman pulled out her phone. Glanced at Elena.
Started typing.
Elena's stomach dropped.
"Alexander," she said quietly.
He looked over. Saw the woman. Saw the phone.
"Time to go," he said.
"Already?" Leo protested.
"Yeah, buddy. Let's go get hot chocolate."
"OKAY!"
They walked quickly back toward the apartment.
Elena glanced behind them.
The woman was still on her phone. Following at a distance.
"She's following us," Elena whispered.
"I know. Keep walking."
They turned the corner.
A man stood there. Camera already raised.
Click. Click. Click.
"Mr. Thorne! Is this your son?"
"No comment." Alexander took Leo's hand. Pulled him close.
"Is it true Elena Moreno was financially struggling before meeting you?"
"No comment please."
More clicks.
Another man appeared from a parked car. Another camera.
"Ms. Moreno! Do you have a response to allegations of manipulation?"
Elena kept her head down. Held Leo's other hand.
Leo looked up at her. "Mama? Who are these people?"
"Nobody, baby. Keep walking."
"But they're taking pictures—"
"I know. It's okay."
A woman with a microphone rushed up. "Mr. Thorne, your parents have issued a statement expressing concern for your wellbeing—"
"Not now." Alexander's voice was tight.
They were two blocks from the apartment.
The photographers multiplied.
Four. Five. Six.
Surrounding them.
"Leo, has your father taken you to meet your grandparents?"
"Do you know who your father is, Leo?"
"How does it feel having such a young mother?"
They were talking to him. To Leo. Directly.
Elena stopped walking.
"Don't talk to my son."
"Ms. Moreno, just a few questions—"
"I said don't talk to my son!"
One of them stepped closer. Shoved a microphone toward Leo's face.
"Leo, do you like living with your mom?"
Leo hid behind Alexander's legs.
That's when Alexander snapped.
He stepped between Leo and the cameras. "Back off y'all!"
"Mr. Thorne, we're just—"
"You're harassing a three-year-old child! Get those cameras away from him NOW!"
"We have a right to be here—"
"You have a right to be on public property, not in his face! He's THREE YEARS OLD!"
Cameras kept clicking. Recording.
This was content. This was the story.
The calm, collected Alexander Thorne losing control.
"Sir, if you'd just answer a few questions—"
"Questions? You want questions? Here's a question: what kind of person shoves a microphone in a child's face? What kind of person uses a three-year-old for clicks and views?"
"We're just doing our job—"
"Your job is to terrorize children? To follow us from a playground? To—" He saw one camera pointed directly at Leo's terrified face. "Get that camera out of his face!"
He lunged forward.
Didn't touch anyone. Just stepped aggressively toward the photographer.
The man stumbled backward. Camera still rolling.
"Whoa, whoa! He's attacking me!"
"I didn't touch you—"
"You lunged at me! Everyone saw it!"
Elena grabbed Alexander's arm. "Stop. Don't give them more."
But it was too late.
The damage was done.
Six cameras had captured everything.
Alexander yelling.
Alexander lunging.
Alexander "out of control."
She picked up Leo. Covered his face.
"Come on. We're leaving."
They pushed through the crowd.
Reached the apartment building.
James the doorman opened the door quickly. Stepped between them and the photographers.
"Mr. Thorne is a resident. You're trespassing."
"We're on the sidewalk—"
"You're blocking the entrance. Leave or I call the police."
Inside, Elena set Leo down.
He was crying. Silent tears streaming down his face.
"Baby, it's okay—"
"Why were they yelling? Why did they want to take my picture?"
"Because—because they're confused. They don't understand."
"Understand what?"
"That you're just a kid. That this isn't your business."
Alexander crouched down. "I'm sorry, buddy. I'm sorry they scared you."
"Why were you yelling at them?"
"Because I was angry. They were too close to you. They were being mean."
"But yelling is bad. You said yelling is bad."
"You're right. It is. I shouldn't have yelled."
They went upstairs.
In the apartment, Leo ran to his dinosaurs. Buried himself in play.
Pretending it hadn't happened.
Elena collapsed on the couch.
Alexander sat beside her. Head in his hands.
"I'm sorry. I lost it. I just—when they started talking to Leo—"
"I know."
"I should have stayed calm. Walked away. Not given them anything they could use."
"They were terrorizing him. You reacted like any parent would."
"Except now they have footage of me yelling. Lunging. Looking unhinged."
Elena's phone buzzed.
She looked.
Victoria: Please tell me you didn't just attack a photographer.
"It's already out there," Elena said quietly.
Alexander pulled out his phone.
Opened Twitter.
The clip was already trending.
#ThorneHeir
THORNE ERUPTS: Billionaire Heir LOSES IT on Photographers
The video played. Over and over.
Alexander yelling.
Alexander lunging.
The photographer stumbling back.
Comments loading by the second.
Violent outburst. She's really got him brainwashed.
This is what manipulation looks like. Guy can't even control himself anymore.
Poor man. He doesn't even realize what she's done to him.
First he abandons his family. Now he's attacking media. Classic abusive relationship signs.
Elena set down her phone. "They're going to use this against you."
"I know."
"They're going to say I've made you unstable. Violent. That you've changed since being with me."
"I know."
"Alexander—"
"I mean it. Let them say whatever they want. I'm not apologizing for protecting our son."
"They'll never let this go now. You've given them ammunition."
He pulled her close. "Then we deal with it. Like we deal with everything else."
From the living room, Leo called out: "Mama? Can we have lunch?"
She wiped her eyes. "Yeah, baby. I'll make something."
In the kitchen, she made sandwiches on autopilot.
Her phone kept buzzing.
More articles. More clips. More commentary.
Alexander Thorne's Concerning Behavior
Is Elena Moreno Making Alexander Violent?
Thorne Heir's Shocking Meltdown Caught on Camera
The narrative was shifting.
Before, Alexander was the victim. The fool. The man being manipulated.
Now he was unstable. Dangerous. Changed.
All because of her.
She brought the sandwiches to the table.
Leo ate. Talked about dinosaurs. Seemed okay.
Kids bounced back fast.
She hoped.
After lunch, Leo went down for a nap.
Elena and Alexander sat in the living room.
"Victoria called," he said. "While you were with Leo. She found something."
"What?"
"The leak about your employment history. It came from Christopher Sterling's computer. She traced the IP address."
"So it's definitely them. Viviana, Felicia, Christopher."
"Looks like it. Victoria's gathering evidence. Building a case."
"For what?"
"Defamation. Harassment. Maybe more." He paused. "She wants to fight back. Publicly."
"That'll just make it bigger."
"Maybe. Or maybe it'll expose them. Show people this was coordinated. Planned."
"People won't care. They've already decided who I am."
"Some people. Not everyone."
Her phone buzzed again.
She looked.
Unknown number: You've destroyed him. I hope you're proud.
She deleted it.
Another message appeared.
Your son deserves better than a mother like you.
She turned off her phone.
Set it face-down on the table.
"I can't do this," she whispered.
"Yes, you can."
"No. I can't. Every time we step outside, there are cameras. Every time we try to be normal, someone's recording. And now Leo's scared and you're all over the news looking violent and—"
"Stop."
"I'm destroying your life."
"You're not—"
"I am! Look at you! You're in every headline. Your reputation is ruined. Your family won't talk to you. And now you're 'unstable' and 'dangerous' because you protected our son from photographers."
Alexander pulled her close. "Listen to me. I don't care about headlines. I don't care about my reputation. I care about you. About Leo. About this family we're building."
"What family? We can't even go to a park without being hunted."
"Then we find new parks. New routines. New ways to be together that don't involve cameras."
"That's not a life."
"It's temporary. This will pass."
"When?"
He didn't have an answer.
They sat in the quiet apartment.
Safe. Together. Trapped.
Outside, the internet was on fire.
The clip spreading. The comments multiplying. The narrative solidifying.
Elena Moreno wasn't just a gold digger anymore.
She was dangerous.
She'd changed Alexander. Made him violent. Destroyed his judgment.
And Alexander Thorne wasn't just a fool anymore.
He was unstable.
A man spiraling.
A cautionary tale.
Both of them destroyed.
By cameras. Strangers.
A story that had nothing to do with truth and everything to do with entertainment.
And somewhere, Viviana and Felicia watched the clip.
And smiled.
And planned their next move.
Because this was just the beginning.
The real destruction was still to come.