43: MEDIA MADNESS

Emma woke up feeling anxious and on edge. The events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind, and she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. She had barely slept, her mind racing with thoughts of the threatening phone call and the potential consequences.

As she got dressed and headed downstairs, she was greeted by Jackson and Brayden, who were already sipping coffee at the kitchen table.

"Hey, Emma," Jackson said, his voice soft and reassuring. "How are you feeling today?"

Emma shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I'm fine," she lied. She didn't want to worry them any more than they already were.

Brayden nodded sympathetically. "We're taking you to the office today," he said firmly. "We don't want you going alone until we figure out what's going on."

Emma hesitated, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. She didn't want to be a burden, but at the same time, she appreciated their concern for her safety.

The three of them set off in Brayden's car, with Emma stuck between Brayden and Jackson in the front seat. As they drove, Emma couldn't help but feel like a kid being protected by her parents. She hated feeling so helpless and vulnerable.

When they arrived at the office, Emma was greeted by Brent, who looked concerned but relieved to see them.

"Hey, sweetheart," Brent said, grabbing her into a tight hug and ushering them into Brayden's office. "I've been going over some things with our social media team. We need to address this situation ASAP."

Emma's heart sank as she realized what Brent was talking about. She had been dreading this moment.

Brent pulled up a screen on his laptop and handed Emma a pair of headphones. "We've been monitoring social media closely overnight, and unfortunately, there have been some... negative comments about your situation."

Emma took a deep breath as she put on the headphones and started scrolling through her social media feeds. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the comments pouring in - a mix of cruel insults and judgmental remarks.

"You're a freak, Emma. Why can't you just pick one guy and be normal?"

"Three men at once? You're a ho."

"This is disgusting. You're promoting a toxic relationship."

"How can you even consider being in a relationship with three people? It's just not natural."

"You're going to get hurt, Emma. This is a recipe for disaster."

"I don't know how you can live with yourselves, guys. This is not a healthy relationship."

She felt her face heat up with anger and embarrassment as she scrolled through the posts. “How can people be so cruel?” Emma said as a tear streamed down her cheek.

"This is insane," Brayden muttered, his face growing red with anger. "Who does this?"

Brent shook his head. "We're not sure. But it looks like someone has been digging up old dirt on you and me both and spreading it around online."

Emma felt a wave of nausea wash over her. How could people be so cruel? She thought about all the times she had tried to help others online, only to be met with such vitriol.

"We need to do something," Emma said, determination in her voice. "We can't just sit back and let this happen."

Brayden nodded in agreement. "We need to take back control of our narrative," he said. "We can't let these trolls win."

The team nodded in agreement, and they quickly brainstormed a plan of action.

First, they decided to respond to each negative comment with kindness and compassion. They would show that they were bigger than their haters by ignoring their negativity and focusing on spreading positivity instead.

Next, they planned to reach out to their friends and fans on social media, asking for their support and encouragement. They would rally together as a community to drown out the hate with love.

Finally, they decided to take down any personal information or private photos that had been shared online without permission. They would not give their trolls the satisfaction of using them against them.

As they sat down at their desks, ready to face the storm head-on, Emma felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was not going to let some anonymous stranger ruin her life or her relationship with Brayden.

"We're going to take back our online presence," she said, looking at Brayden with a fierce determination in her eyes. "And we're going to come out stronger on the other side."

Brayden wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and smiled, his eyes shining with admiration for her spirit. "Together," he said. "Always."

Brent and Jackson nodded in agreement. "We'll deal with these haters together," he said firmly.

Emma felt a surge of gratitude towards them both as she pulled back from the screen. She knew that she couldn't face this alone, but with them by her side, she felt like she could take on anything.

Her eased feeling was suddenly taken away when, one of the social media team members, Rachel, comes to them with a concerned look on her face. She whispers to them that she's been going over the company's security footage from last night and noticed something suspicious. Brent had everyone on high guard checking social media, security footage, etc… He wanted everything uncovered.

"It's about the parking garage," Rachel says. "I think someone was lurking around Brayden's car around the time of the phone call. I didn't think much of it at first, but now that you're getting these creepy calls...I'm not sure if it's related or not."

Emma and Brayden exchange a nervous glance. This new information raises more questions than answers. Who could be stalking them, and what do they want?

They thank Rachel for coming forward and decide to report the incident to the police. Then Brayden calls down to security telling his head guard for him to increase security in the parking garage and review the footage further.

“Emma is not to be alone anymore. Whether it is at home or here at the office.” Brayden explained. All three guys were in complete agreement. Emma had to be protected at all costs. They couldn’t continue life if something were to happen to her.