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At first, I think maybe someone had a bad experience with him. But the videos keep coming in.
It’s too organized to be just a bad experience. The entire thing is suspicious.
“What the hell has gotten into everyone?”
I watch some of the videos they posted. None has anything substantial to say, but they are all hinting toward some big secret.
The same thing Silvano had tried to suggest.
My blood boils as I put two and two together. This is an obvious smear campaign against Enzo.
Silvano tried that with me, too. But I didn’t give him a chance to talk for too long after I realized that he had an agenda.
Are the other influencers gullible enough to believe the ramblings of a drunk man?
I decide I want some more input on this whole thing, and track down Lilly, who’s lounging by the pool.
“Look who it is.” She looks up. “Little Miss Busy Bee.”
“I’m sorry for blowing you off these last few days,” I mutter. “I just got too caught up.”
Lilly holds my gaze for a moment, but then her expression softens.
“As long as you realized what you did.”
Lilly’s whole thing is living in the moment. Thankfully for me, that means she doesn’t like holding grudges.
“Have you seen what’s been going on online?” I sit down beside her.
“Not really. I’m on my week-long digital detox.”
“Some of the influencers are posting really… strange things about Enzo.”
She lowers her sunglasses. “Can I see? My phone is locked in my room upstairs.”
I nod, handing the phone over to her.
“This reads more like a conspiracy theory than it does the truth,” she comments. “Does Enzo know about this? What’s gotten into the other guys?”
“I have a feeling it has something to do with Silvano.” I bite down on my lip.
“That drunkard?” She groans. “Ugh, he was trying to talk to me the other day. I had to threaten to call security before he finally decided to leave.”
That gave me the confirmation I needed.
“Do you think he’s paying people? I mean, it doesn’t make sense otherwise for so many of them to turn on Enzo, especially since he’s been such a great host.”
Lilly shrugs, not invested in the matter like I was.
“Maybe. You know people will do almost anything for a cheque.”
Disgust fills me. What happened to having integrity?
Then again, a lot of influencers already use paid views and fake followers to boost their socials. Taking money from someone to spread lies isn’t that farfetched.
“Should we do anything about it?”
It’s more a question to myself than it is to Lilly.