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“What do you mean?”

“You know, how your followers come on to my reviews and try and drag me every time. They’d do anything for you. And since you’ve made it clear we disagree on pretty much everything, it’s like permission for them to do so, too.”

Aiden’s brows stitch together and he looks genuinely confused.

Frustration builds inside me, because I can’t keep the Aiden who is honest, sometimes vulnerable, and often surprisingly kind straight from the one who plays dumb when theevidence is right there for anyone to see.

So I pull up my review from last week about the secret baby romance and scroll down to some of the comments.

@aidentheguyreadsromance: I do think that there are valid reasons for keeping secrets in a relationship. As long as the truth eventually comes out, and the author handles it with care, I could be convinced.

@darkromanceorbust: @aidentheguyreadsromance Right? Here Irene goes again with her pearl clutching. They had a baby, it’s not that serious.

@HEAandcoffeeinthatorder: @darkromanceorbust What do you mean it’s not that serious. Irene is right, it sets the entire relationship on a foundation of dishonesty.

@tamlinismisunderstood: If you’re that bothered, just go read YA. Or MG for that matter...

“See? Brutal,” I say.

“It’s just some online banter. People love to argue when their faces aren’t attached to it. You know the first rule of being online is to not take comments too seriously. But I’m sorry that it’s upsetting. I had no idea.” He reaches around me to get his hands on my laptop and pulls up his latest review. “If it helps at all, mine aren’t any kinder, to be honest,” he admits.

I take a look.

There are a few followers that comment on his review. But then...

... some comment on how fun it is that he’s reading romance...

... some comment on how cute he is...

... some comment on what they “want to do to him.”

“What the fuck is that?” I cry out, pointing at the screen.

“That, Irene, is my normal.”

I lean in, pushing his hand away from the keyboard and placing mine on the track pad, scrolling and reading a few more. “They just... objectify you like that?” My stomach feels sour as I read a comment from a reader offering to have Aiden’s “secret baby.”

He drops his eyes and shrugs. I can’t imagine navigating the land mine of his comments section. A thought hits me. “Wait, do you get DMs, too?”

He tucks his lips between his teeth and nods slowly, clearly not wanting to share further. He straightens, takes a seat on his bed, and rakes his fingers through his hair, letting out a loud sigh.

I collapse back into his chair, pushing away the laptop like it’s something I’m allergic to. All the times I complained about snarky comments on my feed and believed that Aiden had it way easier weigh heavy on my shoulders.

“Online can be a scary place,” he says.

“Shit, I thought I had it rough. Do you report these people? That’s harassment. It has to go against user policy. Jesus, I’m so sorry, Aiden. I’m sorry this happens to you. And I’m sorry that I even thought to blame you for the assholes in my comments. Clearly...”

“...I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.” He turns to me and the natural sparkle is back in his eye as he smiles. “It is what it is. I’m not that bothered. Now that the shock has worn off, I know how to navigate my feed, and I block liberally.”

“You block people and you still have that follower count. Damn,” I say. But I don’t say it with envy like I might have in the past.

“Irene, don’t let those people get to you. The same goes for SKCupid. They don’t have the right to care about your personal experience and weaponize that against you. Don’t give this company that power.”

“How can you be so unaffected?” I ask. “You’re always so even-keeled about stuff. I don’t get it.”

Aiden lays back flat on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. “Real-life shit is hard enough to deal with. I don’t need to give online drama my energy.”

“I wish it was that easy for me,” I say to myself.