Page 63 of His Ruthless Match

Eva:Call me as soon as you can. This is serious.

My phone started ringing in my hand. Detective Brooker. I answered immediately.

“Detective, do you have news?”

“I do,” he said. “But it’s… interesting.”

I sat up straighter. “Interesting how?”

“We reviewed the hotel’s security footage from yesterday, as you requested. Unfortunately, several hours of footage are missing.”

“What?” My voice rose despite my effort to stay calm. “How is that possible?”

“Someone tampered with it,” he said bluntly. “We can’t determine who or how, but it’s obvious the footage was erased intentionally.”

My stomach dropped. “So, what now?”

“Now,” he said, his voice carrying a warning edge, “you be careful. This isn’t just about your client’s reputation anymore. Someone’s playing a dangerous game, and they’ve covered their tracks well.”

“Thank you, Detective,” I said, my throat dry. “If I need anything else, I’ll let you know.”

“Be safe, Ms. Delgado,” he said before hanging up.

I stared at my phone for a moment, trying to process what I’d just heard. Missing footage? Tampering? This wasn’t just a PR nightmare, it was something darker. I needed help.

I scrolled to Gabe’s name in my contacts. The phone barely rang once before his voice came through, light and cheerful as always.

“What’s up, boss lady? Calling to tell me I’m your favorite again?”

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temple. “Gabe, this isn’t the time. I’ve got a serious problem.”

Concern replaced the teasing edge in his tone. “All right, lay it on me.”

“It’s Genevieve. Someone took her. I saw it with my own eyes. The hotel’s camera footage was erased, and I can’t reach her. She’s not answering her phone, her texts, or her emails. But that’s not even the worst of it.”

“Go on,” he said, his voice low and steady now.

“Her social media accounts are posting videos. Bragging about her antics. But Gabe, these captions… they don’t sound like her. They’re crude, they’re…” I paused, trying to find the right word. “Manufactured. It’s like someone’s deliberately trying to paint her as some kind of out-of-control mess.”

There was a beat of silence on the other end before he spoke again. “And you’re sure she’s not the one posting? Because the videos I’ve seen are definitely of Genevieve.”

“I’m positive.” My voice hardened with certainty. “Genevieve might have her wild side, but this isn’t her. She’d never post something like this, not when her entire career is on the line. It’s too important to her.”

Gabe let out a low whistle. “All right, I get it. So, what do you need from me?”

“I need you to hack into her accounts. Shut them down. Block whoever’s posting this shit from being able to do it again.”

There was a pause, and I could practically hear him weighing his options. “Eva, you realize that’s not exactly legal, right?”

“When has legality ever stopped you?” I shot back, leaning forward in my chair. “Gabe, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think this was serious. Someone’s trying to ruin her, and they’re doing a damn good job of it. If we can get the accounts shut down, that at least buys us a little time.”

“Fair enough.” His tone was resigned but determined. “I’ll do what I can. Give me a couple of hours, and I’ll see if I can lock her accounts down tight. No promises, though.”

Relief washed over me. “That’s all I’m asking. Thank you, Gabe. I owe you one.”

“You owe me a dozen at this point,” he quipped, the playful lilt back in his voice. “But hey, who’s keeping count? Just don’t forget me when you’re sipping champagne with Hollywood royalty.”

I laughed despite the tension still coiled in my chest. “I won’t forget you, Gabe. You’re my favorite PI, remember?”