"Which are?" Phoebe asked, her curiosity piqued.
"First ... about the man you've been seeing lately. And..." Julian trailed off, his gaze dropping to the table.
"And what?"
"And the news that's trending everywhere right now."
The words hit her like a physical impact, making her heart violently stutter in her chest. "Trending news?" Phoebe's brow furrowed, feigning absolute ignorance. Inside, her mind was already racing back to a specific headline, the very one that had entirely derailed her peace of mind the night before.
"Yes, it's trending everywhere," Julian said, his eyes locked onto hers. "It's gone completely global. For it to reach my ears, it must be massive. Haven't you seen it yet?"
With a heavy, deliberate movement, Phoebe shook her head. "No. I haven't been feeling well lately, and office matters have been keeping my head spinning. What kind of news is it anyway?" She fought to keep her tone casual, masking the dread pooling in her stomach.
