Lena paced her room, Sophie's voice echoing in her ear through the phone.
"Lena, don't panic, okay? But…" Sophie hesitated, and Lena's heart squeezed tighter. "Someone posted about you on one of the society gossip pages. It's spreading like wildfire."
"What do you mean about me?" Lena asked, her throat dry.
Sophie sighed. "They're saying you only got close to Adrian because you're… desperate. That you've always gone after wealthy men. And—"
Lena froze. "And?"
"There are old pictures of you," Sophie whispered. "From that scholarship gala in college. Someone twisted it to make it look like you were chasing sponsors instead of working hard for your place."
Her knees weakened, and she sank onto the edge of the bed. She remembered that night vividly—the proud moment she'd received her scholarship, her smile wide as she posed with the donors who had believed in her. Now, Clara had turned it into something dirty.
"Lena? Are you there?" Sophie's voice pulled her back.
"Yes," Lena croaked, gripping the phone tightly. "I'm here."
The call ended, but the echo of those cruel words lingered. She didn't have to check her phone to know the comments would be brutal. Society loved to tear apart anyone who didn't fit their perfect mold.
She stood there for several moments, trembling, until a calm voice broke the silence.
"Bad news?"
Lena spun around. Adrian leaned against the doorframe, his eyes narrowed—not with judgment, but with a sharpness that unsettled her. He had been watching. Listening.
"I…" She faltered, clutching her phone. "There's a rumor about me. It's ugly, and people will believe it."
Adrian stepped forward, his presence overwhelming yet steady. "Rumors are currency in this world. Most of them burn out quickly."
"But this one won't," Lena whispered. "It has pictures. Twisted versions of the truth."
For the first time, his gaze softened. He crouched slightly, lowering himself to her eye level. "Then let it burn. The truth doesn't bend just because they say it does."
Her chest tightened. "You don't understand. To people like Clara, this is everything. Reputation is power."
Adrian's expression grew colder at the mention of Clara's name. "Then she's the one who should be worried."
The certainty in his tone sent a strange warmth through Lena's chest. For the first time, she wasn't alone in this fight.
But far away, Clara was already smiling as her phone buzzed with updates. The first strike had landed. And she was only just beginning.