The next day, Sophia tried a new plan. This time, words would be her weapon. She leaned close to a group of girls in the hallway. "Did you know?" she whispered. "Lina is trying to catch the attention of an older man. I saw her yesterday with someone rich. A car picked her up."
The girls gasped. "Really? Lina?" Sophia smiled sweetly. "Don't tell anyone. I just don't want her to be embarrassed."
By lunchtime, the rumor spread through the whole school. Everywhere Lina walked, she felt stares and heard giggles. "Gold-digger," someone muttered. "Acting innocent but chasing money." Lina clenched her books tightly. She didn't understand. Why are they saying this about me? In class, her best friend Anna whispered, "Lina, is it true? About you and some rich man?"Lina's eyes widened. "No! I don't even know what you're talking about." But the rumor didn't stop. Even some teachers looked at her differently. Lina felt heavy inside, as if the whole school had turned against her. At the back of the room, Sophia hid her smirk behind a book. To everyone else, she looked innocent, but inside she laughed. This time, you can't escape. Everyone will see you as a liar.
What Sophia didn't know was that Ethan himself would soon appear at the school — and the lies would begin to break apart.