The living room felt like storm-air, thick and humming, when the lawyers finally stepped in. Three of them. Dark suits, clipped voices, eyes already scanning the room like scanners slicing through truth and panic.
Charles shook their hands with the stiffness of a man balancing fury and fear. Sara stayed beside Kairo, one hand quietly tracing circles on his back, grounding him. Kairo sat forward, elbows on his knees, hair a disheveled halo, eyes swollen yet determined, as if he were forcing himself not to drown in humiliation.
"Mr. Valen," the lead attorney, spoke gently. "We saw the interview. We're here to assess the situation and next steps."
Charles sat across, jaw tight. "Ask whatever you need."
The junior lawyer flipped open her notepad, tone calm but firm. "First question: your relationship with Aisha. What exactly was it?"
Kairo swallowed, voice still raw. "We dated in college. Barely a month. I broke up with her when I found out she was two-timing me."
The lawyer nodded. "Have you had any contact with her since then? Direct or indirect?"
"No." His answer was immediate. "We stayed in the same class for another year, but I never spoke to her again. She tried to spread rumors that I cheated on her, but I didn't react. Back then, I didn't care enough to respond."
The lawyer tapped her pen. "Any messages, emails, calls, anything that could be interpreted as hostile or manipulative from either side?"
Kairo shook his head. "Nothing. After that breakup, I dated a few people. And at the end of college, I met Sara… my wife." His grip tightened around Sara's hand. "I fell for her sincerely. Later, we separated because of a misunderstanding, and three years later, when I discovered I had a child with her, I went back, apologized, and married her. It's been almost a year, and we've been happy since then."
Sara's thumb brushed over his knuckles. He steadied, shoulders loosening just a little.
Kairo continued, voice gentler but truthful. "The allegations being aired right now in the media… they're twisted. They used parts of our past and made it look ugly. It was Sara who was pregnant with my child when we broke up. But I didn't know about that. If I had known, I would never have left her."
He took a shaky breath. "Yes, I was a Casanova in college. I dated around. But I never cheated. Never forced anyone. Never manipulated anyone. Everything was consensual. I was careless and lost back then, but never cruel."
The room stayed still, everyone listening.
Then Sara spoke, her voice steady with conviction. "Everything he's saying is true, Mr. Attorney. I saw him throughout college. He never forced any girl. In fact… many he dated used him and left when it suited them."
Kairo's eyes dropped, shame flickering.
Sara went on, "Aisha lied back then, too. After the breakup, I remember her spreading rumors about him, making him look like the villain. And whatever happened between Kairo and me was because of a misunderstanding. When he learned the truth, he came back, apologized, and took responsibility for our child and me with sincerity and love."
Her hand slid up to his arm. He exhaled, finally feeling like someone was fighting beside him instead of against him.
The room shifted subtly, less storm, more gravity. The lawyers exchanged glances, something settling, something shaping into clarity.
"Why did you keep your marriage a secret?" the lady attorney asked.
"I asked him to," Sara answered calmly. "I didn't want unnecessary publicity or attention on our relationship. Our relationship had already gone through so much… I wanted peace, not headlines." Her voice carried honesty without a single crack.
The senior attorney, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. His voice carried a steady weight. "Good. This level of honesty is exactly what we need. Facts matter. Transparency matters. And I hope both of you are being clear."
Sara and Charles released a breath at the same time.
"What's the next step, Mr. Attorney?" Sara asked softly.
The Attorney looked at them, "The quickest way to take back control is a press conference," he said. "Simple. Direct. Transparent. You speak before the rumor cyclone gets any bigger."
He flipped a page in his folder. "Before that, may I get a copy of your marriage certificate for legal verification?"
"Yes, I'll get it for you right away," Sara nodded.
He nodded, "You won't be answering hostile questions. We'll control the format. But your presence will show confidence and clarity."
He glanced between them. "What you'll clarify is simple: You and your wife dated in college. You separated briefly due to a misunderstanding. Later, when the truth surfaced, you reconciled. And last year, you legalized your marriage. End of story."
Kairo frowned, instinctively bristling. "But that's not the full—"
The attorney caught it instantly. "I know what you're thinking," he said. "You want to be completely honest about everything in between. But right now, the media is dragging you through the mud. If you confess every raw detail, give them complicated timelines, they'll weaponize every gap, and the world will twist it into something uglier."
Kairo opened his mouth, but the attorney gently lifted a hand.
"Think strategically. Not emotionally." He leaned forward, tone practical, strategic. "The three-year gap doesn't need to be discussed publicly. It's personal and irrelevant to the false allegations. What matters is the truth, that you never abandoned your wife, that your child was never neglected, and that your relationship is legitimate."
He continued, voice firm. "Right now, the public sees chaos. You need a clean, concise narrative. Any gaps… and they will assume the worst. So we keep the explanation simple: you drifted apart, you reunited, you married. That's it."
Kairo's jaw tightened, but he listened.
"Well, inform your PR team to soften the image, correct the misinterpretations, and present the facts clearly. As for Aisha," he continued, flipping the file shut, "we handle her in court, not on social media."
"Legally?" Charles asked, back in businessman mode.
"Yes. We suggest filing a defamation suit immediately," the second lawyer said. "Also, charges for spreading misinformation, reputational damage, emotional harassment, and false allegations. She used the media to defame you without evidence. That works in our favor. Will teach her the best lesson in the court."
Charles nodded. "Do it. All of it."
Kairo looked up slowly. "She's… lying about me. About everything. I just want this to stop." His voice broke. "But I don't want to… destroy her life."
Senior Attorney held his gaze. "You're not destroying anyone. You're defending yourself. She escalated. Now we respond."
Sara whispered, "It's protecting your name, Kairo. Your truth."
Kairo looked at her, eyes wet, something steadier forming beneath the wrecked surface."Okay… file the case," he said. "I'll… I'll do the press conference."
The lawyers exchanged a brief nod.
"Try to relax, Mr. Kairo," the senior attorney said gently. "Everything will be handled. Just focus on tomorrow's press conference and get your PR team working as soon as possible." His eyes softened for a moment; he could clearly see what Kairo had just gone through.
"I'll take care of that," Charles replied firmly.
"Good. Then we'll start our work." The attorney gathered his files and stood, moving with the brisk energy of someone stepping straight into battle. Sara handed him a copy of their marriage certificate before they left to prepare the official documents.
As the door closed behind them, the tension in the room finally eased a little. Charles let out a long, heavy breath and dragged a hand through his hair, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders.
Kairo sat there silently, eyes still swollen, knuckles pale, the storm inside him slowly calming but nowhere near gone. Sara moved closer, her presence steady like a warm light in the wreckage. She cupped his face gently. "We'll get through this. Together. Don't worry."
And for the first time since the scandal broke, Kairo let out a breath that sounded almost like relief.