The gallery suddenly seemed to be devoid of people, even if their chatter had gone up a notch. She drowned out the noise unconsciously, unnerved by the looks in their eyes. “Seen what?” Rina looked from Isaiah to George, wondering what that was about. It didn’t seem like something she would be ecstatic to find out, but then again, Rina knew there hadn’t been enough ecstasy in her life since the spread of the rumors started.“Didn’t you see the people gathered at the entrance of the gallery?”“The oil paintings lining the wall?” She angled her head, even if anxiety was eating away at her.George nodded, then sighed. “I think it's best you see it yourself. I must warn you though, there’s nothing joyous about it.”“There’s nothing joyous about what my anti-fans think of me,” Rina murmured, allowing George to lead the way while Isaiah came up at the rear. The small crowd that had gathered parted ways and whispers graced their lips as the trio approached the line of paintings. They stopped
The next day, Rina got a forwarded mail from her manager while getting ready for work. She opened it once, her eyes reading the message in one glance. She heaved a sigh of relief, going through the details again. The phone vibrated in her hands, and she picked up the call at once.“George, I got the mail. What do you think?”“I received it late last night and had to research the production house first before sending it to you. They are legit, and the best news is you wouldn’t have to leave the country to work for them since they are a local production house. If it is something you want to do, I can reach out to them to schedule a meeting on your behalf.”“Yes,” Rina nodded. “I trust your judgment. Since you’ve done your research, I can go ahead with it. It will at least, keep me busy until something else comes along. And the longer I stay at O.S.N fashion house, the more I put Joel’s business on the line. He doesn’t want to admit it, but I know his sales are suffering because of me. P
Zayn navigated through the traffic, drumming his finger on the steering at intervals. Returning to the country had been a spontaneous decision he had made the previous night, weighing the cons and pros in his head before calling the pilot to prepare the jet for take-off. Graham Conglomerates had already been launched over there, but there were a few things that were left before business could begin, but he’d decided to leave it to Mago to handle.“What are you thinking about?” Rina asked quietly. He had felt her eyes on him since they left the villa, but for the first time, Zayn wasn’t certain of what to say to her. He felt himself pulled under by some feelings he couldn’t decipher, and now, he felt his principles crumbling. Years, and even months ago, Zayn never believed in love. He saw it as the unnecessary release of chemicals, that only ended up doing more harm than good. But now, something had changed. It was… Zayn shook his head abruptly, refusing to accept it.“Nothing,” he mur
“I wonder what that was about,” Joel murmured as he stepped in through the doors. Rina had been deep in a conversation with the photographer, so he met her in the hallway. She peered at him, noting the worry lines on his face.“Is it some of my anti-fans?” They were always up to something, so Rina didn’t doubt the possibility of them causing some trouble with Joel. It was all the more reason she needed to get moving.“It’s Mr. Graham. I met him outside and he seemed so … I don’t know, angry. Like I’d done something wrong. Remember when we got into that contract and I told you it felt like he was constantly attacking me? It felt like we were back on that page. I was going to schedule a meeting to split the output from the fashion show, but he didn’t even want to hear it. He asked me to keep it all.”If Joel had paid close attention, he would have seen the sudden change in Rina’s eyes, how they watched him with an emotion that bothered on pity. He would have figured out that she knew th
It was hard avoiding him in the same building, as even though he’d been doing so since he confessed his feelings, it just felt different this time. She could feel his presence, looming in the hallways, yet she never bumped into him. Even as she told the models it would be her last day working with them, she half-expected to see his intense eyes by the door, watching with a scowl on his face. That would have been better than the last look he’d directed her way on the first floor earlier that day. It made the hair on the back of Rina’s head stand.However, the worries about Joel soon got immersed with the others when George sent her another email. It was a confirmation message from the production house, scheduling the following day for the meeting to discuss the terms of their contract and how long it would subsist. Rina didn’t think it would be that soon, as she had already planned on spending the day indoors.Her fingers hovered above the call icon, but George was faster as the phone
Rina was outside the building the following day, staring up at the white walls. They looked really enticing from out there, the floor-length windows creating an aura, like they were stuck in the depths of modernization and making no move to return to the past. The name of the production house was written in fine calligraphy above the building, big enough for everyone to see while walking past. There was something about the name -Allure, but Rina didn’t give it too much thought. She was just so excited about the prospects of being back on screens.Looking at her rearview mirror for the umpteenth time, Rina touched the perfect curls of her hair and angled her head to ensure the makeup was not one hair out of place. Even though she knew she was capable of wowing the directors away, it still took her back to the very first audition she’d attended, before she got scouted by Scottsdale Entertainment. She remembered the nerves that had worked their way into her bones and threatened to ruin e
The ceiling-to-floor length window allowed the warmth of the sun rays, to soak into the oddly quiet room. The golden hues created a soft glow on Rina’s face and she closed her eyes briefly, allowing it to go through her. If the situation had been any different, she might have left a comment about how the location of the production company seemed to have been strategically placed, that even though the room was bare, save the sparse furniture in the middle, it still gave that warm aura it was meant to. The chill she had felt first in the room had been dispelled by the sunlight, and Rina found herself relaxing.But not George. He had stared at the watch on his wrist a million times already, wondering when the meeting would commence. His eyes darted to the door at intervals, waiting for the person the rest of the team had mentioned they were expecting. But it remained shut, the fine polish enjoying the glow of the sun too. He sighed in his seat, albeit inaudibly so he wouldn’t ruin Rina’s
“I don’t think I can sign a contract blindly.” It was the first time Rina had spoken since the commencement of the meeting. “It’s the pattern of relation with every other production house I have worked with. At least, I need to know the genre of movie I am going to be employed for at sets. It's easier that way to make informed decisions. Do you not agree, George?”Her manager nodded with glee. “That is the policy we operate with. And considering how urgent it seemed from our last correspondence, I think we can just hasten things up in here with more details concerning the movie.”The woman spoke next. “You are going to star as the lead actress,” she muttered, confirming George’s speculation. “And that means a lot of attention is going to be on you.”Rina didn’t know the reason she felt like they were stalling, but it was there, persistent and strong. The young man’s eyes darted to the door, as if for help, but it remained strongly shut, making a mockery of his plea.“You are going to
EpilogueFive Months Later"With all the evidence presented before me, I have every reason to believe that Mr. Nathan Graham is guilty of a three-count murder charge, blackmail, money laundering, threats, and drug dealing," the judge declared.The courtroom was thick with tension. Every breath, every movement was weighed down by anticipation. Nathan sat stone-faced, but his eyes burned with malice as he glared at Rina, promising vengeance even from behind bars."I hereby sentence Mr. Nathan Graham to life imprisonment with hard labor."Gasps echoed through the room. Nathan clenched his fists as the reality of his fate sank in. His gaze flickered to his parents, searching for even a shred of sympathy. There was none. Instead, their stony expressions confirmed what he had failed to realize before—his parents had been backing Rina all along. The betrayal hit him harder than the sentence itself."I don’t think—""Counsel, please remove your client. Any further disruptions will only worsen
Four Months LaterRina's routine had become predictable—home, hospital, repeat. She had no time for idle conversations or anything that didn’t offer practical solutions.In the midst of everything, she and Mrs Graham had developed an unspoken understanding, rotating their hospital visits so they could each get some rest. Despite their initial differences, the situation had bonded them.That evening, Rina glanced at the time on her phone. She should already be home preparing dinner. Cooking had become her form of therapy—a temporary escape from the overwhelming reality she faced. Besides, her pregnancy cravings were relentless, and hunger gnawed at her stomach every now and then.Her phone rang again, and she already knew who it was."Rina, I know you're about to start cooking up a storm," her mother-in-law's warm but concerned voice came through. "Why don't you take a break? Zayn wouldn't want you overexerting yourself."Rina smiled slightly, though fatigue weighed on her bones. She a
"Rina, I think you need to pick up the phone.”Rina barely acknowledged the George’s words, lazily reaching for her ringing phone at the edge of the bed. She sighed, half-expecting it to be Nathan again.“Yes?” she answered, her voice sharp with irritation.“This is the Central Hospital. Am I speaking with Miss Rina?” a formal yet urgent voice asked.Her brows furrowed. “Yes, this is Rina.”“Mr. Zayn Graham has been involved in an accident, and we require your immediate presence before proceeding with a blood transfusion and other treatments. Can you come?”The words hit her like a freight train.Rina’s breath caught in her throat. Zayn.Never had she imagined she’d find herself in this situation—standing on the precipice of something irreversible.“I’ll be there immediately,” she said, her voice shaking.She grabbed the first set of clothes she could find and rushed out of the house, her heart pounding with dread.She arrived at the hospital in record time, barely aware of how she go
Zayn watched as Rina packed her belongings with sharp, deliberate movements. Her scowl was the only warning he needed—she wasn’t in the mood to listen. He wanted to tell her the truth, to explain everything, but he knew it wouldn’t matter right now.Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Igor If she wanted to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her—not like this.“Take her home safely,” he instructed, his voice void of emotion.Rina clenched her fists. He wasn’t even going to fight for her. That hurt more than the betrayal itself.She had wasted her time on him. She should have known he was like every other man.A few hours later, she was back to her cottage sitting in silence. The worst part? He hadn’t even tried to defend himself. He had just… let her go. That made it worse—worse than the rumors, worse than Nathan’s revelations, worse than the pictures she had seen online.Nathan, at least, was there to fill in the blanks. He was the only one who seemed to care enough to tell her wh
The days following Kayla Reese’s exposure were nothing short of chaotic.News outlets, social media platforms, and tabloids were flooded with updates about her arrest and the Reese family’s collapse.#JusticeForRina and #KaylaReeseExposed trended for days, while old interviews, articles, and videos surfaced—showing how Rina had suffered for years because of Kayla’s actions.Netizens Demanded JusticeIn comment sections across social media, apologies to Rina Powers poured in."I feel so ashamed. I was one of the people who dragged her. I'm so sorry, Rina.""I can’t believe we turned against her for so long. This woman went through HELL.""We owe Rina an apology. She deserves the world."But netizens weren’t just apologizing—they were also going after the young actors who had lied against Rina three years ago."So now that Kayla is exposed, WHERE are the actors who lied about Rina?""I hope those ‘up-and-coming’ actors are ready to face consequences.""We need those fake witnesses to co
Despite the man’s confession reversing his previous statement, a significant portion of Kayla’s fans and other netizens refused to believe him. The sudden shift in his stance made them skeptical.“How does a man go from accusing Rina to suddenly defending her in 24 hours?”o9“She probably paid him off. The timing is too suspicious.”“Rina has finally bought her way out of this. What’s new?”The hashtags #RinaIsAWitch, #RinaIsAManipulator, #RinaIsEvil, and #RinaIsAHeartlessFriend surged to the top of trending lists. The internet was once again divided, and Kayla’s camp felt victorious.“We’re back in control,” Damien smirked, taking a sip of his drink as he scrolled through the hate comments directed at Rina.Kayla, lounging on the sofa, smirked. “Of course, we are. People believe what they want to believe. And right now? They want to see Rina suffer.”Just as they were about to toast to their small victory, Damien’s phone buzzed with a notification. His smirk vanished instantly.Kayla
George stared at his phone for a moment, then sighed. He knew better than to question Zayn Graham’s methods. The man was always ten steps ahead of everyone else, and if he said he’d handle it, then the situation was about to take a dramatic turn.Sliding his phone back into his pocket, he turned to Rina. She was still staring at the screen, her face unreadable.“What was that about?” she asked, her voice calm but laced with suspicion.“Just a call I had to take,” George said smoothly, not daring to mention Zayn’s name. “Listen, Rina, I know things look bad right now, but we still have a shot at turning this around. We just need—”“We need proof,” Rina cut in, her gaze shifting to him, sharp and determined. “I don’t care about public opinion anymore. I want the truth out there. I want that man exposed, and I want Kayla to rot for what she’s done.”George hesitated. “Rina…”“No.” She stood, pushing back her chair. “I’ve played nice for too long. I let people walk all over me, let them d
As George stepped out of the room, Rina glanced at the clock. It was nearly time for her planned livestream. She’d decided earlier that morning to address her fans directly, to try and regain control of the narrative.She sat in front of her ring light and adjusted her camera, her heart racing. For someone used to the spotlight, this felt different. This wasn’t a red carpet or a press event—this was her, raw and vulnerable, speaking directly to the people who had the power to either support her or tear her down.After a deep breath, she hit the “Go Live” button. Within seconds, thousands of viewers flooded in, the chat scrolling rapidly with a mix of messages:“We’re with you, Rina!”“Is it true what they’re saying?”“Why didn’t you address this sooner?”“Hi, everyone,” she began, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. “I know there’s been a lot said about me in the past few days. I wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly, without any filters or edits.”Just as
The mornings sun was up and lovely. Rina looked outside her bedroom, wondering how her life had become this way, especially after she had reminded herself of many reasons why she shouldn't get romantically involved with any man because of what she had faced in the past. But here she was contemplating how she was going to make the most of her relationship with Zayn. She couldn't deny the passion that she felt after kissing him and knew that lying to herself was useless at this point. If she could turn back the hands of time, she probably wouldn't have taken that offer, but now she had no choice but to live with it. Pretending that they had never kissed was the coward's way out which she didn't want to take. She prided herself on being an adult who could make her decisions and stick to them but right now she didn't think she fit that category because of every emotion she felt in the last few minutes. Something was wrong with her and it was her duty to find out.Tired of hiding inside