The night air was chilly as Rina walked away from the imposing three-story mansion that stood as a proof to her past generosity. She had once held the keys to that house, and had been welcomed with open arms as the beloved daughter-in-law of the family. But now, she was nothing more than an outcast.
Her footsteps echoed in the silence of the empty street, each one a painful reminder of the life she had lost. She clutched the divorce papers in her hand, the inked signature a stark symbol of her shattered dreams. The tears that had dried on her cheeks left a trail of salt in their wake.As Rina walked further from the mansion, she couldn't help but replay the scene in her mind. She had arrived at her in-laws' home, her last hope for a place to stay, and had mustered the courage to explain her situation. The divorce, the betrayal, the plea for shelter.But instead of compassion or understanding, what she had received was cold indifference. Her in-laws, the people who had once smiled upon her, had rejected her. Their eyes had held no sympathy, no love, only disdain.It was as if the Rina who had once been their beloved daughter-in-law had never existed. In her place stood a woman they no longer recognized, a woman they were all too eager to cast out.She smiled. The Smith's were all the same. Callous and wicked. Rina regretted being a part of them.She smiled again, a sad smile. Everyone she had trusted had used and played her. But this was her saying goodbye.Goodbye to Finn.Goodbye to his family.And Goodbye to Rina Smith. She was coming back as Rina Power.From this moment on, the innocent and kind hearted Rina was dead.And the new Rina was only for Revenge!Rina returned to her old home.At the time her first scandal broke two years ago, the compensation for breach of contract had deflated her entire savings. The remnants of the property under her name had been used to pay off debts.The only things she had was this small cottage she had gotten the year she married. And to think that she had almost sold it last year when Finn’s family had a financial setback last year.After cleaning up, it was already evening. The news that she had been kicked out of her husband's home was still widely being discussed all over the internet.She sat on the sofa and took out her phone to check the internet.The topic, "Rina Power's divorce and miscarriage had become the number one hot search with almost a billion views and almost a million interactions.She scrolled through the hurtful comments, each one more hurtful than the former. After more than an hour of scrolling through comments, she sighed, exited the webpage and opened her contacts, finding a number she hadn't used in two years.Her agent, George Stone."Rina?!"A voice on the other end sounded uncertain, clearly surprised that Rina was suddenly contacting him."It's me." Rina's voice was calm, without any emotion.I want to make a comeback, can you help me arrange it" Rina replied, her resolve audible even via phone call."What?! George Stone jumped out of bed, stunned. This had to be the most shocking thing he had ever heard! It was like hearing an unbelievable utterance.Was Rina crazy or something? How could she suddenly say she wanted to make a comeback after five years of absence from the industry, plus the previous scandal and now, the trending news of her divorce, miscarriage, and infidelity. How did she plan to make a comeback with no resources at all?"Rina!" George Stone stuttered. "Making a comeback after five years… that's impossible." George didn't believe it was possible. Not with the whole buzz currently going on in the internet.With her current reputation being dragged through the mud by netizens, she still wanted to make a comeback?Surviving the onslaught of public opinion was already a miracle!"I know." George paced around the room barefoot, feeling anxious."You need to calm down first. Your situation is clear, and it's not realistic for you to make a comeback."It was more than unrealistic, it was a fantasy!Two years ago, the assaulting of upcoming male leads incident had caused a stir on theinternet, and Rina had become the first celebrity to be blacklisted by the entire network.She was also the first artist to be so heavily criticized that she was forced out of the entertainment industry.Back then, she had left in disgrace, her reputation in tatters, and her company had banned her.Now, she was entangled in a scandal of infidelity, and she had been kicked out of a family she made. Could someone like her really make a comeback?"We will make it possible, George." Rina's tired voice replied.'We?' George Stone couldn't help but wonder. He had been Rina's agent back when she was still the queen of the entertainment industry.She was the first artist he had worked with. Rina was the only reason he had gotten a chance in the Entertainment industry. With no backing and zero experience, Rina had chosen him out of the many experienced agents who begged to work with her. He owed his success story to her. But, what she was asking for was just too much and impossible.“Rina, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but you’ve been blacklisted from the entertainment industry and backlashes severely online. You know that. And with the current situation, there’s really nothing I can do to help.”“You can, George. You can help me speak to the higher ups to lift my ban. I will be very grateful to you.”“That’s impossible, Rina.” George countered. “Three years ago, you caused serious damage to the company and its reputation. Lifting the ban is an impossible thing.”“George, please. I don’t need to be promoted, just help me speak to them.” Rina begged.“I’m your former agent, what power do I have to speak on your behalf to the higher ups?”“George, please!”George felt irritable. Did she necessarily have to return to the entertainment world? With her talent and versatility, there were over a million other things she could do, and over a hundred other ways he could help her.Like, he could assist her financially to start a business somewhere far away from country A. She didn’t have to return. There was no salvation left for her there.“I can’t speak to the higher ups for you, Rina.” He really couldn’t, even though he was one of the biggest Agents in the country. “But, I can help you talk to a few producers. With your current reputation, I can’t assure you of a role, but I can at least help you get an audience with some producers.”“No problem.” Rina replied. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy making a comeback, but she trusted in her skills. All she needed was an audience, she was going to take care of the rest herself. “Thank you, George, I’ll repay this kindness.”“Don't bother repaying me. I owe you too much as is." With that, he hung up.Not long after, Rina's phone rang with a call from an unknown number. She picked it up."Hello, Mrs Rina Powers, I am Charles Lukeson, Mr Finn's Attorney. I'm calling to finalize the divorce agreement. Please, be at the City hall by 10 AM tomorrow for the legalization of the agreement.""Hearing this, Rina's heart constricted. Although she had signed the divorce agreement and decided to let go, it still hurt deep down."Miss Powers, are you there?" The Attorney's voice dragged her back to reality.Rina pushed back the pain in her heart, and emotionlessly said, "mm! I'll be there." After that, she hung up and bowed her head. Her heart felt heavy and her soul felt hurt.So Finn was really going through with the divorce!She let out a harsh exhale and lay on the bed.That night, before Rina went to bed, she got a message from George Stone.Three producers had agreed to meet with her tomorrow. He sent her the location. Two had agreed to meet at a hotel, while the last was busy and would meet on the set of his ongoing film.Seeing the meeting place of the first two, Rina's face changed to one of displease. But then, she had no choice.It was she who needed help.The following morning, she sat down for breakfast, her mind filled with determination. Slipping into a floral white dress, she couldn't help but feel the sharp contrast it posed to the somber occasion ahead. White, a symbol of purity, now took on new meaning. Today marked the beginning of her transformation, a rebirth of sorts. For herself and the memory of her tragically lost child, she vowed to reclaim her life and find solace once more.She put on a white sun hat and slipped into a pair of white stilettos. Gave herself a once over in front of the mirror, then picked a designer bag she hadn’t used in a long while. She took a cab to the city hall.On getting there, Finn and his lawyer were yet to arrive. She glanced at her wrist watch. It was almost Ten PM. She picked up her phone and dialed the lawyer’s number. On the second ring, the call was connected.“Hello, Mr. Attorney!”“Ms Powers, hello! My client is still having breakfast, could you wait a moment, we’ll be there soon.”Rina
"Well..." the director, Mr. Bellamy said, rising from his chair on the other side of the table and slowly walking towards Rina, who was on the verge of hopping out of her chair from discomfort."As you might already know, a lot of things have changed in your five years of being a housewife. So I thought it best to inform you..."Rina cringed as she felt both his hands on her shoulders. Immediately, she hopped out of her seat. "Get your filthy hands off me," she ordered, irritated by the thought of what the man was about to do."Mr. Bellamy," she said, her voice cold and firm. "I came here to discuss a role, not to be propositioned. I won't be part of your sick games."Mr. Bellamy's smile vanished, replaced by a sneer. "You think you're too good for this? Too good for me?" Back then when she was an A-list Actress, maybe. But now...He returned to his seat and leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. "With your current reputation, you still dare to act high and mighty? You're no long
It was late in the evenig when Rina decided to return home. She had stayed at a coffee shop after leaving Mr Bellamy’s office. And seeing as someone had trailed her to the director’s, who was to say there weren’t others reporters lurkinng around her. With her current reputation, she had angered a lot of internet users. If her address were to be found out and shared on the internet…she shivered at the thought of what they’d do. In the entertainment industry, there’s been cases where celebrities have angered netizens. Like four years ago, after Rina had quit on her career to focus on her marriage, netizens had longed for another capable face and talent to grace their screens and soon found her. Jennifer Viagro, one of the industry prinncesses. She was a very great talent, diverse in her field and if not for Rina’s extraordinary skills, she would have easily become a competition. She was a great actress who could easily play any role given to her. With her talent and Rina’s retirement
Zayn Graham slammed his fist on the mahogany desk, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury. His step-brother Jared had done it again - another reckless move that threatened to topple Zayn's carefully built business empire. "What were you thinking, Jared?" Zayn growled. "Signing off on that deal without my approval could cost us millions!" Jared, all 300 pounds of him, merely shrugged as he lounged on the leather sofa, munching on a bag of chips. "Relax, little bro. It's just business. Win some, lose some." Zayn took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. At 32, Jared was one year his senior, but acted like an impulsive teenager. As one of the managing directors of Graham Industries, a multinational conglomerate spanning tech, real estate, and media, Zayn had worked tirelessly to build the company into a powerhouse. But Jared, as a major shareholder, and also one of the managing directors seemed determined to sabotage it all. This latest stunt has involved Jared single
Rina's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry as she tried to focus on her surroundings. The stark white ceiling and antiseptic smell told her she was in a hospital. As her senses slowly returned, she became aware of a dull ache throughout her body, particularly intense in her lower abdomen. Memories flooded back. She had been so focused on her comeback in the Scottsdale entertainment industry that she had ignored the warning signs her body had been sending. The occasional sharp pains, the unexplained fatigue, the dizzy spells - she had attributed it all to stress and pushed through. Now, as she lay in the hospital bed, Rina realized how foolish she had been. The doctor's words echoed in her mind: internal haemorrhaging due to complications from her recent miscarriage. She had been walking around, putting her body through immense stress, all while bleeding internally. As her vision cleared, Rina's gaze fell upon a figure seated beside her bed. Her breath caught in her throat as she
The steady beep of medical equipment and the faint bustle of nurses in the hallway were like a consolation to Rina's troubled thoughts. She couldn't shake the memory of Zayn Graham’s intense gaze, the way his presence seemed to fill the entire room. Just as she was beginning to convince herself that the whole interaction had been a fever dream, the door to her room creaked open. Rina jerked, her heart racing as she recognized the tall figure of Zayn Graham stepping back into the room."Mr. Graham," she said, her voice betraying surprise and wariness. "I thought you'd left."Zayn's lips curved into a slight smile. "I did, but I realised I forgot something important."Rina's eyebrows frowned. "What did you forget?"Instead of answering immediately, Zayn moved further into the room, his steps measured and deliberate. His eyes never left Rina's face, and she found herself unable to look away. There was something in his gaze that she couldn't quite decipher – a hunger, perhaps, or a chall
Rina brushed her long black hair and packed it into a ponytail. She dabbed the powder applicator on her face, trying to look as best as she could before leaving her apartment. She smoothed the lines on her dress with her hand before walking away from the mirror and closing the door behind her. She was set to get herself a deal in one of the industries again, re-write her past and rise in influence once again. She had always fought for what she wanted from life and she wasn't going to back down now. Even though Zayn had proposed her marriage on his return, she didn't want to accept the fact that he was her only ticket to influence and good-fame once again in the city. She alighted from the cab and stood in front of a modern studio. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the studio. Ignoring the eyes of the onlookers, the whispers in hushed tones. She made her way for the producer's office. George Stone had helped her get an appointment with him a day ago. "Ms. Powers." The produce
Kayla paced around anxiously, her mobile phone clasped tightly between her fingers. She was in her private dressing room at the set of a movie and had just received a call from one of her many sources. Rina had gotten the lead female role in a potential movie. If she were to successfully feature in that movie, it was one step out of many into returning to the industry. She couldn't allow that.She smoothed her hair roughly and forced herself into the sofa beside the table, placed her phone on the table and stared at it for a while as if it was what determined her future. After the prolonged silence in her room, she picked up the phone again and dialled a number, the phone buzzed a couple of times and the line was connected soon enough. Kayla cleared her throat and donned on a fake smile despite the turmoil brewing in her. "Hello, Justin, it's Kayla. Are you busy? I was hoping we could talk.”"What is going on?" Justin King asked. He was the son of one of the ruling families in the
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