In that second, it was one of two things. Either he didn't recognize her or Rina found a way to open the earth and allow it to receive her. But she did neither, as hurt and then anger crossed his face. "Rina?"She swallowed and then got up slowly, her head reeling, trying to think of the most suitable explanation that had nothing to do with the truth. She couldn’t lose him since that was what Finn wanted, but at the same time, telling him the truth just might escalate things, and Rina wasn’t sure she was ready for that again. The last year had been so dramatic for her and she just wanted a shred of normalcy. Was that too much to ask for?“Zayn,” she sighed. “What are you doing in here?”"I should be asking you that!" he shot back. Rina had chosen the perfect space to meet up with Finn. It was a restaurant that was barely visited and was already running out of sales. They had a plan to sell it by the end of the year, and everyone had gotten the news already so no one came around. When
The ride to Zayn's office was one of the longest she'd ever been on, as her mind kept reeling, wondering if she was making the right decision if she wasn't letting her feelings for Zayn get in the way of her rationality. She remembered the way she had spoken to Finn, coupled with the fact that he still had videos of her from when they were still married, and it made her stomach churn in disgust and her blood roar in anger. The driver looked at her from the rearview mirror as Rina sighed for the umpteenth time. "Ma'am," he started with concern laced in his tone. "Are you alright? Is there something bothering you? Talking about it helps."Rina resisted the urge to snort as she knew very well what happened when Kayla weaved those lies about her on the media. That was all it took for anyone to get back at her for some unbiased anger they felt. All she had to do was to open up to someone about how she really felt and what had been going on, and there was a really high chance it was going t
Zayn had just gotten into his office, anger coursing through every part of him, when the door suddenly opened, and Jada strolled in like she owned the place. He had invited her himself to ask her certain questions about the picture she'd shown him a few days back because, at the end of the day, no matter how he thought about it or what he had seen, Zayn had a feeling there was more to it. And he hated being in the dark. There was also the fact that William was right. There was a high chance that Jada had been lying, given her proven track record for that. It was no news that she hated Rina and the fact that she was getting married to Zayn. Anyone in her shoes would have been out and about, looking for ways to bring about an end to their union. Still, what was Rina doing there with Finn, even after the restraining order he had filed against him? Why hadn't she called Zayn or reported to the police? She had them at her beck and call because of the person she was in the country, even aw
Rina watched the scene, detached from every emotion, as Zayn told Jada to get out in an eerily calm tone. She couldn't decide which was scarier, when he used his bass or right now, with him speaking like he wasn't upset when, in truth, he was almost boiling over. She wondered what would happen from that moment on, whether he would treat her like Jada and demand that she leave the office and his entire life, too. As she stood there, Rina tried to decipher what she would do if that happened. She had lived almost one year without knowing any other friend but Zayn, and she thought that it would be hard to say goodbye to him. But at the same time, Rina knew how that scene with Finn would have looked to him or to anyone at all who had seen them. She knew she should have just told Zayn about the blackmail on the spot, but she'd been scared that Finn would do something stupid. But maybe, for once, she should learn how to let go and let Zayn take control as he had always wanted to. Rina under
Jada was furious as she walked into the huge apartment, almost always empty save for days like these. They had to watch their backs, knowing that Zayn wasn't stupid. He probably had been watching them for months already, but even though he wasn't, they still needed to be careful around him. One thing that Zayn was, and that everyone knew him to be, was fucking smart. Nothing went past him without him picking a whiff of it, and it was worse when they got him infuriated. He would stop at nothing to ensure he got his hands on them, and his fury was the worst thing anyone could ever experience. It was more terrible than the death sentence ordered by the courts because Zayn wouldn't let any of his enemies go away that easily. He thought death was too simple a punishment, but instead, he would leave one alive long enough to regret their existence. The mere thought brought a shudder down her spine, but Jada knew she had to think about it because it was the exact thing they needed to be worr
William strolled into the room with a smile on his face, flicking his wrist as if it hurt. He stopped when he took in the group in the room, and sighed “That is such a strong door you have there. I don’t think I have broken down something like this in so long.”“What are you doing here, William?” Nathan asked, pushing back slowly. Kayla and Jada did the same, taking small steps further into the house and putting as much distance as they could between them and the menacingly approaching figure. “I apologize for the mess, though,” he continued, ignoring Nathan’s question. “Zayn is going to fix it up, but I can’t say if the property is still going to be in your name, you know?”“He has no right to take it away from me,” Nathan blurted. “Just in case you have forgotten, I am his older brother. This property was given to me by our father, and thus, it is totally outside of his reach.”“Tsk.” William shook his head. “Every time, you seem to forget the rest part of an instruction the minute
Rina got the news of her playing the lead in the new part of the movie, and excitement coursed through her as she made her way down to Scottsdale to sign some papers and get her script. George couldn’t go with her as he had a meeting outside town with a new client, so she went with Igor instead, sitting at the passenger’s side of the car while he skillfully navigated the traffic to get her there on time. Things had gone back to normal since Finn got arrested, and it was like the drama had finally come to a halt. Although, the one thing Rina wanted, which was for Zayn to tell her how he felt about her, was yet to happen. He was still measured and controlled in how he related to her, barely even grazing her skin each time they were in the same room. He'd stopped coming into her bathroom like he usually did each time she was having a bath but now stayed away from the villa as a whole, returning only when entirely necessary. Rina could feel him running away from something. She had notic
Kayla watched Rina speaking to Regina from the top floor and crossed her arms across her chest, wondering what their conversation was about. It couldn’t be anything related to acting, as the submissive look in Regina’s eyes and the haughty look in Rina’s didn’t exactly depict that. Angling her head, Kayla remembered she had seen Regina with her right-hand man just the previous night before he had taken her home from Scottsdale. They’d been out in the garage, talking about something, with their eyes hiding the beginning of a budding romance. Perhaps, that wasn’t all it was. She should have paid more attention, maybe even listened in on their conversation before interrupting them in that manner.Her right-hand man would never divulge any information about Kayla. Or at least, that was what she thought. But just to be safe, Kayla made the decision right there to play her last card. She had been holding on to it for as long as she could remember, but maybe it was time to let go. Smiling cr
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