The meeting had taken shorter than the board had planned, because Rina had come prepared, with a list of everything she wanted. George took the fore, flaunting his bargaining power as he refused to settle for nothing else apart from what they had come with. In the end, Rina had gotten it, along with a job as a second lead role in a series that was beginning the following day. Theyâd had to adjust the schedule to work around Rinaâs time because she also had a job with Claire, which was pretty much important. So, that meant she would have to travel to Hong Kong at intervals. The scenes that starred her had to be kept till she was back.On their way out, striding down the hallway, Kayla came out of nowhere and blocked Rinaâs path. She was furious and didnât even bother hiding it. Well, there was no need to as no one else was in the hallway, and she had chosen a spot the cameras couldnât get to. âWill you be fine?â George asked when Rina nudged him silently to leave. She nodded, and Geo
Rina met the rest of the team the following day on set. She arrived there in her new sports car and strolled inside in her thigh-high boots and a little black dress. Her newly dyed blonde hair gave her the chic look she'd been looking for, perfectly matching the excitement bubbling inside her. She hadn't been on set in almost five years, since she left acting to focus on her family. She could feel the tingles in her fingertips as she stepped into the set, a location upstate. The minute she was inside, everyone noticed her all at once. The director came up to her, as Rinaâs assistants, along with Ginny, flanked her on both sides. The director, a charismatic middle-aged man was over the moon to have Rina on his set, and he expressed it in a thousand words. âWhen I brought the script to Scottsdale, I didnât think I was going to be getting you, sinceâĶyou knowâĶ But you are here right now, and I just canât believe it.âRina didn't know him so this had to be his first production. "I'm honor
On her way back to the villa after spending the whole day on set, Rin toyed with the idea of calling either Igor or William to come drive her. She felt exhaustion all around her, and her fingers slid off the steering at intervals, sleep threatening to overtake her. Pulling over to the side of the road, Rina leaned back into the headrest and took deep breaths. She reached for her phone to call Zayn, but suddenly, there was a rapt on her window. She looked up to see Finn smiling down at her, and Rina couldn't resist the groan that escaped her lips. Finn had been trying his best to get back with her, and it was getting borderline obsessive. He was everywhere, from her set to the parking lot, telling her that she wouldn't be able to get married to Zayn if he took her away from him. He boldly flaunted the restraining order without a second thought, and at that point, Rina was seriously considering the possibility of it being a mental illness. Everyone in the country feared Zayn and didn't
Zayn had decided to stay back in his mansion that night, as he had a flight to catch early the following morning. Or at least, that was what he made himself believe. But the truth was that he caught himself thinking about something he shouldn't have, and it had rattled him. A few hours before he returned to his mansion, he was at the office trying to close for the day, when he thought about going to get Rina from her set. He hadn't done it once since she started shooting, intentionally because he thought he needed to give her enough space so as not to make her think there was anything more than the contract between them.Even though it was true that it was practically impossible to hide their sexual attraction, the air always sizzling with tension anytime they were next to each other, Zayn still fought his feelings hard. Sitting there in his office and thinking about how refreshing a ride with her would be, even thinking about stopping at his favorite food truck so they could eat unde
Rina was on set the following day, just hoping to get through it so she could go see Finn to have a proper discussion, as they had agreed the last time he accosted her on the road. Perhaps, informing Zayn was important, but Rina didnât want him to get involved in something like that. It could get Finn upset, and knowing how fickle-minded and obsessed he was right now, Rina didnât doubt the possibility of her ex-husband releasing the tape if he saw that Zayn was involved. She was distracted during her scenes, but after a while, pushed it to the back of her mind. It was supposed to be the last day of the first part, and the director had still not said anything about there being a second part. The reviews for the trailer were already great, as Rinaâs name was always flooding the comments. Still, it wasnât enough to make a decision. They just needed to get through with the premier first and then, see what happened. After her last scene, where Rina tried to get Zicoâs attention, having a
Zayn attended the premier with Rina, but even though she was right beside him, he could feel her attention slipping away every minute. Although she was still angry about his question the last time, she still hadn't given him any reasonable reply, but he had noticed how sneaky she was. Usually, Rina left her phone lying anywhere, often with Zayn going up to her room to get it to her when he realized it. But in recent times, she had it on her, always texting away even during dinner. Sometimes, he saw worry lines stretch out on her forehead, and at other times, she tried to mask it with a smile. But Zayn knew her well enough to be able to tell that something was up. His mind went back to Jadaâs visit, and even though he didnât want to believe her, Rina had sure changed. Zayn had promised himself that he wouldnât use his connections to find out anything about Rina, as he believed she would always tell him anything he needed to know. It irked that he had to keep to his words and do absolu
Back at the cinema, Rina waited for the credits to roll before picking up her bag and walking out of the hall. It was the perfect facade she needed so no one would question her whereabouts. Walking out to the red carpet, gratefully devoid of a crowd since most of them were inside, Rina walked out to the front and ordered a ride. She had come with Zayn in his car and even though she knew there was no way he was going to leave her there without sending another car over, Rina didn't want him or the driver knowing of her whereabouts. Finn was beginning to get overbearing, making audacious threats now. The last time, he had appeared in Hong Kong to see her at the brandâs building, with a sinister smile and dark eyes. He had absolutely nothing to lose, as he had made quite clear that day, but Rinaâs reputation would be on the line. No one could see them together, especially now that she was to get married to the most powerful man in the country. That alone had drawn a lot of attention, and
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 couldnât lose him since that was what Finn wanted, but at the same time, telling him the truth just might escalate things, and Rina wasnât 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?âZayn,â she sighed. âWhat are you doing in here?â"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
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 beforeâhis parents had been backing Rina all along. The betrayal hit him harder than the sentence itself."I donât thinkâ""Counsel, please remove your client. Any further disruptions will only worsen
Four Months LaterRina's routine had become predictableâhome, hospital, repeat. She had no time for idle conversations or anything that didnât 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 therapyâa 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.âRina barely acknowledged the Georgeâs words, lazily reaching for her ringing phone at the edge of the bed. She sighed, half-expecting it to be Nathan again.âYes?â she answered, her voice sharp with irritation.âThis is the Central Hospital. Am I speaking with Miss Rina?â a formal yet urgent voice asked.Her brows furrowed. âYes, this is Rina.ââMr. 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?âThe words hit her like a freight train.Rinaâs breath caught in her throat. Zayn.Never had she imagined sheâd find herself in this situationâstanding on the precipice of something irreversible.âIâll be there immediately,â 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 neededâshe wasnât in the mood to listen. He wanted to tell her the truth, to explain everything, but he knew it wouldnât matter right now.Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Igor If she wanted to leave, he wasnât going to stop herânot like this.âTake her home safely,â he instructed, his voice void of emotion.Rina clenched her fists. He wasnât 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 hadnât even tried to defend himself. He had justâĶ let her go. That made it worseâworse than the rumors, worse than Nathanâs 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 Reeseâs exposure were nothing short of chaotic. News outlets, social media platforms, and tabloids were flooded with updates about her arrest and the Reese familyâs collapse. #JusticeForRina and #KaylaReeseExposed trended for days, while old interviews, articles, and videos surfacedâshowing how Rina had suffered for years because of Kaylaâs actions. Netizens Demanded Justice In 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 canât believe we turned against her for so long. This woman went through HELL." "We owe Rina an apology. She deserves the world." But netizens werenât just apologizingâthey 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 âup-and-comingâ actors are ready to face consequences." "We need those
Despite the manâs confession reversing his previous statement, a significant portion of Kaylaâs fans and other netizens refused to believe him. The sudden shift in his stance made them skeptical.âHow does a man go from accusing Rina to suddenly defending her in 24 hours?âo9âShe probably paid him off. The timing is too suspicious.ââRina has finally bought her way out of this. Whatâs new?âThe hashtags #RinaIsAWitch, #RinaIsAManipulator, #RinaIsEvil, and #RinaIsAHeartlessFriend surged to the top of trending lists. The internet was once again divided, and Kaylaâs camp felt victorious.âWeâre back in control,â Damien smirked, taking a sip of his drink as he scrolled through the hate comments directed at Rina.Kayla, lounging on the sofa, smirked. âOf course, we are. People believe what they want to believe. And right now? They want to see Rina suffer.âJust as they were about to toast to their small victory, Damienâs 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 Grahamâs methods. The man was always ten steps ahead of everyone else, and if he said heâd 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.âWhat was that about?â she asked, her voice calm but laced with suspicion.âJust a call I had to take,â George said smoothly, not daring to mention Zaynâs name. âListen, Rina, I know things look bad right now, but we still have a shot at turning this around. We just needâââWe need proof,â Rina cut in, her gaze shifting to him, sharp and determined. âI donât care about public opinion anymore. I want the truth out there. I want that man exposed, and I want Kayla to rot for what sheâs done.âGeorge hesitated. âRinaâĶââNo.â She stood, pushing back her chair. âIâve 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. Sheâd 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 wasnât a red carpet or a press eventâthis 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 âGo Liveâ button. Within seconds, thousands of viewers flooded in, the chat scrolling rapidly with a mix of messages:âWeâre with you, Rina!ââIs it true what theyâre saying?ââWhy didnât you address this sooner?ââHi, everyone,â she began, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. âI know thereâs 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.âJust as
The cold, sterile air of the detention center was a far cry from the lavish comforts Kayla Reese was used to. Yet, as she lounged on the narrow cot in her cell, her posture was anything but defeated. When the metallic clang of the door opening echoed through the room, she turned her head lazily to see her manager, Damien, stepping inside. His tailored suit seemed almost comical against the backdrop of concrete walls and dim lighting. âFinally,â Kayla drawled, swinging her legs off the cot and sitting upright. âI was beginning to think youâd forgotten about me.â Damien gave her a curt nod, his expression tight. âI just got out of the press conference. The Reese Group did what they could to smooth things over.â Kaylaâs eyes lit up with curiosity. âAnd?â Damien pulled out his tablet and tapped a few buttons. âHere, see for yourself.â He handed it to her, the video of the conference playing from the start. Kayla watched intently, her eyes narrowing as the legal representative danced a