Rina stepped into the villa, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor as she shut the door behind her. The silence of the house was overwhelming, a stark contrast to the turmoil in her mind. She dropped her handbag on the console table and made her way upstairs, her steps heavy.
The memory of her confrontation with Kayla lingered, the venom in the other woman’s words clinging to her like an unwelcome scent. She needed to rid herself of it.
In the bathroom, the steaming water from the shower cascaded over her skin, washing away not just the remnants of the day but also some of the heaviness in her chest. Rina closed her eyes, inhaling the floral scent of her soap, and let out a deep sigh. She scrubbed with a vigor that bordered on desperation, as though she could scrub away the memory of Kayla’s sneer, her taunts, and the hateful glint in her eyes.
When she finally stepped out, wrapped in a plush robe, her skin was pink from the heat, but she felt a little lighter. Drying her hair quickly, she tied it back and headed downstairs, where the faint aroma of food drifted from the dining room.
Susan was already setting the table when Rina entered. The older woman looked up and smiled warmly. “Lunch is ready, dear. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Thank you, Susan,” Rina replied, offering a small smile in return. She sat down, glancing at the spread-grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and a salad. Everything looked perfect, but her appetite was faint at best.
“Has Zayn called?” Rina asked as Susan finished arranging the silverware.
The question came out more casually than she felt. Her heart, however, clenched tightly as she waited for the answer.
Susan shook her head. “No, ma’am, he hasn’t called. But I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
Rina nodded, her expression calm even as disappointment spread through her. “Alright. Thank you, Susan.”
The older woman gave her a kind look before retreating, leaving Rina alone with her thoughts.
As the silence settled around her, the weight of Zayn’s absence became more apparent. He hadn’t called, hadn’t left a note, hadn’t said anything before leaving. She tried to push the feeling of rejection aside, telling herself he was probably busy. But the ache in her chest refused to be ignored.
In an effort to distract herself, Rina picked up her phone and turned it on. She figured she could lose herself in a mindless game while eating.
But the moment the screen lit up, her heart sank. Notifications flooded in, one after the other-Instagram, news alerts, links from blogs she hadn’t even heard of.
Her stomach churned. Not again.
With trembling fingers, she opened Instagram first. The top notification was from a popular gossip account, accompanied by her picture outside the police station.
The caption read: “Model and Actress, Rina Powers spotted leaving the station-confronting her past or seeking redemption?”
Rina scrolled down, her pulse quickening. Every post seemed to dissect her every move. Speculative headlines ranged from mild curiosity to outright slander.
“Another scandal brewing for Rina?” one headline asked.
“Is she trying to silence Kayla?” another speculated.
The comment sections were even worse. Strangers debated her intentions, criticized her actions, and dug up past controversies.
“She’s such a drama magnet.”
“Maybe if she stayed out of trouble, she wouldn’t be trending all the time.”
“She’s been through enough. Leave her alone!”
Rina felt her appetite vanish completely. She set the phone down, the voices of strangers echoing in her head. No matter what she did, it seemed like the world was always waiting to judge her.
As she sat there, staring at the untouched food, the sound of the front door opening pulled her from her thoughts. She turned her head, finding Susan standing there with concerned eyes. Rina could immediately guess that she had come across one of those blogs. And it made Rina chuckle thinking Susan to be a social media fan.
“Are you alright, dear?” Susan asked, closing up on Rina.
Rina nodded. “You saw the posts?”
“Yes dear! They’re saying really nasty things, but don’t listen to them. They’re just crazy people who sit in their homes and make silly assumptions, cursing celebrities out forgetting they’re humans as well. I wonder why the lie is easier to believe than the truth. How can’t they see that little demon of the Reese family for who she truly is?”
Rina’s lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile at Susan’s fiery defense. She reached out, placing her hand over the older woman’s. “Thank you, Susan. But you don’t have to worry about me. I’m used to it by now.”
Susan’s brows knitted together, her concern unwavering. “You shouldn’t have to get used to it, dear. It’s not right. They don’t know the truth, and yet they act like they do. That Kayla girl…she deserves every bit of trouble she’s in.”
Rina leaned back in her chair. It was funny how Susan knew nothing about her past as well, yet could say that. “You don’t know my story either, so why do you defend me?”
Susan crouched slightly, meeting Rina’s gaze. “I don’t really need to know the full story. You’ve stayed here for a long time and I’ve watched you. That is more than enough to know the kind of person you truly are and it’s not what those mad netizens say about you. You should know that you’re not alone now, dear. You have Zayn, and you have people like me who know the truth. We see you, dear, and we’ll always stand by you.”
Rina’s throat tightened. It was rare for her to hear such genuine words of support, and it touched her deeply. She squeezed Susan’s hand again, grateful for the small but fierce loyalty the older woman showed.
“Thank you, Susan,” she said softly.
Susan straightened, smoothing her apron. “Now, no more letting them ruin your day. Eat something, even if it’s just a little. You need to keep your strength up.”
Rina chuckled, feeling a spark of warmth break through her gloom. “Alright, I will.” And she was going to.
Susan nodded approvingly before retreating back to the kitchen.
Rina picked up her fork, forcing herself to take a few bites of the roasted vegetables. She wasn’t hungry, but she knew Susan was right-she needed to take care of herself. As she ate, her phone rang. She picked it up from where she had left it on the table half expecting it to be Zayn. He had probably seen the posts and had decided to….
‘George’ the caller ID read.
Half disappointed, Rina swiped the answer button.
George’s frantic voice cut through the line. “Where are you and what are you doing?”
Rina frowned. “I’m eating at the villa.”
“Good! Finish up with your food and get some rest. Don’t look at your phone for now.”
“Don’t worry George, I already saw the posts.” Rina said, nonchalantly taking a bite from a spiced cabbage. It was delicious.
“I just sent a link to your Dm. Reese Groups is holding a live press conference to address Kayla’s arrest.”
Rina nodded but when she remembered that George couldn’t see her, she said, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, go check it out. I’ll call you back in a couple minutes.”
“Mm”
As soon as she hung up, Rina clicked on the link George sent to her. It loaded for a few seconds before the screen lit up with a live broadcast. The Reese Group’s emblem stood prominently in the background as a man in a sharp suit, presumably one of their legal representatives, addressed a room full of reporters. The energy in the conference was tense, palpable even through the screen.
“… we want to reiterate that Kayla Reese is cooperating fully with the authorities,” the man said, his tone measured and professional. “The Reese Group has always maintained the highest standards of integrity, and we will continue to support the investigation in every way possible. However, any speculation linking Ms. Reese to the accusations circulating online is premature and unfounded.”
Rina’s jaw tightened as she watched. The Reese family’s PR team was already in overdrive, spinning the story to protect Kayla. Of course they would. Kayla was their golden child, untouchable and protected at all costs.
The man continued, “We urge the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and to allow the legal process to take its course.”
One reporter raised her hand and stood when acknowledged. “There are allegations that Kayla’s recent confrontation with Rina Powers is connected to this case. Can you confirm or deny this?”
The man’s expression didn’t falter, but Rina could sense the calculated pause before he answered. “Ms. Powers has no involvement in this matter. Any interaction between the two is purely coincidental and unrelated to the ongoing investigation.”
Rina let out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing in the empty dining room. Coincidental. That was rich. The Reese family had a way of twisting the narrative, ensuring their hands always appeared clean.
Another reporter raised her hand. “Are you trying to say that Rina Power’s near death experience wasn’t Young Ms. Reese’s doing? Despite the fact that she was the only one at the crime scene.
“We are simply maintaining that this is a conspiracy.”
‘A conspiracy!’ Rina couldn’t help but laugh. Anyone could see clearly what the PR Team of the Reese Group were doing. Trying to turn the narrative and paint Rina as the bad egg despite the evidence they had.
More questions came but Rina tuned them out, her mind spinning.
Her phone buzzed again, pulling her attention away from the broadcast. It was a message from George:
“What do we do? They’re trying to sweep this under the rug.”
Rina stared at the message, her thoughts racing. She had promised herself she wouldn’t get dragged into this any further, but now it felt personal. The Reese family wasn’t just protecting Kayla-they were trying to turn the tables completely.
Her grip on the phone tightened. Maybe it was time to stop being quiet. Maybe it was time to fight back.
As the live broadcast ended and the reporters dispersed, Rina sat in silence, her mind made up. The world might think they knew her, but they didn’t. And if the Reese family wanted a battle, she would give them one. She was going to expose their almighty daughter for the demon she truly was.
In that second, she grabbed her phone and sent George a text. ‘Let’s do nothing for now. It’s not time yet!’