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 drag my name through the mud while I sat back and hoped the truth would win on its own. Not anymore.”
The fire in her eyes was something George hadn’t seen in a long time. He knew Rina was strong, but this? This was war.
Before he could respond, her phone buzzed again. Another news alert.
Rina picked it up and felt her stomach twist at the new headline.
Mysterious Benefactor Posts Bail for Kayla Reese!
Her fingers tightened around the device. “She’s out.”
George read over her shoulder, his jaw clenching. “That was fast.”
Rina inhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay composed. “This isn’t over. Not even close.”
Meanwhile…
Kayla stepped out of the police station, shielding her eyes from the flashing cameras. Damien was waiting for her by the car, smirking.
“Told you I’d take care of it,” he said as he opened the door for her.
Kayla slid in, feeling victorious. “And Rina?”
“She’s on the ropes. But we’re not done yet.”
Kayla smiled, a slow, wicked curve of her lips. “Good. Let’s finish her.”
At Graham’s Conglomerate, Zayn sat behind his expansive mahogany desk, his expression as cold as the steel skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The air in his office was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the polished wood.
Across from him stood Williams.
Zayn leaned forward, his voice quiet but laced with authority. “Find him.”
Williams gave a curt nod, understanding without needing elaboration. “And when I do?”
Zayn’s sharp gaze lifted to meet his. “Make him talk. I want him confessing, live, for the world to see. I don’t care how you do it-just get it done.”
Williams nodded again and turned to leave. Just before he reached the door, Zayn added, “No mistakes, Williams.”
There was no need for further discussion. Within minutes, Williams was out of the building, making calls. The hunt had begun.
…….
At Reese Mansion, Kayla sat comfortably in her lavishly furnished living room, the scent of expensive champagne thick in the air. She raised her glass with a smirk, clinking it against Damien’s before taking a slow sip.
“Ah, freedom tastes exquisite,” she purred, scrolling through the countless hate comments under Rina’s latest post.
Damien chuckled beside her, his phone also buzzing with updates. “They’re eating her alive,” he said, showing her a particularly vicious comment.
Kayla let out a satisfied laugh. “This is what she gets for thinking she could go up against me.”
She continued scrolling, her mood lifting with every insult thrown at Rina. But then, something on the television caught her attention.
The news anchor’s voice rang out:
“Breaking news-live confession from the man who accused Rina Powers of framing Kayla Reese.”
Kayla’s hand froze mid-air, the glass slipping slightly. “What?”
Damien’s smirk disappeared. He grabbed the remote and increased the volume.
On the screen, the same man who had falsely accused Rina sat in a dimly lit room, visibly sweating. His hands trembled as he spoke, his eyes darting around nervously.
“I… I lied,” he stammered, his voice shaking. “I was paid to say those things about Rina Powers.”
The room went silent.
Damien shot to his feet. “No, no, no-what the hell is happening?”
Kayla’s heart pounded in her chest. “Check Instagram. NOW.”
Damien fumbled with his phone, his fingers moving rapidly across the screen. Kayla snatched hers up as well, pulling up the trending hashtags.
And there it was.
#JusticeForRina
#LiarExposed
#KaylaReeseSetUp
Damien swore under his breath. “That bastard flipped on us.”
Kayla’s grip on her phone tightened as she watched the live comments flood in. The tide was turning-against her.
And she knew exactly who was behind it.
“Zayn Graham,” she whispered, her expression darkening. “That son of a-”
Before she could finish, her phone rang. It was a private number.
She hesitated, then answered.
A deep, smooth voice came through. “Enjoying the show, Kayla?”
Her blood ran cold. She recognized that voice instantly.
Zayn.
He continued, his tone calm, but deadly. “This is just the beginning.”
The line went dead.
Kayla sat frozen, the weight of his words pressing down on her.
Damien turned to her, his face pale. “What do we do?”
Kayla clenched her jaw, her fingers gripping the champagne glass so tightly it nearly shattered.
“We fight back.”
“But this is Zayn Graham’s doing! How do we possibly fight him?” Damien wondered in frustration.
The moment the news of the false confession broke, chaos erupted in the financial world. Within minutes, the Reese Group’s stocks took a devastating hit. Investors panicked, and shares plummeted, wiping out millions in value in real-time. Business analysts on news channels vegan speculating that the scandal surrounding Kayla Reese had shaken confidence in the company’s integrity.
Kayla barely had time to process the impact before her phone rang. Seeing her father’s name flash across the screen, her heart skipped, but then she inhaled sharply, steadying herself before answering.
“Dad,” she greeted, forcing calmness into her voice.
“Kayla, what the hell is going on?” Gerald Reese’s voice thundered through the line. “Do you have any idea what’s happening to our company? Our stocks are in free fall! What did you do?”
Kayla clenched her jaw, gripping the phone tightly. “Dad, listen to me-don’t believe everything you see on the news. This is a coordinated attack against me. Someone is trying to take me down.”
Mr. Reese paused, his breathing heavy. “Are you sure about this?”
“Of course, I am! I’d never do something so reckless.” Kayla injected just the right amount of desperation into her voice. “They’re twisting the truth, making it look worse than it is. You know how the media works.”
A long silence stretched between them before her father exhaled sharply. “Alright. Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll handle this. We’ll put an end to this madness.”
Kayla smirked. “Thank you, Dad. I knew I could count on you. And please tell mom not to worry.”
True to his word, thirty minutes later, the Reese Group issued an official statement. Though it didn’t mention Rina by name, the message was clear-any attempt to tarnish their family’s reputation would be met with legal consequences. The statement was both a warning and a flex of power, subtly reminding everyone just how influential the Reese family was.
As the world debated the implications of the Reese Group’s statement, another major announcement rocked the industry.
Pages of Claire released a public statement on her behalf:
“We stand firmly with Rina Powers. In an industry that thrives on integrity and talent, we will not be swayed by baseless accusations. Rina has been a valuable partner and will continue to be. We look forward to showcasing our latest collaboration with her soon.”
The message was powerful. It didn’t just defend Rina-it reinforced her worth in the industry. Almost immediately, fans, designers, and influencers began rallying behind her, shifting the narrative once more.
Meanwhile, at Graham’s Conglomerate, Zayn sat in his office, his sharp gaze fixed on his secretary, Mia, as she read through social media updates.
“People are calling Ms. Powers a disgrace to you,” Mia informed him hesitantly. “Some are saying you must already regret getting involved with her.”
Zayn’s jaw tightened. Regret? If there was anything he regretted, it was not taking action sooner.
He leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against the desk. “Create an Instagram account for me.”
Mia blinked in surprise. “Sir?”
“You heard me.”
Within minutes, the account was set up. Without hesitation, Zayn followed only one person-Rina Powers.
Then, he made a single post.
“Forever on her side.”
That was it. No explanations. No defenses. Just a simple, powerful declaration.
The internet exploded.
Within ten minutes, his account had gained over 90, 000 followers. The hashtags #ZaynGraham, #ZaynPower, and #GrahamsConglomerate surged to the top of the trending charts, completely eclipsing the previous hate trends against Rina.
Social media flooded with reactions:
“Zayn Graham just shut everyone up with one sentence.”
“If the most powerful man in the country stands with her, then that says everything.”
“Rina and Zayn are the power couple we didn’t know we needed.”
“And just like that… the tables have turned.”
Rina, who had been watching everything unfold from the villa, stared at her screen in shock. Her fingers trembled as she read Zayn’s post over and over again.
A lump formed in her throat.
He didn’t have to do this. He could’ve stayed silent. Protected his empire. Let her deal with this mess alone.
But he hadn’t.
She swallowed hard, her heart pounding.
Zayn Graham had just declared war on her behalf and right now, was the time to end this war and rid Kayla for good.
“I need you to do something for me, George.” Rina said, tapping away on her phone. I just sent you a recording. Release it and let’s end this whole drama.”