Chapter 18: Unraveling the Lies
Shadows whispered, secrets hid,
Lies spun webs, clever and sly.
But eyes that search will always find,
The truth that never dies.
Something was off. The boys could feel it in the silence, in the sudden coldness of the girls' smiles, in the tiny arguments that erupted from nowhere.
Johnson leaned back, calm as always, but his mind raced. "This isn't natural. Something—or someone—is manipulating them."
Nelson nodded, eyes narrowing. "I've seen the signs. Messages that didn't make sense, changes in behavior, sudden accusations. We need to investigate carefully."
Peter folded his arms. "Then we do it systematically. Every lie, every manipulation, every strange act—we track it, prove it, and confront it."
Step 1: Retracing the Timeline
The boys sat together, piecing together recent events:
Clara doubting Johnson over old rumors.
Liona suspicious of Nelson's behavior.
Sonia avoiding Peter completely.
They wrote everything down, matching it with dates, messages, and odd incidents.
Johnson said, "Look at the timeline. Every argument started right after the girls interacted with… Nina, Criselda, and Cresanta."
Nelson added, "Exactly. The suspicious activity coincides perfectly with when these three girls were around."
Step 2: Collecting Evidence
Digital Footprints:
Nelson checked his phone's activity logs and found evidence of Criselda accessing his phone remotely. She had changed his wallpaper to manipulate Liona.
Peter traced the fake video sent to Sonia. The metadata and timestamps proved it was created recently and not from him.
Johnson researched the rumors about his past with Clara. He found social media posts and messages that Nina had edited or manipulated to make it seem like he was secretly dating Nina.
Eyewitness Accounts:
They spoke to friends and classmates who had seen the girls acting suspiciously. Multiple accounts confirmed that Nina, Criselda, and Cresanta were spreading lies deliberately.
Cross-Checking:
Each story told by the girls was compared against actual events. Contradictions appeared immediately. For example, Sonia's "proof" of Peter's supposed betrayal was a video cropped to mislead her.
Step 3: Confrontation with Proof
Armed with evidence, the boys called the girls together, carefully, calmly.
Johnson showed Clara the social media logs and screenshots. "See here? This was altered. None of this is true."
Clara's eyes widened, relief and shock washing over her.
Nelson pulled out his phone activity report for Liona. "Criselda accessed my phone here, here, and here. She used my wallpaper to trick you."
Liona's hands shook. "All this time… I doubted you?"
Peter handed Sonia the original, unaltered video. "Sonia… this is the truth. Everything else was a manipulation."
Sonia buried her face in Peter's chest, tears flowing. "I should've trusted you."
Step 4: Restoring Trust
With every lie exposed and every manipulation proven, the tension melted away. The boys reassured their girls with soft words, gentle touches, and unwavering calmness.
Johnson smiled at Clara. "My heart has only ever belonged to you."
Nelson held Liona's hand. "We'll rebuild trust, together."
Peter kissed Sonia's forehead. "Nothing can break us if we face it together."
Step 5: The Aftermath
The three girls behind the chaos — Nina, Criselda, Cresanta — were furious. Their carefully laid plan had been dismantled by the boys' meticulous investigation.
Jayson, watching from afar, clenched his fists. "This isn't over… not yet."
The six, stronger than before, knew the war wasn't over—but for now, their bond had survived.
End of Chapter 18