When she stepped out of the school building, the entire yard went silent.
Students whispered loudly enough for her to hear.
"Isn't that the girl from the photos? It's always a quiet girl..haha"
"Look—look! It's her!"
"She spent the night with Adrian , didn't she?"
"Tank top… wrapped in his coat… damn…"
She kept her head down and walked faster.
Please… just let me go home…
---
Scene: Home
The moment she reached her lane, neighbors stood outside, staring like she was a criminal.
Before she even touched the gate, a sharp slap cracked across her cheek.
"YOU SHAMEFUL GIRL!" her mother screamed.
"M-Mom—what—?"
Her mother grabbed her by the hair, dragging her inside as neighbors murmured.
"Pull her inside! Shame on this girl!"
"She spent a night with a man—acting like we don't know!"
"Poor mother…"
Her mother threw her onto the floor.
"Explain, NOW!"
She held back tears. "Mom, I didn't do anything! I passed out on the hill and—"
Another slap.
"Don't LIE to me! Everyone has seen the photos! That's why you lied you were at maria's house?"
"They're not what it looks like! I was drugged probably—"
"ENOUGH!" Her mother threw her phone on the ground, smashing it. "You won't talk to ANYONE!"
Meanwhile…
The assistant director called her friend.
"Where is she? Mr. Levine needs to clarify this before media twists it more."
Her friend panicked.
"She's not picking up—no, wait—. I'm going to her house right now!"
Outside the house—
Her mother stood outside gossiping angrily with neighbors.
"She thinks we raised her to ruin our name—just look at her—!"
A sleek black car stopped at the gate.
Her friend jumped out first. "Aunty! Where is she?!"Then Adrian Levine stepped out behind her—handsome, composed, sunglasses hiding his eyes.Gasps spread through the neighborhood like wildfire.
"That's… Adrian Levine?"
"THE actor?"
"My god, he's even more handsome in real life…"
"Why is he here…??"
He ignored all of them.
"Where is she?" Adrian asked, voice low, firm.
Her friend pointed to the small house. "Inside. Her room."
Suddenly, her mother's voice came from the neighbourhood.
"Why is he here?"
Adrian turned to her calmly.
"Ma'am," he said, standing up, "your daughter is innocent."
Her mother scoffed. "Do you expect me to believe—"
"Yes," he said sharply. "Because I was there."
Silence.
Even the neighbors quieted.
"She was attacked," Adrian continued. "She fell sick. She collapsed. I carried her because she couldn't walk and no one was there to help."
Her mother's expression faltered.
"And if you're angry," he added, "be angry at the man who tried to hurt her. Not the person who saved her."
"She lied that she was at her friend's home"
"She did that not to worry you"
---
Inside Her Room—
She was wiping her tears when the doorbell rang.
Visitors again? Please… stop… I don't want anyone to see me like this.
She curled up, sobbing as welts burned on her arms.
Nobody believes me…
*Ding..ding..*
She curses before dragging her swollen legs out of the bed, she opened her bedroom door—
And froze.
Standing there was Adrian Levine, towering, calm, his eyes softening the moment they landed on her bruised face.
"Hey," he said quietly. "Can we talk?"
She stepped back in shock. "Wh-why are you here?"
He removed his sunglasses.
"Because the world thinks something happened between us—and I'm here to tell you the truth myself."
She swallowed. "My mother… everyone… they won't listen."
"That's why," Adrian said, stepping inside, "I came to listen to you."
Her throat tightened.
"No one believed me…"
"I do."
His voice was steady.
"And I'll make them listen."
Her eyes widened.
"What… what do you want to talk about?"
Adrian exhaled slowly.
"Everything. What happened that night. What you need. And how I'm going to fix this."
*Inside their house*
She stood in front of Adrian, hands trembling, eyes red from crying.
He looked around—at her broken phone, the torn fabric on the bed, the marks on her arms—and his jaw tightened.
"Sit," he said gently.
She hesitated but sat on the edge of her bed.
Adrian pulled a chair closer and sat in front of her, leaning forward.
His voice was calm but firm.
He Starts With the Truth
"First," he said, "I need you to understand something."
She blinked at him.
"You did nothing wrong. You didn't chase me. You didn't seek attention. You didn't use me."
Her throat tightened. "But everyone thinks—"
"Let them think. I know the truth."
His voice softened. "And I'm going to make everyone else know it too."
She tucked her knees closer. "How? The photos are everywhere."
"I'll hold a press conference," Adrian said.
He sounded so sure—so utterly certain—that she stared at him in shock.
"A press conference? For me?"
"For the truth," he corrected. "For what actually happened."
She whispered, "What are you going to say?"
"The truth," he said simply.
"That you fell sick. That you passed out. That I helped you because there was no one else. That you spent the night in my cabin because you were unconscious, not because of anything inappropriate."
Her eyes stung with tears again—not from fear this time, but something else.
He continued, "I'll clear your name. Publicly. Clearly. Loudly."
"& Who attacked her?" her mother breathed.
"I don't know his name yet," Adrian said, voice cold, "but trust me—I'm going to find out."
She stared at him. "Why would you… go this far?"
Adrian looked back at the girl.
"Because someone hurt you. And I won't let him hide in the dark."
She whispered, "Why are you doing this for me?"
Adrian exhaled, his honey-colored eyes softening.
"Because you're scared. Alone. And nobody believes you."
He paused.
"And because the moment I saw those bruises… I realized I can't leave you to deal with this alone."
Her breath caught.
"I'll fix the rumors," he said, "I'll fix your name. And if you allow me—I'll fix the fear that man left behind too."
She stared at him, stunned, her heartbeat loud in her ears.
Adrian sat back down.
"Here's how we'll handle this," he said.
Step 1:
"I will call my PR team. They'll prepare an official statement."
Step 2:
"You and your friend come with me tomorrow. We'll give a full explanation at the press conference."
Her mother looked shocked. "You're serious?"
"Very."
Step 3:
"Afterward, I'll clear your name with the school. No one will harass you again."
Step 4:
"My security team will investigate the man who tried to hurt you."
Her eyes widened. "You're doing all this for me?"
He met her gaze steadily.
"Because you deserve someone on your side. Let me be that person—for now."
Her breath trembled.
"And later…?" she whispered.
Adrian gave a faint smile.
"We'll see where later leads."
*Next day*
The press conference lasted nearly an hour. Adrian explained everything calmly and clearly. They couldn't found the 'real culprit' so they tried their best.
She stood beside him, trembling, but he answered every question.
When they finally left the stage, she whispered:
"Do you think they'll believe us now?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Because outside, reporters shouted aggressively:
"Adrian! Why did you carry her in your coat if she was 'just sick'?"
"Why was she in your room at dawn?"
"Are you protecting your girlfriend?"
"Are you two secretly dating?!"
Security pushed them into the car as cameras flashed violently.
Her hands shook. "They… they don't believe us."
Adrian stared out the window, jaw clenched.
"No. They don't."
Scene: Internet Explodes
That night, social media drowned in rumors.
"Fake Press Conference! They're totally dating!"
"He defended her too passionately."
Then someone lies:"I SAW him carrying her that night—don't lie!"
"She's his hidden girlfriend."
"Doesn't he have a girlfriend?She trapped him or the rumours are true about him?"
"Small-town girl traps superstar?"
Her schoolmates added fuel:
"She must be dating him."
"Photos don't lie."
Even his fans split into two:
"We believe Adrian!!!"
"He's lying to protect her,he can't cheat on his girlfriend."
The truth was buried.
---
His manager barged into the cabin.
"Adrian, sponsors are calling. They're furious. They think you're secretly cheating on your girlfriend and hiding it."
Adrian rubbed his temples. "Let them be furious."
"You can't afford this! Your movie release is next month! The scandal will ruin everything!"
He didn't respond.
His manager threw papers on the table.
"Fix it. FAST."
---
Her Family Situation Gets Worse.
At her house, things were unbearable.
Her father beated her before leaving to office & her mother yelled all day.
Neighbors mocked her.
Her school warned she might be suspended.
*At the night*
Her father yells"how reckless,this is why women should not wander here and there,now I'm ashamed to attend my office,we can't even afford to file a case against him"
"I didn't even do anything" sob
The doorbell rang—
She opened the door and saw him again—Adrian, looking exhausted but resolute.
"H-Hi…" she whispered.
"Pack your things," he said quietly.
She blinked. "What? Why?"
"You can't stay here. They're destroying you."
She shook her head. "But leaving will make it worse. They'll say I ran away because I'm guilty."
Adrian stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"No matter what we say, they've already judged you."
His eyes were firm.
"There's only one thing left that will shut them up."
She swallowed. "Wh-what?"
He inhaled deeply.
"Marry me."
She froze.Her breath left her body.
"W-what?! Adrian—"
"It won't be real," he added quickly.
"A contract marriage. One year… two year—however long it takes."
Her heart pounded.
"Why… why something so extreme?"
"Because the media won't believe a denial," he said. "But they will believe this."
He held her gaze.
"If we announce a marriage, the narrative changes. It becomes a love story, not a scandal. No one will call you names. No one will shame your family. The school can't touch you."
She shook her head, overwhelmed.
"But your career—won't you lose everything?and don't you have a girlfriend?"
Adrian gave a tired smile.
"if I'm not serious why would I say to marry you & I'd rather lose a sponsor than watch you get destroyed because of me."
Her lips trembled.
"And when the contract ends?"
"You'll walk away free. Clean. Untouched by scandal."
His voice softened.
"And I'll take the blame, not you."
Tears filled her eyes. "No,i don't want,Why would you… go this far?"
He looked at her with a quiet intensity.
"Because I dragged you into this mess."
"Because I'm responsible."
"And because I can't stand seeing you suffer for something you didn't do."
She covered her mouth, trying not to cry.Adrian extended his hand.
"So… will you let me fix this?"The room fell silent.Her hand trembled.
Finally—
She placed her fingers in his.
"…Yes."