Evening settled heavily across the university skyline beneath darkening storm clouds while cold wind swept fiercely over the rooftop terraces high above campus, carrying scattered rain across empty concrete walkways and rattling loose metal railings with a restless sound that matched the growing tension tightening through Elara's chest since sunrise.
The rumors had spread everywhere now.
Online forums.
Campus groups.
Anonymous pages filled with blurred photographs and poisonous comments carefully designed to ruin reputations before truth ever had a chance to breathe.
Slut.
Manipulator.
Attention-hungry bitch.
The words repeated endlessly beneath stolen images of her walking beside Alexander, standing near Damien's penthouse district, leaving late-night cafés alone.
Every movement twisted into scandal.
Every silence weaponized.
