The black BMW pulled away from the private kitchen, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust and a heavy silence. Inside the car, **Lance** gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. Beside him, **Madam Vivian** was furiously tapping on her phone, her perfectly manicured nails clicking against the screen like the ticking of a bomb.
"I can't believe it," Madam Vivian muttered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Ren... she actually found a sugar daddy. And not just any sugar daddy, but one bold enough to drive a car with a Capital license plate in broad daylight."
Lance didn't respond immediately. His mind was racing, replaying the scene he had just witnessed. Ren, looking bored and casual, leaning against the luxury car. The middle-aged man, distinguished and wealthy, handing her a thermal container with an air of familiarity. It didn't look like a transaction; it looked like... care. But in Lance's world, care from a powerful older man to a beautiful young girl usually came with a price tag.
"Are you sure, Aunt Vivian?" Lance asked, his voice tight. "Maybe he's a relative? Or a friend of her father's?"
"A relative?" Madam Vivian scoffed. "Vera's family are all farmers. Do you think they know anyone who drives a car like that? No, Lance. This is exactly what it looks like. Ren is selling herself to climb the social ladder. It's disgusting, but it explains everything. The police dropping the charges, the arrogance, the money for the lawyer... it all makes sense now."
Lance felt a sick feeling in his stomach. He wanted to defend Ren, to believe there was another explanation. But the evidence was damning. He had seen it with his own eyes.
***
Meanwhile, at Wolven High, another storm was brewing.
**Faye** sat in her bedroom, the glow of her laptop screen illuminating her face. She was logged into the school's anonymous forum, a digital battleground where reputations were built and destroyed.
She looked at the photos on her phone. They were grainy and taken from a distance, but the subjects were clear enough. Ren, in her signature black windbreaker, standing next to a luxury car. A middle-aged man handing her a gift. The intimacy of the scene was undeniable.
Faye's fingers hovered over the keyboard. She hesitated for a split second, a pang of guilt flickering in her chest. But then she remembered the humiliation in the garden pavilion. She remembered **Mr. Vane Sr.** calling Ren a genius. She remembered **Alpha Juan** ignoring her existence.
Jealousy, hot and toxic, flooded her veins.
"You think you're better than me?" Faye whispered to the screen. "Let's see how high and mighty you look when everyone thinks you're a whore."
She typed the title: **[SHOCKING EXPOSE! The Ice Queen's Dirty Secret! Ren Spotted with Sugar Daddy in Luxury Car!]**
She uploaded the photos and hit "Post."
Within minutes, the view count skyrocketed. Comments began to pour in, fueled by shock, envy, and malicious delight.
* **User123:** "OMFG is that Ren? I knew she was shady!"
* **GossipGirl:** "A sugar daddy? Gross. He looks old enough to be her grandpa."
* **RichKid:** "That car is worth at least 200k. No wonder she acts so arrogant. She's bought and paid for."
* **Anon:** "Disgusting. Get her out of our school."
Faye watched the comments roll in, a twisted smile spreading across her face. She closed her laptop, feeling a sense of dark satisfaction. The seed was planted. Tomorrow, Ren's world would burn.
***
The next morning, Ren walked into school completely unaware of the chaos she was walking into.
She had her headphones on, blasting heavy metal to drown out the world. She was tired. Her hand was throbbing, and she had spent half the night arguing with **Mayor Feng** over text about whether or not she needed to drink more pig trotter soup.
As she entered the hallway, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations stopped. Heads turned. Eyes followed her, filled with a mixture of curiosity and disgust.
Ren ignored them. She was used to people staring. Usually, it was because of her looks or her reputation as a fighter. She didn't realize that today, the stares were different.
She walked into Class 9 and threw her bag onto her desk. **Lily** was already there, looking pale and anxious.
"Ren!" Lily hissed, grabbing Ren's arm. "Have you seen the forum?"
Ren pulled one headphone off. "The what?"
"The school forum!" Lily pulled out her phone and shoved it in Ren's face. "Look! Someone posted photos of you last night!"
Ren squinted at the screen. There it was. The thread had over 5,000 views and hundreds of comments. The photo showed her and Mayor Feng. The caption was a masterpiece of slander.
Ren scrolled through the comments. *Whore. Slut. Gold digger. Disgrace.*
She let out a short, dry laugh.
"What's funny?!" Lily cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "They're destroying your reputation! We have to tell the teacher! We have to find who posted this!"
"Relax," Ren said, pushing the phone away. She sat down and propped her legs up on the desk. "It's a good photo. They caught my good side."
"Ren!"
"It's just noise, Lily," Ren said, closing her eyes. "Let them talk. It doesn't change anything."
"But... but everyone thinks you're... being kept by an old man!" Lily stammered.
Ren opened one eye. "And? Are you going to believe them?"
"No! Of course not!" Lily said fiercely.
"Then that's all that matters," Ren said, pulling her hood up. "Wake me up when class starts."
***
The rumors intensified throughout the day. By lunchtime, even the teachers were whispering. **Xavier** watched Ren from across the cafeteria, his brow furrowed. He didn't believe the rumors—Ren was too proud, too capable to sell herself—but the evidence was compelling.
**Faye** sat at a nearby table, surrounded by her friends, basking in the attention. "I tried to tell her," Faye sighed loudly. "I told her that path would only lead to ruin. But she wouldn't listen. It's so shameful for our family."
Suddenly, the cafeteria doors slammed open.
**Joey** ran in, looking breathless. "Guys! Guys! You won't believe what's happening outside!"
"What is it?" someone asked.
"A lawyer!" Joey shouted. "A lawyer from the Capital is here! He's looking for Ren!"
The cafeteria buzzed. A lawyer? Was Ren getting sued? Was she being arrested again?
Ren, who was eating a sandwich with one hand, looked up. She sighed. "He's early."
She stood up, wiped her mouth, and walked out of the cafeteria. The entire student body followed her, eager for the next act of the drama.
Outside the main building, a black sedan was parked. Leaning against it was a man who looked like he had stepped out of a fashion magazine. He wore a perfectly tailored navy suit, his hair styled immaculately. He had the air of a man who charged a thousand dollars a minute just to breathe.
This was **Attorney Qi**, the "Undefeated King" of the Capital's legal world. A man whose name struck fear into the hearts of CEOs and politicians alike.
When he saw Ren, he straightened up and smiled—a genuine, respectful smile.
"Miss Ren," Attorney Qi said, bowing slightly. "I apologize for the intrusion. **Master Juan** sent me. He said there was a... situation with your family?"
The crowd gasped. Master Juan? Who was that? And why was this high-powered lawyer bowing to Ren?
Ren scratched her head. "It's fine. Just some family drama. Did you bring the papers?"
"Of course," Attorney Qi opened his briefcase and pulled out a document. "The lawsuit against **Vane** for assault and battery. And the restraining order against the **Lin Family** for harassment. Everything is ready for your signature."
Ren took the pen with her left hand. She signed the papers against the wall of the school building, looking bored.
"One more thing," Attorney Qi said, his voice carrying across the silent courtyard. "**Master Juan** also asked me to handle any... defamation cases. He heard there were some nasty rumors circulating in your school."
He turned to look at the crowd of students, his smile turning sharp and predatory.
"If anyone has been spreading lies about my client," Attorney Qi said pleasantly, "I suggest you delete them immediately. Defamation of character is a serious offense, and I have a very low tolerance for bullies. My team is already tracing the IP addresses of the forum posts. Expect legal letters by tomorrow morning."
Faye, hiding in the back of the crowd, turned white. She felt her knees give way. Tracing IP addresses? Legal letters? From the Undefeated King?
Ren handed the papers back to Attorney Qi. "Thanks. Tell Juan I'll be late for dinner."
"Understood," Attorney Qi bowed again. "Have a good day at school, Miss Ren."
He got back into his car and drove away, leaving the school in stunned silence.
Ren turned around to face the crowd. She looked at Faye, then at the students who had been whispering about her all morning.
"Show's over," Ren said coolly. "Go back to class."
She walked back into the building, her head high. The rumors about the "Sugar Daddy" evaporated instantly, replaced by a terrifying new reality: Ren wasn't a kept woman. She was a queen with an army of sharks at her command.
**[Chapter 30 End]**