The private dining room at the Royal Hotel was bathed in warm light. Faye sat beside her mother, Vera, behaving with perfect decorum. Across the table sat **Mrs. Fitz**, the Mayor's wife.
Under the table, Faye's hands were clenched tight. She had been waiting for this moment. The suspicion that Ren was lying about her connection to the Mayor had been gnawing at her.
Taking a sip of tea, Faye looked up with wide, innocent eyes. "Mrs. Fitz," she began softly. "I have a question... Someone told me that my sister, Ren, is very close to **Mayor Fitz**. Is that true?"
Vera froze, terrified Faye would mention the family's disgrace.
Faye ignored her. "She tells people she knows him well. I just wanted to ask you, so she doesn't cause any problems for your family."
Mrs. Fitz paused, looking at Faye with genuine confusion. "You have a sister?"
Faye's heart leaped. *She doesn't know.*
"Yes," Faye said, suppressing a smile. "She is from the countryside. She tends to exaggerate."
Mrs. Fitz let out a short, amused laugh. "She tells people she knows Old Fitz? That is strange. My husband is a workaholic with few friends. I have certainly never heard him mention a student named Ren." She shook her head. "It must be a lie."
"I see," Faye murmured, lowering her eyes. "I must have heard wrong."
Faye unclenched her fists. Her heart sang. Ren was a liar. The black car, the documents—it was all a facade. Ren had used the Mayor's name to scare the school, gambling that no one would verify it. But now, Faye had.
***
Armed with this "truth," Faye felt invincible.
By Monday morning, a digital storm engulfed Wolven High. Rumors had migrated to **Weibo**, the country's largest social media platform. A hashtag began to trend: **#HighSchoolStudentSugarDaddy**.
Marketing bots flooded the comments with vicious attacks, targeting a "student R" from Wolven High.
In the school infirmary, the air was freezing.
Luke sat on the desk, scowling at a tablet. "This is organized," he said. "Someone spent big money to buy these hot searches."
He looked at Juan, who was toying with an unlit cigarette by the window.
"I traced the payment," Luke continued. "It leads back to a PR firm. The client is connected to the Xu family's network. Specifically, a contact of Faye Lane."
Juan's fingers stopped moving. "Faye?"
"Yes. She used Xavier's connections to hire them." Luke threw the tablet down. "She's trying to destroy her own sister."
Juan snapped the cigarette in half. He stood up, his tall frame casting a long shadow.
"Make a copy of the evidence," Juan said, his voice low and lethal. "Send one to Xavier's grandfather. And clear the search terms."
"And Faye?"
"Let her jump," Juan said coldly. "The higher she jumps, the harder she falls."
***
The pressure from the online scandal forced the school to act.
Tuesday morning, Ren was summoned to the Dean's office.
**Mr. Griffin**, her homeroom teacher, looked anxious. **Director Dunn** (the Dean) sat behind his desk, looking aged. Standing by the window was **Mrs. Stone**, the teacher who had originally reported Ren. She looked triumphant.
"Student Ren," Director Dunn began. "The situation on Weibo has been suppressed, but rumors are still circulating. We need to clarify this."
"Clarify what?" Ren asked, hands in her pockets.
"Stop pretending!" Mrs. Stone stepped forward. "I know the truth! Faye Lane had dinner with Mrs. Fitz last night. The Mayor's wife confirmed that the Mayor does not know you! You have been lying to intimidate the school!"
Mr. Griffin frowned. "Mrs. Stone, do not make accusations without proof."
"Proof? The Mayor's wife is the proof!" Mrs. Stone sneered. "You are just a vanity-filled liar."
Director Dunn looked at Ren gravely. "Ren, is what she said true? Do you know Mayor Fitz?"
Ren looked at the gloating teacher and chuckled softly. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it matters!" Mrs. Stone pulled out her phone. "If you really know him, call him! Here, I even looked up the number for you."
She shoved her phone toward Ren, displaying the **"Mayor's Public Hotline"**. "Go on. Call. Let's see if the 'Mayor' answers."
The office went silent.
Ren looked at the hotline number. "I don't need that," she said calmly.
She pulled out her own phone, scrolled past "Juan," and tapped on a name saved simply as **"Mayor Fitz"**.
Mrs. Stone scoffed. "You saved a fake contact? Dedicated to the drama."
Ren pressed the speaker icon.
*Beep... Beep...*
The ringtone echoed in the quiet office. Mrs. Stone smirked, waiting for the call to fail.
*Click.*
"Ren?"
A deep, authoritative voice rang out. It was the voice that appeared on the Moon City evening news every day.
The smirk froze on Mrs. Stone's face. Director Dunn sat up straight.
"Mayor Fitz," Ren said flatly. "Our Dean of Students would like to speak with you."
"Put him on." The voice shifted instantly to professional.
Ren handed the phone to the stunned Dean.
"H-Hello? Mayor Fitz? This is Director Dunn..."
"Director Dunn," the Mayor's voice was crisp. "I apologize for the trouble. I was merely delivering documents to Ren. I did not expect the school to allow such malicious rumors to spread."
Mrs. Stone's face drained of color. She grabbed the desk to steady herself.
*It was him. He was apologizing to the school for Ren?*
"I am in a meeting," the Mayor continued. "I have sent my Chief Secretary to your school. He will handle the legal aspects of this defamation. Ren is under my protection."
"Yes! Of course!" Director Dunn sweated profusely.
"Good." The call ended.
Ren took her phone back. She looked at the trembling Mrs. Stone. "Is that verified enough?"
Before anyone could answer, the door opened.
Vera rushed in. "Director! I am so sorry!" she cried, glaring at Ren. "Ren! Look what you've done! You've shamed the family!"
She raised her hand to grab Ren.
But a man in a sharp black suit stepped in behind her. It was **Mr. Lloyd**, the Mayor's Chief Secretary.
Vera stopped mid-shout. Her eyes bulged.
Mr. Lloyd ignored Vera. He walked straight to Ren and bowed slightly. "Miss Ren," he said politely. "The Mayor sent me. I apologize for the delay."
Ren nodded, popping a lollipop into her mouth. "It's fine."
Mr. Lloyd turned to the Dean. "Director Dunn, I am here to represent Mayor Fitz regarding the slander against Miss Ren. We will be pursuing legal action."
Vera stood frozen, unable to process the scene. Faye had sworn Ren was a liar. Mrs. Fitz had sworn she didn't know Ren. Yet here was the Mayor's personal secretary, treating Ren like a VIP.
Ren looked at the stunned room, her eyes clear and cold.
"If there's nothing else, I'm going back to class."
She walked out, leaving a room full of shattered assumptions.
**[Chapter 61 End]**