The woman was dressed in a long bright red dress that accentuated her curves, and her honey brown hair highlighted her elegance. Her every move exuded the aura of an international star.
She was Kayla, Rina's best friend and the only daughter of the top third family in Country G, Rayer. She was also currently the most popular actress in the country - Kayla Rayer.Kayla Rayer had invited her two nights ago to celebrate her birthday.Kayla strode into the room, her high heels tapping on the marble floor like a warning. She was a vision of beauty, her features delicate and her smile as sharp as a knife. With a cruel glint in her eyes, her presence oozed confidence, and she reveled in Rina's vulnerable state."Rina, are you okay?"Seeing her best friend, Rina broke into more tears. "Kay, what do I do? Why did things turn out this way? I remember not taking any alcohol, how was there a man in my bed?""Because someone spiked your juice!" Kayla said."What?" Rina suddenly raised her head, her eyes showing confusion.Kayla's lips curved into a playful smile. "Yes, the juice I gave you two nights ago was tampered with. Not only that, two years ago, I also paid that young actor to frame you."As Rina realized what Kayla was saying, her eyes widened in disbelief and her pupils shrank. Shock, disbelief and confusion overwhelmed her, leaving her mind blank.Seeing Rina's pale face, Kayla's eyes revealed a sense of pleasure. Yes, that's the expression she wanted to see. It was truly delightful to watch.'Are you sad, in pain, or feeling hopeless, Rina? The sadder you are, the happier I become.' Kayla thought."Why did you do this?" Rina exploded with fierce anger, shouting at the top of her lungs."Kayla we have no grievance or enmity between us, why did you harm me?"Looking at Rina's crazed expression, Kayla sneered.Why?Of course, it's because she was perfect.Clearly they both were in the movie industry together and had debuted at the same age and time, but Rina was the goddess in everyone's eyes. She was the most loved, most admired, and got the most jobs. Even in the company they were both signed in, Rina had to select the jobs to take while the rest of them got the hand me downs which she rejected.She was just an ordinary actress in the entertainment industry. Who gave her the right to compete with her?Not only did she want to ruin Rina's marriage, she also wanted to ruin the last of her reputation, and her life entirely.For this, she spent two years plotting, even getting someone to lie next to Rina in bed while she was tipsy and went ahead to take pictures which she sent to her husband."Of course, it's because you are annoying, Rina. If you want to blame someone for your misfortune, blame yourself for blocking my path!" Blocking her path in the industry for far too long. Rina had been too perfect that she had supressed her for many years. She had only gotten the title of most popular actress because Rina had been frozen two years ago after her scandal. Even after leaving the industry to focus on marriage, she had remained the queen of Scottsdale Entertainment. As if that wasn't enough, she still got constantly compared to the trashy Rina Powers.Rina was stunned. She blocked her path?She was just an actress without any background in the entertainment industry, while Kayla Rayer was the heiress of a luxury family in Country G. How could she block her path?Oh, right. Back then, she was the queen of Scottsdale Entertainment, but after the company froze her, the queen became Kayla Rayer.So, what Kayla meant by blocking the way was that she blocked her way to fame and fortune? It sounded both ridiculous and pitiful.Rina laughed, but her laughter was mixed with tears. She was blind to have considered Kayla as her best friend.Looking at Rina who was crying, and laughing like a crazed person, Kayla was disgusted."Tsk tsk, Rina you were always so naive and foolish, so trusting. It was easy to take everything from you. I ruined your reputation, yet you still consider me your best friend. Everytime I see you acting like we are close friends, it's so laughable.""I've improved my acting skills so much in recent years, and it's all thanks to you. Who else would I have to act in front of if not you?""Your husband was also so foolish. I can't believe you gave up your career just to build a life with such a man. How gullible!"Rina stood up suddenly. Her auburn eyes narrowed in anger. The intense hatred she felt almost made her want to tear the woman in front of her apart.But before she could do anything, Kayla slapped her hard across the face."Slap!"The force was so great that Rina fell to the ground. Her knees hit the ground hard causing her face to turn pale with pain. She found it hard to get up.Kayla squatted down beside her, grabbed her hair viciously and forced her to look up."Yes, I framed you, and spiked your juice."It is said that one should not fear the enemy that attacks you, but the fake friend that hugs you.'She had indeed been too naive.The weight of Kayla's betrayal crushed Rina's spirit. She had been deceived not only by her husband but by the person she had considered her confidante."Oh, and want to know another thing?" Kayla's lips curled into a wicked smile. "I put the pill that made you lose the baby."Rina's expression turned crazed as she reached out to strangle the woman in front of her. She had suspected foul play, but hearing Kayla confess to her action cut like a knife. A sudden pang of pain hit her, sending her hand flying instinctively to her stomach. She clutched onto it, her fingers trembling from pain. So she didn't lose her child from a natural cause or her carelessness, but someone was actually responsible?Anguish and rage welled up within her, at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to lash out, to scream, to make Kayla pay for her betrayal and the murder of her child"I'll sue you, Kayla! I'll make sure the world knows about your dirty deeds!" Rina gritted.It was all because of this woman that she had lost everything!Kayla tilted her head and snickered. "Try rising from what I'm about to unleash on you first before dishing out empty threats."Rina was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"Kayla just smiled. "Check the internet, I've prepared a little something for you." She said and sauntered out.Realizing what had happened, Rina's body shook violently, and the deepest fear from within her made her tremble all over.No…no no…" this can't be happening again…Trembling, she took out her phone and opened a webpage.When she saw today's hot search, her world spun and she felt dizzy. Fear gripped her heart and her soul trembled.#Rina Smith Cheats##Finn Smith and Rina Powers marriage collapses#She occupied two of the top five hot searches.The pictures of her in bed with a strange man filled the top page. The comments section was flooded with vulgar and abusive languages.-Rina Powers is quite disgusting. To think I had so much respect for her!--she's so disgusting. After her scandal two years ago, she could still cheat!--To think I didn't believe the scandal two years ago--This woman is just a whore. She doesn't deserve to be alive-Reading through these, fear gripped Rina whole.-A friend of mine who works in a hospital said they saw her at the city hospital. She came for a checkup. It so happened that she was pregnant, but lost the child-Pain shot through Rina, but she didn't cry.Instead, she wiped away her tears after crying for what seemed like an eternity, her resolve hardening once more.Kayla had just drawn the battle line by confessing all these. She had just blown the battle trumpet, and Rina couldn't afford to lose in this war. She would definitely rise from the ashes of her broken life, and Kayla would pay for her betrayal and so would everyone else. Rina's fingers tightened around the divorce papers. Then they loosened. She wiped her eyes, and carefully flipped through the pages of the paper. She scoffed when she realized that Finn wasn't leaving a dime to her. He was claiming everything she owned and wasn't leaving her any alimony. He was taking her many years of hard work for himself, sparing her nothing.Rina laughed at herself. It was a laughter of mockery, one that was accompanied with tears. Just like her family had said many years ago, she was indeed stupid to have trusted Finn Smith's goodness for it was bad.Really, Finn! She thought to herself. She had really been too naive to trust him."Those who are pitiful are spiteful!" She recalled her grandfather saying.She glanced at the documents, and muttered, "I would sign them, not out of defeat, but as a symbol of my determination to rebuild my life and seek revenge for all my misfortunes. Kayla had awakened a sleeping lioness and she shouldn't be scared to face the consequences that came with her actions.She looked at the document once again. With one signature, they would be strangers from then on, with no connection whatsoever.After a moment of hesitation, she resolutely signed her name.EpilogueFive Months Later"With all the evidence presented before me, I have every reason to believe that Mr. Nathan Graham is guilty of a three-count murder charge, blackmail, money laundering, threats, and drug dealing," the judge declared.The courtroom was thick with tension. Every breath, every movement was weighed down by anticipation. Nathan sat stone-faced, but his eyes burned with malice as he glared at Rina, promising vengeance even from behind bars."I hereby sentence Mr. Nathan Graham to life imprisonment with hard labor."Gasps echoed through the room. Nathan clenched his fists as the reality of his fate sank in. His gaze flickered to his parents, searching for even a shred of sympathy. There was none. Instead, their stony expressions confirmed what he had failed to realize before—his parents had been backing Rina all along. The betrayal hit him harder than the sentence itself."I don’t think—""Counsel, please remove your client. Any further disruptions will only worsen
Four Months LaterRina's routine had become predictable—home, hospital, repeat. She had no time for idle conversations or anything that didn’t offer practical solutions.In the midst of everything, she and Mrs Graham had developed an unspoken understanding, rotating their hospital visits so they could each get some rest. Despite their initial differences, the situation had bonded them.That evening, Rina glanced at the time on her phone. She should already be home preparing dinner. Cooking had become her form of therapy—a temporary escape from the overwhelming reality she faced. Besides, her pregnancy cravings were relentless, and hunger gnawed at her stomach every now and then.Her phone rang again, and she already knew who it was."Rina, I know you're about to start cooking up a storm," her mother-in-law's warm but concerned voice came through. "Why don't you take a break? Zayn wouldn't want you overexerting yourself."Rina smiled slightly, though fatigue weighed on her bones. She a
"Rina, I think you need to pick up the phone.”Rina barely acknowledged the George’s words, lazily reaching for her ringing phone at the edge of the bed. She sighed, half-expecting it to be Nathan again.“Yes?” she answered, her voice sharp with irritation.“This is the Central Hospital. Am I speaking with Miss Rina?” a formal yet urgent voice asked.Her brows furrowed. “Yes, this is Rina.”“Mr. Zayn Graham has been involved in an accident, and we require your immediate presence before proceeding with a blood transfusion and other treatments. Can you come?”The words hit her like a freight train.Rina’s breath caught in her throat. Zayn.Never had she imagined she’d find herself in this situation—standing on the precipice of something irreversible.“I’ll be there immediately,” she said, her voice shaking.She grabbed the first set of clothes she could find and rushed out of the house, her heart pounding with dread.She arrived at the hospital in record time, barely aware of how she go
Zayn watched as Rina packed her belongings with sharp, deliberate movements. Her scowl was the only warning he needed—she wasn’t in the mood to listen. He wanted to tell her the truth, to explain everything, but he knew it wouldn’t matter right now.Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Igor If she wanted to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her—not like this.“Take her home safely,” he instructed, his voice void of emotion.Rina clenched her fists. He wasn’t even going to fight for her. That hurt more than the betrayal itself.She had wasted her time on him. She should have known he was like every other man.A few hours later, she was back to her cottage sitting in silence. The worst part? He hadn’t even tried to defend himself. He had just… let her go. That made it worse—worse than the rumors, worse than Nathan’s revelations, worse than the pictures she had seen online.Nathan, at least, was there to fill in the blanks. He was the only one who seemed to care enough to tell her wh
The days following Kayla Reese’s exposure were nothing short of chaotic. News outlets, social media platforms, and tabloids were flooded with updates about her arrest and the Reese family’s collapse. #JusticeForRina and #KaylaReeseExposed trended for days, while old interviews, articles, and videos surfaced—showing how Rina had suffered for years because of Kayla’s actions. Netizens Demanded Justice In comment sections across social media, apologies to Rina Powers poured in. "I feel so ashamed. I was one of the people who dragged her. I'm so sorry, Rina." "I can’t believe we turned against her for so long. This woman went through HELL." "We owe Rina an apology. She deserves the world." But netizens weren’t just apologizing—they were also going after the young actors who had lied against Rina three years ago. "So now that Kayla is exposed, WHERE are the actors who lied about Rina?" "I hope those ‘up-and-coming’ actors are ready to face consequences." "We need those
Despite the man’s confession reversing his previous statement, a significant portion of Kayla’s fans and other netizens refused to believe him. The sudden shift in his stance made them skeptical.“How does a man go from accusing Rina to suddenly defending her in 24 hours?”o9“She probably paid him off. The timing is too suspicious.”“Rina has finally bought her way out of this. What’s new?”The hashtags #RinaIsAWitch, #RinaIsAManipulator, #RinaIsEvil, and #RinaIsAHeartlessFriend surged to the top of trending lists. The internet was once again divided, and Kayla’s camp felt victorious.“We’re back in control,” Damien smirked, taking a sip of his drink as he scrolled through the hate comments directed at Rina.Kayla, lounging on the sofa, smirked. “Of course, we are. People believe what they want to believe. And right now? They want to see Rina suffer.”Just as they were about to toast to their small victory, Damien’s phone buzzed with a notification. His smirk vanished instantly.Kayla