Chapter 2

2.

"Oh my god, is that her? She’s dressed like a professional, but she’s a stalker?"

"Ten years? God, poor Julian, being targeted by a psycho like that."

"So disgusting. People like her should be locked up in a mental institution. Stay away from my Julian!"

I was frozen in my seat, unable to move. My phone vibrated violently in my pocket. I knew my picture and personal info, now branded with the "pervert" label, were being shared frantically across Twitter and TikTok.

On stage, Julian basked in the glow of victimhood. He looked at me, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of revenge.

The awards ceremony was interrupted as several large security guards started walking toward me.

I stood up and, under countless gazes of contempt, curiosity, and ridicule, walked toward the exit.

As I passed the front-row VIP seats, a foot in a designer heel suddenly shot out.

I stumbled and fell forward, my knees cracking hard against the marble floor.

"Oops, I'm so sorry."

The speaker was Lexi, the new starlet my company was heavily promoting this year.

She covered her mouth in an exaggerated gasp, but the corners of her eyes were creased with a classic mean-girl smirk.

"I didn't do it on purpose. Why were you in such a hurry? Rushing off to harass someone else?"

A wave of suppressed laughter rippled through the nearby seats.

I tried to push myself up, a sharp pain shooting through my knee. A pair of shiny, handmade Italian leather shoes stopped right in front of me.