The first signs were subtle.
A video edit on social media—Lina laughing during a light moment—clipped to look like she was mocking another guest.
A fake tweet claiming she demanded a private dressing room and a stylist's resignation.
A whisper thread labeling her "entitled, cold, and climbing too fast."
By morning, #LinaFake trended at number four.
Sora threw her phone across the kitchen. "I will personally fight every troll with a ring light and Wi-Fi."
Lina blinked at the screen. "It hasn't even been twenty-four hours…"
[System Alert: False Narrative Detected]
Threat Level: Moderate – Media Cluster Forming
Suggested Action: "Redirect Narrative" Mission Available
She tapped the glowing prompt.
New Task: "Redirect the Flame"
Appear on Rough Cut, the no-filter podcast known for burning reputations.
Speak truth. No PR. No script.
Risk: Real-time viral volatility.
Reward: +Authenticity Tier, Reputation Cleanse, Potential Ally Unlock
Sora looked over her shoulder. "Rough Cut? That's suicide."
Lina said nothing. Then: "Book it."
The Rough Cut studio was raw.
No lights. No glam. Just one microphone, one camera, and a reputation for making public figures crumble.
Zara, the host, wore a black hoodie and zero makeup. Her voice was smoke and sandpaper.
"I don't filter," she said. "I don't edit. You ready for that?"
Lina nodded once. "Always."
Thirty minutes in, Zara had already accused her of faking humility, dating up, and "crafting a tragic orphan narrative to dodge criticism."
Lina didn't flinch.
Zara leaned forward. "So tell me, what's your real story?"
Lina stared into the camera.
"I was expelled at fifteen for something I didn't do. I lived in a shelter. I got used to silence. I thought I had to be small to survive. But I learned something: the world doesn't care if you're quiet. It just forgets you faster."
Silence.
Then, Zara sat back—expression unreadable.
"…You rehearsed that?"
"No," Lina said. "I lived it."
Within hours, the internet flipped.
Clips of her confession hit the front page. A popular influencer posted: "I felt every second of that. Protect Lina at all costs."
Hashtags changed.
#LinaFake → #RealVale
#Entitled → #UnfilteredFire
Brand reps who ghosted her? Now they were flooding Sora's inbox.
Even the Rough Cut account posted:
We've never aired a rawer guest. She didn't just survive—she left scorch marks.
That night, Lina came home to a small black box on her doorstep.
Inside, a glass-encased rose with a silver ribbon.
No note.
But she didn't need one.
"Kael," she murmured.
She touched the ribbon gently, unsure what she felt.
Hope?
Or warning?
At her next shoot, Elle was waiting.
Hair sharp. Eyes sharper.
"So you survived the fire," she said.
"Did you think I wouldn't?"
"I think you're beginning to believe you're untouchable."
"And you think that's dangerous?"
Elle leaned in, her voice a quiet knife. "Only for the rest of us."
Lina tilted her head.
"Then I suggest you run faster."