Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

My breath caught. She didn't name me, but she didn't have to. The vagueness of her words only heightened the speculation, and every gaze in the room landed squarely on me. Stay updated via empire

"She's talking about Eve, right?!"

"Who else could it be that she claimed they took in and cared for?"

"I can't believe it. Is it true?"

"How could she do that?"

"Maybe she really wanted to be Cinderella, just to get close to Daniel."

"But pushing Sophie down the stairs to take the role? That's taking it way too far."

The whispers turned cruel, each word cutting deeper than the last. My pulse raced as their accusations twisted around me like a noose.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Riri's and Daniel's worried gazes, their concern palpable, but it did little to quell the storm brewing around me. The room felt like it was shrinking, the air thick with judgment.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself, then raised my voice, loud enough to be heard over the murmurs. "I didn't do it," I said, my tone calm but firm. "I'm not even living under the same roof as her, so how could I push her down the stairs?"

The words hung in the air, met with incredulous looks and muted scoffs. Their doubt was written plainly across their faces.

Truth wasn't what anyone wanted to hear right now. Drama had already taken hold, and Sophie's picture in a hospital bed was all the evidence they needed to believe her side of the story. She had played her hand perfectly, casting me as the villain while she played the victim.

What now?

My mind raced, searching for something—anything—that could turn the tide. But the reality was sinking in fast: no matter what I said, no one here was going to listen because they already sided to the one who was victimized.

"Eve." Riri's voice broke through the noise, sharp and insistent, pulling me back. I looked at her, my chest heaving as the words I needed to say failed me.

"Don't worry, Eve. I believe you," Riri said firmly.

Daniel stepped closer. "I'm on your side too."

Their support felt like a faint light in the storm of accusations swirling around me. At least there were still people who believed in me.

"There's no use denying it now." Lily's sharp voice broke the moment, her tone laced with smugness. "The evidence is right there. Tell us, Eve—how could you do something so vile to someone who took you in?"

"I told you I didn't do it," I said, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling under the surface.

"Liar," one of Lily's friends hissed, her words filled with venom.

Daniel stepped forward, his jaw clenched, and his face darkened with barely contained anger. "Do you have any actual evidence that Eve did it?"

Lily's confidence faltered for a split second as her gaze flickered to her friends. They exchanged uncertain looks before she turned back to Daniel. Her eyes were still locked on me, brimming with jealousy and contempt.

"Sophie is in the hospital, and she said someone pushed her," Lily said, her tone sharp. "Someone they took in and treated like family. Who else could it be, but her?"

"Then why don't you ask Sophie directly?" I raised an eyebrow, my voice calm but cold. "Ask her if it was me."

Lily scoffed, crossing her arms. "Of course Sophie's too nice to name you outright. She's always been like that. If she weren't, she would have already called you out."

I let out a bitter laugh. "So your 'evidence' is that she didn't say my name and that she's in the hospital because of some unidentified ghost push her? If you don't have factual evidence, should I sue you for defamation, then?"

Lily's face shifted—just slightly—but I saw it, and I pressed on. "Be careful with your accusations, Miss Ashford. I'm not playing around here."

"Sue me, then!" she snapped, her voice rising. "But if it turns out you're the one who pushed Sophie, I'll personally make sure you face attempted murder charges."

I chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "Let's see who's going to jail, then."

At that moment, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Normally, I wouldn't have answered it with everyone staring daggers at me, but seeing Hyun's name flashing on the screen made my stomach drop.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice taut as I turned away from the crowd, needing to escape the suffocating tension.

"Eve, we have an emergency!" Hyun's voice was frantic, a sharp contrast to his usual calm.

"What?" I stepped further away from the crowd, struggling to hear him over the rising murmur.

"Hey! We're not finished with you!" Lily called after me, her tone biting.

I ignored her completely, my focus on Hyun. "What's going on?"

"It's better if I show you," he said hurriedly. "Come to the studio right away."

The line went dead, leaving me with a sinking feeling in my gut. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

I turned back toward the crowd, ready to leave, but Daniel moved to block my path. His eyes were conflicted, his lips pressed together as if he were trying to find the right words.

"Eve . . ." He finally spoke, his voice unsteady.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even, though the urgency from Hyun's call was gnawing at me.

"I . . ." He looked down for a moment, his hands balling into fists. "I'm sorry, Eve. I shouldn't have kissed you."

His words hung in the air, heavy and raw.

I took a deep breath, surprised by the sudden shift in his demeanor. "Daniel, it's fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it. It was just part of the moment, right? It had an impact, and I know you did it for the grades. Honestly, it probably made the finale unforgettable, so there's no need to apologize."

Daniel's expression darkened, his brows furrowing as though he wanted to correct me, but I couldn't afford to linger.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. We can talk about this later, okay? Right now, I need to be somewhere else," I said, brushing past him before he could respond.

I hurried to change, each second feeling like a countdown to something I wasn't ready to face.

As soon as I was out of that costume, I bolted out the door and headed straight for Hyun's studio, my heart pounding with unease.