THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

At that moment, Cora's voice lowered, but there was a sharpness in her tone that Melissa had never heard before. Her eyes were fixed on the television screen, her reflection faintly visible against the glass. The blurred photo still lingered on the broadcast, the outline of her face unmistakable even through the censorship. Her jaw tightened.

"It was Samuel's manager that actually said this, right?" Cora asked slowly, her words measured, as though she was confirming something already forming in her mind.

On the other end, Malisa didn't hesitate. She nodded instinctively. "Yes,"Malisa replied, her voice still rushed with unease. "He was the one that said all of this. He called me personally and said it's nothing — just noise. He wants us to treat it like it's nothing. Ignore it, and it'll fade."

Then Cora's fingers tightened around the phone as she stood in the center of her living room, still as a statue. "Noise," she echoed, almost whispering the word to herself. She exhaled sharply through her nose and gave a faint, bitter smile. "I understand where this is going now… and I think I know exactly who's behind it."

Hearing Cora words Malisa froze at the other end of the call, her brows furrowed. She could hear something new in Cora's voice not anger this time, but certainty. It unnerved her. "Wait… what are you saying? Cora, where are you going with this? Are you… are you suspecting someone? Who?"

There was a pause on Cora's end. A heavy pause. Then, with a calmness that was almost chilling, Cora spoke:

"All my suspicions… everything I've pieced together… it all points to Samuel. Samuel was the one who did this."

Hearing what Cora just said, Malisa shook her head slowly on the other end of the call, a faint sigh escaping her lips. She leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at the papers scattered across her desk as though searching for the right words. "Cora," she began, her tone steady but carrying a hint of disbelief, "I don't think that's the case at all. I really don't believe Samuel is behind this."

Cora, now pacing the length of her living room, tightened her grip on the phone. "Then explain to me how these pictures got out, Malisa. Who else could have done it?" Her voice was sharp, frustration dripping from every word.

Malisa's reply came quickly, as though she had anticipated Cora's question. "Why would he do this? Think about it for a second. What would Samuel gain by starting a rumor about himself and dragging your name into it? He has nothing to gain and everything to lose. This doesn't sound like him."

Then Cora stopped pacing for a brief moment, her chest rising and falling as her anger warred with reason. Malisa pressed on, unwilling to let the silence linger.

"Cora, you need to understand something, Samuel isn't just some random celebrity. He's one of the biggest names out there, and not just in entertainment. He's one of the best actor this country has ever seen." Malisa's voice grew more intense, her words tumbling faster now. "When someone like him becomes that popular, it's not just admiration he gets. He attracts obsession, the kind that makes people lose touch with reality."

Cora frowned, her thoughts momentarily pausing at the weight of Malisa's words.

Malisa continued, her tone shifting to something softer, almost cautious. "He has millions of fans, Cora. And among them, there are those who take things too far. Some of these girls they're not just fans. They see him as theirs. They don't want him with anyone else. Not you, not anyone. To them, Samuel should stay single forever, unless it's with them. That's how these young people behave nowadays irrational, possessive, unpredictable."

The words hung heavily in the air. Cora turned toward the television again, the blurred photo still plastered across the screen, the headline looping beneath it like a cruel reminder. Her jaw clenched, teeth grinding in frustration, but Malisa's reasoning had forced her to think.

Malisa lowered her voice, almost as if she was trying to pull Cora back from the edge. "Look, I know you're angry. I know it feels like Samuel set this up. But this… this looks like the work of someone on the outside. And I believe it was one of those diehard fans who think they're protecting him by tearing you down."

At that moment, Malisa pinched the bridge of her nose, pacing back and forth as if the motion would help her find the right words to calm Cora down. Her voice was shaky, the tension seeping through every syllable as she spoke into the phone. "Cora, listen to me carefully. I agree with Samuel's manager on this. Right now, the smartest thing you can do is keep your head down. This storm will pass. In a week, maybe two, this news will be nothing but yesterday's gossip. People will move on to the next scandal. That's how the media works."

She stopped pacing and leaned against the edge of her desk, her tone softening slightly, as if pleading. "Don't point fingers right now. Don't make this bigger than it already is. The more you speak, the more they twist your words. Silence is your shield, Cora. Trust me."

On the other side, Cora stood still in her living room, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she stared at the muted television screen looping the blurred photo of her face. Every headline flashing beneath it felt like a slap to her name, Samuel's Secret Lover? Mystery Woman Identified? Her lips pressed into a thin line, the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

When she finally spoke, her voice was calm but carried a weight that cut through Melissa's protests like a blade. "Malisa… I've heard you. I've heard what Samuel's manager said too. But let me tell you something, none of this changes anything for me. I don't care if it dies down in a week. I don't care if people forget tomorrow. The fact is, my picture was dragged through the mud today, and I'm not going to sit back and let them do it again."

Malisa froze, gripping her phone tighter. "Cora… what are you saying?"

Cora turned away from the television and walked toward the large window overlooking the city. The night lights flickered below, casting shadows across her face, making her expression even colder. "I'm saying I'm going to do what I want to do," she said firmly. "I won't stay silent. I won't hide. I'm calling them out, all of them."

"Cora, wait—"

"No, Malisa," Cora interrupted sharply. "I've made up my mind. Arrange a press conference. Tomorrow. Make it live. I don't care how big it is, I want every single major outlet there. I want everyone watching when I speak."

Malisa's breath hitched, panic flickering in her tone. "Do you even hear yourself? A press conference now will pour gasoline on this fire. It will make things worse!"

"I don't care," Cora replied without hesitation. "What I have to say will be ruthless. And if it shakes everything? So be it. I'll deal with the consequences later, Samuel is behind this and he's going to pay."