The gala was supposed to be the university's redemption arc—a formal event to raise funds for student support programs, now bearing Adrian and Isabel's fingerprints in quiet, permanent ways. Isabel stood near the back of the venue, her gown a deep emerald green, her hair swept up, her fingers twirling the engagement ring whenever no one was watching.
"You look like you own the room," Vanessa said, slipping beside her, dressed in a sleek silver jumpsuit.
Isabel smiled. "I still feel like the girl who used to hide in the library."
"Maybe. But now you run the library."
Across the room, Adrian was deep in conversation with a board member when his phone buzzed. He excused himself and stepped outside to read the message. As his eyes scanned the screen, his expression shifted.
Isabel noticed the change from across the room. The invisible thread between them pulled tight.
She approached slowly. "What is it?"
Adrian hesitated. "It's about my father."
"What now?"
Adrian turned the screen toward her. It was an article—newly published and already spreading. It detailed the Cole family's long history of silencing scandals through bribes, including a past incident involving a former faculty member at the university.
"Someone leaked this," he muttered. "And they're linking me to it."
Isabel's stomach dropped. "Are they trying to say you're part of that?"
He shook his head. "It's a distraction. Someone's trying to undermine the reforms. And my father's legacy is the perfect target."
Vanessa joined them, having caught wind of the tension. She glanced at the headline and scowled. "Let me guess. Daniel's last move?"
"No," Adrian said. "This feels… deeper. More organized."
---
The fallout came fast.
Donors pulled back. The board called an emergency meeting—again. Adrian was asked to step down from all honorary positions permanently. Though he had already resigned, the gesture felt like exile.
That night, Adrian sat in their apartment, the lights dimmed, the ring box still open from when he'd shown it off to a friend earlier.
"I should've seen it coming," he said, staring at the floor.
Isabel sat beside him, her voice steady. "You didn't cause this. And you don't owe your family's sins."
He looked at her, eyes weary. "Don't you get tired of fighting for me?"
She leaned forward, touched his cheek. "No. Because you never stopped fighting for me."
---
The next day, Harper arranged a private meeting. Her face was drawn, but there was fire in her voice.
"This leak came from someone with access to private board records," she said. "We're investigating. But you should be prepared—it's political now."
Adrian nodded. "It always was."
Harper turned to Isabel. "And you. Be careful. You're a symbol now, whether you like it or not."
Isabel nodded. "Then I better stand tall."
---
Meanwhile, Vanessa and Jude were preparing for a radio interview to promote *The Quiet Room*. Just before going on air, Vanessa's phone buzzed.
She opened the message. It was a voice note. From Zara.
"I heard about the Cole scandal. I just wanted to say… I hope you're okay. And that I'm proud of what you're building. Always was."
Vanessa's throat tightened. Jude noticed.
"You alright?"
She nodded. "Yeah. It's just—some ghosts show up at the weirdest times."
"Want to talk about it on-air?" he asked gently.
She thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah. Let's talk about turning pain into power."
---
Back at the apartment, Isabel sat at her laptop, drafting a new public letter.
"We're not hiding again," she told Adrian. "We tell the truth. About your father. About the culture that let him operate. We name it."
He stared at her. "It could ruin everything."
She held his gaze. "Then let it. We'll build something better."
He reached for her hand. "Then we do it together."
She nodded. "Always."