Maya had long retired home, swirdled in bed but sleep seemed far away. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. Calm, and unreadable. The offer replayed in her mind, over and over. "I'll protect you. Tell me the truth."
Protect her? Or control her? She didn't know anymore.
Maya had already made her decision, so, didn't give the much thought to the issue. She was going to leave things just as they were. She wasn't going to give him that power. Not him nor anyone else.
Thinking this might be the end of it all, Maya's inner thoughts became slower and sluggishly drift off. Gradually, she fades into sleep. Unaware of herself.
But by morning, the news had hit like wildfire.
Every entertainment outlet and gossip site from Seoul to Los Angeles was ablaze with headlines.
"Top Model Maya Kim Pregnant?"
"Adrian Choi's Secret Romance Exposed!"
"The Billionaire and the Starlet: Hidden Love or Corporate Scandal?"
Maya's phone wouldn't stop vibrating. Her agent's messages stacked up, one after another. All in bold written caps, full of fury and panic. Not to talk of her social media notifications. They were exploding; the press had picked up on her fainting at the studio, and someone.
No one knew who, but there was a leaked image of Adrian carrying Maya to his car. Though it was blurred, the angle made it look like something far beyond compassion; more intimate than it was.
Maya stood frozen in the kitchen, wrapped in her robe with the phone trembling in her hands. Each headline felt like a blow to the chest. There had been whispering rumours of her pregnancy going on in her agency for a while now which she choose to be silent about. Pretending not to have heard them. But now that they were out in the open, her career was on the line.
Talking about her contracts, especially the new luxury endorsement with Maison Véra. They came with morality clauses. If the rumors tarnished her image, the dealcould, "Puff..." , vanish overnight.
Her manager's voice rang in her head from their last call:
> "Maya, I need you to deny everything firmly in public. We can't afford another scandal."
But how could she deny it when the truth was written in every uneasy flutter in her stomach?
She had tried to go to class earlier that day, desperate to feel normal again. But even the campus cafeteria had turned into a minefield of whispers and stares. Students pulled out their phones as she walked by, pretending to check messages while secretly taking photos.
There was no other option than to return home. Maya's mind was a jumble of thoughts she had no solutions to. Her phone's battery was already running low from all those calls. She was about turning it off when her manager's namw flashed on the screen. Instinctively, she answered but then, the line went off, followed by a message.
«I'll be in the Agency in the next 30 mins. Meet me there.»
Swiftly, Maya jumped into a simple oversized sweater and a cap, ready to meet Han at the agency. She hurried out into the common living room. Where Jina sat cross-legged on the couch with a half-finished plate of takeout noodles beside her and the television muted on a gossip channel. Heavy foot steps rasped her ears. She glanced at Maya then, to the clock on the wall. It ticked lazily toward 3:00 p.m.
Jina's head snapped towards Maya. "Where are you off to?" She asked, " You look like you're about to rob a store."
"I'm going to the agency," Maya replied, slipping on her sneakers.
"At this hour?" Jina frowned, setting her chopsticks down. "You shouldn't go alone, Maya. The press..."
"I'll be fine," Maya said quickly, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'll just take the back entrance."
But Jina was already on her feet. "No. I'm coming with you."
Maya groaned. "Jina ..."
"Don't even argue with me. " She argued, "You fainted two days ago, remember? I'm not letting you go alone."
There was no point in resisting. Jina's determination was legendary. Maya sighed and gave a small nod. "Fine, but you're paying for the cab."
Jina grinned, grabbing her coat. "Deal."
The afternoon air was warm, as they stepped outside. Seoul was alive in its usual chaotic rhythm. Cars were honking, street vendors were calling out, and people were weaving between traffic lights like clockwork.
As they rode through the city, the sunlight danced across the cab's windshield. Catching brief flashes of storefront signs and billboards. Traffic was heavy, crawling inch by inch past the congested lanes near Gangnam. The faint hum of car engines filled the silence between them.
Maya sat quietly, her hood drawn low and staring out at the crowded streets. She felt like one of those cars. Stuck and boxed in by noise and judgment. Unable to move forward or backward.
Jina scrolled through her phone, her brows knitting. "The rumors are everywhere, Maya. I'm not even searching for them; they're just popping up."
"Don't read them," Maya murmured.
"I'm not," Jina lied, quickly locking her screen. "It's just… people are cruel."
Maya said nothing. But her reflection in the car window looked pale and distant. The world outside kept spinning, but she felt detached as if time had slowed down for her alone.
As they turned onto the avenue leading to the agency, traffic thickened as they turned onto the avenue leading to the agency. Lots of reporters were already clustered near the entrance gates, with cameras flashing whenever a car slowed. Even from a distance, the sight made Maya's stomach chun.
Jina reached over, giving her wrist a reassuring squeeze. "We'll go through the back. Han will handle the rest."
Faintly, Maya nodded though her chest felt heavy. The city she once loved, now felt like a cage.
Just at Maya's words, the cab came to a slow stop two blocks away from the agency's building. Even from that distance, Maya could vividly sense the pressure.
"Unbelievable," Jina muttered under her breath, peering through the window. "They're everywhere."
Maya tugged her cap lower. "Let's take the back alley."
They slipped out of the cab, keeping their heads down as they moved past a line of idling black cars. As the ducked into the narrow side street leading to the agency's service pavement, the faint sounds of cameras clicking abd overlapping voices followed.
Somewhere nearby, a café radio played an upbeat song that felt almost mocking in contrast.
Jina was slightly out of breath by the time they reached the rear door. Without hesitation, she rang the bell twice, before a security guard cracked it open; instantly recognizing Maya.
"Miss Kim, they've been waiting for you upstairs," he said, voice low. "It's been chaos all day."
Maya managed a nod of thanks and slipped inside. The hallway lights flickered, faintly buzzing against the hum of distant chatter. Every step toward the elevator seemed heavier than the last.
Tension hung thick in the air as the doors to the excutive floor opened. Assistants whispered frantically near the meeting rooms. In the moment, someone's phone rang. It's tone sharp and loud, before being hastily silenced.
As Maya and Jina stepped out; Han, her manager, appeared from behind the glass wall of the conference room. His expression a mix of panic and exhaustion.
"There you are," Han exhaled, striding toward her. "Maya, do you have any idea what's happening right now?" He whispered.
Maya blinked, "I saw the headlines." she muttered, her voice loud enough for just the two of them.
Han's eyes flashed. "Headlines? Maya, it's a storm out there." He pointed. "Every outlet is running the story. And clients are calling nonstop. The board is panicking."
Jina quietly stepped aside as Han ushered Maya into the office, shutting the door behind them. Inside, piles of papers and open laptops filled the table; all showing the same thing, her name in bold headlines.
> "Pregnant Model Sparks Billionaire Scandal."
"Is Adrian Choi the Father?"
"Maya Kim's Secret Love Affair?"
The sight of it made her stomach twist.
Han pinched the bridge of her nose. "I've spent all morning trying to do damage control, but it's spreading faster than we can handle. Your endorsement with Maison Véra is on hold. While Seoul Beauty is reconsidering. They all have morality clauses, Maya. They can pull out anytime."
Maya stared at the floor. "I didn't ask them to fix anything. I just want to handle it my way."
"Handle it?" Han's voice cracked. "How? You can't even walk outside without getting hounded by the press! Do you want your career to vanish overnight?"
Before Maya could respond, a sudden knock interrupted. The door swayed open, and the temperature in the room dropped. In that moment;
Adrian Choi walked in.