Chapter 8 – Shadows of Truth
When lies cast longer shadows,
The light of truth flickers
Fragile, but fierce.
And in the silence that follows,
Destinies are rewritten.
Clara's grip on Johnson's wrist was like iron as she pulled him into the middle of the crowded party. Music stopped. Conversations froze. All eyes turned toward them.
Clara (shouting):"This man tried to assault me!"
Gasps erupted. Phones were raised, cameras flashing from every angle. A wave of shock rippled through the guests.
Nelson and Peter pushed through the crowd, their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief.
Nelson:"Johnson? What's happening here?"
Peter:"Is this some kind of joke?"
Johnson stood there, stunned and breathless, the pain of Clara's slap still burning on his cheek. He opened his mouth to protest, but the words caught in his throat. The weight of the accusation crushed him.
Then, the AI security system's alert chimed loudly, cutting through the tension.
All eyes swung toward the large screen near the entrance.
The recorded footage began to play — grainy but unmistakable. The boy dragging Clara into the room, her struggle, the sharp impact as she collapsed, and then—
The mask falling away.
The face beneath wasn't Johnson's.
It was Jayson.
Whispers turned to murmurs, murmurs to disbelief.
Clara's breath hitched.
Clara (softly):"That's… that's not him."
Peter stepped closer to the screen, eyes narrowing.
Peter:"So Johnson is innocent…"
But not everyone was convinced.
Rumors had already taken root in the crowd's unsettled hearts.
Some whispered that Clara might have been mistaken, or worse, manipulated.
Others clung to doubt, unwilling to reverse their judgments.
Johnson's eyes searched Clara's — looking for trust, for apology — but found only confusion and fear.
The rift between them now felt impossible to bridge.
Outside the mansion, the city's skyline flickered with headlines.
"Political Rival's Dark Secret?"
"Assault Scandal Rocks Election!"
And lurking in the shadows of a distant alley, Jayson smiled coldly, knowing his plan was working perfectly.
"Let the chaos begin," he murmured.