Michelle Kent was seated by the window, absently flipping through the glossy pages of a lifestyle magazine, when her phone rang. The sound startled her from her calm reverie. She sighed, glanced at the caller ID, and saw it was her secretary. Odd — she had taken the day off.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Madam MK, have you seen the news?" Rebecca's voice trembled on the other end.
Michelle frowned. "No. What's going on?" she asked, curiosity sharpening her tone.
"Ahh… Madam, it's your husband," Rebecca stammered. "It's better if you check it yourself." The line went dead before Michelle could respond.
Puzzled, she unlocked her phone and opened her social media feed. Within seconds, her expression froze. Every trending headline screamed the same story:
> "CEO of a rising entertainment company caught cheating with his secretary."
"Scandal hits Starlight Entertainment — Mike Lewis, the CEO behind the fastest-growing brand, exposed for infidelity."
Her husband's name was everywhere. The words blurred before her eyes as disbelief settled into her bones. Mike Lewis — her husband of barely a year and a half — was the talk of the nation.
Michelle sank back on the couch, her mind a storm of humiliation and pain.
---
At the company headquarters, Mike's thoughts were in chaos. He sat behind his desk, fingers tangled in his hair, while Derek, his best friend and operations manager, watched him pace the room.
"Wow, Mike. Just… wow," Derek muttered, half amused, half exasperated.
"Not now, Derek," Mike snapped. "I can't think straight. The investors are pulling out, contracts are being canceled, and the media is camped outside!"
"You do realize they're waiting for a statement, right?" Derek asked dryly.
"I know. What am I supposed to tell them? What about the board?" Mike groaned, gripping his head. Think, Mike. Think, he muttered inwardly.
"What about MK?" Derek asked, his voice softening. "You haven't mentioned her once."
Mike froze mid-step. Then, slowly, a grin formed on his face — the kind that promised trouble.
"MK," he murmured. "Derek, you're brilliant." He reached for his phone.
"What are you planning?" Derek asked warily, though he already knew.
"One of us has to take the blame," Mike said. "Tell the press I'll address them tomorrow morning, before the board meeting." A wicked smile tugged at his lips.
I'm sorry, MK, he thought. After everything you've done for me, I know I'm being ungrateful. But I have to protect myself first.
---
Later that evening, Jesse — one of MK's closest friends — called to invite her out. With the scandal fresh in every news feed, Michelle needed a distraction more than ever. She accepted.
At a dimly lit club downtown, MK and Rebecca sat in a corner booth, joined later by Jesse. The atmosphere pulsed with loud music and laughter, but MK's thoughts were far away.
By her sixth shot, she was already past her limit.
"Are you sure you can handle another one?" Jesse asked, concern flickering in her eyes.
MK let out a hollow laugh. "What's the worst that could happen?" she said, downing the drink in one gulp. Rebecca, equally distraught, mirrored her pace.
Across the room, three women lounged on a couch in the corner, watching them closely. A man whispered something to the one in the center and pointed toward MK. Shriya, their apparent leader, smiled knowingly.
"The boss wants us to dig up dirt on her," Shriya said. "Ruin her reputation."
It was routine for them. When powerful people wanted to destroy rivals quietly, they hired groups like this — women who specialized in social sabotage. Shriya belonged to the Bravis Group, a vast and shadowy network whose members seldom knew one another. She had earned her place through cunning and precision.
"What should we do? There's nothing in her past," one of the girls complained.
Shriya's eyes narrowed. "Everyone has something to hide. No one's that clean," she said thoughtfully. Humans always slip, even without realizing it. I'll find her flaw.
At the bar, MK and Rebecca were laughing too loudly now, their words slurring. A few patrons whispered behind them.
"Is that the CEO's wife?" someone muttered.
MK's temper flared. The humiliation that had been simmering all day boiled over. She turned sharply, glaring at the speaker before dragging Rebecca to her feet.
From the corner, Shriya smirked. "Tell the boss I'll handle it," she said, rising from her seat. Peach and Leah, her partners, exchanged relieved glances — their job was done.
---
Outside, MK hailed a cab and carefully placed Rebecca inside. She knew the gatekeeper at Rebecca's compound would help her in safely.
When the cab disappeared into the night, MK felt the crushing weight of loneliness settle over her. She didn't want to go home. She wasn't ready to face Mike — or the mess her life had become.
She hailed another cab, her mind hazy. A sleek black car pulled up, and she slid into the back seat without hesitation.
"Spring Hotel, please," she murmured.
"Yes, ma'am," the driver replied.
After a few miles, the driver spoke again. "Ma'am, may I ask you something?"
Unbeknownst to MK, Shriya had taken the wheel herself. Her plan was simple — draw MK into conversation, make her talk while drunk, and uncover something useful. But when she glanced back, MK was fast asleep, her head resting against the window.
Frustration surged through Shriya. She slammed her palm against the steering wheel. "Damn it! What am I supposed to do now?"
When she reached the hotel, Shriya tried waking MK, but the woman didn't stir. Muttering under her breath, she half-dragged, half-carried MK inside, paid for a room, and hauled her up the stairs.
MK landed on the bed with a dull thud. Shriya barely spared her a glance before rummaging through her handbag.
"Let's see what you're hiding," she muttered, emptying the contents onto the table.
"Michelle Kent," she read aloud. "Finance Manager, Starlight Company."
A passport. An ID. A company badge. Some cash. Three bank cards. A small makeup kit.
With each item she examined, her irritation grew. There was nothing — no clue, no scandal, no secret.
Shriya leaned back, exhaling sharply. "You can't be this clean," she whispered .