The Bennet Scandal

Fallout

The sun rose over the Bennet estate, but there was no warmth in the light filtering through the sheer curtains of Sophia's bedroom. Instead, it felt like a spotlight glaring down on the chaos that had erupted overnight. Sophia sat on her bed, scrolling through her phone.

"What the hell is this?" she muttered under her breath, reading a few notifications with a sinking heart. "This is all rubbish." She scrolled through her social media feed, her irritation growing.

But the next moment, her face turned pale as she read a headline that sent a chill through her. "Bennet Heiress Caught in Illicit Affair with Married Billionaire Gabriel Westbrook!" The words twisted in her stomach, and a wave of nausea washed over her. Beneath the caption, there was a video. She instantly played it, and as she saw the scene of her kiss with Gabriel, her phone slipped from her hand and fell onto the bed.

"Who did this?" she thought, burying her head in her hands. The video was everywhere—shared, commented on, dissected. She couldn't escape the image of that stolen kiss, so tender in the moment but now tainted by scandal.

Just then, her phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced at the sender's name and saw it was from Ryan. She opened the message, which read, "Enjoying the spotlight, Sophia? Thought you could play with fire and not get burned?"

"Unbelievable," she muttered, fury igniting within her. She knew Ryan would come after her, but she wasn't expecting him to play so dirty.

Taking a moment to compose herself, she typed a quick response, her fingers trembling with anger. "You did this on purpose, didn't you? This isn't over." She hit send, but her anger felt like a drop in a vast ocean of dread. Her mind raced, thoughts spiraling out of control.

"What would Dad say? What would Gabriel do?"

Her heart raced as she imagined the fallout from this leaked video—her family's name dragged through the mud, her father's disappointment, and the public's judgment.

Lost in her thoughts and fear, she barely noticed when her door burst open. She raised her head to find Marshal Bennet standing there, his face a storm cloud of fury.

"Sophia!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. The call made her spring out of bed, her legs trembling beneath her.

"What have you done?"

"Dad, I—" she started, but he cut her off, his eyes blazing.

"Don't even try to explain! I saw the headlines. I can't believe my daughter would stoop so low!" He stepped closer, his voice lowering, but the anger still crackled. "You've embarrassed this family. Do you know what kind of gossip is running about you and your character?" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

The idea that his daughter was having an affair with his rival set Marshal on fire, and this fire wasn't going to be extinguished any time soon. Tears pricked at Sophia's eyes, but she fought them back.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this! It was just a kiss! A weak moment... and Ryan leaked the video out of revenge!"

"Ryan? That pathetic excuse of a man? You should have thought about your actions before getting involved with Gabriel Westbrook, my business rival!" His voice rose again, and Sophia flinched at the intensity.

"Dad, I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I like Gabriel... and he's not so bad." She stepped forward, desperate to reach him. "Please, can we talk about this? I never wanted it to become a scandal."

Marshal ran a hand through his hair, frustration boiling over. "Like him? Do you think a moment of weakness with a married man could bring you anything else but an insult? You've put everything at stake, Sophia! You're not just a Bennet by name; you represent everything this family stands for!"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Sophia cried out.

"I cannot tolerate you around me anymore. The idea that you are having an affair with Gabriel, the worst kind of man, is burning me up." Marshal's voice was cold.

"Dad, I'm your daughter!" she cried, her voice breaking. "I made a mistake, but I'm still me! You can't just throw me out!"

"I can and I will," he shot back, stepping back as if her words had physically pushed him away. "You've made your choice. Now, it's time to face the consequences."

Sophia felt a cold wave of panic wash over her. "You don't mean that," she said, her voice trembling. "You love me; I'm your daughter!"

"I loved the daughter who understood her responsibilities, who made choices that reflected our family's values. But you've shattered that trust!" He stepped toward the door, his jaw clenched. "I won't allow you to bring further shame on us. You need to leave the villa. Now."

"Please, Dad!" She felt a sob rise in her throat as she rushed to him, grabbing his arm. "I'm sorry! I'll fix this; I promise! Just give me a chance!"

But he pulled away, his expression hardening. "Don't make this harder than it has to be. You've embarrassed us all. If you come back here, my guards will remove you. I won't have you ruining everything I've worked for."

"No!" she shouted, desperation clawing at her throat. "You can't just throw me out like garbage! I'm your daughter!"

"Then act like it!" he thundered. "Make better choices next time!"

"Where would I go?" Sophia asked, her voice trembling with terror.

"I don't care," Marshal said flatly.

With that, he pushed past her and slammed the door behind him. The sound echoed in her ears, a painful reminder of her father's fury.

Sophia staggered back, collapsing onto her bed. The weight of his words crushed her spirit. She had always been the most loved child of Marshal Bennet, but now she felt utterly alone.

Her phone buzzed again, this time from Gabriel. "Sophia, I saw the news. Can we talk?"

She stared at the message, her heart a mix of longing and dread. What could he possibly say? He was the source of her chaos, but he was also the one person who understood what had happened between them.

The tears she had held back finally fell, streaming down her cheeks. "What have I done?" she whispered, feeling utterly lost. The life she had known was collapsing around her, and the realization of her father's betrayal weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Just then, the door creaked open again, and one of the guards peeked inside. "Miss Bennet, your father has instructed us—"

"No, you cannot do this!" she snapped, fury bubbling over. "I will not go away." She moved away from the guard.

"I'm just following orders," he replied, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough!" she yelled, feeling small and powerless. "You don't understand what I'm going through!"

"But I can't let you back inside the villa, either."

"Get out," she said, her voice low and trembling. "Just get out."

The guard looked at her, concern etched on his face. "You have to come with us... we have to obey the orders."

She stared at the expressionless face of the guard, and in the meantime, another message pinged on her phone. It was from Ryan again. "Hope you're enjoying your exile. Maybe this will teach you to think before you act."

"Ryan, I swear—" she hissed, her anger surging. But she had no energy left to respond. Instead, she turned off her phone, shoving it into the pocket of her jeans, and took a deep breath.

She knew she had to leave her house. She wanted to stay there until her mom came back from England, but she also knew that her father wasn't going to let her do this. Gasping for air, she stepped out of her room.