Falling for the Goddess

He's Back

What began as a scandal limited to students at North Capital University and a few curious netizens exploded when someone recognized the blue Koenigsegg in the photos. It was Ethan Brown's car.

Though Ethan Brown wasn't in the entertainment industry, his striking appearance and exceptional racing skills had earned him a massive following, complete with genuine fans who idolized him.

The revelation that their beloved idol was allegedly involved with a girl accused of having a chaotic private life sent his fans into a frenzy. They dug up all of Sara's personal information and bombarded her university's official website, demanding her expulsion.

"Is this woman seriously trying to trap our Ethan Brown? Please, wake up and steer clear of her!"

"She's buying contraceptives? How messed up is her life? Definitely a repeat offender!"

"This kind of person is a disgrace to the university. No one will respect North Capital University graduates if they tolerate people like her!"

"Growing up without proper family guidance really shows. She's ruining herself and bringing shame to the school!"

The comments grew nastier, filled with unfiltered insults and cruel personal attacks.

Ethan Brown found out about the chaos when fans swarmed his social media, bombarding him with comments and private messages. His professional manager also flagged the matter, urging him to address it.

Ethan Brown was abroad for a racing competition when he saw the posts. Infuriated, he immediately took to X:

"Sara is my friend. I gave her a ride—nothing more. Stop making baseless assumptions. Defamation and slander are crimes, you know!"

He wanted to call Sara directly, but the race organizers were already urging him to prepare. Frustrated, he pocketed his phone, hoping to reach out once the competition ended.

His public statement inadvertently intensified the uproar. The situation reached new heights, sparking polarized opinions. While some defended Sara, others doubled down on their insults, escalating the abuse to outright character assassination.

Sara Hart was still in the lab when Ella Duvall's call came through.

"Sara! Are you okay?" Ella Duvall's voice was filled with urgency.

"I'm fine, Ella. Don't worry about me."

"Damn it! Which idiot is spreading this garbage about you? If I find out, I'll make them regret it!" Ella Duvall's anger spilled over, her tone sharp. "I'll ask my brother to investigate. Don't stress yourself; please don't read the comments online."

"Ella," Sara interrupted softly, "why do you trust me so much?"

"Do you even need to ask? I know exactly what kind of person you are. You'd never do anything they're accusing you of." Ella Duvall didn't hesitate for even a second.

"That's all I need," Sara replied, her voice trembling slightly as her nose tingled. Knowing that the people who mattered believed in her was all she needed to stay strong.

"What about Adrian?" Ella Duvall asked.

At the mention of his name, Sara felt her heart tighten. Would Adrian believe her?

"He's on a business trip. It's probably still early morning where he is. He doesn't know yet," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Maybe you should go home for a few days," Ella Duvall suggested. "Someone leaked your lab location. What if people show up to cause trouble?"

"They wouldn't dare barge into the lab, and I'm not afraid of them. Don't worry—I'll head home after my experiments."

"Okay, but call me if anything happens!" Ella Duvall urged.

"I will."

Adrian Blake scrolled through the endless stream of hateful comments. The anger simmering in his eyes was almost palpable. He immediately called Charlie Scott.

Half-asleep in the neighboring hotel room, Charlie Scott groggily picked up the phone.

"Boss?"

"Get all the posts about Sara taken down—immediately. Find out who's behind this."

Charlie Scott jolted awake, fumbling for his tablet to check the situation.

"And book me the earliest flight back to North Capital," Adrian added, his tone colder than frost.

"Understood. But what about your meetings here?"

"Attend the ones you can on my behalf. Reschedule the rest. If they can't be delayed, cancel them."

"Yes, sir," Charlie Scott replied, still reeling from the sudden escalation.

"And Charlie Scott..."

"Yes, boss?"

"Dig into Sara's high school years. I want everything—every detail."

Charlie Scott's fingers trembled slightly as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Yes, sir. I'll handle it right away."

Sara Hart left the lab late in the evening. Walking back to her apartment, she could feel the weight of people's stares and hear their whispers.

Some glanced her way briefly before turning to their companions, whispering behind cupped hands. Others weren't as discreet, staring openly as if waiting for a reaction.

Even James Hill, a classmate, called to check on her.

Sara gazed at the tall sycamore trees lining the road. Their leaves had turned yellow and fluttered down with the autumn breeze.

This wasn't as bad as high school, she told herself. Back then, she had no one to stand by her. Now, she had friends—friends who believed in her.

When she reached her apartment, she turned on every light—kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom—filling the space with brightness. Only then did she feel a semblance of comfort, no longer enveloped by the loneliness of the dark.

She stood by the window, looking out at the warm glow of city lights against the cold winter night.

Her appetite had vanished. She wandered the apartment before pulling an old photo album from a cabinet. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she began flipping through its pages.

The photos were chaotic and unorganized—snippets of a life in no particular order. Group photos were taken on the school track, snapshots of tree-lined campus paths, blurry silhouettes of classmates in the distance.

Sara turned each page carefully, her mind transported back to those years. These photos had been her anchor during the bleakest days of high school, a reminder that life was more than the pain she endured.

She clung to the hope that Adrian wouldn't believe the lies. But would he, like the others, misunderstand her too?

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice how much time had passed. The clock's minute hand circled endlessly as she flipped through the album repeatedly.

The sound of the door unlocking broke her reverie.

Sara looked up abruptly, startled. Standing in the doorway was Adrian.

His presence was commanding as always, but seeing him here now felt surreal.

She blinked, her breath hitching. She could only stare for a moment, caught between shock and disbelief.

He had come back.