His name was Nathaniel

82

Adaliya sat on the edge of her bed, her phone in her hands, staring at the camera screen.

Her heart pounded.

This was either going to be the best decision she ever made—or a complete disaster.

She had spent the past hour debating whether to do this. She had drafted statements, considered typing something out, maybe even doing an interview. But none of that felt real.

The only way to fight this was to be herself.

So, with a deep breath, she hit record.

The screen flashed red.

And she began.

"Hi. My name is Adaliya Nkembe." She paused, exhaling. "I didn't think I'd ever have to make a video like this, but here we are."

She glanced at the screen, pushing through the nervousness. "For the past few weeks, there's been a lot of talk about me. About my relationship. About who I am. And, frankly? Most of it is nonsense."

She shifted slightly, gripping the phone tighter. "So, let me clear some things up."

She looked straight into the camera. "I'm not some random woman who just 'showed up' in Nathaniel Donovan's life. I've known Nathaniel since we were teenagers."

She paused, letting that sink in. "We met before he was the man you all know today. Before the business suits, before the headlines, before the expectations that come with being a Donovan." A small smile tugged at her lips. "We met when he was just a boy sneaking away from his father's mansion, and I was just a girl who didn't care about where he came from."

Her voice softened slightly. "Nathaniel has never been about wealth or status to me. And I have never been about money to him."

She leaned forward. "I didn't take advantage of him. I didn't seek him out for some kind of status. Our relationship isn't something I planned—it's something that happened because we care about each other."

Her expression darkened slightly. "But instead of people asking about that, they'd rather judge me based on where I come from. They'd rather assume that because I don't come from money, I must be using him."

She exhaled sharply. "Let's be real—this isn't just about me. This happens all the time. The second a woman from a normal background is with a wealthy man, people automatically assume she's a gold digger. Meanwhile, nobody questions rich men who date women with less. It's always her integrity that's up for debate."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to sit back and let people paint me as something I'm not."

Her expression softened again. "At the end of the day, I'm just a normal person. I have a family. I have friends. I go to school. I work. And, yeah—I happen to be dating someone whose life is very different from mine. But that doesn't make my love for him less real."

She let out a slow breath. "So, to those of you who want to keep calling me names? Go ahead. But to the people who actually care about the truth—thank you."

She smiled slightly. "And to Nathaniel—because I know you're watching this—I love you."

She reached out, ending the recording before she could overthink it.

Her hands were shaking.

But as soon as she uploaded the video, she knew she had done the right thing.

Now, all she could do was wait.

⸻

The Internet Reacts

She didn't have to wait long.

Her phone exploded with notifications.

At first, there were more of the usual comments—skepticism, mocking, people refusing to believe her. But then, something shifted.

People started listening.

A wave of support flooded in.

"She speaks with so much honesty. You can tell she's not lying."

"The way she talks about Nathaniel? This is real love, and y'all are just mad."

"Not her making more sense than 90% of the internet. Go off, queen."

"She's right. If she were a man dating a rich woman, nobody would say anything."

"I wasn't sure about her at first, but after this? She's got my respect."

The more people shared her video, the more the narrative changed.

It wasn't just defending her anymore—it was celebrating her.

And the best part?

Nathaniel's fans—the ones who had initially doubted her—were now turning against the media.

"They really tried to ruin her for NO reason. Now I feel bad for believing the lies."

"I wasn't sure about them before, but she clearly loves him. Let them be happy."

"Media needs to stop painting normal women as gold diggers just because a rich guy loves them."

For the first time since this nightmare began, Adaliya felt lighter.

She had fought back.

And she had won.

⸻

That night, her phone rang.

She picked up, already grinning. "Hello, Mr. Donovan."

Nathaniel's voice came through, exasperated but fond. "You just had to call me out in front of the whole world, huh?"

Adaliya laughed. "I knew you'd be watching."

He sighed dramatically. "I don't know whether to be mad at you or madly in love with you."

She smirked. "I'm hoping for the second option."

Nathaniel groaned. "God, you're impossible."

She could hear the smile in his voice.

Then, more seriously, "I'm proud of you."

Her heart softened. "Thank you."

Nathaniel exhaled. "But next time? Maybe let me know before you decide to address millions of people?"

Adaliya grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"

Nathaniel groaned again, but he couldn't hide the warmth in his voice. "You're going to be the death of me."

Adaliya laughed. "You wouldn't have it any other way."

And, despite everything, Nathaniel couldn't argue with that.

⸻