His name was Nathaniel

81

Adaliya had learned to ignore the whispers at school. She had learned to brush off the knowing glances at work. She had even come to tolerate the occasional intrusive question from classmates or customers.

But nothing prepared her for this.

The moment she stepped out of her morning lecture, her phone vibrated nonstop—texts, missed calls, notifications from social media. At first, she assumed it was something minor. Maybe Lola wanted to meet up. Maybe Nathaniel had sent her something sweet.

Then she opened the first message.

Lola: Tell me you've seen this.

The text was followed by a link. Adaliya clicked it without thinking, and the moment the page loaded, her blood ran cold.

"Nathaniel Donovan's Mystery Girlfriend: A Gold Digger or Just a Lucky Nobody?"

She stared at the headline, her heart pounding as she scrolled through the article.

It was worse than she imagined.

"For weeks, the public has been curious about the woman who seemingly appeared out of nowhere to capture the attention of one of the most eligible heirs in the country. While some call it a fairytale romance, others believe it's nothing more than a calculated move from a woman looking to secure her place in wealth and status."

"Sources claim that Adaliya Nkembe, a college student from a modest background, has no history of moving in high society circles—raising questions about how she and Donovan even met. While their relationship appears genuine, skeptics argue that Donovan's infatuation might blind him to a reality others see clearly: that this is a textbook case of a woman climbing the social ladder."

Adaliya felt like she couldn't breathe.

She forced herself to keep scrolling, hoping that maybe—maybe—the article would take a different turn.

It didn't.

It went on to highlight her background, her job at the café, the fact that she had no connections to wealth. It even dug up old photos of her, comparing her previous lifestyle to the lavish world Nathaniel belonged to.

And the worst part?

There were comments.

"She's obviously using him. Look at her, she doesn't belong in that world."

"Nathaniel's just going through a phase. He'll come to his senses."

"Why do these rich guys always fall for these girls who have NOTHING? It's embarrassing."

"She's pretty, sure, but let's be real—without him, she's nobody."

Adaliya's stomach twisted painfully.

This wasn't just gossip.

This was an attack.

Her phone buzzed again.

Nathaniel: Call me. Now.

⸻

The moment Adaliya picked up, Nathaniel's voice was sharp. "Did you see it?"

She swallowed hard. "Yeah."

"I'm handling it."

Adaliya blinked. "What?"

"I've already contacted my lawyers," Nathaniel said, his tone clipped with anger. "We can get this article taken down and put out a statement."

Adaliya sat down on a nearby bench, rubbing her temples. "Nathaniel, this isn't something you can just erase."

"Watch me."

She sighed, gripping her phone. "I appreciate it, but this? This isn't going away just because you say so."

Nathaniel was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, but still tense. "You don't have to go through this alone."

Adaliya closed her eyes, exhaustion weighing on her. "I know."

"Then let me protect you."

Something in her chest tightened. She wanted to let him. She wanted to just say yes and let him take care of everything. But at the same time...

"This keeps happening," she murmured. "People questioning me. Questioning us."

Nathaniel exhaled sharply. "I know."

"I can't just hide behind you every time someone tries to tear me down," she continued. "Because they're going to keep coming, Nathaniel. And if I don't stand up for myself now, I never will."

There was another pause. Then, reluctantly, "What do you want to do?"

Adaliya bit her lip. "I want to respond. My way."

Nathaniel didn't like that. She could hear it in the way he inhaled sharply, in the slight shift of his tone. "Adaliya, this isn't just a stupid rumor—this is a targeted attack. Whatever you say, they're going to twist it."

"So what?" she challenged. "I just stay silent? Let them think I'm some gold-digging nobody?"

"You and I know the truth," Nathaniel countered. "That should be enough."

"It's not," Adaliya snapped before she could stop herself.

Silence.

She sighed, lowering her voice. "I love you, Nathaniel. And I love us. But if I don't start fighting for myself now, this is going to destroy me."

Nathaniel didn't respond right away. But when he did, his voice was softer. "Okay."

Adaliya blinked. "Okay?"

"I don't like it," he admitted. "But I'll support whatever you decide to do."

She exhaled, relief washing over her. "Thank you."

Nathaniel sighed. "Just... be careful."

"I will," she promised.

But as she ended the call, she realized she had no idea how to fight back.

All she knew was that she had to.

⸻