The retaliation came swift and brutal. Smear campaigns, fake scandals, staged betrayals—every headline painted Hana as a fraud.
Paparazzi hounded her steps. Online forums called her unfit. The weight threatened to crush her.
But Mi-Ho never left her side. He walked beside her through the chaos, his silence a shield, his presence a reminder she wasn't fighting alone.
At night, when exhaustion broke her walls, he would murmur, "This storm is his last card. Hold steady, Hana. You've already won."
Her heart clenched at his quiet faith.