The story dropped just before noon.
"What Really Happened: The Truth Behind the Isabel and Professor Cole Scandal."
It wasn't leaked. It wasn't tabloid gossip. It was their story—on their terms. Written by Adrian and Isabel together, and published through a reputable online journal with all the receipts: timelines, texts, academic ethics, and the truth about Daniel's harassment.
Adrian had insisted: We either own it, or it owns us forever.
Within an hour, it was trending. Reactions poured in. Some sympathetic. Some cruel. But many—surprisingly—supportive.
"I can't believe they're still fighting together. That's real."
"She was harassed and no one listened until now. Shame on the university."
"Powerful. Brave. Necessary."
Isabel sat beside Adrian in his office, watching the flood of comments.
"I don't know if I should be relieved or terrified," she whispered.
"Both," he said, "means you're alive."
---
At the university, the fallout was instant.
The faculty board called an emergency meeting. Mrs. Harper sat at the head of the table, reading their article aloud as everyone listened in silence.
When she finished, one professor scoffed. "So we're letting students and faculty air their personal lives like episodes of a show now?"
Harper looked up sharply. "They told the truth. Something this board has failed to do for years. We covered for Daniel when complaints came in. We ignored Isabel's academic performance. And we shunned Adrian for a relationship that was consensual and legally sound."
A murmur of discomfort spread around the table.
Another voice asked, "So what now?"
Harper's lips tightened. "Now we clean up the mess. Starting with Daniel."
---
Vanessa watched it all unfold from her phone, fingers trembling. She hadn't expected her brother to go public—not like this.
She found herself walking again. To the wellness center. To Jude.
When she stepped in, he was wiping down a table, eyes tired.
"You saw it?" she asked.
He nodded. "He finally took back the narrative."
She crossed her arms. "It's weird, but... I'm proud of him."
Jude smiled. "You're both fighters. It runs in the family."
Vanessa stepped closer. "So I've been thinking."
"Oh?" he asked.
"I want to build something that matters. Not just react to chaos—but create healing. A center. For young people struggling with identity, with silence, with shame."
He blinked. "You mean like an NGO?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Mental health. Art therapy. Outreach."
Jude grinned. "That sounds amazing."
She smiled. "Want to help me build it?"
He stepped forward. "Only if I get to name it."
They laughed.
---
That night, Isabel's phone buzzed again. Another private number.
This time, it was a video.
She opened it. The screen flickered. A dark street. A man in a hoodie following a figure that looked—
"Vanessa," Isabel gasped.
Adrian came running. "What? What is it?"
She showed him the phone. His face drained of color.
"We need to find her. Now."
---
Vanessa was leaving the wellness center when she heard the footstep.
She turned. Empty street.
She kept walking.
Another sound. A bottle kicked.
She turned again. "Who's there?"
Silence.
Then a figure rushed toward her.
But Vanessa was faster than expected. She swung her bag, hard, and hit him in the chest. He stumbled, and she ran.
Her phone clattered to the ground.
---
Minutes later, Adrian and Isabel arrived.
"Vanessa!" Isabel called.
They found her crouched behind a dumpster, breathing heavily, her lip bleeding.
Adrian rushed to her. "Are you hurt?"
She nodded. "He tried to grab me. I got away."
Isabel found her phone nearby. The screen cracked, but still working.
Adrian called the police. "Tell them it was Daniel," he said.
Vanessa looked up, eyes filled with fear. "He's not going to stop, is he?"
Adrian looked between her and Isabel. "No. But neither will we."