Flashback
Without Maya knowing, Emmett had a dark secret. During their relationship, he had secretly recorded a video of her while she was drunk. It was a night Maya could hardly remember, starting off innocently enough but quickly spiraling out of control. She had trusted Emmett completely, never imagining he would betray her so deeply.
At first, Emmett appeared to be the perfect boyfriend. He was charming and attentive, the kind of guy everyone liked. But as time passed, his true nature began to reveal itself. Emmett was manipulative and possessive, traits that Maya, in her innocence, had overlooked. The night of the video was one of their many arguments, but this one ended differently.
Maya had been drinking to drown her sorrows after another fight. Emmett, always the opportunist, kept pushing more alcohol on her, pretending to be the caring boyfriend. He urged her to relax and forget their troubles. Maya laughed, danced, and eventually passed out. That's when Emmett took out his phone and started recording her at her most vulnerable.
The video was a horrifying piece of evidence. It showed Emmett undressing Maya, his cruel laughter echoing in the background as he moved her limp body into compromising positions. He acted like he was helping her, making snide comments and laughing at her state. This was the ultimate display of his hypocrisy—pretending to care while planning to betray her all along. Maya had no idea about the humiliating and incriminating footage he had created.
Now, with their relationship long over and Maya finding happiness with Steven, Emmett saw his chance to strike. He knew the video could destroy her, and he was more than ready to use it. All those times he played the perfect boyfriend were just a cover for his true, sinister intentions. Emmett's hypocrisy was about to come to light, and Maya's world was on the brink of being shattered.
Flashback End
Shonn listened, his heart heavy with the knowledge he had just gained. He couldn't believe someone could be so cruel, so vindictive. He wanted to rush in and tell them he knew, but he hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. Meanwhile, in the living room, the conversation continued.
"We need to act fast," Ethan said, his tone urgent. "If that video gets out, it could ruin her life. As far as I know her, she seems very sensitive."
"I'm doing everything I can to stop him," Levi assured, though his voice held a note of doubt. "But Emmett is unpredictable. We need a backup plan."
Steven's frustration bubbled over. "I can't believe I didn't see this coming. I should have protected her better."
"You can't blame yourself for this," Kevin said gently. "Emmett is a snake. He's the one at fault here."
"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier," Steven replied, his voice breaking.
"We need to get to Maya before Emmett does," Liam said decisively. "If we can explain everything to her, maybe she'll understand."
"And what if she doesn't?" Steven asked, his eyes filled with despair.
"Then we keep trying," Ethan said firmly. "We don't give up on her."
Shonn, still hidden at the staircase, felt a surge of determination. He had to help. He couldn't just stand by and let this happen. Taking a deep breath, he quietly made his way back to his room, formulating a plan to support his brother and his friends.
Maya had never known the full extent of Emmett's deception. The night of the recording was a blur in her memory, a hazy recollection of too much alcohol and too many tears. She remembered Emmett handing her drink after drink, his smile never reaching his eyes. She remembered feeling dizzy, laughing at something she couldn't quite recall, and then nothing.
When she woke up the next morning, her head pounding and her body aching, Emmett had been there, his demeanor suddenly sweet and caring. He had helped her shower, made her breakfast, and acted like nothing was wrong. She had been grateful, thinking he was being supportive. It never crossed her mind that he might have had ulterior motives.
. . .
Shonn couldn't sleep that night. The knowledge of the video weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he had to tell Sara, but he just could not right away. He needed to talk to Levi at first. The next morning, as the house stirred with activity, Shonn found Levi in the kitchen, making coffee. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead.
"Levi, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, his voice tentative.
Levi looked up, surprised. "Of course, Shonn. What's on your mind?"
Shonn glanced around, making sure they were alone. "It's about last night. I heard what you guys were talking about."
Levi's expression shifted to one of concern. "What did you hear?"
"About the video," Shonn said quietly. "The one Emmett has of Maya."
Levi's eyes widened. "You heard that?"
Shonn nodded, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest. "I want to help. I know I can't do much, but I can't just sit by and do nothing."
. . .
The group reconvened later that day, now including Shonn in their discussions. They needed to come up with a plan to neutralize the threat Emmett posed, both to Maya and to their peace of mind.
"First, we need to find out where Emmett is keeping the video," Ethan said, laying out the options.
"He's not likely to have it on him," Kevin mused. "He'll have it somewhere safe, where he can access it easily."
"We need to hack into his accounts, see if he's stored it online," Liam suggested.
"That's risky," Steven pointed out. "If he finds out we're onto him, he might release it out of spite."
"We don't have many options," Levi said grimly. "We need to act fast and decisively."
Shonn listened intently, his mind racing. "What if we try to reason with him first? Maybe we can offer him something in exchange for the video."
Steven shook his head. "Emmett doesn't want anything we can offer. He wants to hurt Maya, and by extension, all of us."
"Then we take the video by force," Kevin said, his voice hard. "We break into wherever he's keeping it and destroy it."
"That's illegal," Levi cautioned. "We need to be smart about this."
"We can't afford to be cautious," Steven argued. "Every moment we wait is another moment he could ruin Maya's life."
Liam nodded. "Steven's right. We need to be proactive. But we also need to be careful. We can't let this blow back on us."
"Why don't you guys just inform the police?" Shonn asked.
"We could just do it right away the morning when Emmett sent the video to Levi. But it would involve Maya too. That's why I wanted her to take some break from office. But things went wrong. I couldn't stand the fact that everyone talking about her while she is at the office. I thought, we'd solve everything as soon as possible, and then have her back in the office," Steven answer, jaw tightened.
"Well, none of them know yet, right? I doubt Emmett would just let it flash. If he wanted he could in the first place."
"I doubt that Shonn. I know Emmett, he is crazy. I could never pretend what he is going to do in the next second. And I want Maya out of it." Steven replied.
. . .
Sara and Shonn walked out of their university class together, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the campus. The usual buzz of student life surrounded them, but Sara's mind was elsewhere. She glanced at Shonn, sensing he had something important to tell her.
"Did you get to know something, Shonn?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension.
Shonn nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, I found out a lot last night. Levi and the others had a meeting at his house, and I overheard everything."
Sara's eyes widened in horror as Shonn recounted the conversation. He told her about the video Emmett had secretly recorded of Maya, the cruel and manipulative plan Emmett had to use it against her, and the desperation in Steven's voice as he tried to find a way to protect Maya.
Sara grasped Shonn's arm, her knuckles white. "I knew Steven could never say things like that. Maya just got caught in the moment and misunderstood. I can't believe Emmett would stoop so low. This is beyond anything I imagined."
Shonn nodded, his face somber. "I know, Sara. It's horrible. Steven's been a wreck trying to figure out how to handle this without hurting your sister more."
Sara took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "I have to tell Maya everything when I get home. She deserves to know the truth."
"Sara, wait," Shonn interjected, shaking his head. "Steven doesn't want her to know anything yet. He thinks it will only make things worse."
Sara frowned, conflicted. "But she needs to know, Shonn. How can she forgive Steven if she doesn't understand what really happened?"
"Just promise me you won't mention what Emmett is planning or what he threatened Levi with," Shonn pleaded. "Just ask her to have a talk with Steven, and hear him out herself. Please, Sara."
Sara sighed, but eventually nodded. "Alright, I promise. I'll talk to her and try to get her to see Steven's side of things."
Shonn smiled at her, a hint of relief in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Sara. Be strong."