The morning sun streamed through the curtains, but Lily remained curled up in bed, her mind racing. The public backlash from Amanda's post was escalating, with hashtags dragging James into a vortex of online hate. Every time she picked up her phone, her notifications were filled with more damning comments.
Lily scrolled aimlessly through the post again, the photos, screenshots, and Amanda's manipulative captions digging deeper into her doubts. James had looked her in the eye and begged her to believe him. But was love enough to ignore the growing evidence?
Her phone buzzed with a call from her best friend, Marcy.
"Lily, what the hell is going on?" Marcy asked the moment Lily answered. "I just saw everything online. Are you okay?"
"I don't know," Lily admitted, her voice shaking. "I don't know what to believe."
"Look, I know you care about him, but this is... intense. If any of this is true, you need to be careful. You don't want to get caught up in his mess."
"I know," Lily whispered. "But if it's not true, and I don't stand by him, what kind of person does that make me?"
Marcy sighed. "You need answers, Lily. Real answers. You deserve the truth, one way or another."
After the call ended, Lily made a decision. If James couldn't clear his name, she would have to uncover the truth herself—even if it meant putting herself in the line of fire.