The night was cold, but the fire in Zi Ning's heart burned hotter than ever. She sat in her apartment, staring at the endless stream of news articles on her phone. Despite Lu Yichen's public statement, the scandal hadn't died down. Some people still refused to believe her.
"She's just using her connections to cover it up!"
"If it was really fake, why hasn't she proven it yet?"
"I used to respect her, but this is too much. Disappointed."
Zi Ning clenched her fists. No matter what she said, some people would always believe the worst. But she wasn't going to sit back and let Wang Yin control the narrative.
A sharp knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. She got up and opened it, finding Xu Jie standing there with a serious expression.
"Did you see the latest developments?" he asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Zi Ning nodded. "The internet is still divided. Some believe Lu Yichen's statement, but others…" She trailed off, rubbing her temples.
Xu Jie placed a thick folder on the table. "This will change everything."
Zi Ning opened it and found a detailed report from a private investigator.
"The woman in the video is a lookalike. Her name is Liu Ran, an actress who failed to make it big. Wang Yin paid her to act in that video and used high-tech editing to adjust the details."
Zi Ning's eyes narrowed. "So that's how she did it…"
Xu Jie nodded. "The good news is that we have proof. The bad news is, if we don't act fast, this scandal could still hurt your career."
Zi Ning took a deep breath. "Then we act now."
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Lawyer Chen, prepare a lawsuit. We have solid evidence."
Meanwhile, at the Lu Group headquarters, Lu Yichen was watching a live press conference. Wang Haoran, Wang Yin's father, stood in front of reporters, his expression cold.
"The Wang family has no involvement in this matter. If my daughter acted on her own, she will take full responsibility."
A reporter immediately asked, "Mr. Wang, are you saying your daughter did this without your knowledge?"
Wang Haoran nodded firmly. "Correct. The Wang family does not support dishonest actions."
Lu Yichen smirked. Typical. Wang Haoran was throwing his daughter under the bus to save himself. Wang Yin had been useful to him before, but now that she had provoked someone like Lu Yichen, she was a liability.
His phone buzzed. It was Zhou Wei.
"Sir, we found something interesting. Guo Bao was involved in the video scandal too. He was the one who introduced Wang Yin to the tech expert who helped edit the footage."
Lu Yichen's smirk grew colder. "Expose everything."
Back at the Wang estate, Wang Yin was panicking.
"Father! You're abandoning me?!" She grabbed Wang Haoran's sleeve, her eyes wild with fear.
He pulled away from her, his expression filled with disgust. "Do you think I'll let you ruin our family's name just because you acted recklessly?"
"But… but I did it for Guo Bao! I did it so he would finally choose me over Zi Ning!"
Wang Haoran let out a sharp laugh. "Guo Bao? That useless fool? He's already betrayed you!"
He tossed a tablet onto the table, playing a leaked voice recording.
Guo Bao's voice came through. "I never told Wang Yin to do all this. She acted on her own. I had nothing to do with it."
Wang Yin's legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor. "No… no, this isn't real…"
But it was.
Guo Bao had used her. And now, he had abandoned her just like her father had.
Her entire world was crumbling.
Zi Ning stood outside the courthouse, reporters swarming her. She didn't hide or run. Instead, she faced the cameras head-on.
"This is the truth," she said, holding up the investigation report. "I was framed, and these are the people responsible."
Her voice was calm, but her words were sharp. She listed Wang Yin, Guo Bao, and everyone involved in the scandal.
By the time she finished, the internet had already exploded with new headlines.
"Zi Ning clears her name with undeniable proof!"
"Wang Yin and Guo Bao exposed—netizens demand justice!"
"Lu Group takes legal action against Wang family—corporate war incoming?"
That night, Zi Ning returned home, exhausted but victorious. She knew this wasn't the end. But for now, she had won.
The Wang family estate was in chaos. Servants ran back and forth, whispering in fear, while Wang Haoran sat in his study with a cold expression. His phone kept ringing, but he ignored it. He already knew what the calls were about—his business partners were abandoning him one by one.
The scandal had spread like wildfire. Zi Ning's press conference had crushed any hope of covering it up. The evidence was too strong. Even the most loyal supporters of the Wang family were distancing themselves.
Wang Haoran turned his gaze to Wang Yin, who sat in a corner of the room, her face pale and tear-streaked.
"You are useless," he spat. "Because of you, our family is ruined."
Wang Yin flinched. "Father, I—"
"Shut up!" Wang Haoran slammed his fist on the table. "I warned you not to provoke Zi Ning, but you were too blinded by jealousy!"
Wang Yin trembled. She had never seen her father this furious before.
"I will fix this," she whispered. "I can—"
"You?" Wang Haoran laughed bitterly. "You can't even save yourself."
At that moment, a servant knocked on the door.
"Sir, the police are here."
Wang Haoran's expression darkened. "What for?"
The servant hesitated. "They… they have an arrest warrant for Miss Wang Yin."
Wang Yin gasped, her hands tightening into fists. "No! I won't go to jail!"
The doors burst open, and two officers stepped inside.
"Wang Yin, you are under arrest for defamation, fraud, and conspiracy," one of them announced. "Please come with us."
"No! This isn't fair!" Wang Yin screamed. She turned to her father. "Father, help me!"
Wang Haoran didn't move. He simply stared at her with disappointment.
The officers grabbed Wang Yin by the arms and dragged her away. Her screams echoed through the halls, but no one tried to stop them.
Wang Haoran leaned back in his chair, his face empty of emotion. His daughter was gone. His business was failing.
He had lost everything.
Meanwhile, at the Lu Group headquarters, Lu Yichen was reviewing the latest updates. His assistant, Zhou Wei, stood beside him.
"Wang Yin was taken into custody an hour ago," Zhou Wei reported. "And Wang Haoran's company has lost nearly seventy percent of its market value."
Lu Yichen nodded. "Good. Keep pressing them. I want them to disappear completely."
Zhou Wei hesitated. "Sir, there is another matter. Guo Bao has gone into hiding."
Lu Yichen's gaze turned sharp. "Find him."
Zhou Wei nodded and left.
Lu Yichen leaned back in his chair. The Wang family was collapsing, but this wasn't over yet. Guo Bao was still out there.
And Zi Ning's enemies wouldn't stop so easily.
Zi Ning was sitting in her living room, scrolling through social media. The comments had changed drastically.
"Zi Ning was innocent all along! We were wrong to doubt her."
"I feel bad for believing the lies. She deserves an apology."
"Wang Yin deserves everything that's coming to her."
A small smile tugged at Zi Ning's lips. She had fought hard to clear her name, and she had won.
Her phone rang, and she answered without checking the caller ID.
"Zi Ning."
Her heart skipped a beat. "Lu Yichen?"
"I saw the news," he said. "How do you feel?"
Zi Ning hesitated, then answered honestly. "Relieved. But also… tired."
"You've been through a lot," Lu Yichen said gently. "You should rest."
Zi Ning sighed. "I wish I could, but I know this isn't over. Guo Bao is still out there. And who knows what else could happen?"
Lu Yichen was silent for a moment. Then he said, "No matter what happens next, you won't face it alone."
Zi Ning's heart warmed. She wasn't sure what to say, so she simply whispered, "Thank you."
After hanging up, she leaned back on the couch, her mind filled with thoughts.
The battle was won.
But the war was far from over.