Maria Returns Home — Social Media Explodes
Maria's footsteps echoed faintly as she approached her apartment building. The usual crowd was scarce—rumors and shockwaves rippled far and wide ever since she posted the audition video.
Her phone buzzed nonstop. She glanced down at the notifications—a torrent of messages and comments flooded her screen, a chaotic mix of praise, doubt, and venom.
Comments poured in, raw and unfiltered:
"Wait... Is that really Maria? She looks like the actual second female lead. WTF?"
"How do people still call her a vase? She ACTED her heart out. I'm shook."
"She's stunning—can sing, play instruments, and now this audition? Unreal."
But the backlash hit just as hard:
"Don't forget she's a bully. Talent doesn't erase the fact she's a monster."
"It's fake. Someone's editing. No way she's that good."
One bold user tried to post a message exposing this supposed 'fake,' but it vanished almost instantly—deleted. The reason? The director and screenwriter themselves had liked Maria's post. Moments later, the official audition video from the front row was posted by them, praising Maria's raw talent, natural charisma, and undeniable star quality.
This endorsement stirred the pot further.
More people praised Maria, rallying in her defense:
"Now even the director backs her. You haters are just bitter."
"The way she carries herself? Real star energy."
Still, the doubters fought back fiercely:
"Doesn't matter if she acts well, she's still a bully. No amount of fame can fix that."
"I don't buy it. All an act. Just wait."
Then, someone remembered something that stunned the crowd—Maria was also a musician. A wave of messages erupted:
"She actually composed that song I've been listening to. Downloaded it in 2 seconds."
"Wait, Maria made music? I thought she was just a pretty face!"
"Well, I hated that song at first because of her, but damn, it's good. Can't deny the talent."
Maria, asleep at the time, missed the explosion. When she woke, her phone lit up with notifications: 10 million downloads, 30 million views—all within an hour.
Then, the real bombshell.
A video surfaced—clear footage of the actual bullying. It showed classmates tormenting a girl mercilessly. People gasped. Some refused to believe it.
Until King posted the unedited original video. Most students' faces blurred, but James's face remained fully visible, sealing the truth.
The fallout was instant and explosive.
---
Inside King's House — Tension at Breaking Point
King slammed his phone onto the polished mahogany table, swearing violently.
"F*ck! What the hell is happening?" he spat.
His father, stern and unamused, lightly smacked King's head.
"Hey! What have you done now?" his father growled.
King rubbed his temple, trying to steady himself. He leaned closer to his dad and whispered, "Doesn't Jordan work for Mike? So Mike's helping Maria now?"
Before he could get an answer, his father's hand struck his head sharply.
"Shut up! These are the top dogs. What do they care about us? Stay away from their mess."
King's confusion deepened.
"Jordan alone can destroy our entire family without Mike's help," his father warned coldly. "Be careful. Your school? Full of hidden dragons and tigers. One wrong step, and it's all over."
He waved King off dismissively.
King sank onto the couch, breathing heavily, mind racing. He could still hear Jordan's cold voice from the phone call:
"Two minutes. Tell your son to post the real video or your family won't have a proper death."
The threat lingered, suffocating.
---
The Apology Video — Broken and Begging
The apology video posted online was chilling.
James knelt on the cold floor, face swollen and bruised, his voice cracked with fear and regret.
"I'm... I'm the one who forged the video. Maria humiliated me, and I lost control. I'm sorry. Truly," he begged, tears streaming down.
Around him, other classmates kneeled, some with black eyes, others with scratches and bruises, their clothes torn.
"We were wrong," one girl sobbed. "Maria stood up for Kira, and we… we made her suffer. We're sorry."
But the room's atmosphere was suffocating. Heavy footsteps echoed as Jordan's bodyguards surrounded them in a tight circle—like wolves closing in on prey.
James and the others trembled, their begging growing desperate.
"Please... please don't—"
Jordan's cold voice cut through.
"Break their hands. Let this be a lesson. And James... break every limb."
The bodyguards moved in swiftly, breaking bones one by one.
Screams filled the room.
Jordan turned his back on the cries, his phone buzzing again. He glanced at the screen: "We have destroyed their family business."
The School Fallout and Public Outcry
Once the apology video hit the internet, the backlash was instantaneous.
Social media exploded with calls for justice:
"Rich kids bullying scholarship students?! This is disgusting!"
"How could the school let this happen? Where's the accountability?"
"Finally, the truth comes out! #JusticeForMaria"
The press descended on the school, splashing headlines like:
"Elite Students Caught Bullying Scholarship Kids—School Under Fire"
"Maria's Rise Amidst Bullying Scandal Shakes School to Its Core"
In response, the school was forced to act swiftly:
James and several other bullying students were expelled.
Others caught spreading false information faced suspensions.
A formal apology was issued by the school administration.
The scandal became a major turning point, igniting fierce debates and transforming Maria's reputation almost overnight.
---
The internet did not sleep that night.
Comments exploded across every platform:
[Those who called Maria a bully, come out and apologize!]
[Since that Tessa incident, I never doubted Maria again.]
[This actually helped separate real fans from haters. Haters, get lost.]
[I wasn't even a fan, but her talent reeled me in. She's got that star power.]
[Still don't think she deserves the role though…]
[Hey, shut up. Talent speaks louder than your salt.]
[Maria is my new obsession. At least with her, I know I'll never be bored.]
[Same! I started watching that variety show because of her and boom — now this drama too? Iconic.]
The air online was split — half firestorm, half standing ovation. But the center of it all?
She slept.
Maria — the storm's eye, the unexpected Queen of Chaos — slept like a child rocked by lullabies. No tossing. No turning. No care for the headlines burning through the internet.
---
When Maria finally opened her eyes, the sunlight greeted her... as did a flood of notifications.
At first, she groaned and rolled over. But one message jolted her fully awake.
A verified entertainment company — fictional and massive — had messaged her. A manager requested to speak. They wanted to sign her.
That wasn't all.
One comment caught her attention like a siren's call:
> "She sings and writes music just like Mask Girl! Is she copying her now?"
Maria blinked.
Then laughed. A low, amused chuckle that echoed in the quiet of her room.
She clicked the thread — only to see the original poster had deleted their comment after getting mobbed. The defense was vicious:
[Don't compare queens. Mask Girl is unmatched.]
[Maria can't copy what she'll never be. Mask Girl's artistry is otherworldly.]
[This again? Let Maria breathe, she already apologized for bullying.]
[If she starts copying Mask Girl's fashion now, I'm done.]
Maria's smile dropped, caught somewhere between laughing and sighing.
"If only they knew…" she muttered, scrolling through the Mask Girl fan page — her fan page.
Views skyrocketed overnight.
Downloads of her songs tripled.
The clothes she designed — handmade, unique, often sold in limited drops — had sold out again. Some people were fighting over them in the comments.
Others started reposting her dance clips, remixes of her sculpting videos, even screenshots of the music covers she'd uploaded.
And tucked between it all was a shiny new message:
An invitation to join a prestigious designer competition.
Oh — and her advertisement under her Mask Girl persona?
It had gone viral.
At this point, Maria's fan page resembled that of a top-tier celebrity. And yet, the irony of being torn apart on her real account while worshiped on her secret one wasn't lost on her.
She tossed the phone onto the bed, rubbing her temples.
"This world is hilarious," she murmured.
Then she stood, stretched, and headed to the bathroom.
Maria scrolled through her notifications lazily, still wrapped in her towel. Her hair dripped onto the screen, but she didn't care.
One message caught her eye — then two, then five.
All from major entertainment and investment companies.
Nothing too dramatic. Just... invitations.
> "We would be honored if you could attend our annual gala this weekend."
"It would be a privilege to discuss future collaboration — your talent speaks for itself."
"We understand you might prefer to remain anonymous, but should you consider revealing your identity, we would like to be first in line."
Maria tilted her head and gave a dry chuckle.
> "How polite… like wolves in perfume," she murmured, tossing the phone onto her bed.
They didn't even know who she really was. Just hungry hands reaching for a crown they couldn't even see.
Someone was probably helping her Maria pause Jake's probably the one helping her . She knew he was behind it — of course he was. That idiot want to keep the interesting new toy to himself
> "Helpful... but too chaotic," she muttered, brushing her hair. "One day, he'll probably put her life in danger for fun."
She didn't know if she should feel grateful… or worried.
Still, for now, everything was in place.
Mask Girl — an anonymous legend.
Maria — a scandal-ridden talent blooming too brightly to be ignored.
And the Stock God? Just a rumor floating like smoke in elite circles.
She tied her school ribbon with practiced ease, gazing at her reflection. Her eyes looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Because when storms sleep, people forget that they can still return with thunder.