The rooftop scene broke the internet.
Clips of Lina's raw breakdown flooded every platform—TikTok edits, slowed replays, reaction videos from global influencers. She was called everything:
> "A prodigy."
"The next global icon."
"Too real. Was she acting?"
"Are those real tears?"
"Did something actually happen on set?"
And then, a headline cut through the noise like a blade:
> "Lina Vale's Orphan Past — Leaked Files Suggest Her Childhood Friend Betrayed Her into Foster Relocation Scam."
Her hands went cold.
She clicked.
A verified blog had released old documents—partial, blurred, but damning. They hinted at financial abuse from her legal guardian, and a friend who had helped orchestrate her removal under false testimony.
---
[System Alert: Identity Leak – Category: Personal History]
[Threat Level: HIGH | Accuracy: 70%]
[AI Companion: They've started pulling the pieces apart. This wasn't Specter—it's human.]
---
The studio was in a panic.
Lina's manager, now assigned to her Korean tour, approached her with a tight smile. "There's… an offer. Talk show. Late Night with Jae Min. You tell your story, your way."
Lina didn't reply.
Not yet.
---
[System Task Triggered: "Claim or Collapse"]
Option A: Appear on the show. Share a portion of your truth.
→ Reward: +2 Public Trust | Fame Integrity Buff | Emotional Catharsis +1
→ Risk: Vulnerability to future manipulation. Pain may resurface.
Option B: Remain Silent. Let the system and Caden run background defense.
→ Reward: +1 Reputation Shield | Privacy Maintained
→ Risk: Public trust drops. Control of narrative weakens.
[AI Companion: Sometimes silence is strength. Other times, it's a lock on your own cage.]
---
Lina stood at her balcony, Seoul glittering below. Her reflection looked tired. Worn. Beautiful, yes, but stretched thin like glass before a crack.
Then she spoke out loud, as if to herself:
> "If they want the story, I'll give it to them. But it will be mine. Not theirs."
---
Option A Selected: Tell Your Story.
---
The interview room was warm. Quiet. Minimal.
The host, Jae Min, was known for his empathy. And his silence.
He asked only three questions.
The third was this:
> "If you could speak to the girl you used to be—back when no one believed her, when the System hadn't found her—what would you say?"
Lina's eyes burned.
She leaned forward and whispered into the mic.
> "I'd say… you're not crazy for wanting someone to choose you first."
---
The air froze.
Not even Jae Min spoke.
It aired that night.
The world watched.
And they did not turn away.
---
[System Notification: Public Trust +2 | Emotional Catharsis +1 | Fame Integrity Buff Applied]
[Caden Affection: +2 – Silent Call Left Open All Night]
[Specter Activity: Paused – No Move Detected]
---
The next morning, the leaked blog was gone.
Taken down by "unknown forces."
---
System Log: Lina Vale
Public Trust: +2
Emotional Catharsis: +1
Caden Relationship: Deepening
Specter: Dormant (Watching)
World Narrative: Rewritten in Her Favor
Trait Unlocked: Narrative Authority – You choose what they remember
---
End of Chapter 38
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