It didn’t calm down.
It exploded.
By morning, it was no longer a rumor.
It was everywhere.
Screens. Headlines. Notifications.
“Evan X publicly claims responsibility for assistant—relationship confirmed?”
No question mark anymore.
Just assumption.
Just certainty dressed as news.
Lila stood in front of her mirror for a long time that morning.
She didn’t recognize the silence in her own room.
Because even silence now felt temporary.
Her phone was already vibrating before she even touched it.
Unknown numbers.
Company line.
Production team.
Media requests.
And then—
Evan.
Again.
Evan: Don’t leave the apartment.
Her fingers stopped.
This time, something inside her didn’t follow the message.
It resisted.
⸻
When she arrived at the company building, it was already different
