Hospital Conference Room – Kyoto, Japan
The conference room was dead silent. The air felt thick—like breathing through grief. Alice, Aoi, Manako, Kaede, Reina, and Aoki sat at the front, eyes fixed on Dr. Sirizawa as he examined Brian's latest medical report.
The news wasn't good.
The doctor adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath before speaking.
—"It's a miracle Brian is still alive. His body endured trauma that would've killed anyone else. However..."He paused, eyes scanning the pages in his hands.—"His condition is extremely critical."
A shiver ran down Manako's spine.
—"What exactly does that mean?" —Aoki asked, her voice tense.
The doctor closed the file with a heavy sigh.
—"His brain is in a deep coma. His neural activity is barely detectable... we can't guarantee if he'll ever wake up. And if he does... we have no idea in what condition."
Aoi's expression darkened.
—"But if he's held on this far... does he have a chance at recovering?" —Reina asked, clinging to any shred of hope.
The doctor crossed his arms, his face grim.
—"If his body stabilizes, we'll run deeper tests to understand what's keeping him alive. It's an extraordinary case, but..."His eyes swept across the room.—"Prepare yourselves for the worst."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Alice felt a hollow void in her chest. Kaede felt her heart shatter.Reina clenched her fists, powerless.
The sound of rain echoed in their minds. But there was no more storm—just the echo of words too cruel to be true.
—"Tell me this is a joke..." —Kaede whispered, her voice cracking.
The hospital's sterile smell only made it worse. Brian still hadn't opened his eyes. His chest barely moved—like life itself was holding onto him by a thread.
—"No... this can't be happening!" —Reina screamed, slamming her fist against the wall. She didn't care about the pain in her knuckles. Her tears poured like a river.
The doctor had made it clear:
—"The lightning strike... it's a miracle he survived. But his brain... we have no clue when, or even if, he'll wake up."
Brian's body bore faint burn marks from the electric shock. But it was his brain that had paid the highest price—it had been thrown into a coma deeper than anyone could explain.
Kaede walked into his room and dropped to her knees beside him. She grabbed his hand, her voice trembling.
—"Please... wake up..."
Reina joined her. She bit her lip, trying to keep herself from collapsing in tears. She couldn't accept that Brian—the boy she had always known—was trapped in a darkness he might never escape.
Brian was locked in that darkness.
And everything he loved was crumbling.But the world kept spinning without him.
Meanwhile – A Luxury Hotel Suite in New York
Liliana stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Her eyes swollen from crying. Her skin pale. Her expression broken.
It was the face of a woman who had lost everything.
Her phone vibrated nonstop on the nightstand. Messages. Calls. Notifications.
But she couldn't move a single muscle.
She had read the headlines. She had seen the photos. She had felt the world's hatred pierce through her like knives.
"Lilian Rhymes caught cheating with Marcus Peperman in a luxury hotel.""While Brian Dreifus fights for his life, his girlfriend betrays him without remorse.""The fall of a goddess: From gaming idol to global disgrace."
A sob escaped her lips. The guilt was unbearable.But nothing crushed her like the next headline:
"Brian Dreifus, third son of the Dreifus family, is in a deep coma. Critical condition. Chances of recovery: unknown."
The air in the room grew heavy.
The man who had loved her with everything he had.The man who had been a romantic, a protector, who raised her to Olympus...
She had destroyed him.
—"I'm a monster..." —she whispered, hugging herself.
And for the first time in her life, she felt like the world was right to hate her.She finally understood what true disgrace meant.
Social Media & The Global Verdict
The scandal between Liliana and Marcus exploded online like a nuclear bomb.
In just hours, her career, image, and legacy were on fire.
Twitter & TikTok – The Bonfire of Hate:
#LilianRhymesTheTraitor became a worldwide trending topic.
"If Brian dies, this woman should be charged with emotional murder."
"Karma is real. While she was screwing around with Marcus, Brian was clinging to life."
"Marcus was just a toy. The real villain is Lilian Rhymes."
Cruel memes flooded the internet. Her face edited with "LIAR" stamped on it. Comparisons to Judas. Videos of Brian surprising her in sweet ways—used now to highlight her betrayal.
TV & News Media – The Scandal of the Year:
"There's no way Lilian Rhymes recovers from this."
"Her sponsors from the Dreifus Group are likely pulling out. Her career is over."
"Worst part? Brian can't even defend himself. And if he wakes up... what will he think?"
Companies and sponsors began cutting ties with Lilian Rhymes. Fans demanded her cancellation.
She was no longer the queen of music and gaming.
Now, she was the most hated woman in the world.
Kyoto Hospital – Later That Night
The rhythmic beeping of Brian's vitals was the only sound in his hospital room.The only one by his side… was his sister, Britanny.
Out in the hallway, Alice's hands shook as she stared at her phone.The headlines about Liliana and Marcus burned into her mind.
The lump in her throat was unbearable.
—"No... this can't be real..."
Then, the phone rang.
Liliana was calling.
A wave of fury erupted in Alice's chest.
She answered.
—"You bitch. How could you?" —her voice was ice-cold venom.
On the other end, Liliana was sobbing.
—"Alice... please..."
—"Don't call me! Don't you dare ask for forgiveness! Brian chose you... HE CHOSE YOU! Do you even know what that means?!"
—"Alice, I need you to hear me—"
—"NO! I don't want to hear it! Brian didn't deserve this again... and yet, while he was dying, you... you were screwing Marcus!"
—"Don't say that! I... I never meant for this to happen..."
—"Well, it did!" —Alice screamed— "It happened, Liliana. And now there's no going back."
The line went quiet.
Liliana sobbed.
But Alice didn't feel even a shred of pity.
—"I hope it was worth it, Lilian. Because you just destroyed the only man who ever truly loved you."
And she hung up.
Meanwhile – Bavaria, Germany
In a private mansion tucked in the hills, a group of people watched the global chaos unfold with stone-cold eyes.
At the center of the room, sipping wine with a twisted smile, sat Natasha Lissene Grichenko Hoffman—President of the MUR Group.
—"I always knew that woman wasn't worthy of Brian."
The other MUR members nodded in silence. Every one of them owed their loyalty to Brian Murphy.
And the only thing worse than losing their true leader...
Was seeing him betrayed.
One of them, a man in dark sunglasses, spoke firmly:
—"Brian doesn't forgive betrayal. We know his nature better than anyone."
Natasha set her glass down, her gaze sharpening.
—"Then... how about we act in his name?"
She leaned forward, her voice low and lethal.
—"Let's make Lilian Rhymes regret ever being born. We'll destroy her without mercy... just as Brian would've done."
Their eyes gleamed with unshakable resolve.
And in a matter of hours...The MUR Group would strike.
Liliana's life… would never be the same again.