Chapter 138

The next day, gossip about the “secret romance” between the genius composer Noelle Anderson and Stanley Preston, the lead singer of The Legend, topped the trending charts. Photos of Noelle and Stanley leaving a café together, standing close and appearing “intimate,” fueled rumors of a budding relationship.

The scandal caused an uproar at school. Female fans of The Legend swarmed Noelle, demanding answers.

“Noelle, are you and Stanley really dating? Is it true?!”

“Please don’t tell me it’s real!”

Noelle found the whole thing ridiculous. Since when were Stanley and I a couple? I didn’t even know about it myself, she thought, rolling her eyes in disbelief.

Faced with the crowd, Noelle remained calm and straightforward. “What? No way! I have a fiancé! Stanley and I are just friends!”

Her response sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Classmate A gasped, “What? Noelle, you have a fiancé?”

Noelle nodded proudly. “Yep!”

Classmate B eagerly asked, “Who is he? Tell us!”

Noelle lifted her chin, beaming. “His name is Nicolas Sawyer. He’s super, super, super handsome!”

Classmate C pondered, “Nicolas Sawyer? That name sounds familiar…”

Classmate A thought for a moment, then shouted, “Isn’t he the third heir of the Sawyer Group? I’ve heard of him. He’s a huge playboy! Noelle, he’s your fiancé?”

Her tone carried a hint of pity, as if Noelle was destined to be cheated on by a notorious womanizer.

But Noelle didn’t care about their judgment. In fact, she seemed thrilled. “That’s right! He’s my fiancé. So what if he’s a playboy? Isn’t it cool that he’s changed his ways just for me! It means he loves me a lot! We’re super in love!”

As she spoke, Noelle radiated so much joy that it was almost blinding.

Her words immediately put any doubts about her and Stanley being an item to rest. It was clear Noelle and Nicolas were deeply in love–there was no way she’d cheat.

Meanwhile, Leia watched as her classmates bought Noelle’s explanation. She gritted her teeth in frustration. These idiots! Why do they believe everything Noelle says?

Leia had hoped the scandal would ruin Noelle’s reputation, but it seemed nothing could bring her down. Now, Leia could only pray that Nicolas would react badly to the news. After all, seeing his fiancée with another man at a café didn’t look good, right? If this could drive a wedge between Nicolas and Noelle, that would be a win for Leia!

Meanwhile, Stanley was getting an earful from Karla.

“Stanley, are you an idiot! Don’t you know every move you make is under scrutiny? What possessed you to meet Noelle alone? Were you trying to give the media something to talk about?”

Karla had transformed into a raging fury, hands on her hips, spewing fire like a dragon. Jimmy and Cole, members of The Legend, tried to intervene. “Uh, Karla, Stanley didn’t mean to—”

Before they could finish, Karla shot them a deadly glare. “Shut it, you two!”

The two younger guys quickly huddled together, shaking in their boots. Karla was terrifying!

Stanley, meanwhile, was kneeling on the floor, looking utterly defeated. The usually cocky star was now a wilted flower under Karla's scolding.

But in Stanley’s mind, confusion stirred. How could someone have taken photos of me and Noelle without us noticing? We were both highly alert—I should've sensed any paparazzi nearby. Unless…could it be another enhanced human? he wondered, a flicker of suspicion crossing his thoughts.

As Stanley pondered, a knock interrupted the chaos.

Karla, still fuming, stormed to the door and yanked it open. “Who is it? Can’t you see the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign?”

But her anger vanished the moment she saw Bryan’s awkward smile. “Sorry, Karla. Am I interrupting?”

“Bryan!” Karla’s eyes widened in shock. She quickly switched to a polite, apologetic tone. “Oh, no, not at all! I was just disciplining my artist. Please, come in.”

Bryan forced a smile. “Is Stanley in trouble?”

“Yes… this kid is so irresponsible. He needs a good scolding. What brings you here?”

Before Bryan could answer, Karla’s gaze shifted to the man behind him. Her heart nearly stopped. “Mr. Sawyer!”

Nicolas Sawyer stepped forward, his tall, commanding presence exuding an air of elegance and authority. His deep, ink-like eyes swept over Karla as a faint, enigmatic smile played on his lips. “Is Stanley here?” he asked, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight.