The rest of the day spiraled into a choking blur.
Rumors. Eyes. Whispers. PR warnings. Managers pacing the halls with phones glued to their ears.
Titan Star had officially declared war—
and Lian was the battlefield everyone wanted a piece of.
By the time practice ended, Lian's legs were trembling—not from dancing, but from pressure. Actual physical pressure. The kind that settled on your spine and refused to let you breathe.
He left the training room last, hoping the hallways would be empty.
They weren't.
Several trainees from a different unit lingered by the vending machines, their voices hushed but sharp.
"Did you see the new article? Titan Star might sue."
"Lian should've stayed invisible."
"Why would Rian waste his reputation on him?"
"Maybe Lian seduced him."
Lian stopped.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Their words sank in like poison.
He knew they were scared of Titan Star too, but hearing his name dragged through the mud still scraped at something raw inside him.
