“Vanessa! Smile, the cameras are pointing this way!” one of the photographers called out loudly.

Vanessa stood on the red carpet at a charity gala, wrapped in a stunning crimson gown. The flashes of the cameras blinded her eyes, but the smile she forced looked stiff. Her hand, clutching a jeweled purse, trembled ever so slightly—almost beyond her control.

“Yes… of course,” she murmured, her lips curving only faintly.

But her eyes told a different story. No longer full of confidence and poise, they carried a shadow of fragility and unease. Several journalists exchanged whispers, noticing the sharp contrast to the Vanessa who once radiated untouchable elegance.

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From across...