Chapter 4My Cousin Thought I Was Catfishing, but I Showed Up Stunning

As I got out of the car, Nora frantically sent me several screenshots.

‘Hazel, check the campus gossip page! Are they talking about you?’

The screenshots were filled with anonymous posts.

‘Just here for the drama. Apparently, there’s a girl at this school named Hazel Lane who weighs over three hundred pounds. She steals photos online, catfishes men, and uses them for money!’

‘Someone this disgusting actually qualified for the exchange program? Please don’t embarrass our school overseas!’

‘Here’s the livestream link. Fair warning, don’t watch while you’re eating.’

I frowned.

Someone watching Maya’s livestream had doxxed me and tracked down my school.

A moment later, my academic advisor called.

Her voice was stern.

“Hazel, where are you right now?”

“Someone sent a complaint to the university. Your department needs you to submit a written explanation immediately.

“This has gotten serious. If the controversy keeps growing, your place in the exchange program may be suspended pending review.”

I saved every screenshot, then checked the time.

7:55 p.m.

Five minutes left.

Maya didn’t just want to humiliate me.

She wanted to destroy my future.

Fine.

I’d expose her in front of the entire internet.

In my stiletto heels, I climbed the stairs one step at a time.

Several customers waiting for tables stared the moment they saw me.

The restaurant owner happened to step outside and froze as well.

“Excuse me, are you an influencer here to review the restaurant?

“We’re running a social media promotion tonight. If you’re willing to take a few pictures and post them, I can arrange for your meal to be on the house.”

A cold smile touched my lips.

“No.

“I’m here to meet someone.

“But please preserve tonight’s security footage from the third-floor hallway and outside the private dining room. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”

The owner nodded distractedly, still staring at me in awe.

Meanwhile, Maya’s livestream had climbed to a hundred thousand viewers.

The comments grew more vicious by the second.

‘Where’s the giant pig? Why isn’t she here yet?’

‘Don’t let your hand shake, Maya. I’ve been waiting half an hour for this!’

‘Has anyone considered that she physically can’t make it up there? It’s three flights of stairs. Someone might have to haul her up!’

Maya could barely contain her excitement.

“It’s almost eight. Why isn’t Hazel here yet?”

Leah giggled beside her.

“Maybe the stairs are too narrow and she got stuck halfway up!”

The private room erupted in laughter again.

Julian’s expression turned icy.

“That’s enough.”

Maya’s eyes immediately filled with tears.

“You’re defending her now, Julian, but you’ll be the one hurt when you see what she really looks like.”

“If her photo is fake, how do you know she didn’t plagiarize everything she posted on that academic forum?”

“And you might not be the only man she’s deceiving. As her cousin, I can’t stand by and let her keep hurting people!”

Leah immediately applauded.

“Maya, you’re too kind!”

“If you don’t expose her today, someone else will become her victim tomorrow. A woman her size finally found a man willing to look at her. Of course she’s going to milk him for everything he has!”

I stood outside the private room, listening to their shameless laughter.

The livestream comments began counting down.

‘Ten!’

‘Nine!’

‘Eight!’

Maya’s excitement was written all over her face.

“If Hazel still doesn’t show up, I’ll have no choice but to send her graduation photo, selfie, and chat history to the university’s group chats.”

“Then everyone can help us figure out whether she’s been lying!”

The countdown grew louder.

‘Three.’

‘Two.’

‘One.’

At the exact moment they were about to cheer, I pushed open the door.