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Velvet Bones
Chapter 23: Beneath the Spotlight

The Venus dorm was cloaked in an unsettling quiet, only the faint hum of the air conditioner and the occasional rustling of papers breaking the stillness. The members sat around the living room coffee table, their faces pale and drawn under the dim lighting. Scattered across the table were laptops, USB drives, and documents—a grim arsenal of evidence that could end careers, ruin reputations, and finally set them free.

Harin sat on the couch, her fingers nervously tapping against her knee. Her usually calm demeanor was fraying at the edges. "Are we really doing this?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We have no choice," Sohyun said firmly, her eyes steely. "It's either this or we let him destroy us."

Yena clenched her fists. "He's already taken too much from us."

Mirae, usually composed, looked on the verge of tears. "Do you think anyone will believe us?"

"They have to," Harin said, surprising herself with the conviction in her voice. "We have proof. And even if they don't believe us now, they will eventually. We just have to stay strong."

Sohyun leaned forward, her gaze sweeping over the group. "We need to organize everything—videos, messages, transcripts. The evidence needs to be irrefutable."

Hana nodded grimly. "If we're doing this, we're going all the way."

A Heavy Silence

The next few hours were a blur of meticulous work. Mirae typed furiously on her laptop, compiling a timeline of events. Yena and Harin reviewed footage, their faces grim as they relived moments they had tried desperately to forget.

"This one," Harin said, her voice trembling as she pointed to a clip. "It shows him following Sora into the dressing room after rehearsals."

Yena's jaw tightened. "We need to include it."

Sohyun nodded. "Every piece of evidence counts."

As the hours dragged on, exhaustion crept in, but none of them wavered. This was their fight, and they were prepared to see it through.

"Done," Mirae finally announced, leaning back in her chair. "Everything is compiled and ready."

Harin exhaled shakily. "Now what?"

"We schedule the press conference," Sohyun said resolutely. "And we bring him down."

The Day of Reckoning

The press room at HYBE headquarters was packed. Reporters from every major news outlet crowded the room, their cameras trained on the stage. Whispers filled the air as speculation ran wild. Why had Venus called this sudden press conference?

Backstage, the members stood in a tense huddle. Harin's heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. They had come too far to back down now.

"Are we ready?" Hana asked, her voice steady despite the anxiety flickering in her eyes.

"We're ready," Sohyun said firmly.

Harin took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

As they walked onto the stage, the room erupted into a frenzy of flashing cameras and murmured conversations. The girls took their seats, their faces masks of determination.

Sohyun stepped up to the microphone, her voice unwavering. "Thank you for being here today. We have called this press conference to address a matter of grave importance. As members of Venus, we have always strived to bring joy and inspiration to our fans. But behind the scenes, we have endured unimaginable hardships."

The room fell into stunned silence.

"Our former manager abused his position of power," Hana said, her voice filled with raw emotion. "He harassed and manipulated us, making our lives a nightmare."

Mirae's voice was steady despite the turmoil inside her. "We have gathered substantial evidence to support our claims, including videos, audio recordings, and messages."

The large screen behind them lit up, displaying a series of damning footage. The first clip showed their manager's inappropriate behavior during a late-night rehearsal. Gasps echoed through the room as the evidence played out for all to see.

Reporters frantically scribbled notes and fired questions, but the girls held their ground.

"We are not doing this for revenge," Sohyun said, her voice breaking slightly. "We are doing this to protect ourselves and future artists from suffering the same fate."

Harin stepped forward, her usually gentle expression hardened with resolve. "Silence is what allows abuse to thrive. We refuse to be silent any longer."

The reporters' questions grew louder, their voices overlapping in a chaotic frenzy.

"Why did you wait so long to come forward?"

"How do you expect the public to believe these claims?"

Harin's eyes blazed with determination. "We waited because we were afraid. Afraid of losing everything we worked for. But we're not afraid anymore."

The room descended into a stunned silence as the weight of their words sank in.

After the Press Conference

Back in their dressing room, the members sat in silence, the adrenaline from the press conference slowly fading.

"We did it," Yena whispered, her voice shaky.

Sohyun nodded. "Yeah, we did."

Harin let out a long breath. "Now we wait."

"Whatever happens next," Mirae said softly, "we face it together."

As they looked at each other, a sense of unbreakable solidarity filled the room. They had taken the first step toward reclaiming their lives, and no matter what the future held, they would face it side by side.