On Valentine’s Day, I went skiing for fun. I never expected my younger sister, Fiona White, to get into an argument with our parents and run away. She came to find me.

The hotel receptionist made her register as a guest despite sharing my room. I said, “She’s my sister. She ran away from home after an argument and did not bring her driver's license. She’s only staying one night. I’ll send her home tomorrow.”

However, he looked at us menacingly. He gave Fiona a lewd wink and acted like he knew what was really going on.

“Sure.” He smiled. “It’s Valentine’s Day, so I get it. No need to be shy.”

Seeing how tired Fiona was, I took her upstairs without making a fuss.

However, I found a post online later that night.

[Some men are really so brazen. He brought a prostitute to the hotel and denied it when I called him out. He insisted that she’s his little sister. Does he think I can’t tell?]

Some netizens questioned him and told him that maybe he was wrong in his assumption.

[I’ve been in this field for more than a decade. I know what I saw! He didn’t dare to register her. That means he was afraid his wife might find out about his actions! I’ll go to their room and record just how loudly that woman moans. I’ll livestream it!]

I was stunned. I thought it was just a coincidence.

I clicked on the photo the receptionist had sneakily taken and froze.

That was me!

Did he think Fiona, who was lying on the couch, was a prostitute?

But she was really my little sister!

I was shaking in rage, and I nearly crushed the phone in my hand.

The post was going even more viral online, and the comments section was filled with horrible, filthy sentiments.

[Men truly come up with all sorts of ways to get their rocks off. It must be exciting to hire a prostitute on Valentine’s Day.]

[He looks decent. Who would have thought he’s so lecherous? He’s even into sibling roleplay!]

[He must’ve cheated so many times on his poor wife!]

[Make sure to post updates, OP!]

I could feel a vein throbbing in my forehead. My rage was boiling over.

My phone screen lit up, and I shook with fury.

“What are you looking at, Randy? You look awful.”

My younger sister, Fiona, must have woken up because of my moving around. She rubbed her eyes as she got up.

I handed her the phone. Her face went pale after just one glance.

In the next instant, she leapt up from the mattress on the floor. She was enraged and ready to rush out.

“I knew that horrible receptionist was shifty! He’s spreading filthy rumors about me! I’ll break his reception counter!”

“Hold it!”

I grabbed Fiona tightly by the arm. My voice trembled.

“How can you stop me, Randy? He’s spreading rumors about you, too!”

I held Fiona down by her trembling shoulders even as I forced myself to calm down.

“If you rush over there and make a fuss, people will think the rumors are true!”

“Then, what do we do? Should we let that man keep accusing you of such things?” I could see that Fiona was incensed. “I can’t take that insult!”

Neither could I!

However, I was rational enough to know that going at this problem head-first would only make things worse.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. I opened the comment section and quickly typed something out.

[I am the person in the photo. The woman lying on the floor is my little sister. I can show you our vital records as proof. Please delete this post immediately. If you don’t, I will report this incident to the police!]

Fiona also commented.

[We are siblings!]

The second our comments were posted, the original poster responded.

[The perpetrator showed up? And you’re threatening to call the police? What a joke! Why are you feeling so riled up now? Look, everyone! He’s panicking. He must be a frequent flier and is afraid of being caught by his wife!]

The original poster seemed intent on fanning the flames further and pinned his reply, sending it to the top of the thread.

The netizens responded with even more fervor.

[What are you so afraid of if you’re really siblings? Show us your vital records, then!]

[It will probably be forged. What’s real on the internet anymore?]

[He’s definitely just another John. What’s the point of pretending to be upstanding?]

The worst part of all this was the original poster, the receptionist at the hotel, who was inciting everyone in the comments.

[Friends, I think that woman’s profile isn’t private. Go check her out if she’s so bold!]

In an instant, Fiona’s social media profile was found and shared around.

Countless strangers flooded her profile, and some people made lewd comments on her photos.

[Wow, what a pretty lady! What’s your price? I’ll buy you.]

[She looks pure and innocent. What a shame she has a brother who sells her this way!]

[This sort of man is the worst. He has a family but still likes messing around.]

My vision went spotty, and I turned Fiona’s phone off.

I sent a private message to the receptionist, Landon Cobert.

[Please delete your post. If you don’t, we’ll make a police report and let them handle this.]

I could see he read the message, but there was no response for a long time. I sent him another message.

This time, the message failed to send.

Landon had blocked me!

I was about to call the police when Fiona showed me her phone.

“Randy, look!”

There was a new comment from Landon.

[Here’s the latest news! I’m going to spy on them and livestream just how loving these siblings are. If you want to know more, reply below!]

Instantly, comments flooded in.

[Be quick! I want to know more now!]

[Don’t forget me! I want to know, too!]

[I just know that woman will sound amazing when she cries out!]

Fiona and I were stunned. I felt like I had been dunked in ice water.

This had escalated far beyond cyberbullying.

Right at that moment, I saw a shadow moving around in the seam under our hotel room door.

Landon was actually here!

When Fiona saw the shadow, her gaze darkened. Her voice was filled with rage as she said, “He really dared to come!”

She clenched her fists and got up. She strode toward the door.

“What are you doing?”

I pulled her back, holding her tightly in place.

“I’m going to beat him up!” I could practically see the steam rising from her, and her body was taut as a bowstring.

“If you go out and get into a fight with him, he might take a video of it and upload it online. What then?”

My voice was shaking, but my words were still calm.

“Won’t getting angry just prove he’s right? If that happens, nothing will clear our names!”

The court of public opinion was in session, and if we reacted drastically, it would only become new fodder for our destruction.

Fiona deflated immediately. She regained her composure, but I could still see the fury raging in her eyes.

She gritted her teeth and said, “Then, what do we do? Do we just let him keep slandering us, Randy?”

I looked at the wavering shadow through the gap under the door. My heart pounded in my chest, but my mind was clearer than it had ever been.

I took out my phone and quickly keyed in three numbers.

The call went through immediately. My voice was unusually controlled as I said, “Hello, police? I’d like to make a report.

“I’m staying in Room 808 of Snowy Lodge Hotel. I suspect that someone in this hotel runs a prostitution ring. Please come and handle this.”

I did not mention anything about the photo of us being taken without our consent or the defamation going on.

It was already late at night. To the police officers on duty, such a matter would be too small to address. Once they determined that it was an online argument, the police would probably consider it unworthy of attention and just issue a warning.

However, by saying there was a prostitution ring being run here, the whole situation had changed.

Fiona looked at me in shock. Her jaw fell open.

Ten minutes later, there was a flurry of footsteps out in the corridor. Then, there were urgent shouts and noises.

“Police! Freeze! What are you doing here?”

A man’s shocked cry came next, along with the clamor of something falling on the floor.

Our chance had come.

I flung the door open.

Police officers were holding Landon tightly by the arms on each side. The phone he was using to livestream was on the floor. The screen was still lit.

I rushed over and said coldly, “Officers, I’m the one who called you. I highly suspect this person’s running an illegal prostitution ring.”

When Landon saw me, he paled and struggled with all his might. He shouted, “No! I didn’t do anything! That’s nonsense!”

I smirked. “Is that so? Then, why aren’t you at the reception counter this late at night? What are you doing sneaking around outside my hotel room door?”

Landon’s face was white. He stammered but could not speak coherently.

One of the police officers picked up Landon’s phone. His expression turned stormy with just one glance.

He turned the screen to show it to Landon. He barked out, “The livestream is captioned ‘Amorous Siblings’? The comments are filthy! You’re under arrest! You’re coming with us to the station!”

Landon panicked. He yelled incoherently, “I didn’t do it! I was only curious! These two are up to something!”

He pointed at Fiona and me. He seemed to think it was his saving grace.

“These two didn’t register as guests with their driver's licenses! They must be sneaking around! It’s obvious that they have a suspicious relationship! Why else would a man bring a woman to a hotel room? He must be a John! Arrest him!”

I scoffed and met Landon’s gaze.

“Is that why you broke the law and invaded the privacy of hotel guests and even started a livestream?”

Landon was stunned for a few seconds. Then, he got even more agitated.

“Invaded your privacy? Don’t you know what crime you’re committing?”

He straightened and accused me instead, pointing a finger in my face.

“Don’t let him trick you, officers! He’s a John! He got a hotel room with a prostitute at his wife’s back! Check his phone and then check the woman’s! There’s got to be a monetary transaction there!”

The police officers frowned. They looked at me doubtfully.

Landon’s phone was unlocked, so we could see that comments were still pouring in on the livestream.

[Well, if they’re innocent, they should let their phones be inspected!]

[That’s right! If they’re innocent, they shouldn’t be afraid of anything!]

[I bet five cents that there’ll be a monetary transaction!]

Right then, a middle-aged woman rushed over.

“What’s going on, officers?”

The woman was the hotel’s manager.

I thought she would be our savior. After all, she would surely arbitrate in our favor to preserve the reputation of her hotel.

But I noticed that Landon was sending her pleading looks. Since the police were here, he could only duck his head after.

This small action made my heart sink.

The manager, Ms. Fraser, first greeted the police officers with warm smiles. Then, she turned to us. Her expression turned stern but concerned.

“Dear guests, there was too much noise coming from your room. Mr. Cobert only came to check on you because he was worried about your safety.”

I harrumphed angrily. With one sentence, she had reframed the whole incident of Landon’s livestreaming.

It was no wonder Ms. Fraser was the hotel’s manager.

When she spoke next, her voice became even more stern.

“Our hotel is a respectable establishment. It’s not the place for you to mess around. You are liable for making a false police report.”

I never expected that she would accuse me!

“Your actions have already impacted our hotel’s reputation and disrupted our guests’ rest. Please leave now.”

I could hardly believe my ears.

“You’re kicking us out?”

I looked through the window. At some point in the night, the snowstorm had gotten worse.

It was Valentine’s Day, so the hotels in the area were all fully booked. If we left at this point, it would be impossible for us to find another place to stay.

Seeing Ms. Fraser was helping him, Landon turned arrogant. His expression was gleeful and taunting.

“Did you hear that? Get out! It’s snowing hard outside. Let’s see where you can go once you leave!”

Ms. Fraser’s expression was icy. She barked into the walkie-talkie, “Security, send two staff to Room 808 to clear out the guests’ things.”

Landon was excited. He raised his phone and addressed the people watching the livestream, “The show’s climax is coming, everyone! I’ll show you what’s going on inside the room and how exciting it is!”

He was ready to rush into the room.

“Hold it!” I shouted. Although I was not very loud, it was enough to get everyone to freeze.

I looked at them coldly and smirked.

“Are you sure you want to go in there?”

Landon paused for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Feeling guilty, are you? Well, I want to see even more badly now! Let everyone see just how depraved you are!”

I laughed as well and looked straight at him. “Alright then. Don’t have any regrets now.”

Landon scoffed and pushed the door open.

In the next second, he was stunned and rooted to the spot.