Back at work, Irene placed her handbag on the vanity table and commented while facing Lilian. “Am I on the wrong set or something? Just a few days off and everyone is already walking on thin ice.”

Coming back from a “serious” injury, it was not uncommon that people would approach you to ask about your wellbeing. But what caught Irene’s attention was the cautiousness as well as the subtle hint of mockery adorned on people’s faces as they shifted their topic from her to someone else. 

The cautiousness she could understand. Vince isn’t known for his gentleness. But what was with the mockery? Who was in the spotlight while I was away?

Irene’s remark prompted an abnormal reaction from the two ladies that were with her inside the dressing room. 

Sitting on a chair, Lilian hung her head while her hair slipped past her ears as it formed a curtain covering her face. Both her hands were closed into a tight ball, gripping to her skirt. 

On the other hand, Maine became a stumbling mess. She almost spilled the soup in her hand as she walked toward Lilian. 

“Careful.” Irene readily stretched out her hand, helping to stabilize the unsteady Maine. 

Realizing the disaster that could’ve transpired, Maine deeply bowed to Irene and uttered a thank you. She then carefully gave the soup to Lilian, who by now has already composed herself. 

In her chair, Irene’s gaze narrowed as she witnessed the two people’s reaction. She eyed the soup in Lilian’s hands. “Is that all you’re having for breakfast?”

“Mmm,” Lilian affirmed as she faintly smiled, blankly looking at the bowl she was holding. 

“Shooting zaps energy. How about adding some protein into that?” Irene looked back at Maine, who was trying her best to reduce her presence, intending to let her run an errand. 

Perceptive, Lilian softly spoke up. “I’m fine. I don’t have an appetite lately; this soup will do.” She still didn’t dare to make eye contact with Irene. 

Irene has had it. “Okay, tell me what happened. And I don’t want to hear any excuses.”

Maine was panicking in front of the stern Irene. She really couldn’t handle such an authoritative bearing coming from Irene. 

Irene saw how Maine kept opening and closing her mouth. Her attitude grew more solemn. 

Lilian’s voice traveled to Irene’s ears. “A rumor has circulated in the company saying that I climbed into Alex’s bed.” Bluntness and a deadpan look were how Lilian decided to face the issue at hand; her tone implying an objective point of view. A third party’s unbiased storytelling. 

Irene was frigid and her eyes turned hooded. Hah. Who is it this time?

In a brief span of time, the dressing room became a library fit for outstanding scholars. This lasted until it was time for Lilian to shoot.

Inside the room was almost the precise reenactment of “A Quiet Place” if it wasn’t for the shuffling noises created as Lilian was leaving to go to the set. 

“Come on. Open the door. Let’s not keep Vince waiting.” 

Lilian apprehensively looked back at Irene, who just spoke, and drifted her gaze to Maine. 

Maine, who was behind Irene, shooed her away. Basically, sided with Irene’s decision. With Irene by your side, no one would dare mistreat you. 

After Lilian’s statement from earlier, Irene decided by herself to tag along with Lilian. 

Lilian acknowledged and appreciated Irene’s intention of covering her, but she didn’t have to. 

These past few days, Lilian has already started developing immunity to such acts. She learned to pay no attention to slander; though it was not perfect, it was still a vast improvement for her. 

In addition, Lilian had already called Alex about this. He assured her he was already on it, and all she had to do now was to wait till things get resolved and fizzle out. 

Even if she thought like that, Lilian still couldn’t say no to Irene. Plus, Irene would’ve just taken a deaf ear to any resistance raised. 

Thus, a new domineering tail appeared from Lilian’s behind that morning. 

 

 

***

 

 

Vince felt his shoulder lighten the minute he saw Irene together with Lilian. 

The first day the scandal broke out, the crew literally shapeshifted into a working bee—continuously buzzing. A person like him, who was normally late to such an occasion, miraculously got a VIP seat this time around. He even heard it first, before Calvin could tattle on him. 

Nevertheless, he remained aloof. Stuff like this was the norm. 

Even though the ones involved were his friend and his friend’s artist, Vince kept a cool head and continued shooting without a care in the world. 

The only instance where he would, however, care was when his project was impeded. 

Vince’s scrutiny ran straight to Lilian the moment the rumors went off. Her watery eyes and frail appearance were etched in his mind. May God help him if this little lad wouldn’t be able to bear this and proceed bawling in a locked room. 

He truly despised delays. 

Much to his surprise, Lilian held on well. She didn’t stall the shooting and performed per usual. 

This was a great relief to Vince. She has what it takes, after all. 

Though Vince proceeded shooting untroubled, the female protagonist of the circulating rumor had a familiar face orbiting around her. 

Hattie’s lungs took in as much air as it could and expired it all back with great prosperity. Finally! The public knows the truth. Of course, it would be such a waste to not share this joy with someone else. 

A conspiracy brewed within the curved red lips of Hattie. 

During the time off, Hattie scooted over to where Lilian sat. With her twinkling eyes and fast feet, she aligned her mouth to Lilian’s ears and whispered lightly. “You should’ve told me beforehand. This big sister of yours was completely in the dark that you have already hugged such thick thighs. You even denied it when I first asked you, tsk. I’m envious ah.”

Lilian was livid. Her body froze, and her head mechanically turned toward Hattie—again with that two-faced self of hers. 

Hattie didn’t stop there. No, she would feel ill at ease if she stopped there. Her deviousness and mockery hid deeply behind her words as her voice sneakily carried a saber, thrusting and cutting Lilian ‘til bloody. 

“Tell me. How did you do it? Was it fun vanquishing the top manager eh? If you had confirmed it earlier, I wouldn’t have made things difficult, you know. I also wouldn’t have offered to help you with your role; you’re as steady as a millennium tree with deep roots. How can your status be shaken? Now that I look back at the time we met at dinner, I feel embarrassed, ah.”

Hattie coquettishly held both of her cheeks in “embarrassment”. Her remarks, laugh, and actions summed up to a thousand cuts inflicted into Lilian’s body.

With her elbow on the armchair and her hand supporting her temple, Hattie sat there relaxed, as though watching a comedy skit. She leisurely observed as Lilian trembled in her chair. 

“That’s not true,” Lilian said through gritted teeth. 

Hattie abandoned her lazy posture and sat straight. Oh? Her eyebrows raised in astonishment.

Instead of taking a step back and cowering, the Lilian in front of her had her eyes slanted and fist clenched. 

Looks like someone grew a backbone while I was preoccupied. But it’s not enough.

Hattie scanned the surroundings. She made sure no one was paying attention to them before lowering her tone; her aura took a huge turn. “Don’t deny it. The truth has already come out. What are you still disguising yourself for?” 

Near them, the crew has now gone back to work. Break was over, and it was back to rolling. 

Hattie stood up. She looked at Lilian with scorn. In the next second, she smirked and left Lilian with a parting word. “Slut.”

Lilian trembled, and her thoughts were in turmoil. She pinched her thighs in distraught. 

Her breath shook in melancholy. “Hah.” 

“Lilian, you ready?” a man called for her.

Lilian tightly closed her eyes and exhaled. She shouted back. “Ready!” She stood from her seat with her shadow silently clinging to her. 

In her dressing room, Hattie let her assistant run errands, leaving her alone. She was relishing the current situation as a message popped up from her phone. 

[Joe: Room 147 at XXX hotel. 7 pm. I’ll be waiting for you.]

[Hattie: I’ll be there. Love you!] Satisfied with today’s development, Hattie generously added a kissing emoji. 

[Hattie: ( ˘ ³˘)♥]

Joe was Hattie’s secret lover for almost 2 years now.

Hattie first met him at a charity event. A few glasses of alcohol led the two of them to a one-night stand. From then on, they developed a relationship and became lovers. 

Joe said he didn’t want to publicize their relationship since his family didn’t like him dating women from the entertainment industry. 

She didn’t want him to have a fallout with his family, so Hattie agreed to keep their romance a secret. Until today, she had told no one about this, even her assistant. 

As a director of Midnight Pictures, Joe has easy access to great scripts and could easily pull strings with just a call. Hattie’s career flew more smoothly than ever after being with him.  

It was also from him where she originally learned how Lilian slept with Alex to get him to be his manager. 

The day before the welcome party of the crew, Hattie received a call from Joe, telling her to keep an eye on Lilian. The rage she felt when a slut used her as a stepping stone!

Hattie couldn’t control herself and threw a flower vase onto the ground. But that still didn’t quench her anger as she flung her phone to the wall. 

She never had a good impression of Lilian, notably so after what Joe said. She was fuming. What a hypocrite b*tch.

She wanted to expose this b*tch’s true colors, but Joe stopped her. This was an inside information that was tightly kept under wraps. It wasn’t yet time for the public to know. 

Joe only got a wind of this because his cousin has a loose mouth when drunk. 

Hattie had a lot of questions for Joe when she learned this, but his lips were sealed. She likewise knew that knowing too much would not do her any good, so she gave up on insisting. 

 

 

***

 

 

Irene sat at the right side of Vince with her own chair while Lilian was in front of the camera, together with Max Males. 

Irene’s standoffish persona oozed out, deterring people. 

Vince was observing Irene through his peripheral view. She had her arms crossed and back straightened. Her lips were pursed and her eyes held no emotion in them.

From the looks of it, Vince deduced that Irene had just now heard of the circulating rumors regarding Lilian. He saw how her demeanor glued all those chattering mouths shut. 

As expected. He inwardly chuckled in admiration. 

Vince sensed his heavy heart lighten with Irene here. 

When the rumor started on the first day, Vince brushed it off. He was sure that Alex would efficiently handle this, especially so since he was involved. 

The first day ended, and no counter measure was taken. The rumors should be gone by tomorrow. 

It was the second day and nothing occurred. 

Then came the third day.

Vince watched from afar how Lilian lowered her head in silence as she ate her lunch. Except for a handful of crew willing to go near her, the rest ignored her, a massive disparity to when she first started.   

Max was also with Lilian at this time. Vince saw how Max made Lilian giggle and how he stupidly scratched his head after making a joke. 

Within that interaction of Lilian and Max, Vince inexplicably found relief, but a tinge of regret too.  

This was also when he discovered that something was amiss. A rumor like this would’ve been solved by now by Alex—yet it wasn’t.

Vince narrowed his eyes in contemplation.

 

 

***

 

 

In a corridor, three heads came together and released huge sighs. 

“I can finally breathe! That was tough.”

“You don’t say. It was suffocating back there.”

“Even Director Vince was a lot more tempered than usual. My goddess‘s aura suppressed everyone. So awesome ah.”

“From the looks of it, Irene doesn’t seem to hate Lilian. So maybe the scandal isn’t true after all.”

“You’re right. No way would my goddess protect such a wicked woman after learning the truth.”

The other girl nodded, fully supporting the notion. 

Hattie, who ran into the three, stopped in her tracks after hearing what they said. She couldn’t help but raise her voice. “If Lilian is truly innocent, the scandal should’ve been clarified by now. It’s already been a few days since it spread. With Alex’s ability, one day would be enough to clear this up. Yet look at what’s going on.”

The three ladies were startled at Hattie’s interjection, but soon kept mum after digesting her reasoning. 

Not receiving a reply from them, Hattie thought they agreed with her. She smiled in contempt and was about to leave when the girl in the middle stepped up. 

“You’re right, it hasn’t been clarified yet. As long as it hasn’t been clarified yet, Lilian is innocent. I believe in the judgment of my goddess.” 

The other two girls, who were about to get swept away with Hattie’s words, found a stable footing. They echoed. 

“Right, right, right. Irene is never wrong.”

“We believe what she believes in.”

Hattie’s temple twitched. She stared at each one of them as if looking at a mentally handicapped person and then gnashed her teeth. “Suit yourself.” 

Discontent, she abandoned the three young women in big strides.