SWNOVELS Chapter Gossip 66
Chapter 66 A Shriek From Outside. Finished
Listening to William's strained yet polite conversation, Isabella couldn't help but recognize the effort it took to maintain such a facade. He really is a master of pretense, maintaining that frosty, superstar demeanor that the public so adored. He'd better keep up this pretentiou Concerned she might accidentally betray her amusement with a smile, Isabella quickly nodded politely and retreated to her own space, adopting an expression of relief as if she had narrowly escaped a faux pas. Nearby, Hayden had become visibly stunned, his thoughts racing. Did my artist just accidentally stir up a major problem? This could be a disaster. His mind churned with worry. I need to think fast. If I can't smooth this over, it could turn into the biggest scandal of my career Christopher, observing Hayden's distress from the side, felt a twinge of sympathy. However, internally, his anticipation was building. Soon, very soon, everything is going to come to a head, he thought, barely containing his excitement.
Without any prior agreement, everyone in their group-and it seemed people from other groups, too-found themselves drawn to the reflections in the mirror, not wanting to miss at moment of the unfolding drama. Some were even adjusting the partitions to get a better view. Meanwhile, William and Jennie, though slow to catch on to Isabella's earlier actions, decided to dismiss the matter and turned their attention back to the director and producer, who were trying to continue their discussion. It didn't escape William's notice, however, that both William and Jennie exchanged puzzled looks.
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Taylor, seeming to dodge the underlying tension, suddenly remarked, "Uh... I just remembered there's something I haven't arranged yet."
Riley echoed the sentiment with a hint of panic, "I just remembered... I haven't arranged for a director yet."
This left William and Jennie even more bewildered. Turning around, they saw that apart from their manager, their entire team was awkwardly avoiding eye contact, engrossed in their tasks or feigning deafness..
The manager, caught between the desire to speak and the uncertainty of what to say, looked utterly dismayed. His eyes darted between Jennie and William, the air thick with tension.
Despite his usual frustrations with Jessica, whom he often clashed with, he had been keen on pairing Jennie with William for their potential commercial value. But to think, the story that young girl just told was actually about them! He was taken aback by the revelation.
The manager's mind was racing. Isn't it always clear that Jessica was the domineering one and Jennie the vulnerable? Now is not the time to ponder this. Everyone's heard it now! William and Jennie practically exposed themselves earlier. Doing something behind the scen
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Connor was already drenched in sweat.
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Jennie sensed the growing unease. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.
Snapping back to the moment, Connor knew he had to manage the situation swiftly to avoid further embarrassment. "Let's discuss this outside..." he suggested, ushering them away quickly.
Once they were outside, the makeup room fell into an eeric silence-broken only when a woman's voice shrieked from outside, "What!" The shock was palpable.
From inside, someone blurted out, "Holy crap!" followed by another who couldn't help but snort with laughter.
As the murmurs grew into a cacophony, many onlookers cast admiring glances toward Isabella, marveling at how the chain of coincidences had unfolded-
not realizing she might have orchestrated the scenario. They were thrilled by the spectacle, the excitement palpable in the air.
Even with years in the industry, I've never seen a twist like this, thought several veterans among the crowd, quickly pulling out their phones to share the sensational news.
Despite William's public relations team's swift action to control the narrative, the story had already made significant waves, sparking heated discussions and forming detractors across the board.
Everyone else found the drama intensely entertaining, except for Hayden, who was visibly distraught, pointing at Isabella with a trembling hand.
"I really didn't mean to, just look into my eyes, can't you see how genuine I am?" Isabella blinked her large, innocent eyes, seemingly unphased by the chaos around her.
If only William hadn't been so infatuated with Jennie, rushing to her defense without a second thought. And Jennie, perhaps with motives not as pure, seemed intent on painting Isabella in a negative light right in front of him. There might have been a way out if they had sim Christopher, keen on protecting his crew, interjected, "We can't blame Isabella for this. How could she have anticipated their reactions? They brought this upon themselves. It's as if they dug their own graves."
Despite the chaos, there was an undeniable thrill in witnessing such a lively spectacle unfold. The atmosphere was charged, everyone secretly relishing the dramatic turn of events.
The sounds of distress and confusion from the makeup room spilled into the hallway, drawing everyone's attention. Jennie, caught up in the moment, couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
"It wasn't like that. How could Isabella fabricate such stories? It truly wasn't like that at all," Jennie sobbed, her voice trembling with each word.
William felt a numbness spread across his face, akin to the chill of a steel blade against his skin, as he replayed the recent accusations in his mind. The mockery and scorn likely echoing behind closed doors left him dazed and disoriented.
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"Jennie, remember you mentioned running into Jessica afterward? She discovered her card was blocked and unleashed her frustration on you, right?" William's voice was tinged with a desperate need for confirmation.
Isabella doesn't even know us. She harbors no ill will toward us, so why concoct such stories? Even if William was distraught, surely he could sense the inconsistencies in the narrative.
Jennie's sobs paused as she absorbed his words, only to return with greater intensity. "William don't you trust me? How could you think I'd do such a thing? I was just in a terrible mood that day; my ex-
husband wouldn't stop harassing me. I went out to clear my head and stumbled upon a beautiful dress I thought you'd like," she explained, her voice laden with sadness.
William, suddenly alert, questioned. "Your ex-husband contacted you again? Why didn't you tell me?" The memory of Jennie's past, marred by hints of domestic turmoil when he first met her, flashed before his eyes, intensifying his protective instincts. As he looked at Jennie's tear-streaked face, William's heart was heavy with guilt and remorse.
"I've already been a burden, causing strife between you and your wife because of my issues. I don't want to add more stress. What if we're seen together again? How will your wife react? I can't understand why Isabella would target me. Could it be that your wife knows he Furrowing his brow, William fumbled with his phone, searching for a number he hadn't dialed in far too long. Has it really been that long since the last called me? he wondered as he finally found her contact. He failed to realize that he hadn't called for a long time either. The phone rang longer than he anticipated, adding to his agitation. When Jessica finally answered, the sound of her retching and dry heaving echoed through the speaker.
Chalking it up to background noise, William demanded, his patience wearing thin, "Why did it. take so long for you to pick up?"
After a tense pause, Jessica's raspy voice filled the silence, "What? Are you calling to reassure me that your night was spent innocently?"
William was momentarily taken aback, the reality of their unresolved issues suddenly pressing. Flustered, he responded sharply, "Enough! How many times must I explain myself about that night? I don't have time for this now. Tell me, do you know Isabella?" Jessica hesitated; she did know Isabella. "After Evian brought me back to the hospital that day. I inquired about her. Evian told me she's her sister-in-law, also participating in the program."
William felt a surge of vindication. "Just as I thought, you do know her!"
Jessica, confused by the implications, responded defensively, "So what?"
Jennie, overhearing the exchange, felt a mixture of relief and frustration. She had been right; they did know each other and had targeted her deliberately that day.
William's frustration boiled over. "Jessica, did my last warning fall on deaf ears? You... You're
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Jessica, taken aback, retorted, "What are you talking about?"
"The dress!" William exploded.
"Oh, you knew? Even knowing that, you still..." Jessica's voice trailed off.
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William's voice hardened, "Jessica, if this happens again, we're getting a divorce. I can't deal with this anymore."
Once again, he ended the call abruptly, leaving Jessica staring blankly at her phone, overwhelmed and nauseous, unable to make sense of the swift and harsh turn their conversation had taken.