- 5.
The room erupted. Chloe was accusing me of
bullying a newcomer, of being a diva. She even
insinuated something shady between Leo and
me, suggesting he’d orchestrated the applause.
It was a nasty accusation, but it wasn’t me who
looked bad. It was Ethan. Standing beside me,
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his hands clenched into fists. He reached for
the microphone, about to speak, but I stopped
him with a look. In that brief exchange, I saw a
flicker of the Ethan I knew, not the love–struck
fool I’d been dealing with lately.
He’d been determined to be with Chloe, but he
hadn’t actually hurt me. Maybe there was still
hope. Whatever the reason for his behavior, I
bore some responsibility. If I overreacted now, the press would have a field day… Motherly instincts kicked in. As angry as I was, I couldn’t help but protect him. As for Chloe… dealing with her wasn’t a priority right now.
Leo, never one to shy away from conflict,
launched into a tirade. “Such a nasty mind at
such a young age. It’s astonishing. You
shouldn’t be acting; you shouldn’t even be allowed out in public.” “Knowing your lines is basic professionalism. We’ve all seen the movie, and Vivian’s performance didn’t change the
plot. Her thoughtful interpretation enhanced the
く
character.” “You, on the other hand, haven’t
focused on acting for a single second. You’re
either trying to upstage Vivian, overshadow the
supporting actress, or flirt with the male lead.”
“I don’t care what your relationship is. Take
your romance off–screen! This is a set, and
you’re not fit to be on it.”
It was harsh, brutal even. The audience, though
likely agreeing, remained silent. Chloe was a
rising star, after all. But Chloe, ever the
opportunist, seized the moment, playing the
victim. Her voice trembled as she feigned tears.
“I don’t know why Mr. Hughes is targeting me
like this.”
That single line was all the publicity she
needed. The audience erupted, the situation
spiraling out of control. Charles, the
showrunner, signaled for a cut, wiping sweat
from his brow. Leo, catching his eye, grabbed
the microphone again. “No need to cut the
feed! I’ve been in this industry for decades. I
<
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can handle a little scrutiny.” “Chloe, right? You
think you’re putting on a good performance
now, playing the victim? Let me tell you, the
audience sees right through you. The more you
act, the more foolish you look.”
The comments section exploded again. “Leo
Hughes is my spirit animal!” The viewership
numbers soared. The show was a hit. Charles,
however, was panicking. I noticed that Ethan
hadn’t given him any cues.
“One last thing,” Leo said, snatching the
microphone back. This time, his words weren’t
directed at Chloe, but at Ethan. “Young man, I
see the comments. Everyone thinks you two are
a couple.” “Let me give you some advice.
Relationships, marriage…these are big
decisions. She’s not good enough for you.“.
Given Chloe’s personality, I expected her to
retaliate after being humiliated on live
television. Surprisingly, the online buzz was
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overwhelmingly positive towards me. The only
negative press was about Chloe’s dramatic exit
from the show. She’d posted a cryptic
message: “Don’t waste your life on people and
things that don’t deserve you. He told me I’m
precious.”
It was a line from a popular movie. Predictably,
she’d included a photo of the script and a hand
feeding her salad. The internet went wild,
speculating whether the hand belonged to
Ethan.
“I bet five bucks that’s not him!” Jody
exclaimed beside me. I nearly jumped out of my
skin. Maybe hiring her as my manager was a
hasty decision… “Ms. Ray, there’s definitely
something fishy about their relationship!” She
sounded certain. Seeing my skepticism, she
zoomed in on the photo. “Ethan is allergic to
mangoes. Every fan knows that. Wouldn’t his
girlfriend know?”
<
The salad was overflowing with mango chunks,
half of them gone. And that wasn’t the only clue. Ethan had been a sickly child, pampered
by Robert and me. He had his quirks. I scrolled through Chloe’s social media, finding more
inconsistencies. “These oranges aren’t sour at
all!” Ethan hated oranges. He only ate the peel. “Comfort food: tomato and scrambled eggs with rice. Just like home.” Ethan despised that dish. He loved peppers and tripe. There were more posts about her boyfriend’s supposed love of swimming, homemade coffee… all things
that didn’t match Ethan at all.
I remembered Ethan’s behavior during the
show… Could it be… that the whole
relationship was a fabrication? That Ethan
wasn’t with her at all? But then why go along with it? For the publicity, like Jody said? He
didn’t need it. To boost his ego? He’d be
repulsed by Chloe. So, it had to be…
I couldn’t figure it out. I needed to talk to Ethan.
But ho was avoiding mo like the plaquo Jody
8:10
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But he was avoiding me like the plague. Jody, ever resourceful, had a solution: she bought some intel from a paparazzo. She showed me a hotel address, a sheepish grin on her face. “This is how things work in the industry. But don’t worry, I’ve never done this before.”
The paparazzo claimed Ethan stayed at this
hotel for a few days every month.
Coincidentally, Chloe was always seen around
the same time. There were no photos of them
together, but it was enough to fuel the rumors.
This was ground zero.
After three days of staking out the hotel, I
finally caught Ethan in the lobby. He tensed up
when he saw me. It wasn’t the fear of getting
caught, but the anxiety of me discovering
something he didn’t want me to see. He tried to
usher me away. Too late. A familiar Rolls Royce
pulled up. I would recognize the people
stepping out of it anywhere. Chloe. And Robert.
<
