Chapter 239: Exile

I hadn’t made my move, but a lesson for Gillian was already unfolding. To my surprise, her dark past—prostitution, drug abuse, and even rumored connections to witch descendants—had all been exposed. Now, she was facing a full-on boycott from the internet.

“Mr. Southwell, these photos are pretty explicit. I think Gillian’s done for this time,” Caesar said, clicking his tongue with a tone of complete indifference. People like Gillian didn’t deserve sympathy.

Although it was good news, a question lingered in my mind. “Who do you think did this?”

Caesar said casually, “She’s made enemies over the years. Perhaps someone used this opportunity to expose her personal issues. But in any case, this is all her own doing. She’s lucky it’s only a boycott on the internet. As of now, she hasn’t been kicked out of the pack and turned into a rogue. This is already quite merciful.”

I smirked coldly and said, “Indeed. If someone has made the first move, we can’t sit idly by. Let’s blacklist her. Better to make sure she never shows her face in the entertainment world again.”

Caesar nodded and said, “Don’t worry. We won’t have to do much. With all her past scandals, she’s already finished.”

“By the way, Mr. Southwell, I heard a rumor before. Apparently, the song that made Gillian famous when she first debuted—the one that became a hit across the country—was actually a copy of Harmony’s work.”

“Right now, Harmony’s fans are looking for proof. Knowing their fanbase, once they confirm it, we won’t have to lift a finger. Her downfall will be far worse than what she’s facing now. Maybe the fans will even start a petition, asking your brother to exile her from Midnight Pack.”

At his words, an idea crossed my mind. “In that case, let’s add some fuel to the fire and make the storm even fiercer.”

“Got it, Mr. Southwell. I know just what to do,” Caesar said, grinning.

The news about Gillian allegedly plagiarizing Harmony’s old song broke. As soon as it hit the media, Harmony’s fans exploded. How dare Gillian steal from Harmony? They weren’t going to let her get away with it.

Soon after, Harmony’s fans flooded Gillian’s Twitter, pushing the hashtag #GillianPlagiarizesHarmony to the top of the trending topics. As if that wasn’t enough, more and more shocking revelations started pouring out. Before long, Gillian had become the target of everyone’s hate.

“It’s over! This is it,” Gillian’s manager muttered in panic as he watched the online backlash grow out of control. Simultaneously, businesses started contacting Gillian to terminate their contracts, and investors withdrew. She was about to face astronomical compensation fees. The manager’s phone seemed to never stop ringing, with every single call asking to cut ties with her.

When Gillian heard this news, she collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. She knew it was over. This time, there was no one who could save her.

That night, some people tossed and turned, unable to sleep, while others had peaceful dreams until morning.

Hayley’s POV:

I woke up, stretched, and saw that it was another clear and sunny day outside. Glancing at the roses blooming on the windowsill, I smiled faintly. After washing up, I changed clothes and headed out the door.

“Good morning!” I greeted Henry, but he leaned in and asked, “Boss, you seem in a good mood?”

I laughed and replied, “Of course! You’d better hurry, or we’ll be late.”

Henry glanced at the time, quickly took a few bites of his breakfast, and put down his fork. “I’m ready; let’s go.”

We both got into the car, and along the way, Henry started talking about Joybringer.

“Boss, you wouldn’t believe it! Last night, Joybringer actually went online! The forums are filled with posts about her. I wonder when she’ll return and let us see her games again,” he said, his voice full of excitement.

I flipped through the book in my hand and asked calmly, “You really like her?”

Cody: “Not exactly, but I totally admire her. She’s the only one who’s ever won the Grand Slam in the league. The records she set are unbreakable. KK is her die-hard fan. I mean, seriously, the kind of fan who would follow her to the ends of the earth.”

I nodded and asked, “Would you want to play a game with her?”

Henry’s eyes lit up. “Of course! If I could meet a pro like her, it would be incredible!”

I looked up at him but didn’t say anything. As we neared the school, I thought for a moment before saying, “Then you’d better start preparing for your finals. Who knows, maybe your wish will come true.”

Henry’s eyes lit up. His gaze bored into me and asked, “Could it be…?” He stopped mid-sentence.

I grew panicked. Did he figure out that I was Joybringer?

“What is it?” I asked, pretending to be calm.