Chapter 66: A Shriek From Outside

Listening to William's strained but polite conversation, Isabella recognized the effort he exerted to maintain his composure. He truly is a master of pretense, projecting the frosty, superstar demeanor the public adored. Concerned she might betray her amusement, Isabella quickly nodded politely and retreated, adopting an expression of relief. Nearby, Hayden looked stunned, his thoughts racing. Did my artist just accidentally create a major problem? This could be a disaster. He worried, I need to think fast. If I can't smooth this over, it could be the biggest scandal of my career.

Christopher, observing Hayden's distress, felt sympathy. Internally, however, his anticipation grew. Soon, everything will come to a head, he thought, barely containing his excitement.

Without prior agreement, everyone—and it seemed people from other groups as well—found themselves drawn to the mirror, eager to witness the unfolding drama. Some even adjusted partitions for a better view. Meanwhile, William and Jennie, slow to grasp Isabella's actions, dismissed the matter and returned their attention to the director and producer. William, however, noticed their puzzled exchange of glances.

Taylor, seemingly dodging the tension, remarked, "Uh… I just remembered something I haven't arranged yet."

Riley echoed this with a hint of panic: "I just remembered… I haven't arranged for a director yet."

This bewildered William and Jennie further. Turning around, they saw their entire team (apart from their manager) awkwardly avoiding eye contact, engrossed in their tasks or feigning deafness.

The manager, torn between speaking and uncertainty, looked dismayed. His eyes darted between Jennie and William; the tension was palpable. Despite his usual frustrations with Jessica, he'd been keen to pair Jennie and William for their commercial value. To think, the young girl's story was actually about them! He was taken aback.

The manager's mind raced. 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 scenes

Connor was already drenched in sweat.

Jennie sensed the growing unease. "What's wrong?" she asked anxiously.

Snapping back to the present, Connor knew he had to act swiftly. "Let's discuss this outside…" he suggested, ushering them away.

Once outside, an eerie silence fell over the makeup room—broken only by a woman's shriek from outside: "What!" The shock was palpable.

From inside, someone blurted, "Holy crap!" followed by a snort of laughter. Murmurs grew into a cacophony; onlookers cast admiring glances toward Isabella, marveling at the coincidences—unaware she might have orchestrated them. They were thrilled by the spectacle; the excitement was palpable.

Even with years in the industry, I've never seen a twist like this, several veterans thought, pulling out their phones.

Despite William's PR team's swift action, the story had already made waves, sparking heated discussions and creating detractors. Everyone found the drama intensely entertaining, except 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 innocently, seemingly unfazed.

If only William hadn't been so infatuated with Jennie, rushing to her defense… And Jennie, perhaps with impure motives, seemed intent on painting Isabella negatively… There might have been a way out if they had simply…

Christopher, keen to protect his crew, interjected, "We can't blame Isabella. How could she have anticipated their reactions? They brought this upon themselves. It's as if they dug their own graves."

Despite the chaos, the thrill of the spectacle was undeniable. The atmosphere was charged; everyone secretly relished the drama.

Sounds of distress and confusion from the makeup room spilled into the hallway. Jennie couldn't hold back her tears.

"It wasn't like that. How could Isabella fabricate such stories? It truly wasn't like that at all," Jennie sobbed.

William felt a numbness spread across his face as he replayed the accusations. The mockery and scorn left him dazed.

"Jennie, remember you mentioned running into Jessica afterward? She discovered her card was blocked and unleashed her frustration on you, right?" William's voice held a desperate need for confirmation.

Isabella doesn't even know us. Why concoct such stories? Even distraught, William sensed inconsistencies.

Jennie's sobs paused, then returned 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 sadly.

William, suddenly alert, asked, "Your ex-husband contacted you again? Why didn't you tell me?" The memory of Jennie's past intensified his protective instincts. His heart was heavy with guilt and remorse.

"I've already been a burden, causing strife between you and your wife. 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…"

Furrowing his brow, William fumbled with his phone, searching for a number he hadn't dialed in a long time. The phone rang longer than he anticipated. When Jessica answered, the sound of retching echoed through the speaker.

Chalking it up to background noise, William demanded, his patience wearing thin, "Why did it take so long 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 taken aback. 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. "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 vindicated. "Just as I thought, you do know her!"

Jessica, confused, responded defensively, "So what?"

Jennie, overhearing, felt relief and frustration. She had been right; they knew each other and had deliberately targeted her.

William's frustration boiled over. "Jessica, did my last warning fall on deaf ears? You… you're…"

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.

William's voice hardened, "Jessica, if this happens again, we're getting a divorce. I can't deal with this anymore."

He ended the call abruptly, leaving Jessica staring blankly at her phone, overwhelmed and nauseous.