Chapter 69: Kick Someone When They Are Down
"Mr. Sawyer, Ms. Woods, we need clarification!" Riley declared urgently.
William and Jennie, mid-argument with Isabella, were startled. The already tense dressing room atmosphere crackled with unease. Everyone looked shocked, eyes darting between their phones and the unfolding scene. Puzzled glances were exchanged; some bit back words, some suppressed sneers, others couldn't hide their disdain or schadenfreude. "What's wrong? Something else online?" someone muttered.
Despite Isabella's earlier scandal, William believed it would fade for lack of evidence. He assumed their fans would have dismissed it by now.
"What's the matter?" William demanded.
Connor, visibly shaken, almost handed William his phone but hesitated, his hands trembling. He, too, was stunned to learn that Jennie, not Jessica, was the liar. Before he could react, the room's projector flickered to life. William and Jennie paused, their argument interrupted.
"Is it that expensive? Can you afford it, Jessica?" a familiar voice echoed from the speakers, making William whirl around.
The large screen showed only the lower halves of two women. One, strikingly similar to Jennie in her provocative skirt photo, faced another.
William squinted, struggling to identify Jessica by her gaunt figure and loose clothing. The only clues were the black card in her hand and the voice. The video showed Jessica's panic as she tried to make a call, only to be interrupted by Jennie offering her a supplementary card… followed by a resounding slap.
"No!" Jennie shrieked, her composure shattering. "Turn it off! Who did this? Turn it off!" Her outburst revealed her panic. Christopher quietly pocketed his phone, having observed Jennie's reaction. Isabella had earlier jokingly suggested a "public execution" would be fitting. This prompted Christopher's actions. (The following text appears to be gibberish and has been removed.)
Isabella's smile widened. "So, about this rumor-spreading… I do plan on getting to the bottom of it. Unless, of course, you offer a sincere apology."
Isabella had expertly reversed the accusations against her.
She added, "I believe Mr. Sawyer, seeing the truth, will stand with reason."
Everyone burst into laughter. Connor, once assured, trembled with fear, his arrogance gone.
"Ms. Jeannet, it's a misunderstanding. We can handle this amicably," he pleaded.
Hayden countered sharply, "No, we need apologies. Without the online uproar, Ms. Jeannet would have been wrongly accused to death." Connor nudged William urgently.
Overwhelmed by the revelations and mockery, William was distraught. He stared at Jennie, his voice trembling. "What… what's going on? Have you deceived me?" Jennie, defeated, sobbed silently.
"Tell me, why did you lie!" William thundered, shattering the silence.
Internally, William wrestled with regret for wrongly accusing his wife and with anger and shame at defending Jennie, his deceiver. "No, William, it's not what you think… I didn't intend for any of this…" Jennie stammered, her voice choked.
Overcome with despair, she fled. Her assistant and other staff followed, eager to escape. William remained rooted to the spot, quaking with rage and shock. Connor, nervously energetic, was like a cat on a hot tin roof.
The revelations concerning the actor's scandal spread rapidly across social media. Despite the PR team's efforts, they couldn't contain the details. William faced the biggest crisis of his career. This wasn't a simple video scandal; it was a profound issue of character and morality. Taylor and Riley, aware of the gravity, were desperate. William and Jennie were central to My Acting Skill. While the controversy might temporarily boost viewership, it risked ruining the entire production. They had promoted the show as helping William's former on-screen partner stage a comeback.
Online voices condemned the show's team for supporting wrongdoing and enabling a mistress's misconduct. Taylor and Riley panicked; they needed a solution immediately.