Milly, draped in high-end designer clothes and sparkling accessories, strutted in flashy high heels. Her arm linked with a man's, her gaze provocative. Abbie's expression shifted drastically upon seeing them. Tiffany casually glanced at the man in the deep blue suit. Tall and handsome, he looked about thirty. She knew it was Freddie.
Tiffany was slightly disappointed, thinking, "Not even remotely handsome!" Comparing Freddie to someone with an explosive physique, commanding presence, and kingly aura was like comparing night and day—not even worth it.
Sensing her gaze, Freddie smirked, offering a playful, almost flirtatious look. Tiffany nearly gagged. She realized comparing the moon to mud had been a mistake.
Milly, however, focused on Abbie. Spotting her, Milly’s smile turned mocking. "Oh my, Abbie, what a coincidence. You're really shameless. Were you hoping for a chance encounter, knowing Freddie and I would be dining here?"
Abbie remained silent, her mind racing. Two years had passed. She never imagined running into Freddie here. The memory of him begging her to take the fall for his mistake, sweet-talking her into taking the blame, haunted her. Now, everything was reversed. Abbie was a disgraced pariah, while Freddie was a top-tier star. Fate played a cruel joke.
Abbie suddenly laughed, then abruptly stopped, her face cold. "Shut up. You're not in any position to speak here." Her sharp glare and frosty demeanor silenced Milly. For a fleeting moment, Milly felt she was facing the commanding actress again, then felt reduced to the insignificant newbie she once was.
Milly’s face turned bright red. "How dare you talk to me like that? Don't think you're going to have a comeback just because some no-name entertainment company picked you up!" She sneered. "Maybe you even traded your body for that opportunity, right?"
Abbie’s eyes grew colder. "That sounds more like your story, doesn't it? Do you think people don't know how you climbed to your current status? Or do you need a reminder?" Everyone in the industry knew each other's secrets.
"You…" Milly seethed. "Your time is over! Do you really think a scandal-ridden actress can rise to fame again? Pathetic!" Feeling free to unleash her venom, Milly continued her tirade, but Abbie remained unfazed.
Meanwhile, Tiffany, barely paying attention, scrolled through her phone. Unsurprisingly, several trending headlines exploded across the screen in bold, black-and-red font. Tiffany smirked, shoving her phone in Milly’s face. "You're right. Disgraced celebrities are bound to be done for."
Several glaring headlines flashed: "The truth behind Abbie’s imprisonment!" "Freddie, the heartless betrayer!" "Dark truth of Milly’s rise to fame!" These three sent chills down Milly's spine. Even Freddie, who had been flirting with Tiffany, was frozen in shock.
Two years had passed since the incident. He'd felt untouchable, believing no one had proof. This revelation was a game-changer. Milly screamed, "How could this happen?" She lunged for the phone, but Tiffany pulled it back.
"Stop shrieking," Tiffany said. "Instead of showing off, go home and handle the PR nightmare." She chuckled, turning to the equally dazed Freddie. "Do you even have any shame? Look at yourself, pathetic. Do you think you have what it takes to come after me? Trash." The earlier look Freddie gave her made her stomach churn. She shoved him aside and strutted off. Abbie, her manager, and assistant followed.
They entered the restaurant and ordered. After the waiter left, everyone except Tiffany was glued to their phones. Abbie's assistant, Nevaeh, stared in shock. "Oh my God! I can't believe this whole layer of truth. Abbie, you were too trusting!" She cursed, "Freddie is a scumbag!"
Abbie, too, was scrolling, but none were more shaken than she. This was the revenge she'd dreamed of, the truth she'd been powerless to reveal. Even the fabricated report from her injury incident resurfaced, proving her and Freddie's secret love and her taking the fall for his drunk driving accident. This marked the beginning of her downfall.
While Abbie languished in prison, Freddie stole her resources, using her connections to rise. Within a year, he became best actor, cozying up to Milly, who had also risen by stepping on Abbie’s back. They became the industry's golden couple. No one predicted this scandal.
Social media erupted. Within minutes, posts were retweeted over 500,000 times. For years, Abbie was vilified, but now, people spoke up for her. Comments ranged from sympathy to outrage at Freddie and Milly.
Abbie scrolled, tears filling her eyes. After years of darkness, she saw a glimmer of hope. Regaining her composure, she asked Tiffany, "Did you leak these stories?"