Chapter 20

Rebecca and Charlie were unaware that Theodore was watching the livestream. Even if they had known, they wouldn't have cared.

In the car, Charlie worried Rebecca might get carsick. He produced some snacks, opened them, and offered them to his sister. "Here, Becky, try these. They're seriously delicious."

Rebecca looked at the snacks, then at Charlie. A warmth spread through her chest. "Thanks..."

She couldn't be overly affectionate, not yet, and they both understood this.

Charlie smirked. "Don't bother. It's just snacks. I'll take care of you!" He was determined to be as protective as Adrian or Bryce. He could protect his sister, too!

His protectiveness made Rebecca smile. Having a real family member was wonderful.

Thinking this, Rebecca picked up a bag of chips and handed it to Charlie.

"You should eat some too, Chuck," Rebecca said.

They couldn't appear too close, but calling him Chuck should be fine, right? Many of Charlie's online fans used that nickname.

Charlie froze, his eyes widening in surprise as he stared at his sister. Shock quickly gave way to pure joy. He wanted to hug her right then and there. "Oh man! She called me Chuck, she called me Chuck in front of hundreds of thousands of livestream viewers! She's so adorable!"

Charlie was ecstatic, but remembered they were on a livestream. He took a deep breath, looked at Rebecca, and managed a calm nod. "Hmm."

Rebecca was oblivious to the emotional rollercoaster her "Chuck" had experienced—shock, nerves, excitement, and finally, pride. Meanwhile, that single moment sent Room Five's viewership soaring.

[Whoa, did Becky just call him Chuck?? I'm dying! I wish I was Becky right now!] [I'm literally crying! I'm so jealous. Becky is living the dream!] [Did you guys see Chuck's face when she said it?! He was shocked, nervous, happy, everything all at once! So cute!]

The live chat exploded with excited comments from fans.

However, some fans remained skeptical.

[Does anyone else think Charlie's acting a little weird today?] [Me too! I think Chuck's been replaced by a body double! He is so weird today.] [Not to be a hater, but Charlie's behavior today was really strange. He never had the 'warm guy' persona before. Since when did he become so considerate of girls?] [I've been a Chuck fan for ten years, and honestly, he's acting totally out of character today. The Chuck I know would never be this attentive to a girl!] [Right? The old Chuck was so sarcastic. He roasted every pretentious female celebrity in the industry.] [I know, right? I didn't want to say anything earlier for fear of getting attacked, but I agree. Chuck's never been this nice to an actress before. But now he's being so considerate to this girl. It's so weird!] [Chuck, are you being forced to do this? Is the agency making you? If you are, blink twice!]

Some emotional fans couldn't bear the thought of their idol fawning over someone else.

[Is Chuck trying to rebrand? What's wrong with being the sharp-tongued commentator we love? We became fans because you weren't afraid to call out those pretentious actresses. Don't change, or we won't know what to do!] [Ugh, I can't stand this Becky. Why doesn't Chuck just bring his own family on the show instead of some random fan? Is she trying to use him for fame or something?] [Right? Like, back off! He doesn't need anyone else to shine.]

Amidst Charlie's fans, a few of Janet's supporters chimed in.

[It's hilarious. Even Charlie's own fans don't buy his act anymore. So fake!] [Just waiting for someone to break character, lol.] [Charlie's gross. I hope he leaves showbiz soon and stops showing up on the same shows as my girl. He's such a turn-off!]

After sharing snacks with his sister, Charlie glanced at the comments. He chuckled and looked at the livestream camera. "Break character? Are you kidding? Don't the people I roast know what they're like?"

His eyes softened as he turned to Rebecca. "Do I need to fake it when I'm being good to Becky?"

Those words silenced most doubters. His loyal fans rallied to his defense.

[Exactly! How has Chuck broken character? He always makes fun of those drama queens, but Becky isn't like that.] [Been a fan for eight years, and Chuck has never been anything but respectful to decent girls!] [I've got a video of Chuck being a total gentleman, letting the ladies go first!] [Becky's adorable, and she's a fan too. If Chuck doesn't spoil her, who should he spoil? You haters?] [LOL, exactly! Chuck is treating Becky well because she's his fan. If one of my fans came all this way to hang with me on a show, I'd do the same thing. That's not breaking character!] [Team Chuck and Becky all the way! We're rooting for you both on the show. Focus on your careers, make that money, and don't let the haters get under your skin. Keep shining!]

Rebecca, too, was watching the comments and worried about the criticism directed at Charlie.

Charlie noticed her. His defiant livestream expression melted into a warm, brotherly smile.

"Hey, don't let those comments get to you, they're just noise. It's always like this. Let's just keep our heads down, focus on the show, and have some fun with it." He gave her a comforting smile.

The comment section erupted, but Charlie remained unfazed. He lived on his own terms; others' opinions didn't matter.

Meanwhile, Janet and her mother, Karen, watched the comments from a different car. Janet cultivated a gentle, innocent online persona, diligently responding to fans' questions. She ignored comments about her child born out of wedlock, questions about Theodore's paternity, and inquiries about a potential marriage for financial gain. She selectively answered only the comments she chose.