Chapter 26

Bella was bewildered. Harold, from the Verdant Gang, had taken two hundred people to Rivenesco by ship. How could the ship sink, and so many people vanish without a trace? Shipwrecks occurred on the wide river outside Rivenesco, but nothing on this scale.

"What does the Verdant Gang say?" Bella asked a gang member.

"Our leader has ordered a full investigation. We're doing everything we can to find them. We must find them, no matter what!"

Bella frowned. Harold was an investor in Lady Covey's Diaries. If he were lost, could filming continue? She felt uncertain. She couldn't understand Dustin's apparent luck. Alvin, who led the Blackguard to find Dustin, had also disappeared. There was no news of either of them. Harold, with two hundred elite Verdant Gang members, had vanished with his ship. She couldn't believe Dustin was involved. In her eyes, he was merely a Wyatt family servant, lacking the means to orchestrate such a disappearance.

"Bella, I have bad news" Bella's assistant said fearfully.

"Don't tell me the show's on hold!" Bella's face darkened.

"Well, if the investor's missing, a production pause makes sense," she conceded, though not overly concerned. Harold was a significant figure in the Verdant Gang. Surely, nothing unexpected could happen to him. Filming could resume upon his return. Besides, Bella had many other offers, including promising scripts from major adaptations that would generate significant attention.

"Bella, it's not on hold. It's canceled," her assistant whispered. "The Verdant Gang pulled their funding."

"What?" Bella frowned. "Didn't Harold guarantee the funding?" She was angry. "What the hell is the Verdant Gang doing?"

Her terrified assistant, face pale, urged Bella to lower her voice. The decision came from the Verdant Gang's higher-ups; they couldn't question it.

"Fine, let's move on. Check my schedule. Which drama am I filming next?" Bella said impatiently, waving her hand. She'd accepted several projects at the beginning of the year. Everyone was waiting for her to begin filming. Over the past few years, she'd become a celebrity; famous directors and investors courted her relentlessly. Some investors insisted only Bella could star in their dramas, willing to wait however long it took.

"Bella, you've been canceled. All your upcoming projects," her assistant said softly.

"What did you say?!" Bella could no longer remain calm. All her accepted roles were carefully chosen, each generating significant pre-production buzz. But that wasn't the worst part. She, Bella Wyatt, had been canceled? Who dared? Everyone had been begging to work with her!

"Tell me! Which drama? Which company, director, or investor? How dare they cancel me?!" Bella was furious.

Her assistant remained silent.

"Have you lost your voice?" Bella glared.

"Bella, it's not just one drama. You've been dropped from every project" her assistant trailed off.

"What did you say?! Say that again!" Bella's mind blanked. Her voice cracked as she shouted.