Chapter 9

After ending the call, Daphne arranged to meet her younger sister, Zoey, at a bar she had been eager to visit for a long time.

When Daphne rose to fame, she brought Zoey into the industry as well. Since Zoey wasn't as beautiful as Daphne and couldn't pursue an acting career, Daphne paid for her to study makeup and styling professionally. She even helped Zoey open a celebrity styling business where Zoey provided hair, makeup, and styling services for stars attending events. Zoey has built a successful business over the years with Daphne's connections.

When Zoey saw Daphne, she hugged her tightly. Concern was evident in her voice. "Daph, I heard about your divorce. Did Wilson bully you? Did he really cheat on you with that mistress, Yvonne? If he did, I'll go and fight him!"

"Don't be silly. Why would you waste your time on someone like him? Is his life more valuable than yours?" Daphne's nose stung at her sister's words.

Zoey knew full well that she couldn't stand a chance against someone like Wilson, but she wasn't afraid of anything if it meant protecting her sister.

Daphne patted Zoey's back reassuringly. "Wilson didn't bully me. We just fell out of love. I asked you out because I wanted to relax and have some fun with you."

Zoey still felt uneasy but decided not to press further after seeing Daphne's demeanor. Daphne then ordered several rounds of drinks and some snacks. The two settled into the best booth on the second floor of the bar.

The bar had a high entry threshold, and its patrons were all wealthy or influential. The place guaranteed privacy. This allowed Daphne to let her guard down and enjoy herself without worrying about the prying eyes of reporters.

As a household name, she usually avoided such nightlife venues, knowing how easily the media could turn any appearance into a scandal.

Having been restrained for so long, Daphne let loose completely. She downed several bottles of alcohol in quick succession, and her gaze grew hazy and unfocused.

At that moment, a group of new patrons arrived at the adjacent booth, and their chatter drifted over to Daphne's ears.

"Yvonne! Mr. Farrell is so good to you! I heard that director, Mr. Hill, criticized your acting skills, and Mr. Farrell had him blacklisted."

"Back when Daphne got slapped twice by a director on set, she didn't get this kind of treatment. He must love you so much!"

Yvonne's shy voice carried a hint of pride. "That's not true. It's just that Mr. Hill was being unreasonable. It was such a simple scene, and he made me shoot it over 20 times. Mr. Farrell couldn't stand it, that's all…"

"If he didn't care so much about you, why would he step in? I heard he was furious that day and even forced Mr. Hill to apologize to you. I'm so jealous…"

The speaker seemed to be a fan of Yvonne, and their tone was dripping with flattery and admiration.

At first, Daphne thought she must have misheard when her name came up in the conversation. But as she continued to listen, it became clear that the new patrons next door were none other than Yvonne and her entourage.

"Yvonne's acting skills are obvious to everyone. Nowadays, anyone can call themselves a director. But something feels off about this. Mr. Hill has worked with Daphne three times before and gets along with her really well. Could it be that Daphne deliberately arranged for that to happen to target you?"

"Exactly, Yvonne! Who knows what a bitter, abandoned woman like her might do? And since Mr. Farrell treats you so well, she must be seething with jealousy."

"What right does she have to be jealous? Mr. Farrell hasn't liked her in ages. She's the one who refuses to let go and is still clinging to him like a leech."

"And is she even that innocent? Didn't she climb into Mr. Farrell's bed to get the title of Mrs. Farrell in the first place? Now that he's tired of her and found his true love in Yvonne, she'd disappear from both of your lives if she had any self-awareness!"

Their comments grew nastier by the second. Before Daphne could react, Zoey furiously sprang into action.

She grabbed an empty beer bottle and stormed over to the adjacent booth, pointing it directly at Yvonne. "What did you just say? Try saying one more word about my sister behind her back!"

She shattered the bottle on the ground with a loud smash, silencing the entire bar. Everyone turned to look at her, feeling somewhat stunned.

Someone recognized Zoey as Daphne's sister and was the first to recover. "Oh, and who do we have here? Isn't this that nobody makeup artist? You should know you're nothing without your sister!"

"And without Yvonne, what are you?" Daphne retorted, having rushed over after Zoey. She immediately positioned herself in front of Zoey in a protective stance, shielding her.

Daphne's strikingly beautiful face appeared cold and mysterious under the bar's dim, flickering lights. Years of being with Wilson had honed her ability to command a room, and the group instantly fell silent.

All except for Yvonne, who spoke up in a trembling, pitiful voice, "Daphne, my friends were just joking around. If you don't like it, we'll stop. There's no need to bully anyone."

"We're bullying you? You must be joking!" Zoey snapped. She was rather known for her temper, and she couldn't stand Yvonne's fake innocent act.

Zoey pushed Daphne aside, stepping directly in front of Yvonne. She snarled, grabbing Yvonne by the collar, "You were gossiping about my sister just now. Don't think I didn't hear it. Apologize to her right now, or don't blame me for slapping you!"

Yvonne's face turned pale. "You… You're taking this too far. Even if my friends talked about Daphne behind her back, was what they said wrong? Which part wasn't the truth? Why should we apologize? You're just bullying us because you can't—"

Zoey delivered a resounding slap without hesitation, leaving everyone in shock.

Yvonne was a rising star with her own fans, and Daphne was worried the altercation could escalate and negatively impact Zoey's career. She quickly stepped in to pull Zoey away. "Zoey, don't waste your energy on this trash. It's beneath you."

Yvonne was unwilling to back down, and she clutched her reddened cheek and shoved Zoey. "What gives you the right to hit me?"

Seeing the commotion, Yvonne's friends joined in to defend her. Worried that Zoey might get hurt, Daphne jumped into the fray as well. "Touch my sister, and I'll make sure you regret it!"

"Look! She's hitting people! The big star is throwing punches!"

"She's already been dumped by Mr. Farrell. What's she so cocky about? Just wait until Mr. Farrell hears about this. He'll definitely stand up for Yvonne!"

The shouting escalated into chaos, with people tugging at clothes and yanking hair. Even the patrons from other booths began to take notice of the commotion.

Taking advantage of the disorder, Yvonne used the heel of her stiletto to stomp hard on Daphne's foot.

Daphne winced and immediately recognized the offending shoes as Yvonne's. Her temper flared as she grabbed Yvonne by the arm, her voice ice-cold as she spat, "Are you itching to die?"

Before she could do anything further, a chilling voice interrupted from behind her. "Who gave you permission to touch her?"

The music in the bar ended just as the voice echoed, leaving the place in brief but suffocating silence. For those few seconds, the atmosphere felt so heavy that everyone instinctively held their breath, too afraid to even make a sound.

Wilson emerged from the shadows, and his tall figure exuded an oppressive air. Behind him was a group of affluent young elites, and their mocking gazes were fixed on Daphne.

"Well, well, isn't this Ms. Yeager? How did you end up in such a sorry state?"