Chapter 90
“Who dares?” Blake asked sharply. Richard recounted the online attacks against Isabel. Since Blake's instructions to monitor her, Richard had been closely watching. Many were insulting Isabel online. “Once again, it’s the Clyde family! They seem determined to cause trouble!” Blake was resolute. “I don’t care what you do; stop Lucas’s debut!”
After giving his orders, Blake immediately messaged Isabel: “My dear Isabel, while I am away, others are bullying you. I won’t let the Clyde family go unpunished! I will make it right!”
Isabel, surprised by the message, hadn't expected this minor issue to reach him overseas. To her, the Clydes were merely clowns. She replied briefly: “No need.”
Blake responded: “I won’t let the Clyde family off the hook! You stood by me once; now it’s my turn to protect you!”
Isabel genuinely wanted to assure him she could handle it, that his concern seemed unnecessary. However, she didn't object to his desire to confront the Clydes, especially given Lucas's burgeoning popularity.
Rosy was ecstatic, celebrating with Lucas’s manager. “Lucas has been the most popular for days; he is set to debut in the center position!” the manager beamed.
“Let’s hope so! My son is truly amazing!” Rosy replied proudly, though her mind lingered on Isabel. Rosy secretly reveled in Isabel’s job loss and public scorn.
“Mom, why do I feel like my sudden rise to fame is too quick?” Lucas voiced his doubts.
“What’s so sudden about it? You’re lucky! Don’t think too hard about it,” Rosy dismissed his concerns.
Seraphina contacted Isabel upon seeing the online news. “Isabel, Rosy is so shameless! Should I get my dad to talk to the owner of Joy Entertainment and blacklist Lucas? This is outrageous!” Seraphina demanded.
“No worries, tomorrow, things will change. I can handle this myself!” Isabel found amusement in allowing them a few days of gloating.
“Alright, if you need anything, just let me know,” Seraphina conceded.
Isabel hacked into the television station’s surveillance system—a necessary measure after her previous request for footage was denied. She accessed the footage involving Rosy, then hired a paparazzo, paying him to release the video. The next day, a video featuring Rosy appeared online.
Viewers witnessed the incident’s origin: Rosy confronting Isabel. When Isabel ignored her, Rosy attacked, attempting to hit her. Only when Isabel, startled, grabbed Rosy’s arm did Rosy lose her balance and fall, initiating her dramatic performance. It became instantly clear that Isabel had been wronged.
Lucas's collaboration with Rosy in stirring further drama only fueled viewer anger. The revelation of their true characters shocked everyone. The video quickly went viral, forcing Joy Entertainment to respond.
Before they could formulate a plan, another scandal erupted. The term "sissiness" trended rapidly, largely due to Lucas’s overly effeminate performance—affected cuteness, pouting, and exaggerated window-cleaning antics.
People even mocked Sweet Mango. The once-popular group faced backlash because of Lucas, impacting the other members. Calls to boycott effeminacy surged on social media, with established artists condemning such vulgar performances. They insisted the new generation should embody true masculinity.
The media echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of strength and genuine masculinity in men. With growing public condemnation, Lucas’s popularity plummeted as many mocked his behavior.
In the next episode of Idols Reloaded, Lucas’s team received minimal screen time. He plummeted from the top to the bottom of the rankings and faced online ridicule. Both Lucas and Rosy were stunned.
“How could this happen!” Rosy gasped, incredulous. Just days ago, Lucas was at the peak; now, he was disgraced.
“Mom, Joy Entertainment wants me to withdraw from the competition! They say I can’t be on the show anymore! My chance to shine is ruined!” Lucas despaired, heartbroken over the loss of his coveted center position.
Seeing the manager arrive, Rosy urgently asked, “What’s going on? What did the meeting decide?”
The manager responded bluntly, “You’re finished! Powerful forces are against you. Forget the initial scandal; the uproar over ‘sissiness’ was a planned attack. Even if you wanted to continue, Idols Reloaded has been canceled, all because of you two. Lucas, you’ve ruined an entire variety show, costing investors heavily and blocking countless contestants’ debuts. Which company would work with you now, especially with your brother Roger’s scandals resurfacing? Pack up and leave! Don’t even think about debuting.”
Lucas sat dumbfounded, his career in ruins. Online comments succinctly summarized the situation: he had a “good” mom. Rosy’s backstage actions were ultimately to blame; if she hadn’t interfered, this could have been avoided. It was all her fault.
Isabel sat in class, awaiting the lecture. Yvette entered, and a wave of sympathy washed over her classmates. Joy Entertainment had initially replaced Isabel with Yvette, a highly advantageous swap, but just a week later, the show was canceled. Now Yvette was jobless.
“They were quick to attack you earlier, but now that the truth is out, they haven’t even apologized. Instead, they feel sorry for Yvette!” Amara remarked to Isabel.
Amara felt Isabel had been unjustly treated. She alone saw the full picture and now questioned their past criticism of Isabel.
Isabel rarely felt the need to explain herself and disregarded others’ opinions. Even with a wealthy and handsome fiancé, she remained unassuming, allowing others to misinterpret him as a mere delivery man.
“What others say is beyond my control. Their mouths are theirs; we must follow our own conscience,” Isabel said calmly.
Amara felt renewed respect for Isabel. Her perspective was so broad. Knowing Isabel for so long, Amara realized Isabel had never spoken ill of anyone in their class. Not even Yvette, Isabel's most vocal detractor, had ever faced her ire. Instead, it was usually Yvette who gossiped behind Isabel's back.