Chapter 102
Phoebe saw Reece’s Twitter post, but it didn’t stir any emotion in her. She posted a response on Twitter, thanking Maddox and the others for their support but pointedly left out Reece. If she was going to cut ties, she intended to do it completely. Just like last time, she responded to Erika but ignored Jamar.
Reece waited for hours, noticing that Phoebe had thanked everyone but him. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed, though he wasn’t surprised either. Phoebe’s personality was just like his sister’s. She was clear-cut in what she loved and hated. Reece was willing to wait, however long it took.
Maddox’s and the others’ support for Phoebe didn’t stop Jenkins Entertainment’s planted comments from pouring in. The spiteful couple’s fanbases and Phoebe’s haters swarmed the Twitter feeds of those supporting her, launching verbal attacks. Naturally, the fans of Maddox and the others were not about to back down. They quickly fired back.
By evening, another narrative began taking shape online, accusing Phoebe of trying to whitewash Gwen using horoscopes and fortune-telling. People thought Phoebe could say anything in favor of Gwen. In their opinion, Gwen was a confirmed homewrecker, and they refused to accept any attempts at damage control.
At that time, Phoebe was meeting with Wendy, Brenda’s roommate. They’d met briefly before and had left a good first impression on each other, so Phoebe had hired Wendy as her assistant a few days ago. Wendy had been busy arranging matters for her mother and sister, which caused the delay. Today, she was reporting to the studio for work.
Phoebe discussed the work schedule with Wendy when Brian entered. He said, “Ms. Jenkins, the online direction is shifting just as you predicted. Should we fan the flames a little? Or do a bit of cleanup?”
Brian’s eyes gleamed with excitement. His admiration for Phoebe had reached new heights. She had accurately predicted Leon’s every move.
Phoebe pondered before saying, “No need to interfere. Let Leon’s team carry on for a few more days. Viewers might feel some hostility toward us. But if they see these negative comments every day, they’ll get fed up and even the other side’s fans.”
She continued, “People will start to think, ‘How can they keep bashing her nonstop! Can’t they let it go?’ This will give our counter-move greater impact. People will start feeling that the real victim suffered a lot.”
She added, “Gwen has been harmed by the offenders and also been relentlessly attacked by their fans for so long. Gwen will gain more sympathy, and people’s dislike for those who betrayed her will hit new heights.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I like one clean strike. Let them taste the bitter consequences of their actions and make sure they can’t recover.”
“Interfering now might just tip Leon off. Let him keep digging his own hole. Once he falls into the trap, he won’t be able to get back up.”
Brian realized he’d been too eager to win, having lost his usual patience. His respect for Phoebe only grew. They didn’t make any more immediate plans.
By the next day, online sentiment had worsened. Trolls and paid commenters had swarmed in, calling Phoebe a “fraud” and accusing her of a publicity stunt. They mocked her as a cheap horoscope reader trying to redeem Gwen through fortune-telling. Jenkins Entertainment’s team drove the narrative, soon propelling the headline (Phoebe’s dubious defense of Gwen) to trend.
Phorlar’s fans were not having it. One prominent psychic, verified on Twitter, shared two unedited photos of Gwen. He claimed Gwen didn’t indicate any home-wrecker energy but rather a misfortune in love and backstabbers in her life. Phoebe’s other fans quickly engaged, sharing the post and examining every detail.
I’ve analyzed this girl, and I agree with Mr. Thorne’s conclusion: I knew it! Phoebe is kind-hearted and genuine. No way would she go against the principles and integrity of our field. This is all just slander.
Those who don’t understand should refrain from judging. Owen’s appearance clearly shows signs of being wronged. How could she be the one…
Chapter 10g
[Exactly. I can tell immediately she’s been a victim.] [Phoebe did the right thing.] We reap what we sow. You can tell this girl has a kind aura about her, and meeting Phoebe might just turn her fortunes around. [Originally, her life would have been filled with hardship. Now, her fate has shifted.] [But does that count as defying destiny and could it have negative effects on Phoebe!] [This isn’t defying destiny. It’s simply helping things return to their natural order.] [Defying destiny requires special methods. Only changing the fate of those on the brink of death… ] […so Phoebe defied destiny when she saved those two children.] [No. When she read their fortune and went in early to save them from danger, it was more about helping them avoid a tragic fate than destiny.] [Defying destiny requires drastic measures and can carry major risks.] […and fortune tellers rarely use them as they come at a personal cost.] Most of those methods are unnatural. Proper horoscope readers… [Reading someone’s fortune is simply predicting and helping those to cross their path. It’s a thread of compassion allowed by the natural order.] [Exactly, which is why so many people want trusted fortune tellers and horoscope readers’ help.]
Soon, the conversation grew off-topic. Many realized the commenters were respected figures, renowned in horoscope and fortune-telling. A few of them were even more famous. A few celebrities and business magnates who’d consulted these experts couldn’t help but admire Phoebe’s charm and wondered if they could book a session with her too.
As these expert followers continued to stand by Phoebe and Gwen, public doubt began to stir about Gwen’s alleged affair, leading people to wonder if there might be more to the story. Noticing the shift, Jenkins Entertainment’s team tried to control the narrative. They suggested the experts were only supporting Phoebe out of fan loyalty or even implying they’d been paid off. Some even accused them of being frauds themselves.
The claims infuriated the horoscope experts. They were not frauds, but people believed Jenkins Entertainment’s slander. So, they decided to stop arguing. They left it at that, telling everyone to just wait and see how things played out. Many posted on Twitter, “The truth will prevail. Justice is coming.” rallying support and building anticipation as audiences waited for what would unfold next.
Soon, Gwen headed to film a live reality show, with Wendy assisting her on set. Phoebe and Brenda tuned in from their office, while Leon watched from another location. This show used to be pre-recorded, but for the last two seasons, it switched to a live broadcast. The pre-recorded episodes were two hours long with additional bonus clips released separately. With the live format, there were no extras. The broadcast ran from 10 am to 8 pm, with a two-hour break for the guests.
As soon as Gwen appeared, the comments turned negative, overwhelming the chat with harsh criticisms and completely altering the vibe of the show. Regular viewers started to feel irritated and urged the haters to stop and let people watch the show. But the die-hard fans, haters, and hired trolls of those involved had no intention of stopping, which left a bad impression of them on the casual audience. Some people criticized Adriana, asking if she’d lost her mind to invite Gwen, a controversial guest, as a special feature on the show, thus pulling in more neutral viewers who began to criticize Adriana, as well as Owen and Phoebe.
7:43 PM
Chapter 102
Leon watched this backlash with satisfaction. He told his assistant to keep monitoring the situation, then turned off the live stream and went on to other tasks. But after he turned off the stream, Phoebe hacked one of the main troll accounts that had been leading the attacks against her and Gwen.