Chapter 271
Phoebe gave Cal a flat look. “You’re better at twisting the story than directing one. What do you mean? I won’t let Sienna off!”
She let out a dry laugh. “And I stole from Bert? That’s hilarious. But the best part? You making it sound like I snatched this variety show spot right out of her hands.”
Cain clenched his jaw, but he forced himself to keep his cool. “Isn’t that exactly what happened!”
“Look, I’m not asking you to be nice to Sienna, but can you at least stop making things difficult for her! We’re all on the same show. Can’t you just—”
Phoebe’s lips curled into a smirk, her voice laced with mockery. “No. See, I thought that since we cut ties, we didn’t have to fake anything anymore. But you keep pushing, so let’s lay it all out.”
She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “Did I really take from her? Or was it her getting you to take from me? Cain, remind me, are you my brother, or are you hers? Why do I have to play nice when there’s nothing left between us?”
Before Cain could fire back, Phoebe casually reached into her bag. “Lucky me, I haven’t turned in my phone yet.”
The second she pulled it out, Sienna’s face turned stiff. Cain and Jamar exchanged nervous glances, already sensing this was about to go sideways.
And before they could stop her, Phoebe tapped her screen, playing a recording from the day she officially cut ties with the Jenkins family.
The entire set went quiet. Even the live chat, which had been a chaotic mess of arguing fans, suddenly stilled.
A deep male voice crackled through the speaker. “I called you before. Why didn’t you answer?”
Phoebe’s own voice followed, cool and disinterested. “Because I didn’t want to—”
“You stop being difficult?”
The man sighed. “Can y—”
Phoebe’s recorded voice let out a sentence, “Can you stop using the same worn-out script! You might not be tired of this game, but I am.”
Then, the final nail in the coffin. “What’s the point of all this? Sienna wants that variety show spot. Would it kill you to step aside for her? Do you really have to make things so hard for the family!”
Phoebe’s voice came through, clear and firm. “I worked hard for this opportunity. I’m not just going to hand it over. If that bothers you, well, that’s your issue, not mine.”
The recording cut off, leaving behind a heavy silence. It took a moment for everyone to process what had just happened. Then, one by one, the realization hit: they had just listened to a recording.
Sebastian blinked, then let out a slow grin. He hadn’t expected Phoebe to drop a bombshell like this so early in the broadcast. She was a damn goldmine.
His gaze flicked to the skyrocketing number of viewers in the livestream, and once again, he was sure inciting Phoebe had been the best decision he’d made in a long time. That favor? More than worth it.
Meanwhile, the paparazzi and marketing accounts were already losing their minds. This wasn’t just drama; it was the kind of scandal that could break the internet. The kind of thing that would be trending for days.
At the same time, across the room, Leon and Joshua were watching the live broadcast from base. Leon’s face darkened instantly.
Josina at the back, eyes wide. “Hold on. She recorded that day?”
Leon exhaled, rubbing his temple. “Yeah. She did.” He had assumed she was bluffing, just trying to scare them. Or maybe, deep down, she hadn’t wanted to completely cut them off, which was why she never played the recording before. But now, she wasn’t holding back.
A bitter chuckle escaped him. “I actually thought she hadn’t let go because she still saw us as family. Turns out, she’s waiting for the right moment.”
Back on set, the recording picked up again after a brief pause.
12.15 AM Chapter 271
This time, an older woman’s irritated voice cut through the air. “What are you trying to pull this time! Ever since you came back, there’s been nothing but chaos in this house.”
Then came Phoebe’s voice, steady as ever. “Did I ask to come back? If I remember correctly, you were the ones who dragged me back.”
There was a brief silence before she continued. “And what exactly did I do? Sienna wanted my spot on the show, I refused to give it up, and now I’m the villain? If we’re going to talk about who’s being unreasonable, maybe you should take a look at her instead.”
The older woman scoffed. “Sienna just wanted that variety show slot. You’re the daughter of the Jenkins family now, but Sienna lost that title. Shouldn’t you be making it up to her!”
Then came the real gut punch. “Besides, didn’t Leon promise to find you an even better opportunity in exchange? Why are you making such a fuss over this?”
A new voice entered the mix—Joshua’s. “You just can’t stand Sienna, can you? That’s why you’re doing all this, to spite her.”
Cain’s voice came through, full of frustration. “Phoebe, can’t you just behave for once! Be a good sister? Why do you always have to cause trouble?”
Phoebe’s response came swiftly. “Wow, that’s rich. So when someone tries to take what’s mine, I’m the problem for not handing it over? Unbelievable. You guys really have no shame.”
Her tone hardened. “Let’s get one thing straight. From the very beginning. I never took anything from Sienna. Not once. She was the one who took my place, living comfortably as the Jenkins family’s daughter all these years while I was out there on my own.
“And another thing, you were the ones who lost me, I owe her nothing. I owe you nothing. So, tell me again, why exactly should I be the one making things up to her!”
She then let out a soft scoff. “If she wants to keep being the beloved daughter of the Jenkins family, she’s welcome to it. I have no interest.”
A tense silence stretched before the older woman spoke, her voice sharp. “What do you mean by that?”
Phoebe didn’t hold back. “I mean exactly what I said. I’m cutting ties with all of you. From now on, I’m no longer part of the Jenkins family.”
She let out a short, bitter laugh. “Congratulations. You can stop worrying now. Your precious adopted daughter can keep everything, your love, your family status. I won’t fight for any of it. In fact, I’m doing you all a favor by walking away.”
Her words hit like a slap, leaving no room for misinterpretation. But the recording didn’t stop there. Sienna came next, followed by Edith, then one after another, members of the Jenkins family took turns attacking Phoebe, each one more vicious than the last.
And then came the threats. They tried to manipulate her with resources, making it clear that if she didn’t fall in line, they would make things difficult for her.
But by now, the audience had heard enough. They weren’t fooled. If anything, the longer they listened, the clearer everything became. The truth behind Phoebe’s disappearance all those years ago—it wasn’t just some accident. It was Jamar’s doing.
The final words in the recording rang out, cutting through the heavy silence.
‘Starting today, I’m done. Do whatever you want. You never even publicly acknowledged me as your daughter, so there’s no need for me to announce my dismissal either. We’ll go back to how it was before, strangers.”
And just like that, the recording ended. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence. Whether it was the people on set or the thousands watching the livestream, they all felt the same thing: an overwhelming sense of pity and anger at how the Jenkins family truly treated Phoebe.
The recording had been long, and it had made one thing painfully clear: the way the Jenkins family treated Phoebe. Now, everyone could finally see what Phoebe had gone through after returning to the Jenkins family.
They also had a much clearer picture of Sienna’s place in the family. Before this, people always assumed Phoebe was the unreasonable one. They thought she had taken things too far with her brothers, that cutting ties with the Jenkins family was just some dramatic move to stir attention. Some even argued that she was being childish; after all, family was family. No need to make things so awkward or go to such extremes.
But after listening to that recording, those same people had nothing to say.
2/3 AM Chapter 271
Phoebe’s fans, who had once been so happy when she was recognized as the Jenkins family’s daughter, were now heartbroken. Some of them had tears in their eyes, unable to believe just how much she had endured.