Chapter 87
Leon picked up his phone and opened Maddox’s Twitter post. Maddox’s tweet read: “The best contract in the industry? Leon doesn’t fear being exposed even when deceiving his own sister! Well, I’m here to debunk this. Below is the contract our company provided to Phoebe. Everyone can compare.” He then uploaded the contract, obscuring the parts related to company confidentiality. Of course, this was done with Remy’s consent.
Remy never expected Phoebe would stoop so low as to publicly embarrass him on Twitter. Since Maddox wanted to help Phoebe, openly sharing the contract, he certainly wouldn’t oppose it. He enjoyed watching the Jenkins brothers get humiliated, and it irritated them. He looked forward to seeing the furious expressions on the Jenkins brothers’ faces when they learned Phoebe had started her own studio and even recruited stars from Jenkins Entertainment.
Upon seeing Maddox’s tweet, Leon realized their earlier public relations efforts had not only been in vain but had also resulted in further humiliation. Already furious with Phoebe, he felt even more frustrated at being publicly undermined by Maddox. He glanced at Ollie and said, “Maddox is too arrogant. Shouldn’t we show him some consequences?”
Ollie thought for a moment but shook his head. “We can’t move against him right now.”
Leon frowned and asked, “Why not? Star Entertainment is already trying to undermine us.”
Ollie explained, “Maddox’s arrogance isn’t supported by Star Entertainment but rather by the Hooper family behind him. If we go after Maddox, we risk angering the Hooper family, and that would be a real problem. His fans are both rational and fanatical. Anyone who crosses them is bound to regret it.”
Leon gritted his teeth and demanded, “So we just endure this? Maddox has already stepped on Jamar and bullied Sienna, and now he’s aiding Phoebe in embarrassing us, treating us like we’re easy targets. I simply can’t swallow this.”
But Ollie remained calm. “You have to swallow it because we can’t provoke the Hooper family. Maddox is the most cherished grandson and the youngest son of their branch, so he’s favored. We’re just businessmen. We can’t go toe-to-toe with the Hooper family. In this circle, even Remy wouldn’t dare to openly confront a major investor, yet Maddox has the audacity to do so.”
He added, “Last time, he publicly embarrassed a prominent investor who liked to play by shady rules. That guy didn’t dare retaliate, not even a peep. That’s Maddox’s source of arrogance. The contract with Phoebe was certainly not initiated by the higher-ups at Star Entertainment.”
In their industry, there were unwritten rules. Phoebe had potential and wouldn’t use a top-tier contract meant for Star Entertainment’s leaders on her, nor would he grant her even more freedom.
“This contract was definitely drawn up because of Maddox’s influence.” He stood up and patted Leon’s shoulder. “So you need to swallow this anger for now. When the opportunity arises, try to take some revenge on Maddox, and make up for it then. Right now, we can’t act,” Ollie added.
Ollie, too, was infuriated by Maddox’s arrogance and humiliation, but knowing they couldn’t afford to cross the Hooper family meant they had to hold back. Leon understood that Maddox’s elders worked above him, and if they truly set out to deal with Jenkins Entertainment, simply investigating contracts and taxes would be unbearable for them. He clenched his jaw. “Fine, I’ll hold back.”
Leon vowed that when the opportunity arose, he would settle the score. “Maddox may be untouchable, but what about Phoebe! She is clearly opposing us on purpose, embarrassing us. If we let this continue, who knows how much worse it could get.”
Ollie asked, “So how do you plan to deal with her?” This question immediately stumped Leon. He was at a loss about how to deal with Phoebe. He couldn’t prevent her from participating in the variety show, especially since she had saved Sebastian’s wife, which made it difficult for Sebastian to turn against her. They blacklisted her in the industry, yet she just became even more popular due to the show. Attempts to hire online trolls to smear her had backfired, resulting in her turning the tables on them. Now, she was soon to become a star at Star Entertainment, and Leon suddenly found himself unsure of how to proceed.
Leon regretted saying, “In hindsight, when we brought her into the company, we should have signed a contract with her.” If they had signed a contract, he would never have allowed Phoebe to leave the company. Otherwise, they could have imposed exorbitant penalties that she would be unable to pay, forcing her to stay under his control.
Ollie was far more composed. “Have you not realized yet that she had already left herself an escape route?” he pointed out. “When we didn’t bring up signing a contract, she didn’t mention it either. Perhaps she was already preparing for a day like this.”
From recent events, it was clear that Phoebe was no ordinary person. They had all underestimated her. Leon paused, reluctant to admit it but ultimately acknowledging that Phoebe had indeed covered her bases. This realization only made Leon feel worse. Ollie continued, “Haven’t you noticed? She’s acting as if she has nothing to lose, deliberately trying to provoke us.”
Ollie suggested, “Let’s pause any plans against her for now. If this continues, the Jenkins family will truly become a laughingstock in the industry.”
Feeling utterly frustrated from being outsmarted and embarrassed by Phoebe, Leon reluctantly asked, “So we’re just going to let this slide?”
Ollie countered, “What else can we do? What leverage do you have against her right now!”
Leon found himself momentarily speechless. It seemed he had no leverage. Clenching his fists, he declared, “Then let her be arrogant this time.”
I would find a way to make her pay back in the future, Leon wondered.
Online, thanks to the series of tweets from Phoebe and Maddox, combined with Phoebe’s subtle suggestions that guided public opinion, conspiracy theories began to circulate. People believed that Leon was pressuring Phoebe, using the rights to coerce her while trying to cover for Reece and Sienna. It was utterly outrageous. He was such a bastard. Fortunately, Phoebe had severed ties with them. Phoebe’s fans and many others who disapproved began to flood Leon’s Twitter with insults.
Reece and Sienna were dragged back into the fray, reigniting the controversy that had finally begun to die down. Seeing herself once again a pawn in Phoebe’s game and bombarded with insults, Sienna was so furious that she felt like losing her mind. Sitting in the living room, she cried in frustration. She wanted to shine in the entertainment industry, not become a target of scandal. The Joshua brothers noticed her distress and tried to comfort her, but with the female housekeeper watching, they dared not hug her again.
Jamar suggested, “What if we just skip the next episode of the show?” The thought of being sidelined and mistreated by Phoebe was unbearable. He was beginning to lose interest in participating again, especially now that Sienna was being insulted so harshly. It made him think that withdrawing would be the best choice.
However, as soon as Jamar suggested it, Sienna immediately objected. “No, I’m not dropping out!” If she withdrew, that would mean she was afraid of Phoebe. Sienna had already figured out how to change her image and win the audience’s favor in the next episode. More importantly, her dreams had hinted that this show would become increasingly popular. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fought so hard to secure a spot that originally belonged to Phoebe, nor would she have resorted to other means to get in. Her goal was not only to overshadow Phoebe but also to fulfill the dream’s warning, which drove her to participate in the show and achieve fame. Now that she was being asked to give up, she couldn’t possibly accept that.