Chapter 12 Malice

When Evelyn returned to the company, she learned that William hadn't taken a leave of absence but had quit his job. When she recalled his words about coming back to find her, she didn't know if it was true or not. Perhaps he had just said it casually. "What does William actually do?"
"Antonio just said he found someone, I'm not sure, but I know he's French, and we share some heritage. He's incredibly attractive," the make-up artist said dreamily.
Why would a Frenchman travel all this way to be her assistant? He doesn't seem poor based on his manners and demeanor. Everything feels strange and there were now unanswered questions.
Habits can be troublesome. It was always normal to eat alone, but after having a few meals with someone, suddenly being alone again feels strange. Now Evelyn understands this concept. When she goes home at night, heats up her meal, and eats it alone, she starts to miss certain people.
After the last show aired, there was a strong reaction from various circles. Evelyn, who rarely appeared in the public eye in this manner, left everyone amazed.
Videos of the runway show featuring different styles also went viral online. The show's production team edited a short film summarizing her journey from debut until now, allowing many people to get to know her better. Combined with her graceful and humble performance in the show, she received endless praise from all directions.
As a result, the company was even more reluctant to let her go. They even used company stocks as a bargaining chip to make her stay. Evelyn was beginning to feel immense pressure.
ITA Company also sent an invitation yesterday. It was her small dream when she first debuted, and the conditions they offered were quite good. She found this offer quite enticing and worth considering. Furthermore, it carries some of her previous ideals, fulfilling a past dream.
The expiration date of her contract is fast approaching, and Evelyn occasionally feels a bit reluctant to move on. After all, she has worked here for many years, even though she wants to leave due to the company's style. But there are still some people and things worth cherishing. Soft-heartedness is truly an illness.
Evelyn's sleep was interrupted by Antonio's call. "It had better be something important."
"Evelyn, listen to me. Don't go out for now, there are definitely many reporters outside your door. Don't come out. I'll figure out the rest."
"What's going on?" Evelyn sat up on her bed and finally heard knocking sounds, as if there were a lot of people.
"Check the internet now. Just don't go out. Until you have a reasonable explanation, don't let them catch you."
Evelyn opened her computer, and all the major pages were filled with news about herself. It was just one night, but it was incredibly exaggerated. She was prominently featured in the top search rankings.
"Evelyn involved in scandals," "Evelyn dating a wealthy heir," "Evelyn as a mistress," "Evelyn's sex scandal," and the associated terms were becoming increasingly sensationalized.
"What is going on?" Evelyn asked Antonio on the other end of the phone.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Look at the photos. Do you recognize the person in them?"
Evelyn saw photos of herself and Jovan, several in a row. The crucial shot was Jovan carrying her out of a luxury car and into a villa.
There were also photos from the coffee shop the other day, taken at the perfect angle, capturing the moment when Jovan held her hand tightly, and her expression looked like that of a young girl in a lovers' quarrel. No wonder it caused misunderstandings. Things are indeed complicated.
"He is the person I dated two years ago, the one embracing me in those photos. It happened during the time when I hurt my foot, and he took me home. The coffee shop incident happened later."
"The coffee shop is recent."
"Wait, you said the photos are from two years ago? Why are they surfacing now?"
"I don't know, who posted them?"
"I couldn't find out. The people in the photos are well-connected, the only son of the real estate tycoon Marcus. He's well protected, no one knew before, and you two actually dated?"
I had no idea this man could hide so much. "I didn't know he was anyone's son two years ago or now, and I never gained anything from him."
"I believe you, but others won't. Let the storm pass for now. You might have to talk to that person, if you know what I mean."
"Mm." Evelyn really didn't want to contact Jovan. It wasn't because of any residual regret or resentment from before, but because she thought their separation was due to a minor disagreement. She never expected that he would be hiding so much from her. Even though there was no love, she still felt betrayed.
She also couldn't believe that these photos were being released now as a threat. If this didn't have anything to do with Jovan, it would be almost impossible. Evelyn just couldn't fathom his intentions.
People in memories should just stay in memories; they shouldn't reappear and cause more troubles. People should always look forward, not backward.
But now, things were complicated. She thought this news would blow over quickly, but she never expected it to spread so quickly. After admitting to being single in the last show's interview segment and being criticized for deceiving the public, even the backstage conversation with Lena was leaked online. She was accused of being a diva, using her fame to bully her peers. In a short time, her image as a goddess was on the verge of collapse.
Amidst all the noise, Joffrey also came forward to "plead" his innocence, claiming that he had indeed been in contact with Evelyn and had even been threatened with violence. He said he had been so traumatized that he considered quitting the entertainment industry. Members of "The Arrow" cast also accused Evelyn of throwing wine at the director during a dinner gathering and assaulting him, but she faced no consequences, further reinforcing the notion of her influential background.
When the crowd pushes, the wall collapses. That's how it goes. She only wanted to be herself, but she never expected to attract so much dissatisfaction from others.
Evelyn sat at home reading these endless news articles. She had nothing left to say. The company immediately responded to the scandal, seeing the negative impact it had. They prepared for the contract to expire without renewal and quickly distanced themselves.
The media's ability to blow things out of proportion was nothing new, but the company's attitude was disheartening. On the internet, her fans turned against her, hurling insults and accusations.
Suddenly, Evelyn realized that what others gave her was always fleeting. Yesterday's love could instantly turn into endless criticism.
She had thought that years of hard work would accumulate some genuine followers, but it was not to be. Initially, the comments and remarks were like needles stabbing at her heart, but as they multiplied, she became numb to them.
Evelyn stayed home for five days, and in the late evening, Antonio came over carrying bags and bags of food. "I risked so much danger coming here. You don't even say thank you..."
"No?"
"Are you here to thank me?" Evelyn opened the bag, searching for something to eat. The house was empty in the morning, and she was starting to feel dizzy from hunger.
"If you really want to thank me, I'm not used to it. But it's nice for you to take a break from your busy schedule. Let's try to think positively."
"If you're trying to comfort me, you're doing a poor job. I'm just hungry, that's all."
"Why do I feel more anxious than you? The only solution now is to wait. Without a PR team, I can't do much either. I've informed familiar journalists, so they should try to be careful when writing their articles. But, well, the person who leaked the photos is probably waiting for you to contact them."
"To be honest, I feel more relaxed now. Let's rest first and talk about the rest later. I'm no longer a star."
"I didn't come here just because you're a star," Antonio said as he handed the yogurt to Evelyn. "When I accompanied you, I was also a newcomer. We can consider ourselves growing together. Don't you see me as a friend?"
As Evelyn looked at Antonio's sincerity and thought about the days they struggled together since their debut, she realized that occasional setbacks like this weren't necessarily a bad thing. It allowed her to see more clearly what was real and what was fake around her.
"Alright, it's late. It's not appropriate for me to stay here. Call me if you need anything."
"Thank you," Evelyn said as Antonio was already near the door. He turned around and smiled. "You look so spooky like this, I'm leaving."
With a full stomach, Evelyn lay on the couch, contemplating the difficult questions in life. How should she handle everything?
The phone rang, but it was an unknown number. Without thinking, she hung up. However, shortly after, a text message came through with two simple words: it's me!
In an instant, Evelyn thought of William's face. Could it be him? The phone rang again, and she answered, holding it to her ear. "Why didn't you answer? It's me, William."
Surprisingly, it really was William. Evelyn found it quite amazing. "What's up?"
"I couldn't wait for your call, so I called myself. How have you been recently?"
It seemed like he wasn't aware of what was going on here. He must have genuinely returned to France. "Same old, same old."
"Okay, make sure to eat well even if you're busy with work. Have you signed with any company? Can you tell me?" That was the purpose of calling, knowing which company she signed with so he could find his idol.
"Not yet, I want to take a break first."
"That's fine. Do you want to come over here?"
"No, thanks."
"Alright, it's late where you are. Rest well. Can you call me when you're not busy?"
"Sure. By the way, did you resolve the matter you mentioned last time?"
"I'm still working on it."
"Okay, let's leave it at that for now."
"Evelyn, I miss you." William waited for a moment, but not receiving a response, he bid farewell and Evelyn hung up the phone. Actually, you miss him a little too, don't you, Evelyn asked herself inwardly.
She didn't want to tell him about her predicament after all, as there would be no point in doing so. He must be feeling anxious about his own situation, or else he wouldn't have said those things last time.
Anyway, take it slow. Things will get better eventually. She had always grown up relying on this belief, and now she had to console herself with these words. She couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself.
After hanging up the phone, William looked out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the towering buildings and the cars racing on the streets, longing for everything to end quickly.
His father was still recovering in the hospital with serious injuries. The company's situation was somewhat stable for now, but certain forces couldn't be indulged any longer. This was an opportunity to uproot them completely and eliminate future troubles.
Although the plan was almost complete and preparations had been thorough, could he really solve something that his father had been struggling with for decades in a short period of time? He couldn't help but question his own abilities.
After all, it was a crucial matter that allowed no room for error. Thinking of what Evelyn had said, "The path is paved by oneself." Yes, step by step, there will always be a solution.