Chapter 127

The tension in the room was palpable as Evelyn Sinclair dropped the bombshell without a shred of hesitation. She wasn’t one to mince words, and the uncomfortable silence that followed was proof of that.

Evelyn herself remained unfazed, her arms crossed as she waited for a response.

Julian Blackwood stifled a chuckle behind his hand, while Genevieve’s eyes gleamed with barely contained amusement.

Isabelle Laurent, the ever-pragmatic manager, resisted the urge to facepalm. Unexpected drama was the last thing she needed—but then again, controversy did generate headlines.

Rebecca Yancey, however, was frozen in shock. So that was why Evelyn had been acting so strangely earlier—she had overheard everything in the restroom.

No one had anticipated such a scandal unfolding live on set. Whether the rumors were true or not, the damage was already done.

The three girls responsible for the gossip looked like they were about to faint, their faces draining of color.

"That’s absolute rubbish!" Preston Whitmore snapped, his voice sharp with fury.

Donovan Sharpe’s glare was equally icy. "You had the audacity to spread lies like this on our show? Do you even want to keep your jobs? Explain yourselves—how exactly did you 'see' this?"

Two of the girls immediately panicked, shoving the third—the ringleader—forward. The girl who had been so bold with her accusations earlier now trembled under the weight of scrutiny.

"Ms. Sinclair must have misheard," she stammered. "There’s no way Ms. Yancey would ever—"

"My hearing is just fine, thank you," Evelyn cut in smoothly. "You were practically shouting in there. Did you want someone to overhear you?"

The girl’s eyes welled up with tears, her lower lip quivering. She looked at Evelyn with a mix of fear and resentment, as if she were the one being wronged.

"I never said that!" she insisted, her voice cracking.

Evelyn arched a brow. "Really? Because I distinctly remember you claiming you saw Ms. Yancey sneaking into Mr. Whitmore and Mr. Sharpe’s private rooms."

The girl paled. "That’s impossible! I was with Mr. Whitmore the entire time—Ms. Yancey never met with either of them alone! Please, Ms. Sinclair, don’t twist my words!"

The other two girls quickly nodded in agreement, though their expressions betrayed their unease.

Evelyn smirked. "So, you’re certain Ms. Yancey never seduced anyone for the competition? You’re positive she’s innocent?"

All three nodded vigorously.

"How interesting." Evelyn pulled out her phone.

The girls’ faces went slack with horror.

Sure enough, Evelyn played the damning recording—their voices crystal clear as they gleefully spread the rumor.

The room fell dead silent.

"I always keep receipts for serious accusations," Evelyn said with a click of her tongue.

The evidence was undeniable. The girl who had started the rumor collapsed to her knees, her bravado gone.

Preston and Donovan were livid. "You dare cry after what you did?" Preston roared. "You just swore Ms. Yancey never met with us—and now we have proof you lied!"

The girl could only sob, her career crumbling before her.

Though apologies were made and the situation was "handled," the damage lingered.

"Don’t apologize to us," Donovan snapped. "Apologize to Ms. Yancey."

The girl turned to Rebecca, bowing her head. "I’m sorry, Ms. Yancey."

Rebecca didn’t respond. She simply stared, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

The onlookers shifted uncomfortably. Some exchanged knowing glances—this would be juicy gossip later.

Rebecca knew Evelyn had exposed this to help her. But what good did it do?

The truth was out, but the whispers would continue.

Some people had already made up their minds.

And nothing would change that.