Chapter 161

The moment Evelyn Sinclair stepped into the bustling café, she knew something was off. The air was thick with hushed whispers and stolen glances—all directed at her. She tightened her grip on her latte, her sharp eyes scanning the room.

What are they all staring at?

Then she spotted them—Victoria Hayes and Preston Whitmore huddled in the corner, their heads bent together like conspirators. Victoria’s perfectly manicured fingers tapped against her phone screen, her lips curled into a smirk that made Evelyn’s stomach twist.

Oh, this can’t be good.

Evelyn forced a casual smile and sauntered toward them, her heels clicking against the polished floor. "Morning, Victoria. Preston. Lovely day for some… gossip, isn’t it?"

Victoria’s smirk faltered for a split second before she recovered, flipping her glossy hair over one shoulder. "Evelyn, darling. We were just discussing the latest industry news."

Preston cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Nothing important, really."

Evelyn arched a brow. "Really? Because it looked like you were dissecting someone’s life with surgical precision."

Victoria’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "Well, if you must know, there’s a fascinating rumor going around about a certain actress and her very married co-star."

Evelyn’s pulse spiked. Harrison Montgomery and Vanessa Sterling.

She kept her expression neutral. "Rumors are like cheap perfume—loud, obnoxious, and usually fake."

Victoria leaned in, her voice dripping with faux concern. "Except when they’re not. And this one? It’s juicy."

Evelyn’s phone buzzed in her pocket. A message from Lillian Graves:

"Turn on your notifications. The internet is on fire."

Her stomach dropped.

She pulled out her phone and—

Oh, hell.

A grainy photo of Harrison and Vanessa in a very compromising position had just gone viral.

Victoria’s laugh was like nails on a chalkboard. "See? Told you it was juicy."

Evelyn’s mind raced. Natalie Whitaker is going to lose it. And if this blows up, the entire production could collapse.

She forced a smirk, locking eyes with Victoria. "Funny how these ‘scandals’ always pop up right before a big premiere. Almost like someone’s desperate for attention."

Victoria’s smile tightened.

Evelyn turned on her heel, her mind already spinning damage control.

But one thought burned brighter than the rest:

Who the hell leaked this?

And more importantly—

What’s their endgame?

Claire Harrison approached the tense gathering, her sharp gaze immediately assessing the situation. Adriana and Victor Grant greeted her with strained smiles, their discomfort evident.

From across the room, Gabriel Ramirez watched Vivienne Monroe with a mix of longing and frustration before turning to his mother. "Mom, let's all have dinner together later."

Claire's brows knitted in disapproval. "Since when did I raise you to disrespect women like this?"

"But—"

"She had no connection with you, and she wasn't being unreasonable. What gave you the audacity to propose in front of a crowd? You thought you were being romantic, but all you did was embarrass her. That’s not respect—that’s selfishness."

"She humiliated me first by rejecting me!" Gabriel snapped, his voice thick with resentment.

Claire’s expression hardened, disappointment etching deep lines into her face. "What’s happened to you? Have you lost all sense of principle—and common sense?"

It was clear to her that her son had strayed far from the values she’d instilled in him. Once, he had been obedient, if not particularly sharp. Now, he was entangled in petty schemes and misplaced pride.

"Mom, I’m your son. If you like Vivienne too, then why don’t you—" Gabriel’s voice faltered, frustration choking his words.

"Because she’s not someone you can force into submission. I don’t care why she left you. But I know this—you’ve already lost her for good." Claire, with her keen perception, understood that a woman like Vivienne, once resolved, never looked back.

"Claire, about what you said—" Adriana began, attempting to interject, but Claire silenced her with a single icy glance. The authority in her stance left no room for argument.

"Who gave you permission to address me so casually? Are you even her real mother?" Claire challenged, her tone cutting.

Adriana’s face flushed with discomfort. "Well, of course I am."

"Then act like it. I’ve never seen a mother so indifferent to her own daughter’s happiness. You have a remarkable woman in Vivienne—cherish her." Claire’s military background lent her words a blunt, unyielding force, leaving Adriana speechless.

Victor, unable to stay silent, scoffed. "Don’t act like we’re the ones chasing this. It’s your son who’s obsessed with our Vivienne."

Claire merely gave him a dismissive glance before turning back to Gabriel. "Enough. We’re leaving."

Gabriel opened his mouth to protest, but Claire’s stern glare silenced him. The weight of familial duty anchored him, preventing him from making another scene. With one last glance at Vivienne, he followed his mother, his pride wounded but his defiance cowed.

Only when they were finally gone did Vivienne let out the breath she'd been holding. She turned to Evelyn and the others with a relieved smile. "Break a leg on your final performance," she said warmly.

"Don't stress," Isabelle teased, nudging her playfully. "Justice Upholder already ruled in your favor. Case closed."

Laughter rippled through the group, though Evelyn maintained her signature doe-eyed innocence.

Their showdown had made waves, dominating social media trends all day.

Back home, those who'd missed the live drama scrambled to watch the replay of Gabriel's disastrous proposal. Online discussions continued to explode.

Gabriel's supporters from the ranching community rallied behind him, painting Vivienne as the heartless villain who'd crushed his sincere love. They circulated pitiful images of Gabriel drowning his sorrows in alcohol, calling out Vivienne's name in despair. Some of his more zealous fans even dug up old, debunked rumors to smear her.

But the public wasn't having it. The internet swiftly mobilized in Vivienne's defense, shutting down the manipulative narrative.

Enough with the guilt trips. We see right through you!

Even Justice Upholder called you out. Still in denial?

Your heartbreak, your feelings—that's YOUR business. Adults handle their own mess without dragging others into it!

Why post this sob story on Instagram? We're not your therapists!

Looking for sympathy? Try being less entitled and more self-aware.

The original poster quickly deleted their rant under the onslaught of backlash.

The consensus was clear—Gabriel had crossed a line by ambushing Vivienne with a public proposal, and his humiliation was entirely self-inflicted.

Though the public stood with her, the ordeal had visibly drained Vivienne. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights. Yet she still greeted everyone brightly at rehearsals.

Evelyn checked in and learned Adriana, Bartholomeo, and Gabriel were still trying to pressure Vivienne, but their influence had noticeably waned.

By their next meeting, Vivienne's mood had lifted dramatically, as if a weight had been removed. Claire's mentorship flourished, with Vivienne hanging onto her every word.

When Rebecca arrived as a guest actor, she remarked, "People online were speculating about awkward tension. Clearly, they underestimate women. Since when is women supporting women some shocking phenomenon?"

Preston and Donovan exchanged relieved glances, tension easing from their shoulders. Their relief doubled when the elite writing team finally delivered the long-awaited script—

Not just any script, but one brimming with raw potential and cinematic promise.

Whispers spread through the industry that when the script first landed in their hands, both director Preston Whitmore and producer Donovan Sharpe had been moved to tears. They'd reportedly cheered through their emotions, hearing what sounded like church bells heralding their well-earned retirement after this crowning achievement.

One afternoon, Evelyn Sinclair accidentally witnessed Vivienne Monroe and Isabelle Laurent engaged in an intense conversation near the studio elevators. Isabelle was clearly still passionately pitching her vision, while Vivienne's animated responses and nodding approval showed she was thoroughly impressed by what she heard.

Vivienne had reached a pivotal realization - the time had come to cut toxic influences from her life. Those emotional parasites she'd tolerated for too long. While she'd honor any remaining professional obligations, she refused to let them dictate her future any longer.

During their most recent meeting, Isabelle confirmed everything was nearly finalized. They'd agreed Vivienne would sign the contract immediately after her upcoming theatrical performance.

The chosen script told a deeply moving mother-daughter story. It painted a vivid portrait of maternal sacrifice and a daughter's heartfelt redemption, weaving a tender tapestry of family bonds. More than just a tale of two women fighting to better their lives together, it shattered stereotypes about children from single-parent households.

Vivienne had selected this script with particular care - it mirrored her deepest yearnings. She longed for the kind of unconditional maternal love depicted in the story, the kind that made traditional notions of family support (which her own mother constantly referenced) seem hollow by comparison.

Claire Harrison expressed delight when she learned about Vivienne's script choice and her decision to dissolve her current agency to join Evelyn's collective. She offered full support and encouraged Vivienne to call if she needed any assistance.

The peaceful momentum continued until the day before the live broadcast, when urgent alerts shattered the calm.

Vivienne had been discovered unconscious after ingesting dangerous quantities of sleeping pills, rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Evelyn and Julian Blackwood, still at the agency when the news broke, were stunned. Isabelle Laurent, who received the alert first, stood frozen by this sudden reversal.

How could someone who seemed perfectly stable yesterday now be fighting for her life?

Isabelle began suspecting Gabriel Ramirez's possible involvement, given the ongoing family disputes about the contract signing. The situation's severity made her consider contacting authorities.

Evelyn's expression darkened as she grasped the implications. Grasping Isabelle's arm firmly, she said, "This appears to be a suicide attempt. We need to get to the hospital immediately."

Julian, caught off guard by Evelyn's sudden declaration, could only stare in shocked silence. Then he heard her silent mental tirade directed at Gabriel:

Damn you, Gabriel Ramirez, you absolute monster!

The tension in the penthouse was palpable as Evelyn Sinclair stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her fingers tracing the condensation on the glass. The city lights blurred beneath the weight of unshed tears in her eyes.

Nathan Blackwood watched her from across the room, his jaw clenched. The silence between them was deafening, a chasm neither knew how to bridge.

"You should have told me," Evelyn finally whispered, her voice barely audible.

Nathan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his tousled dark hair. "I didn’t know how."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "That’s rich, coming from you."

His gaze darkened. "Evelyn—"

"No," she cut him off, turning to face him fully. The fire in her emerald eyes burned brighter than ever. "You don’t get to explain now. Not after everything."

The revelation of Nathan’s past entanglement with Victoria Hayes had struck like a dagger to Evelyn’s heart. The woman who had been scheming against her all along—his former lover.

Nathan stepped forward, his voice low and urgent. "It was years ago. It meant nothing."

"Then why hide it?" she challenged, crossing her arms.

Before he could respond, the door burst open. Lillian Graves, Evelyn’s assistant, rushed in, her face pale. "Evelyn, you need to see this."

On the tablet screen, a breaking news headline flashed: "Scandal Rocks Blackwood Empire: Insider Claims Fraud in Latest Merger."

Evelyn’s breath hitched. Nathan’s expression turned to stone.

Victoria’s revenge had just begun.

Though Evelyn wasn't entirely certain how she had pieced everything together, she agreed that heading to the hospital first was the wisest course of action.

After all, Isabelle was on the verge of signing a contract with Vivienne, and there was no way she could abandon her now.

Initially, Isabelle had hesitated to let Evelyn and Julian accompany her, fearing they might be caught by the paparazzi. But Evelyn had insisted, leaving Isabelle with little choice. Naturally, Julian followed suit.

Inside the car, Isabelle frantically dialed her contacts, desperate for answers. Yet even those within her inner circle were baffled, utterly clueless about what had transpired. When they heard the news, they were just as stunned as she was.

It didn’t take long, however, for Isabelle to stumble upon fresh scandalous rumors about Vivienne circulating among her detractors on social media.

"These people have no shame—photoshopping images like this. Do they not fear legal repercussions? It has to be the work of some delusional, obsessive haters."

Isabelle couldn’t suppress her frustration, though she didn’t connect the two incidents. After all, baseless gossip was nothing new for high-profile celebrities. Had she already been Vivienne’s manager, she could’ve shut this down in minutes.

Evelyn clutched her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she scrolled through the damning photos.

One image in particular made her stomach twist—Vivienne sprawled across a bed, seemingly unconscious. It was unclear whether she was clothed, as only a thin blanket covered her most private areas. The rest of her body was littered with unmistakable love bites, the aftermath of an intimate encounter laid bare.

Somehow, the photo had slipped past the platform’s moderators, allowing it to linger long enough to gain traction.

Slowly, the image spread, igniting whispers across social media.

Yet most people dismissed it as an obvious fake. Vivienne had built her career on a wholesome, kind-hearted image—she had never even bared much skin in her acting roles. Surely, this had to be a malicious fabrication, an attempt to tear her down now that she was rising in fame.

Julian had seen the photos too. His brow furrowed as he glanced at Evelyn beside him. He had never seen her this furious—her expression dark, her thoughts eerily silent. She was too enraged to even form coherent words in her mind.

Given the earlier humiliation Vivienne had endured, it wasn’t hard to piece together that Gabriel was somehow involved in her suicide attempt.

As Julian studied the images again, the truth clicked into place. These photos had likely been leaked by Gabriel himself. He’d heard rumors of men who took pleasure in capturing intimate moments with their partners—only for those images to resurface in the cruelest ways.

The risk of exposure was always there.

And now, Vivienne was paying the price.

Perhaps this time, Vivienne was simply that unfortunate.

Upon seeing the photos and the reactions of netizens, Gabriel couldn't believe Vivienne would be so fragile as to take such a drastic step. How had things escalated to this point?

The group arrived swiftly at the hospital and located her room. As they approached, they spotted Adriana and Victor standing outside the door, whispering with troubled expressions.

At that moment, Evelyn let out a mental scoff before her voice dripped with contempt. If Gabriel is a monster, then these two are far worse. If not for them, Vivienne would never have been pushed to this edge.

Gabriel’s curiosity deepened. His phone buzzed incessantly with messages from the family group chat. Everyone had heard the news and knew they were at the hospital.

Under these circumstances, they couldn’t just barge in, but they were desperate to uncover the truth. If necessary, they were prepared to fight for justice.

Adriana and Victor noticed their arrival immediately, their faces darkening the moment they saw Isabelle.

"What are you doing here?" Victor snapped, his tone sharp.

Isabelle didn’t waste time with pleasantries. "Vivienne is about to sign with me. I’m here to see if there’s anything I can do to help."

"Bullshit!" Victor spat. "She would never leave her agency!" It was clear he already knew about Vivienne’s decision—and it infuriated him.

Adriana’s gaze hardened. "This is none of your concern. Leave."

"First, you forced your daughter into an arranged marriage. Now, you’re blocking her friends from seeing her?" Evelyn’s voice was ice. "If you don’t let us in, we’ll have no choice but to involve the authorities."

In truth, Evelyn’s threat held little weight—it was just a bluff. But Adriana and Victor weren’t the type to be easily intimidated, so Isabelle and Gabriel doubted her words would work.

Yet the next second, their faces drained of color, their eyes flickering with unease. Though they still wore stern expressions, they didn’t dare push Evelyn and the others away.

"What nonsense are you spouting? We’re her family! Why would we harm her?"

"Exactly! Don’t think your status in the entertainment industry gives you the right to accuse us. We’re the ones who should be calling the police!"

Their blatant guilt made Isabelle’s expression shift instantly. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone.

Seeing this, Adriana and Victor panicked, assuming she was dialing the authorities.

"Fine, go in if you must," Adriana relented, her voice tight. "She’s still unconscious anyway."

The moment the words left her lips—

Evelyn Sinclair scoffed as she strode past them, leading the way into the hospital room.

Isabelle Laurent and Julian Blackwood followed closely behind. The moment the door clicked shut, Isabelle could no longer hold back. "Could it really be…?"

Julian cast a glance at Evelyn before murmuring, "They must have done something unforgivable. That’s the only reason they’d act so guilty."

Of course they’re guilty.

When Vivienne Monroe had been at her lowest, desperate for financial help, she had discovered that her life savings—years of hard-earned money—had been secretly funneled to her cousin. Vivienne should have still had those millions, and her mother and uncle had assumed their betrayal would never come to light.

But they hadn’t known the truth—Gabriel Ramirez had already swindled Vivienne out of everything.

With no other options left, Vivienne had turned to them, only to realize her last lifeline had been severed. Betrayed by the man she once loved and the family she trusted, the weight of their deception had crushed her.

Julian clenched his fists as Evelyn’s thoughts echoed in his mind. The sheer fury burning in his chest made him want to turn around and strike down the two heartless figures standing outside.

After everything he’d seen with Celeste, Julian despised parents who failed their children. He swore then and there—when the time came, he would make them pay.

But one question lingered—what had pushed Vivienne to such despair?

Just as they stepped further inside, Claire Harrison appeared from the adjoining room.

"Mrs. Harrison?" the three of them exclaimed in surprise.

Claire nodded in greeting. "I heard the commotion and thought there might be trouble." She had been briefed on the situation with the hospital staff and knew those two would cause problems for Evelyn and the others. That was why she had come personally to escort them.

Adriana and Bartholomew likely still clung to their delusion of becoming in-laws with the Harrisons, so they didn’t protest her presence.

But the moment Evelyn’s gaze landed on Claire, her expression darkened. Without hesitation, she strode forward, her steps sharp with barely restrained fury.

Julian didn’t miss the murderous glint in Evelyn’s eyes.

Then, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Her attention locked onto the figure standing beside the hospital bed.

Gabriel Ramirez stood frozen, gripping his phone so tightly his knuckles had turned white. The news of his beloved taking her own life seemed to have shattered him.

Isabelle frowned slightly at the sight, and Julian found himself wondering if Gabriel had truly leaked those photos by accident—if this tragedy had been an unintended consequence.

But then, Evelyn’s mocking voice cut through his thoughts like a blade.

You disgusting hypocrite. Playing the grieving lover now? When you were scheming to steal Vivienne’s money, did it never cross your mind that she might break?

Julian’s expression hardened instantly as he stared at Gabriel, his earlier sympathy vanishing without a trace.