Irene looked at herself in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. She shifted her face to the side as she stroked her shoulder-length hair. Kate, seeing this, could only frown. She still couldn't understand the reason why she chose to change her appearance even in the slightest. "Why do you have to cut it?" She received a glare from Irene that made her shush. "Why hasn't Deb arrived? It's past 8 am." She didn't get any replies from Kate and turned around to see her busy on her phone. "KATE!" Kate flinched in response, "What..." "Where is Deb?" "I’m here, sorry I’m late." Debbie said as she carried her makeup box and placed it on the table. Irene shot her a stern warning, and Deb immediately understood she shouldn't dare offend her again. "You can start now, I have an interview." *** "Ivy, you should watch this," Susan said, passing her laptop to Ivy. On the screen, Irene was smiling at the audience. "Hello, everybody, welcome to this week's 'Celebrity show'. I
After asking a few more questions, the media and fans were satisfied. The purpose of the interview was accomplished as they got to know the difference between the two. "It's a pleasure to have you as our guest. If you don't mind, may I call you the 'new Ivy Hale'?" Irene smiled in response. "Okay, she doesn't mind that. I believe we all got our answers today. This is not the Ivy Hale we were expecting to announce a comeback. Instead, it's a new emerging talent that wants to challenge the industry." The host paused, then spoke in a low tone. "She is quite daring." The audience burst into laughter. The host was pleased with the atmosphere of the studio, even if the fans were disappointed that she wasn't their star. They were still glad her true identity was made known. "Today's episode has now come to an end. See you all next week." After speaking, the host stood up, and they hugged before moving to the backstage. The week's 'celebrity show' episode was one of the best they'v
Ivy didn't tell Susan much about the identity of Miss KK. Though she wasn't expecting Kate to be so brave to slander her online,but when she recalled the person who had deep hatred for her, she realized Kate was just an accomplice to Irene's scheme, and on one side, it was also Kate's way of exacting her revenge for making her go bankrupt at the clothing store.For the next few days, anti-fans were still slandering her online with Miss KK, igniting the fire around the gossip. By this time, Ivy was at home studying the script in more detail and getting ready for the press release before filming began. Zack finally returned home from a business trip; he met Ivy facing the mirror revising a script. She didn't notice his presence in the room as she was too immersed in the paper in her hand. Shaking his head, he walked to the bed, scuffing his feet on the ground and placed his suitcase on the bed, yet she still didn't notice him. He crossed his arms and crouched beside her, clearing his th
The press conference for "Tomboy Donna" was the first opportunity for all the cast to meet before filming commenced. At the backstage, a young man approached Ivy for a handshake. He was a tall, well-built man with a charismatic presence, and Ivy guessed he was the one playing the role of Donna's partner."Hi, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm George," he said with a wide grin as he scrutinized her face,with one thought going through his mind. 'She is quite attractive and slender with my preferred body shape.'"Nice to meet you, George," Ivy smiled as she shook his hand, but the way he was looking at her... "Gosh, you are more beautiful in person."Ivy didn't know how to reply to that, so she just smiled. He was still holding onto her hand, as it seemed he wasn't ready to let go.Ivy could see him licking his lower lips seductively as he stared at her.'Where the hell did director Tim find this perverted coquette', she was so tempted to give him a profound look but refrained. I
"A strong, brave, beautiful spy who values the good of all, sacrificing friendship for her country." "Why do you call her beautiful? Was that aspect about the protagonist or the actress playing the role?" The reporter raised her eyebrow as her lips curled. The other reporters by her side couldn't hide their laughter. "Well... um, both." His face flushed, sneaking glances at Ivy. Ivy just rolled her eyes, 'what a flirt.' The reporters didn't think much about what he said as they settled it for humor. He was just simply telling the facts; Ivy was indeed a beautiful actress. Isabelle's blood was boiling, and she felt like glaring at the so-called beautiful woman George complimented. Since the media were present, she had to behave, or her sulky face will be plastered on a poster and sent to the netizens. "What do you think about the antagonist?" The questions were still coming out. George, with a frown, peered at Isabelle, inclining his head as he studied her face. "Hm." He rub
Watching George leave without sparing her a proper conversation, she tightened the grip on her dress while her mind trailed to the individual that stole the heart of her crush. She had been crushing on George Brandon for ages, and he was the reason she strived to partake in the film when she found out he was one of the supporting characters. She planned on winning him over, but it seems he only had eyes for Ivy."Are you just going to stand here and watch his back, Isa? Just let it go." Her personal assistant gave her a nudge, and Isabelle shrugged it off and walked to her car. Her personal assistant was aware of her infatuation towards George and how she had been trying to pursue him ever since the start of her career, with no avail. Finally, she would be acting in the same film as George, a perfect chance to confess her feelings, but it was ruined by Ivy's presence."I hope she doesn't do anything stupid."******"The news is burning with your name on top of the titles and headlines
"Kate..." Irene sent a stern warning with her eyes, and Kate quickly understood she needed to compose herself, or else she might be in real trouble.Ethan cleared his throat and sat on the bed beside Irene, pouring himself a glass while Kate was still standing, looking at the two of them. They seemed close, too close for acquaintances, which made her wonder if he was a close relation."Are you both cousins?" She asked, but Irene ignored her, still sipping her drink."No, we're not," Ethan answered, not ready to delve into details."Have you found out the location and date for filming 'Tomboy Donna'?" Irene asked, and Ethan just shrugged casually. "Yep.""Send her the location and tell her what to do," Irene instructed. Hearing this, Kate frowned. "Who..." "Who do you think it is, who is the other female here?" Irene yelled with a glare, and Ethan chuckled. "She is really a dork."Irene felt Kate was acting stupid, not that she hadn't been acting stupid ever since. It was as if it wa
"LET GO OF HER, YOU BITCH!" the loud voice yelled. Isabelle chuckled at the figure who came to save the day, giving her a profound look of disdain. "Mind your own business," she spat, looking at her from top to bottom analytically, with her hand still holding onto Susan's hair. "Are you deaf? I said you should let go. Don't make me do this the hard way," Joan threatened, fighting the urge to do what she felt like doing at the moment. She overheard their conversation when she hung up on her call, and a scream for help followed. Recognizing Susan's voice, she ran in the direction of the commotion, only to see her being bullied by a no-name actress. "Leave her," Joan pressed on with reasoning, though she had a better way to deal with the issue, she refrained. Isabelle refused to heed her, pulling Susan's hair aggressively with a face masked with a sinister smile. Her PA was helplessly watching everything; it had always been hard to tame her. "I hate people like this," Joan muttere
Susan's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly nodded and signaled to the host that Ivy was ready to continue. Ivy took a deep breath, smoothing out her dress and pasting a bright smile on her face. She was determined to get through this, no matter what.As she walked back onto the stage, the audience applauded again, and Ivy waved, her smile never wavering. The host greeted her warmly and introduced the next segment of the show. Meanwhile, Ivy's eyes scanned the audience, her gaze locking onto her father and aunt, who were still sitting in the front row.Instantly, Ivy's anger and resentment simmered again, but she took a deep breath, determined to keep her cool. She was going to get through this, and she was going to make sure that her father and aunt didn't ruin it for her. They really had guts showing up here; whatever the reason, it didn't seem good.With a newfound sense of determination, Ivy refocused on the show, answering the host's questions with poise and confidence. She
Two days flew by in a whirlwind of preparations for the talk show. Ivy's days were filled with rehearsals, interviews, and wardrobe fittings. Susan was a constant presence, guiding Ivy through the process. Zack, on the other hand, kept a low profile, but Ivy could sense his eyes on her, watching her every move. It was as though he was scrutinizingly waiting for any mishap.As the day of the talk show approached, Ivy's nerves began to fray. She had always been comfortable in the spotlight, but this time felt different. She couldn't shake the feeling that facing an audience was a terrible idea. It wasn't supposed to be the case, but with everything that had happened lately, she needed time to heal. The nightmare and recollection had been haunting her; it worsened, and it was taking a toll on her appearance.Her eyes were always moist from crying late in the night despite her resolve not to shed tears. She couldn't brush off the pain, grief, and guilt that was eating her up.With thought
Zack shot out of bed and made his way to the door. Meanwhile, as Ivy watched him go, she felt a sense of trepidation. Who could be visiting her now?As Zack opened the door, he spoke in a low tone to Xavier. Ivy couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she could tell that Zack was not happy.After a moment, Zack turned and walked back into the room, his expression grim as he locked eyes with Ivy."It's your manager."*****Meanwhile, Susan had already made herself at home in the living room, sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of water that Xavier had offered her.As Zack entered the room, Susan stood up, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Zack," she said, extending a manicured hand. "It's so good to see you."Zack's expression remained grim, and he ignored Susan's outstretched hand. "What are you doing here, Susan?" he asked bluntly.Susan's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I came to see Ivy, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "I've been tr
Zack and Ivy exchanged glances, wondering who it could be. But then Ivy began to have a sinking feeling in her stomach. "I can take a rough guess," she said, slumping back on the bed and mouthing, "Judy." Zack's expression hardened, and he quickly got up from the bed and strode out of the room. "Let her in," he instructed Xavier, and Xavier nodded and hastened down the stairs. Zack followed suit. Judy was allowed in shortly meanwhile Zack had already taken a seat in the living room, his expression twisted in annoyance as he locked eyes with her. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice flat, as if bored by her presence. Judy's eyes were soft and gentle, scanning the whole room, expecting to see Ivy, but there was no sign of her. "Where is she?" Judy asked, her voice slightly trembling, her eyes scanning the room again as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Ivy. Zack's expression remained impassive, his arms crossed over his chest. "She's not available to see you right now,"
Zack's arms wrapped tightly around Ivy, holding her close as she sobbed uncontrollably. He knew a storm was raging within her. He had somewhat expected she would feel broken, but this—it was way more than he had anticipated. She wasn't just broken; she was shattered. The pain and anguish that ravaged her face was evident.Zack held her close, trying to absorb some of the pain that seemed to be tearing her apart. The truth behind her emotions seemed to be consuming her.Ivy's sobs slowly began to subside, and she pulled back from Zack, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She looked up at him, and for a moment, their eyes locked in a silent understanding."Ivy," Zack whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'm sorry about your mom. Irene told me everything."Ivy's eyes searched Zack's face for a moment before she wiped her tears. "She did?"Zack nodded and took her hands in his, his eyes locked on hers. "Whatever happened was devastating, and I'm extremely worried about you." He hesitated
Ivy tossed and turned relentlessly in her bed, her eyes fluttering open to a scene that felt all too real. She was standing in her living room, but it wasn't the warm and cozy space she knew. It was cold and tense, with police officers looming over her dad."Mr. Steve, I'm afraid with the evidence we found, we need to take you in for questioning," one of the officers said, his voice firm but polite.Steve's face was pale with shock, his eyes wide with fear. "What evidence?" he demanded, his voice trembling.The officer hesitated, his expression unreadable. "We can't disclose that right now. But we do have enough to arrest you on suspicion of murder."Steve repeated, his voice shaking, "Murder? No... I didn't kill anyone."The officer's expression remained stern. "Steve, please turn around and put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest."Ivy watched in horror as the officers handcuffed her dad and led him away. She tried to scream, but her voice was frozen in her throat.She
Irene stepped into her house, closing the door behind her as if trying to shut out the world. She stood still for a moment, her eyes scanning the familiar surroundings as if seeing them for the first time.Everything around felt hollow. If she knew recollection of the past would cause her this emptiness, she wouldn't have done it. Now she felt like she had traveled back to the past experiences she wanted to shut out for so long."Hey, why are you back so late? It's midnight," Dave sprang up from the couch, but then he noticed the distant look in Irene's eyes. "Irene?"Irene didn't respond. She just walked past him, her feet carrying her on autopilot to the bedroom. Dave's eyes followed her, concern etched on his face."Irene, what's wrong?" he asked, getting up from the couch to follow her.Irene stopped in front of the bedroom door, her hand on the doorknob. She turned to face Dave, her eyes empty and haunted."Nothing," she said flatly, "just tired."With that, she slammed the door
Fifteen-year-old Ivy's feet wobbled, drained from all the running, as she pushed through the door of her home. She panted heavily, catching her breath and meeting the stunned silence in the house.It was odd; she had expected to see her mother standing in the doorway, ready to scold her for running off like that, or perhaps to be welcomed by her sister's taunts, but there was nothing.She raised her head only to find the living room empty."Mum? Irene?" she called, scanning the room, but then someone else emerged—someone she didn't expect to see."Dad? Dad!" She kicked off her shoes and enveloped him in a tight embrace. "I've been looking for you, Dad. Where were you?"Steve pulled away, his expression somber. "I, um..." he began, his gaze on Ivy's face faltering. Ivy noticed the way his voice quaked; her eyes scanned his face, and she caught his hand trembling at his side."Dad, why the face?" Ivy asked, concern etched on her face.Steve looked away without responding; his eyes seeme
"Where could she have gone?" Zack muttered under his breath, his voice laced with frustration and fear."Xavier!" he called, massaging his temples. To be honest, he was lost on where to find Ivy."Sir." Xavier raced down the stairs, his movements hurried as he could sense something was off with his master."Was Ivy here?" Zack asked, his eyes wide with hope, but Xavier's response shattered it to pieces.He massaged his temples again, thinking just maybe... maybe she's okay, maybe she's just ignoring me, maybe she's... no, no, no, think, Zack, think... where would she go? Who would she turn to? Irene? No, she was just with Irene, and Irene said she left... left where? Left to go where? His mind was a jumbled mess, thoughts racing in every direction, none of them making sense... Ivy, where are you?Suddenly, his eyes flashed with realization. Judy! Her aunt Judy! Ivy had always been close to her aunt, and it seemed Judy was one of the few people who truly understood her, even though he