"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
Ivy, accompanied by Joan, arrived at the set only to meet director Tim's gloomy face that slowly filled with a trace of slight annoyance."What happened, Director Tim? Is everything alright?"Director Tim heaved, exhaling. She sat down on the sofa and stared at Ivy for a while before replying. "What happened yesterday?"Ivy's face sank with a frown, unable to comprehend the question. "Nothing unusual." It was the best answer she could come up with. She sat beside Director Tim, waiting for him to make himself clear."Isabelle refused to film without an apology from your manager and a young lady that attacked her yesterday. Ah, this is giving me headaches," he said, stroking his forehead. "I hate when my plans for filming are distorted."Seeing the director in his state, Ivy was even more confused. Why would she refuse to film today? According to the schedule, she had a few solo scenes before Isabelle would join her, and then George would appear at the end of the day's filming. What the
*Keep it up, don't forget to update me. You know what I mean.*Joan smiled as she saw the text. She tucked the phone back to her bag and sat comfortably."We are here," Susan announced."Susan, park the car on the other side," Ivy instructed, pulling out a black clothing hung at the top of the passenger seat."What do you plan on doing?" Joan asked, surprised. She thought Ivy was going to barge into the hospital and face Isabelle on her cot."What does it look like I'm doing?" Ivy responded, putting on the clothing.Joan frowned. 'A black zip-up hoodie.' Ivy wore the hood covering her forehead tightly fitted to her face, zipping it until it reached the apex. Ivy refused to make the same mistake of choosing a wrong disguise. Black glasses are a hell of an awkward disguise."I'm sure the reporters are at the front of the building, so you both stay here, I'll be right back," Ivy said and got out of the car. Joan scrunched, "what's with the hoodie?"Susan veered backward, resting her arm
A blurred figure flashed past with full speed, leaving a trail behind for the doctor to catch a glimpse."Who's there?" The doctor came out of the room peeping at either side. But didn't see anyone who could raise suspicion."Did you hear that?" Isabelle asked her PA, who was also about to ask her the same question."I did. 'Say cheese'." Her PA's face sank, weighing the possible explanation for the 'say cheese' she heard."Chloe, I keep telling you to stop roaming about the whole place," the doctor said admonishingly to the sweet, innocent-looking girl resting at the side of the wall. "You should be with Mama, not playing around."Chloe fiddled with her hand, staring at the floor before she raised her head. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I only wanted to have some fun."The doctor sighed; it was a daily occurrence for the little sweetpea to wander every time she visits the hospital to see her mother. "Go now, doctor has work to do.""Okay," Chloe hurriedly left the VIP area in a scamper, flingi
Stephen left the hospital with Director Tim in a rush. Even though his face showed no sign of anger, he was annoyed by the sticky situation he was in. He couldn't understand why Ivy and her manager hadn't provided an explanation for what happened. Director Tim, on the other hand, was uncertain of what Ivy was trying to do by staying silent. She wasn't stepping out to clarify the claim. Initially, he thought she was going to face the media to explain the truth, but it seems that wasn't the case at all.Stephen paused and looked at Director Tim. "What do you think about her claim? Do you think Ivy would do something like that?""I don't know, but what will Ivy or her manager gain by doing this? As for Isabelle, I don't know if she could possibly fake her own assault. We shouldn't draw conclusions yet without solid evidence," Director Tim gave his opinion. Based on what Ivy's manager told him, they did hit her, but it was a form of defense.Stephen didn't say anymore word; there was only
The text already flaunted who the sender was, so she tossed it back to her purse with a scoffing expression, her threat was too insignificant to make her fret. It seems Irene was rejoicing over her present situation, but Ivy was unaware there was more than that.As the trio left the premises, a red car that was closely parked to their car followed behind them. A few minutes later, another car squeaked following their trails.The unresolved fuss about Ivy's animosity towards Isabelle was a hot topic that refused to be replaced by new scandals that surfaced in the entertainment industry. An international star actress was found cheating with her manager at a luxurious hotel by paparazzi. As this scandal was exposed, it caught the attention of the media for a split second. Immediately after that story, they weren't given a break to dwell on it as another piece of information concerning Ivy surfaced from an anonymous source. It claimed Ivy as the real culprit behind Isabelle's attack, prov
The day that Isabelle was discharged from the hospital, reporters visited her at the entrance asking questions about the situation. Isabelle was more than happy to cooperate with them, she looked better than before except for some bruise marks that were still visible on her face."How are you feeling now Isabelle?""Better." She responded with a smile."Why haven't you taken any action yet?""I have my reasons." She gave a short reply."Please allow her to get some rest, I hope the media can be understanding towards her. After she gains full recovery, there would be a press conference to explain everything," Isabelle's manager said as he led Isabelle into the car.Isabelle would like to say more but because of her manager, she refrained. She was enjoying the situation and the attention she was getting while Ivy got slandered by angry netizens.On the other hand, the reporters were restless. They weren't given any update concerning the situation and Ivy refused to make a public appeara
After their argument, Ivy left with Susan and Joan without giving an apology. Isabelle's manager's eyes twitched as he watched them leave stoutly. He huffed and glanced at Isabelle, who was biting her lips trying to suppress her anger."The only way to put her in her place is to find real evidence to prove her guilty."Isabelle nodded subconsciously, her mind trailed off; she desperately wanted her to be replaced. It seems her plan didn't work perfectly; though the media were still on Ivy's tails. If the situation continues to push through, she might get entangled in her own mess."Isabelle, we are leaving for the police station tomorrow," her manager declared."What? No."He frowned. Why was she hesitating to involve the police? "Is there something you aren't telling me?"Isabelle shrugged. "Don't worry, she will get what she deserves.""Then what do you plan on doing?" He asked.To be honest, Isabelle had no idea. The woman isn't a pushover as she imagined her to be. She bit her lip
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