The revelation that the dish was prepared by Jiro Ono sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Thalia and Fanny were immediately outraged.
“How could it be possible?” Thalia shouted, “How can Master Jiro Ono compare to George Brown? George Brown is an international chef; Jiro Ono couldn’t even hold a candle to him. Be careful eating unknown dishes; they might not be safe.”
Fanny quickly supported Thalia, adding, “Today’s feast was specially arranged by Mr. Hayes for Cynthia. Why should we bother with irrelevant figures trying to steal the spotlight? With Master George here, there’s no need for pretenders.”
As Fanny spoke, she cast a scornful look, almost as if her eyes were rolling back in contempt.
As Amy stood beside Isabella, she was infuriated by Fanny’s arrogance and retorted, “Today is also Isabella’s debut, and Mr. Lucius specially arranged this celebration for her. What’s so strange about that?”
Just then, a very old man dressed in traditi
The crowd was murmuring in disappointment upon hearing the news.The much-anticipated moment to see the pink diamond in all its glory was abruptly lost.Just then, an unexpected guest arrived on the scene.A tall man with an extraordinary presence walked in. His entrance seemed to come with its own dramatic soundtrack—powerful and majestic.He wore a distinguished black long coat, sunglasses perched on his nose, with the coat’s hem swaying behind him as he walked with a confident stride. His noble and aloof aura lent a regal edge to his already striking supermodel appearance.It was impossible to ignore the icy chill emanating from him, radiating a cold, commanding presence that was both intimidating and distant. People felt a shiver run down their spines, and dared not approach.When the man removed his sunglasses, every female fan in the room widened their eyes in awe.With chiseled, sculpted features, deep, dark eyes, a strong, ari
At this moment, Lucius, having finished fastening the necklace on Isabella, looked up and his gaze landed on Samuel.The heated and agitated argument between Samuel and Charles caught his attention.Although presenting the pink diamond publicly risked suspicion, Lucius couldn’t tolerate seeing his woman being insulted and mistreated by these lesser individuals. He had contacted Tiffany’s CEO and demanded that the only pink diamond necklace be reserved for him.When he learned that the only available pink diamond necklace had already been reserved by Samuel, he didn’t hesitate to use his influence to ensure it was kept for him.Charles had seen him before and might not know his exact identity, but after Lucius’s forceful demand to the Tiffany CEO, which was met without any refusal, Charles should have had a good idea of his identity.If Charles admitted publicly that Lucius was the one who forcefully reserved the pink diamond, his identity wou
Isabella suddenly lifted her head, her eyes sparkling like gems, bright and clear, with a look of relief.If this was the reason, it was truly the best news for her.She felt an inexplicable fear that everything might change now. She was worried that even the flap of a butterfly’s wings might stir up a storm, disrupting her current peaceful life.She hoped that she and Lucius could remain as they were now, quietly guarding each other, with time flowing gently.Because, in her heart, she vaguely felt that she could no longer be without him.Although there were still some questions, Isabella’s mood had brightened significantly. She let out a deep breath and asked lightly, "What kind of job is it to get such good benefits?"Lucius’s joy was evident. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming, and said happily, "It’s with a publicly listed securities company in the US. I’m the fund manager. As soon as I took over, I turned a nearly bankrupt fund in
Isabella arrived at the set to prepare for promotional activities when Amy rushed over to her in a panic.“Something’s wrong, Isabella. You’re trending on social media,” Amy said, looking anxious.Isabella nodded. “I know, the trailer and wrap party photos have been leaked.”“That’s not all. Look at this. The news just broke an hour ago,” Amy quickly opened Social Media’s trending topics and entertainment news headlines.The top entertainment headline read:“Rising actress Isabella Rivera allegedly secured her important role through industry dirty tricks; sordid deal exposed.”“Breaking News! New actress Isabella Rivera reportedly supported by top Knight Group executives, clinging to a wealthy patron to secure a major role.”Under these explosive headlines were images of Cynthia looking distressed and Isabe
Isabella pushed against Lucius’s chest with a defiant shove, glaring at him. “You’re such a villain!”Lucius looked at her flushed face, like a ripe, tempting peach, with her messy hair, swollen lips, and eyes filled with a dreamy mist, sparkling brightly.It was too tempting! His body couldn’t help but react.Lucius grabbed Isabella’s mischievous hand. Beneath his calm exterior, his eyes were stormy with hidden currents. He lowered his head and said coolly, “It’s all your fault. Who told you to tempt me?”Isabella was bewildered. Pointing at herself, she exclaimed angrily, “Huh? When did I tempt you? You’re making things up.”Lucius had already settled casually on the sofa, and said leisurely, “Forget it. I won’t hold today’s events against you.”Isabella was almost in tears from frustration. This shameless man had taken advantage of her and then
Cecilia and Karrie exchanged a look, laughing mockingly as if they were dealing with a fool. “Apologize? The word ‘apology’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary. Are you out of your mind, coming here to demand an apology from us?”Karrie stared aggressively at Isabella. “We have reasons for calling you a slut. It’s not just baseless gossip.”Cecilia chimed in, “Yes, who doesn’t know that you made headlines recently?” She flicked the butt of her cigarette on the ground, crushing it with her foot.Karrie lit another cigarette for Cecilia and continued to mock Isabella, “Pfft, you relied on a man, sold your body, and managed to get a second-rate supporting role. You think you’re so impressive? If you’re not a slut, what are you?”Cecilia took a deep drag from her cigarette, exhaling a long puff of smoke as she raised her chin high. “Just a supporting role, and you’re already a disgraceful prostitute.
Just as the crowd began mocking Isabella, a soft, delicate voice cut through the noise, “I don’t believe it’s as they say. I’ve seen clips of Isabella playing the female general, and her acting was precise and vivid. If Vice President Knight made an exception for her, it’s completely understandable.”The noisy crowd was interrupted by this unexpected contradiction. Everyone turned to look at the girl who spoke.The girl’s name was Masha. She had only recently joined the training camp. Coming from an ordinary family and being introverted, she was usually among those bullied by the privileged trainees.After all, rivals can be enemies. As a competitor, the trainees most disliked an ordinary, poor girl like Masha trying to compete with them.Usually, Masha kept quiet about the bullying she endured. Today, for some reason, she stepped up to defend Isabella.Isabella was sli
Back at home, Isabella had finished changing and showering. She sat quietly in the bathroom, lost in thought.The bathroom door was gently knocked on, and Lucius’s deep voice came through, “Bella, why are you taking so long? Are you done with your shower?”Isabella snapped out of her reverie. She acknowledged his concern and opened the bathroom door to step out.Lucius’s eyes were full of care as he looked at her. Isabella smiled brightly at him, trying to lighten the mood, “Why do you keep staring at me? Do you think I look particularly beautiful?”Lucius playfully pinched her nose and smiled, “My Bella is always the most beautiful.” He then pulled her into his embrace, his heart aching, “I’m sorry. I didn’t arrive in time and let you suffer.”Isabella’s nose felt a bit tingly. She rested against Lucius, inhaling the fresh, clean scent of him, and felt her internal dis
It was unexpected that ‘Next Girls’ had become a major hit, especially with Isabella stunning everyone on her debut stage. This had catapulted her into the spotlight, and the rumors surrounding her and Derek had further increased her fame. As they walked down the street, some people recognized her.But unlike other rising stars, Isabella had a unique status—she was both popular and controversial. Thus, when people saw her, they didn’t rush over for selfies or autographs. Instead, they simply took out their phones and began filming her.Isabella understood that if she chose the path of acting, she would inevitably face this kind of attention. She didn’t mind it for herself, but with Lucius beside her, who wasn’t part of the industry, she wanted to protect him from being photographed. She stepped forward and said to the two girls, “Hi, were you just filming us?”“No, I was just taking pictures of the scenery. I wasn’
During the second group assessment in the trainee camp, Isabella found that due to the reversal of public opinion, many people wanted to be in a group with her. Zinnia, Lylia, and Masha all joined her team.Coincidentally, the group limit was four members, and they delivered an excellent performance.After their performance, the scores would be combined with votes from fans online to determine which one-third of the hundred participants would be eliminated.Before the list was announced, to create an emotional atmosphere, the show’s production team allowed the trainees to call their family and friends, showcasing heartwarming moments.Seizing this opportunity, Cynthia immediately called her father, discussing how Isabella was in the trainee camp. As expected, her father reprimanded her, accusing her of doing things without informing the family.
"Isabella, you're still amazing," Cynthia comforted her, then secretly turned off her microphone. Leaning in closer to Isabella, she patted her head in a feigned gesture of comfort while actually saying, "Who would have thought? No matter how well you dance, everyone still doesn’t like you, and you won’t be able to debut anyway."Upon hearing this, Isabella gently pushed Cynthia away, yet smiled at her, responding in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Thanks for your concern, how have you and your stepmother been lately?"This caused the surrounding trainees to lean in as if they wished their ears could grow longer to catch every bit of juicy gossip."We're doing well. Dad asked if you realize your mistakes; you can come home if you admit them," Cynthia was taken aback and hadn’t expected Isabella to say that. After recovering, she continued discussing family matters."It's okay;
Everyone was working hard, but amidst the effort, there were still moments for relaxation and chatting.However, Isabella had no time for idle chatter.For three straight days, if she wasn't in the practice room dancing, she was on the rooftop singing.While others took breaks to joke and play, she stood in front of the mirror, diligently refining her movements and expressions over and over again.Even though she was an impressive A-group trainee, she worked even harder than those beneath her who performed worse.Yet, all people wanted to hear and see were their own opinions. The others, witnessing Isabella’s dedication, didn’t admire her hard work; instead, they thought she was just putting on an act.Some believed she must not have the skills to succeed, which was why she needed to train so desperately.Only Masha understo
After the initial stage recording concluded, everyone returned to the trainees' dormitories, which were assigned by group. Naturally, the A group had much better accommodations than the others.Isabella was paired with a trainee named Zinnia, who had a powerful soprano voice.Both were somewhat introverted, greeting each other before getting back to their own tasks. The atmosphere in their dormitory was quite peaceful, unlike the noisy chatter in other girls’ dorms.Meanwhile, Masha and Cynthia were assigned to the same dormitory.Since everyone had seen Masha sitting with Isabella earlier, and both were from Knight Entertainment, it wasn’t long before the others gathered around to gossip about Isabella.Today, Isabella’s impressive performance had indeed made her the center of attention.“Isabella is truly outstanding; she’s very dedicated,” Mash
Among the trainees who had just performed, there were certainly those who sang foreign songs, but these choices often didn’t hold much advantage.Due to copyright concerns, they usually selected lesser-known tracks that weren’t widely recognized, which meant their performances had to be exceptionally outstanding to truly impress the audience.Just like with the song Isabella chose, many had never even heard of it.However, as soon as Isabella finished speaking, the judges flipped open her introduction sheet and discovered that this song was actually an original composition by her!While some trainees had tried the original route, none had been bold enough to challenge themselves with an original song in a singing and dancing performance.After all, most original songs are simply a combination of two or three instruments playing melodies with common lyrical chord progres
Cynthia, like Masha, followed a sweet style. Her outfit today was a noticeably improved version of her usual attire—a lovely pink short skirt that gave her a sweet, youthful vibe.As soon as she appeared, the other trainees in the audience couldn’t help but praise her. Singing a sweet song while smiling brightly, she performed a simple yet charming dance. The overall atmosphere was incredibly cute, and the crowd was in awe.“Oh my gosh, she’s so adorable!”“This Cynthia seems to be an individual trainee, and she’s the first to perform! Her skills are amazing!”“At this level, she should be able to score at least a B grade.”During the initial stage of *Next Girls*, trainees were graded by the mentors into five levels: A, B, C, D, and E, with A being the best. Only seven positions were available for debut.Isabella felt indifferent to Cynthia’s per
However, just as Isabella finished speaking, the manager who had just expelled Cynthia and Samuel approached again. This time, his face was beaming with smiles, completely different from the nervous, sweaty demeanor he had earlier. He cheerfully said to Isabella, “You’re a student from the Aetheron Film Academy, aren’t you?”“Yes,” Isabella nodded, unsure of what the manager wanted. Did he intend to say she didn’t comply with some rule and throw her and Lucius out as well?“What’s the matter?” Isabella asked warily, frowning at the manager.“Well, since it’s exam day, we have a special event going on. We’re holding a lottery for students from the Aetheron Film Academy who dine here, and the prizes are quite generous. Would you like to participate?” The manager said, placing a large lottery box in front of Isabella.
After bidding farewell to Derek, Isabella returned home. During her exam preparations, Lucius, as a family member of a candidate, had also put in a lot of effort. Today, they must celebrate properly—dinner at a restaurant!Isabella had already mentioned this to Lucius; as soon as she got home, she would take him out to eat.Who would have thought that when she opened her phone, she found a message from Lucius saying he had already driven to the school gate to wait for her to go eat together.“Your car seems quite expensive, doesn’t it?” Isabella didn’t know much about car brands, but the emblem on Lucius’s car depicted two little figures holding up a small fork, looking quite noble.So, she guessed that Lucius was probably driving a pretty nice car.“I’m not sure about the specifics; it’s just arranged by the company,” Lucius replied. He had been busy with some matters la