Chapter 104

At that moment, Sebastian stepped forward, positioning himself beside Adrian, signaling his agreement. But he missed the sudden spark of admiration in Adrian’s eyes as the latter stole subtle glances at him.

Regaining his composure, Julian shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn’t. It was just a battle of wits—survival of the fittest. Why wouldn’t we use a better strategy if we had one? Haven’t you ever sacrificed others for your own gain?"

Seriously, Julian, you’re starting to sound like the antagonist here. But you’re not wrong. These three are worse. They were willing to throw Isabelle under the bus just to fuel their little love triangle. How dare they question us? At least we played fair.

The Blackwoods stifled their laughter, biting their lips to keep from grinning.

Julian’s blunt response left the trio stunned.

They had expected excuses, justifications—anything but this raw honesty. Adrian and Sebastian exchanged bewildered glances, caught off guard.

Sebastian, never one for confrontation, instinctively searched for Isabelle in the crowd. But like before, she refused to meet his gaze.

For the first time, Sebastian felt truly alone—like he was walking a tightrope without a safety net, an unsettling weight pressing on his chest.

Just as the tension became unbearable, Adrian’s manager rushed in, breaking the standoff.

After the initial chaos settled, a private meeting was called—undoubtedly about the disastrous stage play.

Outside, a live post-match interview was underway. The trio clearly intended to use this as damage control.

Soon, Isabelle returned, her expression stormy.

Curious glances followed her.

"Why is she alone? Didn’t they all go to the meeting together?" the Blackwoods murmured among themselves.

After all, Isabelle was still technically Sebastian’s manager. Their contract hadn’t been terminated yet.

Evelyn, while having her makeup retouched, studied Isabelle closely.

Oh, she’s furious.

The Blackwoods perked up, eager for details.

The company had proposed several PR strategies to salvage the idols’ reputations. Being the professional she was, Isabelle had suggested the most straightforward one: a public apology for their poor script choice, owning their mistake, and promising improvement. No theatrics needed.

The Blackwoods considered it. A sincere apology might actually work—people tended to soften when faced with humility.

Julian, ever the strategist, agreed. Sometimes, vulnerability was the strongest armor.

But shockingly, all three rejected the idea. Seraphina even had the audacity to imply Isabelle’s reluctance stemmed from her past with Sebastian. Then, with fake tears, she begged for Isabelle’s help.

A Blackwood scoffed. "The audacity! Seraphina’s putting on a show for Sebastian, manipulating him into turning against Isabelle later."

The dim-witted Sebastian lashed out, accusing Isabelle of incompetence and dismissing her outright. That’s why she’d stormed back alone.

The Blackwoods rolled their eyes. Does he really think he’s that special?

The moment Isabelle left, the trio schemed. Damn, they’re already moving? Sebastian, you’re truly heartless.

A "leaked" rehearsal photo surfaced online—Isabelle holding the script, overseeing the scenes.

An "insider" spilled: Team Duo Alpha’s original script was about honor and sacrifice, not romance. Their manager forced the changes. The intimate scenes? All her idea—to grab attention. Longtime fans know Sebastian has no say. His manager controls everything. This fiasco isn’t his fault. She miscalculated, thinking their usual tricks could rival Team A-List.

The comments exploded.

How could a manager be this stupid? Or was there an ulterior motive?

The narrative shifted instantly. Managers betraying their artists wasn’t unheard of. Maybe negotiations went south. Maybe revenge was at play.

Fans, ever loyal, redirected their fury. Hashtags like #JusticeForSebastian and #FreeSebastianFromControl trended, painting Isabelle as the villain.

The live chat, once mocking Team Duo Alpha, now demanded Isabelle apologize on air.

Truthful staff members pitied Isabelle but were powerless against the tide.

The director and producer stayed silent, unwilling to meddle.

The Blackwoods, however, were livid. They nudged Julian, who gave Marcus a meaningful look.

Marcus approached Isabelle cautiously. "Need help?"

Isabelle lifted her icy gaze, a humorless laugh escaping her lips. "If I can’t handle this, why would you even want me?"

Marcus smirked. "Point taken. You’re unstoppable."