Chapter 124

Margaret and Genevieve immediately began scouring the internet for rumors.

As expected, so-called middle school "classmates" came forward with scandalous claims.

"Violet had a way with boys since middle school. She'd flirt with multiple at once, as if she wanted every boy in school orbiting around her. She was a tease—leading them on, then acting indifferent. She played games until the boys retaliated. Things got so bad the police got involved, and she even accused them, forcing one boy to transfer. She was a heartbreaker. None of us liked her—we all knew what she was really like."

But Evelyn knew the truth.

Those three boys had been nothing but juvenile pests, sitting behind Violet. Their twisted adolescent fantasies spiraled out of control. They consumed inappropriate content, then projected their warped desires onto her, misinterpreting every glance, every word. They boasted among themselves—one claimed Violet liked him, another insisted she was flaunting herself for him, and the last outright lied about an encounter with her in the school grove.

Driven by jealousy and competition, they lured her there.

At first, they questioned her about her romantic interests. Violet, who had kept to herself, was stunned. Furious, she lashed out. But fragile male pride turned to malice.

The school intervened before things escalated further. The boys, snapping out of their daze, panicked. Violet’s parents pressed charges. The boys’ parents, instead of acknowledging their sons’ actions, attacked Violet—claiming she was the problem, that her looks had provoked them.

The law sided with Violet, but the boys, being minors, faced light consequences and transferred. Violet had to leave too.

Margaret and Genevieve were livid. They dissected the rumors, pointing out inconsistencies, defending Violet fiercely.

Then—another bombshell.

"A male classmate once committed suicide over Violet."

Silence fell.

Evelyn dug deeper.

The truth? The boy had been under unbearable pressure from his overbearing parents. When his grades slipped, they found hidden photos of Violet in his room. Instead of addressing his mental health, they blamed her—accusing her of seducing him, ruining his focus.

Humiliated in front of the school, the boy jumped.

Even after it was proven Violet didn’t even know him, his parents hounded her, harassed her family, and drove her parents to their deaths in a stress-induced accident.

All that remained was her injured grandmother.

Margaret and Genevieve’s eyes burned with tears. This wasn’t drama—it was tragedy.

"This rumor is even worse than the last! How is any of this her fault?" Margaret cried.

"Exactly!" Genevieve snapped. "His parents’ public shaming probably pushed him over the edge!"

Evelyn nodded grimly.

She kept reading.

Violet had entered the entertainment industry out of desperation—her grandmother’s medical bills were crushing. Regular jobs were impossible; harassment followed her everywhere.

The industry seemed safer than the clubs she’d briefly worked in. But her agency exploited her naivety, trapping her in a decade-long contract with impossible penalties.

Men with power pursued her—not to save her, but to own her. She refused to rely on them.

Now, finally free, she’d asked Isabelle Laurent for one thing: a slight raise. Enough to cover her grandmother’s care.

Evelyn’s heart ached. She’d once dismissed Violet as just another scandal-ridden star. Now, she saw the survivor beneath.

Nathan, watching Evelyn’s distress, rested a hand on her head. "Her luck’s about to change. Meeting you—that’s her turning point."

Evelyn met his gaze, finding quiet certainty there.

She messaged Isabelle, reinforcing her stance. Behind the scenes, negotiations were already underway—Violet’s future was being rewritten.

Three days later, the draw confirmed it: their teams would face off.

Online, the mob was already baying for Violet’s blood.

Only the director and producer, privy to Team A-List’s plans, lay awake in dread.

Another damn confidential script.

The storm was coming.