Chapter 59

Marcus moved with lightning speed. After coordinating with the production team of My Acting Skill, he made two major announcements back-to-back using Julian Blackwood’s agency’s official account.

The first announcement declared that Evelyn Sinclair had been signed as the agency’s second artist.

The second dropped the bombshell—Julian himself would be partnering with Evelyn on the show.

Within minutes, both the agency’s official page and Julian’s personal Twitter exploded. Since Evelyn had been tagged in the posts, her own account saw a sudden surge of traffic.

Who is this nobody? Why does Julian have to team up with her?

Wasn’t Julian just spotted with Isabelle Laurent, the rising star? Rumor has it he’s been mentoring her as a favor to a family friend.

Wake up, people! Isabelle withdrew from the show ages ago!

I heard whispers weeks ago about an unknown artist visiting Julian’s agency frequently.

The real question is—why would Julian’s agency sign a second artist at all? Who is she? What’s her deal? Someone dig up her entire life story in the next ten minutes!

Just as Marcus had anticipated, the sudden appearance of a breathtaking beauty—one of only two artists under Julian’s prestigious agency—ignited public curiosity. The focus swiftly shifted from Isabelle to the mysterious connection between Julian and Evelyn.

Ten minutes passed, yet no one could uncover a complete profile on Evelyn. Her Wikipedia page was sparse, listing only a handful of magazine shoots and minor ad campaigns. A few blurry paparazzi shots surfaced, but nothing substantial.

Marcus had no intention of revealing Evelyn’s background. Speculation bred intrigue, and intrigue meant attention. Of course, he’d assigned Lillian to monitor the situation closely. If any damaging rumors took shape, they’d be swiftly crushed.

In truth, Evelyn had handed full control of her main Twitter account to Marcus. She only browsed casually from a private alt account.

After a long silence, Evelyn finally logged into her official profile. She wiped all personal posts, leaving only professional work-related content, then uploaded a fresh batch—compilations of her recent acting classes and striking new photos.

Unsurprisingly, she gained a small following of admirers drawn to her looks. But, as expected, the haters came out in full force—bored, bitter, and eager to tear her down.

Yet, the drama quickly faded as other show participants began making their own announcements.

The official announcements had barely gone live when the production team launched their first major promotional campaign. Overnight, the show's popularity exploded beyond expectations.

Just as Marcus Donovan had predicted, each celebrity pairing came with its own shocking backstory. Evelyn Sinclair found herself utterly engrossed in the Twitter storm, scrolling through endless juicy gossip. While the veracity of these stories remained questionable, they provided endless entertainment. The first featured couple consisted of an A-list actor known for his icy demeanor and his former on-screen love interest - both from the same entertainment company, playing mentor and protégé. At the height of their on-screen chemistry, the company had sent the younger actress abroad to pursue international opportunities.

After several lackluster years overseas, this marked her grand return to domestic entertainment. Cleverly leveraging their past popularity, she'd secured a spot on the hottest reality show alongside her former co-star.

Paired with this megawatt superstar who promised guidance and protection throughout filming, they naturally became the most anticipated couple among the five participating pairs.

When the "Young Again" logo appeared, it reignited the dormant passion of their shippers, who immediately comprised half the show's viewership.

Paparazzi had already flooded social media with recent photos of the duo spotted together at various locations. One particularly viral shot showed the towering actor shielding his petite co-star from cameras, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. Another captured them sharing a private joke, their faces inches apart. Though grainy, the images radiated undeniable intimacy - like long-lost lovers reunited against all odds.

The internet collectively lost its mind over the possibility of a real-life second-chance romance.

Evelyn couldn't contain her laughter as she scrolled through the scandalous photos. "This is insane! If people knew this supposedly devoted family man was getting cozy with another woman, he'd be crucified online!"

Though Julian Blackwood and Lillian Graves were preoccupied with their own tasks, and even Nathan had left for an important meeting, the moment they caught wind of this gossip, everyone dropped what they were doing to join the conversation.

Marcus adjusted his glasses with a knowing smirk. "The fact that they kept his marriage under wraps for years proves they're masters at this game. They wouldn't take this risk unless they'd calculated every outcome. This kind of publicity benefits both careers immensely."

"So... were they actually involved?" Lillian asked skeptically. After all, the entertainment industry specialized in manufacturing convincing illusions.

"I honestly don't see what's so remarkable about that actress to make a famous actor behave like this. There must be more to this story," Marcus replied with a careless shrug.

"Women in showbiz must have nerves of steel to tolerate their husbands getting cozy with other women!" Evelyn muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Rumor has it his wife holds shares in the company too. You know how it works in Hollywood—everyone turns a blind eye. No need for messy divorces," Marcus added.

Evelyn couldn't help feeling disappointed. The actor was undeniably handsome, and she'd briefly considered becoming his fan. But after witnessing this scandal unfold, she quickly changed her mind. The next hot topic was the unexpected pairing of two male idols.

Both were legends in their respective genres—one dominated medieval fantasy epics while the other ruled teen campus romances. They worked for the same production company now.

Nearing their thirties, both wanted to reinvent their images, which was why they'd joined this variety show. Teaming up was a strategic move to boost their popularity. But insiders knew the juicy backstory: the teen idol's current girlfriend had secretly dated the fantasy star back when he was still a nobody.

Even after all these years, working alongside your girlfriend's ex had to be awkward as hell.

"I can't wait to see their fake smiles in public versus their real tension behind the scenes! This is going to be delicious!" Evelyn squealed with anticipation.

The third couple's buzz revolved around their new movie's promotional tour—a lavish retelling of Cleopatra's story.

The veteran actor played Julius Caesar. Throughout filming, fans worried his electrifying chemistry with the actress playing Cleopatra might spark real feelings—especially since this actress had earned quite the reputation. Every film she starred in came with scandal—whether with her leading man or the director. Wives in Hollywood had even blacklisted her at one point. Yet when publicly called a "homewrecker" by a scorned wife, she'd simply smiled and thanked her for the "compliment."

She reveled in the power she held over men's hearts.

Done.

This time, her target was a legendary actor, famous for his devoted husband persona. The revelation sent shockwaves through the entertainment world. It became the ultimate showdown—who would outmaneuver whom? When Evelyn saw the actress's photo, she was instantly intrigued.

Marcus had mentioned the actor's wife would be on set, keeping a watchful eye. Evelyn shuddered at the thought of the impending drama.

The final pairing, though initially the least anticipated, quickly became everyone's favorite spectacle. People couldn't resist a juicy scandal.

A veteran TV actress from the golden era and a rising star of the new generation should have shared a harmonious mentor-protégé bond. But with a man caught between them, their relationship teetered dangerously close to a toxic mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dynamic.

Originally, the older actress had joined the show to scrutinize her son's girlfriend. She'd personally requested the younger woman's participation.

Yet before filming even began, the couple had already split.

The internet cringed in secondhand embarrassment for them. Surprisingly, neither backed out after the official announcement.

This only fueled the audience's anticipation for their on-screen interactions.

Public opinion, however, overwhelmingly favored the rising star. Her ex-boyfriend was infamous for being a mama's boy, and his mother had earned a reputation as the villainous mother-in-law, having driven away countless potential daughters-in-law. This time, it was the actress who had ended things. Many speculated the mother's insistence on staying was purely for revenge—in her eyes, her son could never be at fault. How could a nobody actress ever be worthy of him?

Evelyn had followed the rising star's career and admired her work ethic. The actress was prolific, churning out project after project.

When Evelyn voiced her admiration, Marcus scoffed. "Not everyone slacks off after breaking into the industry like you do. She's hustling to make a living. Though, I’ll admit, she might be overdoing it a bit."

The tension was palpable. The stage was set. And Evelyn couldn't wait to see how this explosive dynamic would unfold.