In the picture, a woman was lying on a couch at a bar. Her hair was messy, covering her eyes, but her nose and lips were visible.
She looked flushed and was posing in a way that made her seem vulnerable, with no clothes on. Her long legs and thin waist were easy to see, and the men watching couldn’t help but gasp.
Even though only her nose and mouth were visible, everyone knew it was Sophia.
The crowd turned to Sophia, looking at her closely and comparing her to the woman in the picture.
“Yep, that’s definitely Sophia!”
“Her nose and mouth look just like hers.”
“That mole on her cheek is in the same place.”
“And check out the background; it’s Champs Le Bar. Sure enough, rich men always know how to party.”
Hearing this, Sophia covered her right cheek with her hand. She did have a mole there, and Champs Le Bar was where Gabriel had taken those private pictures of her.
Sophia’s naked photo got out, and it really shook her up. She looked pale and scared.
She was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even look at the picture spreading on Twitter. She was almost about to break down.
Luckily, Bianca was there to catch Sophia before she fell down.
The comments under the post were nasty and rude.
“I never would’ve thought that Sophia, who seems innocent, would be so revealing. She’s actually pretty adventurous and wild.”
“It’s just a photo. Who knows how many guys she’s been with in private?”
“Yeah, celebrities always have this public persona. I never thought my idol Sophia would have her reputation ruined. I’m not a fan anymore.”
Vincent, the director, also looked upset. He had wanted Sophia to be the star of his movie, but now he had to think twice because of the scandal.
Natalie acted surprised, putting her hand over her mouth. “Is that really Sophia in the picture? How did this happen?” She quietly chuckled, still covering her mouth.
After the scandal, even Sophia’s fans started to criticize her, not to mention those who were undecided.
It seemed like Natalie might become the lead actress after all.
Another topic started trending on Twitter: “Bianca Loses.”
A naked picture of Sophia came out, confirming all the rumors about her. Now, she faces a possible ban. Natalie was set to be the star of Vincent’s new movie.
Bianca’s followers on Twitter, hungry for drama, didn’t hold back. They left harsh comments, telling her, “You’ve lost. It’s time to quit Phoenix Entertainment and move on quickly. You’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Just leay!”
Bianca held Sophia, who was almost falling apart, trying to avoid people’s curious looks as she thought hard about what to do next. The pressure on her was overwhelming.
Just as Bianca was about to leave with Sophia to figure things out, her phone rang.
Bianca received a mysterious text message with a picture and the words, “Five years ago, at Champs Le Bar.”
As she looked at the photo, a flicker of determination lit up in her eyes. She quickly scanned the people nearby. Who could have sent this picture? And how did they know she needed it?
Meanwhile, in the tallest tower of Mubluosia, Dave leaned back in his chair, taking a well-deserved break. The radiant sunlight streamed through the French windows, casting a warm, golden glow.
Zane entered and said, “Mr. Evans, I’ve sent the picture anonymously to Miss Scott, just like you asked.”
“Good,” Dave replied.
Zane had worked closely with Dave for more than ten years, so he knew him well. But there were moments when he couldn’t quite understand what was going on in his boss’s mind.
Dave often stayed at that apartment with Bianca instead of his villa. Why did he choose to send the photo anonymously? Did something go wrong between them?
Zane wanted to ask, but he held back when he saw the serious and distant look on Dave’s face.
****
Bianca gently laid the weakened Sophia on the couch. As she started to walk away, Sophia reached out and grabbed her clothes.
Turning back, Bianca saw Sophia’s pale face, eyes shut tight, trembling like a young bird left alone.
Bianca spoke gently, “Sophia, I have an idea. Can you trust me with this?”
Sophia’s eyes slowly opened at Bianca’s words. She looked into Bianca’s determined eyes, surprised, and then nodded in agreement.
Slowly, Sophia loosened her grip on Bianca’s sleeve and watched as Bianca confidently walked into the crowd.
Raising her voice loud enough for everyone to hear, Bianca proclaimed, “The person in that photo isn’t Sophia at all!”
Immediately, all eyes turned to Bianca.
“Look at the comparison photos online; they’re everywhere, showing her mouth, nose, and even the mole on her cheek. How can you say it’s not her?”
“Miss Scott, I know you want to succeed and stay at Phoenix Entertainment, but that doesn’t mean you should make things up.”
Bianca’s eyes scanned the crowd, focused and confident. She held up her phone and zoomed in on the nude photo several times. At the center of the screen was the distinct gold embroidery on the sofa from Champs Le Bar.
“Anyone who’s been to Champs Le Bar would recognize these patterns on the sofas in their private rooms.”
Whispers started to spread among the crowd.
“That pattern looks familiar.”
“Yes, I remember this design. It’s definitely from Champs Le Bar.”
“But how does that prove it’s not Sophia in the picture?”
Bianca turned to the crowd, a confident smile on her face. “It matters.”
With that, Bianca brought up the photo that was anonymously sent. She zoomed in on it, making it much larger, and held it up for everyone to see.
The crowd pressed closer to Bianca, eager to get a better view.
Someone leaned in towards her phone, squinting intensely. “This is…”
Bianca declared, “This is how the pattern on Champs Le Bar’s sofa appeared five years ago.”
Instantly, the woman’s eyes widened, and she exclaimed, “But this pattern doesn’t have any gold embroidery!”
“What does this mean?” Zoey asked, squinting at Bianca. “Not every sofa at Champs Le Bar has that gold trim.”
Just as Zoey finished speaking, a deep male voice resonated from the crowd.
“Exactly!”
All heads turned, including Bianca’s.
A man in a black windbreaker stepped forward from the crowd.
He had a striking yet gentle appearance, with a commanding presence that was impressive and intimidating. Recognition flickered in Bianca’s eyes. Where had she seen this man before?
Her thoughts raced, memories falling into place. She realized he was the same man who had been with Dave in the private room at Champs Le Bar.
He was Michael Hayes!