Sophia insisted she had personally witnessed Lillian pushing Helen.
Helen’s old fans immediately took the matter to the trending topics on social media.
Lillian’s phone was confiscated, so she had no idea she was at the center of a massive public storm.
To make things worse, someone with inside information revealed that Lillian had attended an exclusive yacht party and had once been accused of stealing from a famous actress.
Lillian was doxxed, and the internet was abuzz with rumors-some defending her, but most condemning her.
Helen’s fans even organized hospital visits, and since Lillian lacked the same level of fame, public opinion quickly turned against her.
Meanwhile, Hogan was playing pool when Lionel tossed a phone onto the table.
“What’s this supposed to mean? Lillian’s out of favor now? She’s been on the trending list for ages, and Conrad hasn’t done a thing about it,” Lionel remarked.
Hogan glanced at the screen, furrowing his brow. “I don’t get that guy. Too complicated.”
Lionel’s tone turned icy. “He’s been busy setting Evelyn up with a powerful agent these past few days. She’s snagged quite a few roles from rising actresses. Even their fans couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Yet, he’s leaving Lillian to be dragged through the mud. What do you think Conrad’s playing at?”
Hogan sank another shot and smirked coldly. “The guy’s nuts. She’s gone anyway, so it’s none of our business.”
Lionel shrugged. He rarely bothered with Conrad’s private affairs; the man hated anyone meddling.
“Should we stir the pot a little more?” Hogan suddenly asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Lionel raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”
“We’ve eaten our fair share of meals cooked by the little caged bird, haven’t we? I’d hate for Conrad to regret this in the future. Gordon, what do you think?”
Gordon had just put down his phone and resumed playing his handheld game. “I’ve already done what I could. The rest is up to you.”
Hogan picked up his phone, and sure enough, the Smith family had taken care of things. In an instant, all topics about Lillian and Helen vanished from the internet without a trace.
Hogan gave Gordon a thumbs-up.
Later, Hogan personally brought a lawyer to the police station to get Lillian released. Not only that, but he also publicly presented her with 9, 999 red roses.
This new headline easily overshadowed Evelyn’s announcement as the lead actress in a web drama.
That night, during a media interview, Lionel hinted that the woman he admired had the surname “Lewis.”
The trending topics were in complete chaos, a spicy pot of drama boiling over.
Who exactly was Lillian? What was her connection to these men?
And what kind of charm did she have to captivate all of them?
Meanwhile, in the top suite of the best hotel in City N, Evelyn smashed her coffee cup onto the floor with a sharp crack.
“Lillian! You’re deliberately messing with me!”
Kicking her out of the production team wasn’t enough-today was supposed to be Evelyn’s big announcement day! Yet again, Lillian had stolen her spotlight!
“Miss Evelyn,” her assistant whispered hesitantly, “what’s wrong?”
“Who picked today for the announcement?!” Evelyn snapped, her delicate, sweet image completely gone.
The assistant muttered, “Our original date was next month, as we weren’t fully prepared. You were the one who saw today’s trending topics and insisted on announcing it today.”
Evelyn had been forced into the production by Conrad, so even the director didn’t dare object. How was this their fault now?
What Evelyn didn’t anticipate was that, despite Lillian being the target of harsh criticism, she still managed to turn the tables. Why?!
In truth, Evelyn wasn’t the only one watching the drama unfold.
When Ford received Lillian’s resignation letter, he glanced at Conrad, who was lounging on the sofa.
“Mr. Conrad.”
“What is it?”
“Miss Lillian’s resignation letter. She said she needs to take care of her grandmother and can’t manage work anymore.”
“Let her be.”
“Understood.”
Lillian had been waiting for Ford’s response. When he finally replied with a simple “Okay,” she let out a sigh of relief. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Could you return my documents to me?”
“Sorry, you’ll have to ask Mr. Conrad about that.”
Lillian deleted the message, washed her face, and then replied to Jack. The film crew was about to start shooting, and she figured Conrad must have decided to let her go.
She just needed to stay low for a while. With time, Conrad would probably lose interest in meddling with her life. For now, she wasn’t planning to leave the country anyway.
Everything seemed to be moving in the direction she hoped for. Once her grandmother recovered and could walk again, she would finish filming the movie, graduate, and take her grandmother away from City N.
From that moment on, nothing in City N would have anything to do with her.
Lillian temporarily entrusted her grandmother to Frank and Melissa, grabbed the small suitcase she had when she left the Brown family, and boarded the crew’s logistics bus.
At first, Lillian struggled to adjust. The film crew had chosen a remote location and was starting to build a new set from scratch. She had to stay on-site to oversee the work.
The living conditions were terrible. Lillian’s skin was more sensitive than most, and after just three days, her legs were covered in red welts that itched unbearably, some even forming tiny blisters.
When she had a free moment, she went to a nearby market and bought a new bedding set to replace the old, musty-smelling one in her room. Despite the damp and moldy environment, Lillian felt more fulfilled than ever. There was no Conrad and no annoying distractions.
Every day, she sat at the construction site with a piece of bread and a bottle of water, staying from morning until night. Her skin grew a shade darker under the sun.
Though the work was full of small, tedious tasks, Melissa occasionally sent her video updates, showing the new flowers she had arranged for Lillian’s grandmother. Those moments gave Lillian the strength to keep going.
Every time she saw her grandmother in the videos, the gender discrimination, cold stares, and sneers she endured on set felt much easier to bear.
“Lillian!”
“Coming!” She quickly ended the video call, stuffed her unfinished meal into her bag, and ran toward the source of the voice.
Half a month passed quietly like that. Lillian hadn’t even realized how much time had gone by since she left Conrad, until Gordon appeared in front of her. He took off his sunglasses and stared at her in disbelief, looking her up and down.
“What happened to you? Why are you so tanned?!” Gordon almost didn’t recognize the dusty and disheveled girl in front of him.
Lillian pushed her hair back. “Your leg’s better?”
“I still can’t run or jump, but I can walk for short distances.”
“That’s good.” After a moment of silence, Lillian wasn’t sure what else to say.
“What are you doing here?” Lillian asked.
Gordon, as one of the wealthy elite, the places he frequented were usually high-end. This area, marketed as a developing filming base, was, frankly, just a desolate countryside.
“Don’t you remember? My family invested in this project too. I’m the most free person at home right now, so they sent me to check things out. Have you eaten yet?” Gordon asked.