"Lights, Camera… Affair? Famous A-list actress, Phoenix spotted with movie mogul, Draven Anderson three times within 24 hours…"
"What's going on, Phoenix?" Olivia panicked as she gave out orders to her team to do everything they could to bring down the article. "What do you think Ryan would say when he sees this? I'm sure news has already reached him."
Phoenix wasn't even listening to her, she darted down to the car where Draven was seated in the car looking as relaxed as ever. "Did you see the news? How can you be so calm about this? Did you do all that just to let the article leak?"
Draven opened his eyes, looking over at her trembling. "What are you talking about?" He asked with a raised brow and he got a phone shoved in his face. A frown settled on his face as he read the article, picking up his phone in an instant.
"If your job is precious to you, Evan, you'll explain to me why I have a scandal about Phoenix out there." He growled, his tone carrying an authority that made her shiver despite the fact that she was just mad at him. "I don't have to tell you to fix it."
Tossing his phone aside, he gestured to her to get in. And without another word she did as he told her. "Wait a minute, what about Ryan–"
"The more time we spend here, the more likely those snooping media will come over. Get in." Draven said and without question, she stepped into the car before he drove off.
By the time they got back to Draven's mansion, the articles had vanished but the damage was already done. There were millions of retweets and hate comments directed towards her. It was as if the entire fanbase suddenly turned on her on false allegations by just being seen with Draven.
"This isn't looking good. It's like this has all been planned out. Queen of Crowns and Archangels just requested to drop the signed contract. They said they signed the contract with you because you haven't had any bad publicity and now with how things are going, it might be bad for them."
Draven stood in a corner as he watched Phoenix chew her fingers nervously. She looked so worried and he couldn't tell if it was still because of Ryan or something else. As he was, he wasn't really bothered by whatever backlash the scandal had on him, he was just worried about her.
"I thought I specifically gave you the order Evan." He said calmly, walking towards his office with quick strides, his assistant, Evan walking behind him with an exhausted look. The mental exhaustion from the pressure he had to go through to take it down wasn't little, combined with Draven's anger which wasn't shown but he knew well.
"I'm sorry about this." Evan apologized as he stepped into Draven's office right behind him. Draven sank into his seat, rubbing his temple as he stared into space, his thoughts wandering for a few minutes.
"Pull out my investments in every single movie that terminated her contract. And terminate the ambassador deal with Ryan Brown and Natalie Portman. Every damn one." He ordered firmly. "Then request a meeting with the scripts I reviewed yesterday. No matter how much they want you to invest in their movies, make sure Phoenix gets her parts. And make it not connected to me in any way."
"As you wish." Evan bowed. He remained there till Draven raised a brow in question. "There's been a request to visit the family plot by Master Draco."
Draven paused, his fingers tapping the desk slightly as deep frown lines settled on his forehead. He didn't say a word but Evan knew what was going on in his head already. "I'll reject the request."
******
User_1189: "Who would ever believe Phoenix would be in an affair with Draven. I mean, maybe that's why he invests a lot in her movies."
herhater_1000: "I've always been suspicious but this just proves my suspicion."
Olivia snatched away the phone from Phoenix, slightly glaring at her. "This isn't the right time for you to be going around to see what's being said online. I've contacted the team and they're putting together everything they can to get rid of this mess."
Phoenix didn't say a word. Everything had just come crashing down in the span of twenty four hours. All she had been trying to keep together since she married Ryan was all crumbling like that.
She couldn't exactly blame anyone for it. In fact, she dragged Draven who had never been involved in any celebrity scandal into this and she was even almost about to go all nuts on him, thinking It was a set up.
"Now I'm worried about Ryan. He hasn't said a word since the article came out." Olivia said, tapping her feet as she stared at her phone, waiting for the agency to do something about this soiling of public image but they haven't even gotten back to her yet.
What she was more worried about was Ryan though and how he would treat Phoenix. As someone who's been with Phoenix for long, she knew exactly how Ryan had been treating her and how she has been enduring all these five years of their marriage.
Although they got married when her career was just picking up after years in the industry, it was still because of their marriage her career got where it was today. She didn't know if she could see Phoenix go back into that marriage after she took liberty to do as she pleased since the award ceremony.
"Phoenix–"
"…lawyer."
"Excuse me?" Olivia asked with her head tilted to the side.
"Call my lawyer. Ask him to prepare the divorce papers this instant." Phoenix said, springing to her feet with tears in her eyes. "If he's trying to show me I can be nothing without him, I'll prove to him I will make it without him even if I have to scrape my knees off by begging to be in roles."