After they signed the contract, Sophie and the founder of Beautiful Soul decided to have lunch together. It was a pleasant break from the busy day.
At 1 PM, Sophie departed from the hotel and headed straight to the airport. As they got nearer to their destination, Lisa felt her nerves start to tingle with anxiety.
"Sophie, I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. But remember, you need to look out for yourself too," Lisa said earnestly.
With her usual bright smile, Sophie replied, "Lisa, do you really think I haven't made any preparations for this?"
At that moment, both of them felt confident and in control of the situation. Was there really anything to be afraid of?
Three years ago, Sophie had already faced the toughest challenges life could throw at her.
Soon after, they finally arrived at their destination, and Lisa was the first to step out of the car. She carefully retrieved the luggage and then helped Sophie out as well.
Initially, nobody seemed to pay attention to them. However, as soon as they entered the airport, a crowd of fans eagerly approached them, holding flowers to welcome Sophie.
The flowers were eagerly handed to Sophie, but before she could get a good grip on them, they, along with other gifts, tumbled to the floor.
In that moment, everyone froze in surprise. With sunglasses and face masks on, the fans looked disheartened, seeing their thoughtful gifts accidentally mishandled.
"Sophie, what's going on here!? We brought you flowers because we admire you. How could you just throw them on the floor? Even big stars wouldn't treat their fans like this, and you're not even famous yet," one of the fans accused angrily.
Sophie quickly realized these individuals were trying to stir up trouble for her. Without hesitation, she apologized, "I'm really sorry. I didn't manage to hold onto the flowers properly. It was an accident, not on purpose at all."
"Sure, it didn't look like an accident. You clearly meant to do it," another voice chimed in.
"Yeah, I saw it too. You tossed them on purpose," added another, their tone brimming with accusation.
The anti-fans were stirring up rumors among the bystanders, their voices growing louder.
"Just based on your attitude, how can you even compare to Amber? Amber always greets fans with a warm smile and even takes pictures with them. Did you think signing one contract would let you take her place?" one of them jeered.
As more people gathered around Sophie and Lisa, the crowd grew rapidly, with curious onlookers joining in.
In no time, Sophie found herself surrounded by nearly a hundred people, with Lisa by her side.
Seizing the opportunity created by the growing crowd, the anti-fans moved to the next part of their plan. They began pushing and shoving Sophie, trying to unsettle her.
"Amber has been famous for three years, while you faded into obscurity. Now I see why—it's because of your bad attitude, unlike Amber's kindness," another taunted.
"Give the contract back to Amber!" someone shouted.
"I agree! I used to like you, but seeing how you treated those flowers from your fans, you're nothing like Amber, not even close," echoed another voice.
"You don't deserve Amber's contract. What tricks did you pull to get it? Tell us!" demanded yet another, raising the tension in the air.
The fans' questions became more intense, and people walking by began snapping pictures and chatting about the scene unfolding before them.
To them, Sophie seemed bold and unashamed, while they believed Amber was far more reliable.
Sophie found herself completely surrounded, with no way to slip away from the crowd.
Instead of panicking, she took a deep breath, removed her sunglasses, and showed her bare face to everyone. "I'm willing to answer your questions, but can I ask a few of my own first?"
"Sure, go ahead," the skeptical fans replied, curious about what Sophie had planned.
"You claim to be my fans, so can any of you tell me the year I debuted, or when I won my awards and what they were?" Sophie asked, looking directly at them.
The group exchanged puzzled glances, realizing they had no idea about these details because they didn't like her.
"Uh... we're new fans, but still, you threw gifts on the ground, so you're in the wrong," one of them stammered.
"Whether or not I accidentally dropped the flowers, even if I didn't explain, the airport cameras would have captured everything. But I apologized right away, and I'm sure everyone heard me. I've also acknowledged before that Amber has a lot to offer and learn from within the industry. So, what more are you dissatisfied with?" Sophie replied calmly, Not forceful at all but straight to the point
The girl causing all the trouble was clearly not a fan of hers. It was pretty obvious that she was actually a fan of Amber, whose name popped into her mind.
Even though Sophie had already apologized and tried to handle things with a humble attitude, most of the people passing by started to see things differently. They began to think that Amber's fans were being petty and had crossed the line.
"Alright, fine. I'm also a fan of Amber's, and I just think you shouldn't be compared to her. Plus, you took her contract, and you should give it back." After saying that, the group of anti-fans began to push Sophie. She stumbled and almost fell, but fortunately, the bodyguards Noah had sent arrived just in time. They squeezed through the crowd to catch her and keep her safe.
The bodyguards began to move the crowd away from Sophie, creating some space around her.
Lisa, unable to contain her anger any longer now that the bodyguards had arrived, stepped in between the anti-fans and Sophie. She turned her head slightly towards Sophie and said, "You go on ahead and wait for me. I'll catch up with you in a bit!"
"Alright!" Sophie replied, as she usually did, without any argument. She calmly put her sunglasses back on.
The anti-fans, determined to get their point across, warned, "If you don't give us an explanation today and return the contract to Amber, don't even think about getting on that plane." They stretched out their arms to form a human barrier, blocking the way.
"Do you really have that much faith in Amber's character?" Lisa asked, her words carrying a deeper meaning.
"Absolutely, it's way better than your cheap model," one of the anti-fans retorted.
"I've recorded everything you just said," Lisa replied, holding up her phone. "When the time is right, I'll make sure you all receive a huge surprise." With that, she placed the phone to her ear and called the police.
The police arrived promptly, and with the assistance of Noah's bodyguards, they escorted Sophie safely away from the crowd.
Sophie quickly vanished from the public eye, but before the police departed, she whispered something to them. Meanwhile, Lisa glanced at her phone and said, "Sophie, Amber has turned the news about you supposedly stealing her contract into the number one topic."
"So what are you waiting for? Release the video," Sophie replied, continuing on her way.
"I've been waiting for this moment," Lisa said with determination. "Now those fans can find out whether their goddess is truly an innocent lady or something else."
After saying this, Lisa called a reporter friend and instructed, "Go ahead and release the video we prepared earlier."
"Nathan, let's see how many times you can come to Amber's rescue," she thought to herself, anticipating the unfolding drama.
In the cozy resting area meant for artists at Global Pictures Entertainment, Amber was in high spirits. The topic she had sparked was now the hottest one around, ranking at number one.
Adding to her joy, fans sent her pictures from the airport scene, where Sophie found herself overwhelmed, unable to even retaliate. This filled Amber with a twisted sense of satisfaction, as Sophie was getting a taste of the consequences for snatching away her contract. But Amber knew this was just the beginning; the worst was still on the horizon.
Her assistant, trying to boost her mood even more, said, "Amber, after all this drama, I'm sure you're going to land deals that are even better than what Beautiful Soul had offered," while gently massaging her shoulders.
"Absolutely! I need to secure my spot at the top of the top ten model awards," Amber said with a confident smile. Her self-assurance came from Nathan's earlier reassurance.
Just as he had promised, Nathan suddenly appeared at the doorway, holding a contract ready for discussion.
"Hurry up, my top ten model. A major opportunity is here. Let's get to the meeting right away," he urged. Amber nodded, feeling exceptionally pleased as she made her way to the meeting room to go over the details.
Even though Amber lost the deal with Beautiful Soul, she managed to secure a partnership with an international makeup brand. She truly is a valuable asset for Global Pictures Entertainment.
Nathan showered Amber with compliments, saying, "As for Sophie, if anyone asks about her, just tell them she's getting married and won't be taking any more jobs."
Hearing this made Amber's smile grow even wider. But as they exchanged looks filled with understanding, Nathan suddenly received a phone call.
Initially, he wore a beaming smile, but it quickly vanished.
"Mr. Blair, why are you canceling the contract all of a sudden?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"The inappropriate video of you and Amber has gone viral. I'm extremely disappointed in both of you. It's disgraceful," the voice on the other end snapped before abruptly hanging up.
"What's going on!?" Amber exclaimed, her voice filled with shock.
"The advertiser is asking for a fix to something," Nathan replied, pulling out his phone as he spoke.
To his dismay, the top search result was a video showing him and Amber getting cozy in a hospital bed.
This time, it wasn't just a still photograph—it was a video, undeniable and clear as day.
When Amber saw Nathan's reaction, she rushed over and snatched the phone from his hand.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she watched the footage, so stunned that she let the phone slip from her grasp, crashing onto the floor. "How could this have happened? How...!?"
Everyone else in the meeting room quickly reached for their phones, eager to find out what had caused the commotion.
Amber, feeling cornered like someone caught red-handed, started shouting at everyone, "Don't look! Stop searching!"
"It's ruined, everything is ruined," Nathan fumed as he sank into his chair. "Who exactly is behind this, trying to sabotage me?"
Beyond the internal chaos at Global Pictures Entertainment, Amber's official page was also in turmoil.
Just today, her fans had rallied behind her, rushing to defend her and criticize Sophie. Now, it felt as if they'd been hit with a harsh reality check.
By this time, Lisa and Sophie were already on their flight. Lisa was scrolling through Amber's fan club, observing the chaos as former fans turned against her.
"I can't believe Amber turned out to be so low," one person commented. "We idolized her without knowing the truth. I must have been blind. I've lost all respect for her."
"Same here!" another chimed in.
"Me too!" echoed a third, as the wave of disillusionment spread through the group.
"We need to step up and clear Sophie's name at the airport. We unfairly accused her, and she could have easily retaliated, but she never did. Instead, when the police stopped us, she even asked them to go easy on us. I overheard everything, but I kept quiet," one fan confessed with a heavy heart.
"Plus, it was Garry who gave us Sophie's schedule. We really should share this information online."
As the conversation unfolded, Lisa's smile grew wider and wider. "How satisfying! Those troublemakers must be in a frenzy right now," she remarked. "Sophie, you're so clever. I really admire you!" Lisa exclaimed, wrapping Sophie in a warm embrace and giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"But I don't love you," Sophie teased, glancing down at Lisa with a playful smile.
"Then who do you love? Is it Mr. Noah?" Lisa questioned with curiosity.
Sophie indeed found her thoughts drifting to Noah, particularly missing his kisses.
Habits can be dangerous, especially when they're as poisonous as this one.
Suddenly, Nathan and Amber's latest news spread like wildfire, grabbing everyone's attention and undoing all their previous public relations [PR] efforts.
Nathan was engaged to Sophie, but the video showed Amber as the outsider who had come between them, disrupting Nathan and Sophie's relationship.
Amber quickly became known as the despised homewrecker, whispered about in disdain by everyone.
Amidst all this, a media insider revealed that the whole incident with the crown star substitute was masterminded by Nathan and Amber, while poor Sophie was left to shoulder all the blame without doing anything wrong.
The online community was buzzing with excitement and anger.
Later that day, even more shocking news hit the headlines about the airport incident.
Sophie had been under fire for allegedly snubbing her fans, causing bystanders to react with disdain. However, when an inappropriate video of Amber surfaced, Amber's official fan page stepped up with a statement that completely exonerated Sophie.
It turned out the fans had orchestrated the entire scene from the start, claiming it was all to defend Amber.
Thankfully, they realized that the idol they stood by wasn't worth their loyalty.
Adding fuel to the fire, evidence emerged showing Garry secretly sharing Sophie's schedule with the fan club.
The plot thickened when records of the secret discussions that led to the airport chaos were leaked.
Eventually, a statement was issued on Sophie's behalf, setting the record straight. It explained that Sophie hadn't tossed the flowers on the ground. The statement praised her for remaining polite and genuinely apologizing, even when she knew she was being unfairly accused.
Most notably, during the commotion, as the police shielded her, Sophie showed her true kindness. She gently asked the officers to be careful, worried they might inadvertently harm someone.
Amber's official fan club released this revelation, signaling their downfall and transforming them into a defeated army.
Even her most devoted fans had now abandoned her. Who could ever trust Amber again?
The media remained relentless, and fans trampled on her reputation. Companies that once proudly featured Amber as their model or Brand Ambassador swiftly pulled their ads and sent out legal notices.
Faced with this avalanche of rejection, Amber realized her career was shattered. She knew, without a doubt, that she was utterly finished.
"Amber, you need to stay calm. Remember, you have a baby on the way. With this child, Mr. Nathan will have to pay attention to you. Even if you can't continue your career as a top model, you could still become the wife of the CEO of Global Pictures Entertainment," Garry said, trying to reassure Amber after she angrily threw things on the floor. "Take care of yourself; there's still a long journey ahead."
Amber listened and agreed with her assistant's advice. Even if Sophie managed to make a comeback, it didn't matter. With the baby, she still had a chance to succeed.