Chapter 32
However, this should have been an event that Percival would attend, yet he sent The Scribe in his place, citing work commitments. This raised whispers among the onlookers that a rift had developed between Eleanor and Heavens Arts Entertainment. Perhaps, it was true that Celeste had detained Percival; after all, how could she allow him to support Eleanor?
In the office at Henry’s Entertainment, Victor watched the live stream. On screen, Eleanor appeared graceful and unassuming, exuding a serene beauty that was hard to miss. As the signing ceremony concluded, Victor summoned The Scribe: “Arrange for four bodyguards to protect Eleanor until she boards the plane.” “Understood, sir…” Victor was aware that while Eleanor’s endorsement might seem smooth on the surface, beneath it lay tumultuous upheaval.
After the signing, Eleanor enjoyed lunch with the founder of hf before departing from The Inn at 1 PM, headed straight to The Aerodrome. The closer they got to their destination, the more agitated Seraphina became. “Eleanor, I will do my best to protect you, but you must also take care of yourself.”
“Seraphina, do you think I’m unprepared?” Eleanor replied with a calm smile. They had everything under control now; what was there to fear? Three years ago, she had been through it all.
Seraphina exited the vehicle first to grab their luggage before helping Eleanor out. Initially, no one noticed their arrival. But the moment they stepped into The Aerodrome, a throng of admirers rushed toward Eleanor, clutching flowers that they shoved into her arms. Unfortunately, Eleanor couldn’t hold onto them all, and the beautiful bouquet fell to the ground in a sad heap.
For a moment, everyone was stunned. The masked enthusiasts, shielded by sunglasses and facial coverings, quickly turned their disappointment into outrage. “Eleanor, what do you mean by this? We gave you flowers because we like you! You can’t just throw them on the ground! A top–tier star wouldn’t do this to their fans, and you’re not
even that famous yet!”
Eleanor recognized their hostile intent and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I didn’t hold them properly; it wasn’t intentional.”
“Not intentional? It seems intentional to me!”
“I saw you throw them away on purpose,” the detractors began beckoning passersby to join in. Their voices grew louder-“With a character like yours, how can you even compare to Celeste? Celeste is always friendly with her fans and takes pictures with them. You think just because you landed a sponsorship, you can replace her?” As curiosity grew, so did the crowd around Eleanor, soon swelling to over a hundred people.
With more people gathering, the antagonists seized their moment, pretending to push and shove: “Why has Celeste remained successful for three years, while you’re already being forgotten? I now believe it’s for a reason; you really are that unlikable! Look at how kind Celeste is!”
“Return the endorsement to Celeste!”
“Exactly! I used to like you quite a bit, but you just threw away the flowers the fans gave you! You can’t even begin to compete with Celeste; you don’t deserve to steal her endorsement! What tricks did you use to get it? Go on, tell us…”
