Chapter 10 Gossips Matter Most
I looked at the crowd of people crowded together on the dark stairs at midnight, and I found myself at a loss for words.
Even Harvey had one leg wrapped in bandages and was awkwardly balanced on crutches.
“What are you all doing here?” I finally asked.
Natalie, holding up a selfie stick with her phone mounted on top, pressed a finger to her lips. Her whisper was almost conspiratorial. “Shh! Yunice, we’re here to find William.”
Next to her, my dad, Thomas, had one fist pressed against his mouth, attempting to look calm, but the way he crouched awkwardly betrayed his true state of mind. He leaned in with an exaggerated whisper as if this were some top–secret mission.
“My dear Yunice, I’ve got a tip–off. That shameless Alicia was released due to insufficient evidence about her drugging scheme. She’s planning to sneak in tonight with a spare key she’s hidden away and defile William. Quietly now, we don’t want to scare her off.”
Jimmy balanced Harvey on his arm while simultaneously texting William before glancing back at me. “Stay back and keep out of sight. If Alicia gets desperate, who knows what she might do?”
1 was utterly speechless. Honestly, they were too much. Even their gear was more elaborate than mine, and I was supposed to be the professional bystander in this family.
I felt mixed emotions. “Then, why don’t you stop her?”
Natalie waved me off dismissively. “If we stop her too soon, the most we can do is take the key back. No, we need to catch her in the act, red–handed. That’s the only way to have solid evidence against her defiling William. Otherwise, what if she comes up with some crooked ideas to harm you in the future?”
“And what about William?” I asked, torn between shock and dark amusement.
Thomas peeked around the corner of the dim hallway. “It’s okay for a grown man to be taken advantage of.”
“He…”
Ten minutes later, the entire family burst into William’s room in a flurry of righteous chaos. Cameras flashed, and shutters clicked as we caught Alicia red–handed. Draped in a slinky nightgown with her shoulder half–exposed, she was in the middle of desperately trying to pull down William’s pants.
The one caught red–handed had shock, disbelief, and panic written all over her face.
The moment was ended by a sharp scream from Alicia, followed by William waking up from the effects of the medication. His gaze brimmed with resentment as he took in the family scene.
The female lead finally accompanied the hero and went to prison for the second time in just one day.
Fast forward three days later to the night of our family’s recognition banquet.
In the original timeline, this banquet did not occur at all.
On this day in the previous one, Alicia and Jeremy got engaged, sparking the first explosive argument between me and my parents. That night, I stormed out of the house, starting a journey that would only widen the distance
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Chapter 10 Gossips Matter Most
between us.
My three brothers, intent on protecting their adopted sister, completely forgot about their real sister, who had endured loneliness her entire childhood.
But now? Now, things were different.
My parents showered me with love, and my brothers stood before me, each offering heartfelt apologies.
The cycle of prejudice and lies that had colored our family’s beginning was broken. It turned out our lives could have a different story.
Guests from the variety show I had participated in showed up.
The assistant director handed me an invitation to his daughter’s baby shower celebration while the main director, brimming with confidence, dramatically laid a new contract in front of me.
“A new show,” he declared, his enthusiasm practically lighting up the room. “The line–up is stellar. Miss Stone, you absolutely must join us!”
I hesitated, caught off guard, but inwardly, I couldn’t help but admire his audacity.
‘The director is truly something else. After all, not only did he manage to get his wife’s lover, but he secured the investment he had originally planned to give her! And he kept his assets intact in the process.‘
“Oh…” The crowd looked at the director meaningfully.
The director, now thoroughly exposed, maintained a forced composure. “Trust me, this show is going to be a hit. Miss Stone, all we’re missing is you to complete the magic formula!”
“Sure, that’s a solid pitch,” I said, nodding slowly. “But why is it a dating variety show?”
“I’ll be joining as well.”
I turned, startled. Donald had somehow appeared beside me, his hand casually tapping the invitation on the table. He was wearing a tailored suit, and his lips were curled into a faint smile. His sheer charm was so dazzling, it seemed he couldn’t care less about the collateral damage it caused to others.
“Wait, what?”
“Some people,” he said, “think they can play games and walk away. But I, for one, believe in keeping my promises.” He leaned in closer, the deep timbre of his voice brushing against my ear.
“Well, if it’s someone like you, then maybe this doesn’t seem so-”
“No way!” My three brothers jumped in unison, cutting me off.
“Huh? I actually-”
“Yunice!” Jimmy interrupted sharply. “Didn’t you say you wanted to join a production team? I’ve got a great script -for you.”
“Forget about it,” I said. “Money–making is way better than wasting time on some guy!”
Donald didn’t even flinch. “The most popular couple on the dating variety show stands a chance at securing a film role with none other than the international director, Mr. Mike,” he said smoothly.
་ ཇཋ ༩ ཇ་
My eyes widened. “What?! Sign me up!”
The Stone brothers glared at him in unison. “Shameless!”
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Donald merely smiled but said nothing.
The scene was tense, and the atmosphere was subtle. ‘What should I do if my future boyfriend doesn’t get along with his brothers–in–law?’
And then, out of nowhere, my system delivered an urgent gossip alert.
‘What? The lady from the villa next door is catching someone in the act of cheating?‘
The guests around me perked up instantly, their eyes lighting up with curiosity.
‘Wait a minute. The woman catching the cheater is actually the hostess herself! And she orchestrated it all because she’s in love with their gardener!‘
The crowd collectively leaned in, faces brimming with excitement.
‘You won’t believe it. The husband’s countering her now! Turns out he’s known about her affair all along!‘
‘What? They’re fighting now? And the gardener–oh my god–he’s… He’s mutilated himself to prove his innocence! He says the hostess forced him into it, but his heart has always belonged to the husband!‘
Gasps erupted from everyone around.
‘The hostess has completely lost it! She’s in the backyard now, lighting a fire and planning to take everyone down with her! And the flames, oh no, they’re spreading to our villa!‘
“Put out the fire!” someone shouted.
Grabbing Donald’s hand, I bolted for the door. Family and guests alike scrambled behind us, rushing toward the chaos outside.
Love might be unpredictable; progress was a possibility, and career goals were essential, but juicy drama? That was non–negotiable.
If there was gossip today, we would just enjoy it. Tomorrow’s worries? We would deal with them tomorrow.
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