Chapter 11 Would I Push Innocent People Into the Water?
“I need to find the Frye Family to record the show,” Lennon explained, trying to remain patient.
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Isabelle raised an eyebrow. “I already had a falling–out with the Frye Family, and now they expect me to film a show there? What’s the production team thinking? Aren’t they worried I’ll just report Roy to the police?”
Hearing her mention Roy, Lennon frowned. “You’d better hold back when you see him. Don’t start any conflicts. He’s your father, and your mother has already taken his side with whatever excuse he comes up with. Unless it’s caught on camera, he’ll never admit anything. Besides, after being caught by you last time, he’ll definitely be more careful. For the sake of your remaining payment for the show, just endure it, okay?”
Isabelle didn’t think she could stomach dealing with that scumbag. “How much am I even making from this show?”
“69000 dollars,” Lennon replied, exasperated that she’d even forgotten this. “So don’t mess it up. Can you even afford the penalty for breaching the contract? Even if you sold off all your clothes, bags, and jewelry, you’d barely scrape together enough to cover it. And then what? Let’s just finish the show properly, okay?”
Isabelle scoffed. “I don’t have any clothes, bags, or jewelry worth selling–at least not the kind that would fetch any money.”
“What do you mean you don’t have any?” Lennon was puzzled. He remembered the expensive outfits she used to wear.
“Those were all provided by the Powell Family,” Isabelle replied. “They belonged to the daughter of the Powell family, not me.”
Lennon stared at her in shock. “Wait, are you saying you returned everything to the Powell Family?”
“Do you really think I needed to return them?” Isabelle shot him a sharp look. “My foster mother dumped me straight into a run–down neighborhood.”
Lennon immediately understood. “You’re kidding me. Are the Powell Family really that stingy?”
“Maybe this is their way of punishing me,” Isabelle said with a mocking tone. “After all, I dragged Tiana into this mess, didn’t
I?”
Hearing this, Lennon found it hard to criticize the Powell Family. “You were too impulsive when you did that. If you’d just gotten along with Tiana, the Powell Family might not have kicked you out.”
“And you think she’d get along with me?” Isabelle gave him a sidelong glance. “How naive are you?”
“What do you mean?” Lennon was confused. “I thought Tiana seemed pretty easygoing.”
Tiana hadn’t been particularly popular at first on the show, but compared to Isabelle, she came off as a saint. She was patient, could cook, and seemed kind–hearted. Her looks were sweet and non–threatening, making her no competition to anyone in the entertainment industry. Isabelle, on the other hand, stood out immediately. Her striking appearance drew attention, and it rubbed some of her female co–stars the wrong way.
After the scandal about the “real noble and the imposter,” Isabelle and Tiana became natural rivals.
“An easygoing person would be pushed into the water by me?” Isabelle countered.
“You’re saying she provoked you, so you pushed her?” Lennon scratched his head. “If that’s the case, she’s really good at playing the victim.”
“Are you an idiot?” Isabelle shot him a disdainful look.
Lennon suddenly had a thought. “Wait, are you saying she jumped in herself and framed you?”
This time, Isabelle didn’t deny it. “You’re not completely clueless after all.”
“No way… She actually set you up like that?” Lennon’s worldview seemed to shatter.
With a sly smile, Isabelle replied, “She didn’t outright accuse me. She even explained that she fell in by accident. But do you think anyone believed her?”
Of course, no one believed it. In that situation, all the suspicion landed on Isabelle–especially from her foster mother.
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Chapter 11 Would I Push Innocent People Into the Water?
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Isabelle’s foster mother was convinced that Isabelle, upon learning that Tiana was the real Powell Family daughter, had maliciously targeted her. Isabelle’s bold personality and strained relationships with her co–stars only made her look guiltier.
Lennon shook his head. “I didn’t think Tiana was such a manipulative woman. She used this to get you kicked out of the Powell Family. With how much they dislike you now, going back is impossible. What’s your plan?”
Lennon was Isabelle’s agent, and in truth, he was as closely tied to her as they were on the same boat, unlike the assistant who had left her to join Tiana.
The assistant was appointed by the Powell Family for their daughter, but Lennon was a choice Isabelle had made herself—just as he had chosen her.
What he hadn’t told Isabelle was that during her hospitalization, Nova had approached him, asking if he wanted to be Tiana’s agent.
Lennon had some clout in the entertainment industry, having gained fame at a young age. He had started as an actor before becoming an agent, and the first star he had made famous was his ex–girlfriend, Sarah Hardin.
They were on the brink of marriage when Sarah fell for a film director she worked with and became his mistress willingly. The affair caused the director to divorce his wife and marry Sarah.
Dexter, who married Sarah, took a dislike to Lennon, her ex, and deliberately sabotaged him, making it hard for Lennon to secure good resources or achieve further success,
After several quiet years, Lennon approached Isabelle, attracted by her beauty and sensing her potential for stardom, as well as her backing from the Powell Family.
The Powell family was a wealthy family from San Visol. Although they weren’t as powerful as some top–tier dynasties, they still managed to protect their daughter with ample resources.
Isabelle wanted fame, and Lennon wanted to replicate his success with Sarah. It was a perfect match.
“As if I haven’t already been kicked out.” Isabelle shrugged. “What else can I do? I’m just going to coast through this show and avoid breaching the contract.”
“You can’t just give up!” Lennon frowned. “You promised me we’d rise to the top of the entertainment world together.”
Isabelle laughed at his words. “You actually believed that middle–school–level dream? If I were still the Powell Family daughter, maybe it’d be possible. But now? Do you really think it’s realistic?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Let me guess. My foster mother approached you privately and asked you to work for Tiana instead, didn’t she?”
Lennon’s face froze. Isabelle had chosen him as her agent, and the Powell Family had approved because of his reliability. Now that Tiana was the real daughter, it made sense for them to recruit someone familiar.
“How did you know?” he asked hesitantly.
Isabelle patted him on the shoulder. “Just a wild guess. I didn’t think you’d give it away so easily.”
Before Lennon could defend himself, Isabelle cut him off and shoved him out the door.
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