Chapter 260
No.1
The screen displayed a Twitter feed exploding with headlines: [Who is Isabella Montgomery’s Sugar Daddy?], [Victoria Kensington: Deepfake Nudes Scandal], [Victoria Kensington’s Opportunities Stolen!].
The top trending topic: [Victoria Kensington’s Chanel audition was sabotaged by explicit deepfakes displayed on screen, costing her the role.]
The comments were a torrent of hate:
[What a scheming witch! Our Vicky is pure class! She’d never!]
[The timing is so obvious. Dirty tricks to steal the spotlight.]
[She’s pure evil.]
[Who is she sleeping with? A nobody doesn’t land a role like this.]
[Chanel should be ashamed. Boycott Chanel!]
[Boycott Chanel! Boycott Isabella Montgomery!]
No.2
[Isabella Montgomery, get out. You’re not wanted.]
The vitriol was endless.
Isabella just scoffed, rolling her eyes. “This is nothing.”
Nothing? The entire internet was calling for her head. Her calm was unnerving.
“This is your first public battle, Isabella,” Julian warned. “You need to win it.”
“Making headlines is a victory in itself, isn’t it?” She strolled to the wine cellar, pouring a generous glass of burgundy. She offered one to Julian, who declined.
His gaze darkened. The past five years had carved cynicism into her soul. “Take this seriously,” he insisted. “It’s not a game.”
At that moment, Chanel’s executives were in emergency session. The online fury made hiring Isabella impossible.
She simply reclined on the sofa, taking a slow sip. “Relax. Do you think I’d make a move without a backup plan?”
No.3
Her fingers began flying across her phone screen.
Her private Instagram account flooded with hateful comments.
[You’re pure evil! How could you do this to Victoria Kensington? Why not Photoshop your own pictures too?]
[What a disgusting witch. I hope you and your family rot in hell!]
[Who do you think you are, auditioning for Chanel? How many men did you sleep with to afford that? Watch out for STDs!]
Isabelle scrolled through the messages, a cold smirk forming on her lips as she typed:
[Sleep with men for money? Try sleeping on a bed of cash!]
She attached three photos: a towering stack of property deeds, a collection of luxury car keys, and a sweeping aerial view of Westchester’s Gold Avenue.
The images instantly went viral across the platform. Gold Avenue in Westchester was legendary—a two-kilometer stretch home to the world’s most exclusive luxury brands. The stack of deeds represented ownership of multiple properties on that very street. And the car keys? Each one belonged to a supercar worth millions.
No.4
[Holy crap, she’s a billionaire!]
[No way this is real. She’s just some adopted orphan—how could she afford all this?]
[I verified it. It’s legit. Isabella Montgomery owns a quarter of the properties on Gold Avenue. Even the powerful Blackwood family only owns half!]
[So maybe she’s sleeping with someone from the Blackwoods. But no way would a family like that take in an adopted girl. Who else is funding her?]
[Even if she’s loaded, she definitely paid for that finalist spot and the ambassador role. She’s buying her way to fame!]
[Exactly. She’s got nothing but cash.]
[She’s purchasing clout, and Chanel is playing along? Money really can buy anything, huh?]
The narrative swiftly twisted.
[Isabella Montgomery uses wealth to buy fame and bully Victoria Kensington!]
No.5
Isabella wasn’t surprised. She had anticipated this. She typed another reply:
[Whether I bought my fame or not, you’ll all find out tomorrow night!]
‘Find out tomorrow night’? How could a fraud be so confident?
…
At the Blackwood Estate…
Oliver Blackwood had been quietly browsing on his tablet when he suddenly shot up, bursting with excitement. “Mommy is so cool! I’ve never seen anyone this awesome! I’m totally her biggest fan!”
“You’re a boy,” Nathaniel stated flatly, moving Oliver aside as he opened his laptop.
Oliver pouted, confused. “Daddy, so many people are bullying your wife. How can you just sit there and work? You’re so cold!”
“Quiet. I’m handling Mommy’s situation,” Nathaniel murmured, his tone mysterious yet compelling.
No.6
That could be fixed.
With a few deft keystrokes, the headline instantly changed to:
The video began with Professor Zero, a man in his mid-sixties with distinguished grey hair, addressing the camera.
“Greetings, everyone. I am Professor Zero, a National Photo Analyst. As many of you know, I work for the government, specializing in verifying the authenticity of various images and assisting departments in validating evidence from crime scenes.
“Recently, I came across a highly discussed topic and decided to use my resources to clarify the truth. Honestly, I’ve been a longtime admirer of Victoria Kensington. She embodies purity and diligence, and I’ve even encouraged my granddaughter to aspire to her accomplishments at such a young age!
“Therefore, when I saw that controversial photo of her, I was deeply troubled by the false accusations. I took some time to analyze this image to determine if it was altered with Photoshop or AI tools.”
Professor Zero turned the camera to his computer screen, launching a complex software program. As it loaded, he continued, “This is a advanced photo analysis tool, available only to certified professionals. It can detect any form of manipulation or artificial merging in photographs.
“Normally, this software is reserved for critical government projects. However, I obtained special permission to use it today to help everyone uncover the truth.”
He uploaded Victoria’s image into the program. A progress bar appeared:
No.7
[Processing: 9%]
Within seconds, lines of complex code filled the screen. The professor turned back to the camera, his expression earnest. “This is the program analyzing the photo’s data. It’s processing every detail.”
He scrolled through the data as he spoke. Suddenly, his aged hand stilled, trembling slightly.
[The image is 100% authentic]
The words were unmistakable.
Instantly, the comments beneath the video exploded.
[This can’t be right! Victoria would never take such a photo! Is this a mistake?]
[It has to be an error! Professor Zero is a respected expert; he wouldn’t fabricate this. Plus, only government officials have access to that software. The results are legitimate.]