Chapter 82
No.1
Genevieve spun around at the sound of her name. Reginald Worthington marched toward her with a scowl. Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "Mr. Worthington, for a CEO, you have zero class. Did your money just buy you arrogance?"
"What's it to you? You think you're better? Ha! A nobody like you shouldn't even dare to stand in my way. Listen carefully—Isabella Montgomery is signing with me. Try to interfere, and you'll regret it," Reginald snarled, hoping to intimidate her.
She raised a brow. "Isabella? She isn't signing with my agency either."
"Stop lying! You've been competing with SilverPeak from the start. Maybe you need a reality check. Should I expose how your so-called talents are all fakes?" he threatened.
To his surprise, Genevieve laughed. "Go ahead! Let's play this game. You reveal my fakes, and I'll reveal your dirty secrets. Hmph! You earn your money through disgraceful means."
"You... You witch! How dare you? I'll slap that smirk off your face!" Reginald raised his hand, trying to scare her.
Suddenly, something sharp hit the back of his knee. He stumbled forward in pain.
Smack!
His palm accidentally struck Genevieve's cheek.
Genevieve had never been hit since her rise to fame. Even her superiors tread carefully around her. She never expected Reginald would go this far.
No.2
Instantly, she saw red. "You arrogant bastard! How dare you hit me? This isn't over!"
Without a second thought, she swung her hand with all her might. A stinging pain shot through her palm as Reginald's head snapped to the side.
His entire body wobbled from the impact. A bright red palm print appeared on his face, with faint scratch marks from her nails.
Enraged, Reginald lunged at her. All hell broke loose.
His punches were met with her scratches. His kicks were countered by her heels. Pure chaos erupted.
On the sidelines, Isabella watched the scene unfold with satisfaction. A faint smile touched her lips as she turned and walked away.
They deserved this for scheming against her.
Reginald and Genevieve fought like wild animals. Only when hotel staff rushed in did they finally stop.
Even the police had to intervene to separate them.
"What? Isabella refused to sign with you?" Reginald asked, shocked.
No.3
"Yes! I told you already. I approached her multiple times, and she rejected me every time. If she wanted to join SilverPeak, she would have done it long ago. You never stood a chance," Genevieve snapped back.
Confused, Reginald muttered, "Then why did she tell me—"
Their eyes widened in unison as realization struck. They had been played.
"That witch set us up!" Reginald growled. "She pitted us against each other! Damn it... I'll make her pay!"
"Killing her is too easy," Genevieve replied quickly. "Let's join forces and destroy her career instead!" Reginald's eyes lit up. He liked the idea.
Both SilverPeak and Fortune Entertainment were industry giants. They controlled the entertainment world.
If they worked together, crushing a newcomer like Isabella would be simple.
She would suffer for messing with them.
The moment Isabella stepped into the private room, the uproar from Hubert and Genevieve's confrontation flooded the space.
Oliver, mid-bite into a crispy chicken wing, flinched at the sudden noise. "Mommy, what's all that yelling outside?"
No.4
"Just some stray dogs fighting." She shut the door firmly, sealing off the chaos.
Isabella settled beside him, gently dabbing his lips with a napkin. "Eat up. You need the energy."
"Okay! Try this cake, Mommy. It's super good!"
He speared a generous slice with his fork and held it out. Isabella leaned in, letting him carefully feed her.
Warmth spread through her chest. She never realized joy could be found in such simple moments.
Nathaniel watched their interaction from across the table, a slow smile gracing his features.
The meal was perfect.
Twenty minutes later, Nathaniel finished eating. Oliver was still happily munching on fried chicken while Isabella chatted with him. Nathaniel checked his phone for urgent messages.
Dominic's text glared back at him.
[Boss! Emergency! SilverPeak and Fortune Entertainment are colluding to blacklist Isabella! No one will sign her or collaborate. Anyone who does faces industry-wide boycott!]
No.5
SilverPeak and Fortune Entertainment controlled the industry's top talent. Defying them meant being relegated to third-tier artists permanently. No company could risk that.
Within an hour, news of Isabella's blackout spread rapidly. Everyone chose the safe side. Paparazzi scrubbed all online traces of her.
After last night's events, Isabella should have been the hottest new star. Her name dominated every headline and trended across all platforms. Then the blacklist announcement hit, and she vanished from the internet entirely.
Her name was purged from search results and trending topics. It was as if she never existed.
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed dangerously. 'They dare target my woman?'
He kept the news from Isabella, quickly texting Dominic.
[Get her face on every national LED screen. Now.]
Dominic's reply was immediate. [Most slots are booked solid for months...]
[Buy them out. Pay any cancellation fees.] Nathaniel ordered.
[On it, Boss.] Dominic sprang into action.
No.6
Nathaniel was pulling out all the stops for the woman he loved. As his right hand, Dominic would fight alongside him.
Yet Nathaniel still felt uneasy. The Blackwood Corporation invested heavily across industries, except entertainment. They backed profitable ventures without hesitation. While financially secure, Isabella had no agency support after refusing to sign elsewhere. She only had GoldenPhoenix Entertainment.
Her company, GoldenPhoenix, had just signed three new artists. Other departments were still in early development.
His gaze shifted to Isabella. "How's GoldenPhoenix holding up? Need any assistance?"
"Progress is steady. We secured three talents quickly. Other sectors are still developing," she replied casually. "Don't worry about it."
Nathaniel’s expression darkened. “I can accelerate your company’s expansion.”
“Hmm?” Isabella finally sensed something unusual. “Is there a problem?”
Why was he suddenly offering to speed up her company’s growth? He had never mentioned it before.
Nathaniel’s face grew stern, but just as he was about to speak, Isabella’s phone rang.
She answered immediately. “Isabella,” Julian’s tense voice came through, “what exactly happened? Why is the entire industry blacklisting you?”
No.7
Major brands had been competing to collaborate with her after last night’s events, but all offers vanished within hours.
Isabella frowned. “Blacklisted? Today? I haven’t done anything...” Her voice trailed off as she recalled the incident with Reginald and Genevieve. “Less than an hour? That’s impressively fast,” she murmured, genuinely surprised.
“So you did cause trouble. How did you manage to get the entire entertainment industry to boycott you in one day?” Julian asked, utterly confused.
Nathaniel’s intense gaze remained fixed on Isabella, his brow furrowed. He wanted answers too.