Chapter 106
Lily and Rey, separated from their grandmother for a day, missed her terribly. Seeing Debra, they stretched out their little hands, stumbled toward her, and fell into her arms. Debra held Kev and got into the car; Rebecca picked up Lily and joined them.
"Take it easy and pay attention to safety," Cynthia reminded them worriedly.
"Okay, got it," Rebecca responded, looking at Cynthia through the car window. "Cynthia, you should go back soon. It's cold outside." The driver started the car and drove away.
Once in the busy traffic, Debra asked, "How do you feel? Is it tiring to take care of two children alone?"
Rebecca shook her head. "I'm fine. Cynthia also helped me look after the children."
Debra nodded, relieved. "Okay."
After returning home, Rebecca received a message from Lynn. As expected, after Lovey Princess and Reverse Days became popular, her status had risen rapidly, making her a second-tier star. The opportunities available to her were far better than before; resources were actively offered by producers and brands, instead of Rebecca having to beg for auditions.
Lynn sent Rebecca several scripts and endorsement offers, asking her to take a look. Rebecca happily agreed. Over the next few days, she focused on selecting scripts.
Rebecca was reluctant to take endorsements for now. She'd entered showbiz to win the Best Actress Award and prove her adoptive parents and Janet wrong. Rebecca knew she had acting talent; given the opportunity, she wouldn't be worse than Janet. This was her deepest regret, a lingering resentment from her years with the Mitchell family. She wouldn't let it go. Without trying to prove herself, she might even doubt her own abilities. After all this, she might study business and help her father run the family business, as her parents hoped.
However, while she was carefully selecting a script, something went viral.
A well-known internet gossip blogger, Gossipy Girl, released a video revealing a shocking secret: "Why does the new rising star Becky have so many good opportunities?", "The new rising star Becky is Charlie's mistress?", "In order to support Becky, Charlie not only pulled strings to get her a role in Reverse Days, but also invested 20 million dollars in Lovey Princess?", "Becky is married and has children. Her husband is Theodore, a wealthy outsider. According to accurate information, they had a boy and a girl last year?", "Becky is shameless. She and movie star Charlie bought a house next to Edwards Villa. They openly have an affair in front of her wealthy husband and provoke him", and "Becky changed the surname of her and Mr. Edwards' children to Charlie's."
The video was a sensation, shocking netizens. It was a major new year secret, and everyone was captivated by the unfolding drama.
Countless netizens and bloggers shared the video; likes and comments under Gossipy Girl's post skyrocketed. Trending topics quickly emerged on Twitter: "Becky is shameless," "Becky, get out of the entertainment industry," and "The relationship between Charlie and Becky." A flurry of Becky-related topics trended. Countless netizens discussed it on major forums. Everyone was shocked; they hadn't expected the rising star to be so unscrupulous. Some were disgusted and regretted watching Lovey Princess. Some admitted to being amazed by Lovey Princess, but now found Becky's immorality unbearable, making them unable to watch it anymore.
Even the Lovey Princess crew panicked. Ruth anxiously contacted Lynn and Rebecca, asking what was happening. Was there a misunderstanding? Was there any way to save the situation? Higher-ups had begun reviewing the series, threatening to ban Lovey Princess if there were any problems with the actors' character.
Before the crew contacted Rebecca, however, Charlie had advised her. So, after receiving Ruth's message, Rebecca wasn't panicked or anxious. She followed Charlie's instructions, telling the director not to worry; nothing would happen.
Ruth was stunned and confused. How could this be okay? This was a disaster.
Meanwhile, Lynn finally discovered the relationship between Rebecca and Charlie: they were siblings!
Initially, Lynn thought Charlie was lying, but given his straightforward nature, he showed her the paternity test report. Lynn was silenced and relaxed. There was nothing to worry about. Once that paternity test was released, the rumors would be meaningless! In fact, the more serious the situation became, the more popular Becky would be when the truth came out. This incident might even catapult Becky to A-list status.
"For various reasons, the relationship between Becky and me can't be revealed yet. Don't tell anyone for a few days," Charlie reminded Lynn.
Lynn raised an eyebrow. "You want to hype it up?"
Charlie smiled. "No need to bother you. Let them continue for a few days. When the time is right, I'll make it public."
Lynn nodded. "Okay."
Rebecca and Theodore's divorce cool-off period was almost over. Then Charlie would immediately release the paternity test to prove their true relationship.
Ironically, the scandal didn't decrease Lovey Princess's ratings; it increased them. Many people rushed to watch the show while cursing Rebecca.
The Lovey Princess cast was worried. Some privately contacted the director, asking what was going on. The crew had poured their hearts into the series, rehearsing scenes for days to perfect every detail. They wanted to make a name for themselves with this drama! If it was pulled because of Becky's scandal, everyone would be heartbroken.
What could Ruth say? She knew nothing. After contacting Becky and Lynn, she'd been told not to worry; nothing would happen! But how could Ruth rest easy?
She waited a few days, and then discovered that the higher-ups had stopped their investigation. Lovey Princess continued airing, with no news of cancellation or banning, as if the online negativity had no effect.
Ruth was bewildered. She understood Becky must have found a solution, but wasn't sure how. She just felt… it was amazing to have money and connections. Ruth was envious. How wonderful it would be to be that rich and well-connected someday!