Chapter 591
On top of that, Violeta finally made her first Twitter post in over a year.
She thanked everyone for their support and gave a shoutout to the Spring in Moon City.
Tracy’s Sea Breeze scored a nomination for Best Actress.
It was a sign of recognition.
Tracy felt disappointed but accepted it.
Winning awards often came down to luck.
Many popular celebrities never win awards despite their fame.
By the time Sea Breeze aired, Spring in Moon City had already wrapped up its run.
Though the initial buzz had cooled, the show had been incredibly hot when it first premiered.
After Spring in Moon City finished airing, it got great reviews, scoring a solid 9 out of 10 on IMDB. It was definitely a hit.
There’d been a lot of online debate about which TV series was better, but now the answer was clear.
Tracy only got a nomination, not the award.
With Violeta winning the Best Supporting Actress Award three times, it was pretty obvious which show had more prestige.
Violeta solidified her position as the top star after having previously faced skepticism from the public.
It was clear now that Tracy had a long way to go if she wanted to surpass Violeta.
In fact, it might even be impossible for her to ever surpass Violeta.
To push forward with the marriage between Hattie and Harvey, Harvey was planning a grand proposal for Hattie.
Meanwhile, Amber was putting pressure on Hattie at home, trying to create the illusion that she was unworthy of Harvey and only suited for an ordinary, less impressive man.
Both sides were pushing ahead at the same time.
Amber stirred up Hattie’s competitive spirit.
When Harvey came through with a big, flashy proposal, Hattie said yes right away.
But Hannah saw through Harvey’s proposal as just a flashy show, revealing that he hadn’t actually spent much money on it.
After Hattie got back to Harbor City, she asked her, “Didn’t he get you any jewelry or anything for the wedding? All the showy stuff doesn’t matter, you need something real.”
Hattie replied, “Mom, Harvey said his company is having some cash flow problems and won’t have the money until the second half of the year, so that’s why he didn’t buy me anything.”
Hannah looked a bit doubtful, asking, “Cash flow problems?”
Hattie picked up on the fact that Hannah was suspicious about Harvey.
If this had been a while ago, Hattie might have had doubts too, but now she was completely caught up in the trap set by Violeta and Amber.
So, she ended up defending Harvey in front of Hannah.
“I’ve been with him for so long, and he’s already spent a lot on me. If I keep asking for more, he’ll start thinking I’m just after his money, and that would be hurtful. It would damage our relationship.
“Besides, most of his assets are abroad. He’s been staying in the country for me, so it’s normal that he doesn’t have much here. And anyway, once we’re married, what’s his will eventually be mine.”
Hannah nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Switching topics, Hattie grabbed a gift box from nearby. “Here’s a present he got for you, a set of jade jewelry!”
“No way, really?”
Hannah’s eyes were instantly drawn to the jade set. She excitedly opened the box to find earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet-vivid green and top-tier glass type!
This must be worth at least ten million. It’s incredibly valuable!
“Harvey is such a thoughtful guy. I always knew you couldn’t go wrong with him!”
Holding the expensive jewelry, Hannah couldn’t get enough of it.
Just moments ago, she had her doubts about Harvey, but after seeing this, she was completely won over and couldn’t wait to marry Hattie off to him!
But Hannah only knew that jade was expensive.
But she wasn’t a jewelry expert and didn’t know that they were artificial A-grade jade, with clear signs of being fake, not genuine natural jade.
These days, the counterfeit techniques were so advanced that even experts had to look closely, so it was no wonder someone like Hannah, who wasn’t in the industry, couldn’t tell the difference.
There was no way Harvey could afford such an expensive gift.
In the beginning, in order to deceive Hattie, he had already spent most of his savings. Now, he was basically broke.
“I’m definitely wearing this out next time! Let everyone see what an amazing son-in-law I have. They’ll be so jealous! Hahaha!”
Chapter 592
After Hattie and Harvey publicly announced their relationship in such a high-profile way, Carl tried to investigate Harvey.
But Amber intercepted the investigation before it could be completed.
She used her status as the matriarch to bury the original investigation and even swapped it out with a fake report.
The initial report showed that Harvey’s company abroad was in serious trouble, almost bankrupt, and likely to be auctioned off by the bank-he was basically a broke man.
Amber changed the details.
In the revised version, Harvey was still described as an international businessman, but just an ordinary one, nowhere near rich enough to be a suitable match for the Ridges’ status.
Because of that, Carl was dissatisfied with Harvey.
He believed that Harvey was far too ordinary and did not meet the standards for a son-in-law of the Ridges.
To make matters worse, Hattie had set her sights on him and publicly announced their relationship.
Carl grew increasingly frustrated with Hattie, criticizing her poor judgment in choosing a husband, her poor academic
performance, and her mediocre success in the entertainment industry despite years of effort.
He was getting more and more fed up with her.
But Hattie was his daughter, and times had changed, so he was in a tough spot. She’d already announced their relationship online without asking him first. If he pushed them to break up, it would make him look bad and embarrass him even more.
After all, she was an illegitimate daughter, not raised under his direct guidance from a young age, so it was no surprise she had a narrow view.
The tree had grown crooked; no matter how much you pruned it later, it wouldn’t change much. So Carl decided to just turn a blind eye.
Carl didn’t openly express his dissatisfaction, so Hannah was unsure of his true feelings about Harvey and thought Carl was satisfied with Harvey.
There was a huge gap in understanding between them.
Behind Hattie, countless people were pushing her forward.
A marketing account got wind of the situation and leaked the news on Twitter.
“Reliable sources say that the actress who publicly announced her relationship just six months ago has now quietly registered her marriage with her partner. They did it in Harbor City, and because the groom is a foreigner with no family in the country, there wasn’t even a ceremony.”
As soon as this news broke, it caused a stir.
The only celebrity who announced a relationship six months ago was Hattie.
The marketing account practically dropped Hattie’s name without saying it outright.
The comments section exploded.
“Did Hattie really just get married? That was super quick!”
“Isn’t she the only one who made a relationship announcement six months ago?”
“Is this for real?”
“Don’t mess around too much, or you might get a lawyer’s letter.”
The news about Hattie and Harvey getting their marriage license spread like crazy online.
But Hattie didn’t confirm anything.
Her fans were skeptical and didn’t believe she’d actually gotten married. They flocked to the marketing account’s comment section to stir up the conversation and counter the claims.
Little did they know, Hattie wasn’t bothered by her fans at all. She was already dreaming of becoming a wealthy wife in a high-society family.
She wouldn’t have to hustle for gigs anymore.
She didn’t even enjoy acting; it was too exhausting. Once she married Harvey, she could stop taking on jobs and live off his money.
Marrying a rich man had been the dream that Hannah instilled in Hattie from a young age.
In fact, it was also Hannah’s dream.
Now that Hattie had finally achieved it, she was thrilled and completely indifferent to her career, lost in the bliss of love.
But like all beautiful bubbles, this one was bound to burst in the not-too-distant future.
That would be when Hattie truly hit rock bottom.
In October, Violeta, who had been absent from the screen for a year and a half, was finally back.
Her new movie, The Island, was set to premiere during the National Day holidays.
Fans went wild, and the news shot straight to the top of the trendy search.
The studio’s account also joined in, sharing promotional updates for The Island.
On top of that, the production team released several behind- the-scenes clips. Although Violeta only appeared for a few seconds in the footage, her fans treated it like a treasure.
There were many films set to premiere during the National Day holidays, with three of them being revolutionary-themed.
With so many big names involved, The Island was a huge deal for Violeta’s debut movie.
She should have been all over the promotion, but she was stuck working on The Golden Age set and couldn’t help out.
When she swapped scripts with Tracy, she wasn’t too excited about The Island. She took the role mainly to get in touch with Polly.
Chapter 593
This movie was one that Violeta deemed worth sacrificing her own time for.
As a conventionally solid movie, it wouldn’t reflect poorly on her
What she didn’t expect was just how pumped her fans would be.
The buzz wasn’t bought, it was all thanks to them.
Her fans took it upon themselves to hype up the film, posting all sorts of edited videos online. Thanks to their amazing efforts, a lot of these clips went viral on short video platforms.
Violeta had been out of the spotlight for a year and a half, so her fans missed her and were determined to see the movie.
The movie was Violeta’s big debut in the movie world, and it was going head-to-head with other veteran films during the National Day holiday.
One of the rivals was Ophelia, with her new movie Dawn, which was her first take on a revolutionary-themed story.
Both movies had pretty much the same setting and time period.
Ophelia, being a veteran in the entertainment industry, was from the same era as Lydia.
After Lydia’s downfall, Ophelia quickly took many of her resources, leading to a noticeable boost in her opportunities.
Among actresses in their thirties and forties, Ophelia remained a prominent figure, with her aired TV series consistently performing well.
She had also won the Best Supporting Actress Award before and was nominated for the Best Actress Award three years ago.
In terms of popularity, she wasn’t as well-known as Lydia back in the day.
But when it comes to her work, she far outshone Lydia.
Ophelia was very confident that Dawn would be her chance to make another shot at awards.
During the promotional period, Ophelia was super active, showing up at the premiere and even doing a little skit with the lead actors at the cinema.
She also got a lot of industry friends to help spread the word.
The male lead in Dawn was Hugo York, a veteran actor who’s won the Best Actor Award five times, a record that set him apart in the industry.
With top-notch leads and top-notch promotion, Dawn was set up for success.
In theory, Dawn would be the highest-grossing film among the three revolutionary-themed movies.
After the first week of its National Day release, the numbers were in.
Dawn raked in 216 million!
What was truly jaw-dropping was that such impressive box office numbers still only put Dawn in second place!
So, who was in first?
It turned out to be The Island, with a whopping 262 million in its first week.
After this number came out, the official Twitter account for The Island immediately posted a congratulatory message.
It didn’t take long for Violeta’s fans to flood the comments section.
Even though Dawn had strong box office numbers, it was surprising and frustrating for its producers to see it beaten by a film with less star power. The producer of Dawn was so enraged that he vented on Twitter in the middle of the night, blasting the current trend of prioritizing star power and popularity over quality.
Gordon Crowe: “Is this whole star power era really such a great thing? How many amazing works and talented actors have been sidelined because of some big-name stars? It’s really
disappointing! After over thirty years in the biz, I’ve watched the industry change. These days, people need to ask: besides the popularity, what real value does all this ‘star power’ actually have?”
As soon as this post went up, it took off like a snowball, getting more and more attention in just half an hour.
The comment was a clear dig at how Dawn didn’t meet expectations and got beaten by a movie with a less impressive team and cast.’
Even though The Island had its share of veteran actors, it was worth mentioning that Dawn had Hugo, who had won the Best Actor Award five times!
Everyone on the Dawn team thought it should’ve been the top movie. But after a week, it was surprising to see it lagging 46 million behind the number one spot.
Forty-six million wasn’t huge, but it was definitely not small either.
For comparison, Mason’s first movie, The Lies in Winter, only pulled in just over 30 million before it finished its run.
But to producer Gordon, that gap of over 40 million compared to The Island felt like a real slap in the face; it was the difference between a great movie and a mediocre one.
After a night of buzz, the online discussions blew up.
Violeta’s reputation took a hit as netizens and marketing accounts dragged her into the whole “star power” drama.
Those who support her said…
Chapter 594
“It’s indeed all about popularity these days, but Violeta’s made it big because of her own talent. So just because a movie flops, it’s not right to blame the actress. Those who know understand that you’re nearly fifty years old; those who don’t might think you’re a three-year-old throwing a tantrum over not getting candy, or crying because you didn’t come in first.”
“I went to see both Dawn and The Island. Honestly, I only checked out The Island for Violeta, but I wasn’t let down by her performance. The other actors were a pleasant surprise, too. The team behind The Island put in almost a year’s worth of work on the post-production, and it really shows; it’s totally worth the hype.”
“If Violeta is considered the star power in The Island, then is Hugo the equivalent in Dawn? You’re playing favorites and criticizing others with such skillful precision, Mr. Crowe!”
There was also a comment that carried a seemingly neutral but actually sarcastic tone.
“Movies these days just keep getting worse each year, and these actors have no sense of professional ethics. It’s baffling how even the most mediocre performances can still win awards.”
“I watched The Island, and it was pretty bad. I’m rooting for Dawn.”
“Who would have thought that Hugo’s Best Actor-winning movie would ever be overshadowed by a popular star? The world really is going downhill!”
“Two movies, two leading ladies. When Ophelia won her award, Violeta wasn’t even on the radar. Now it’s just that Lydia isn’t doing well, or else there’d be no chance for Violeta to shine.”
“I’m used to seeing Lydia go up against Ophelia. Ophelia just has
that perfect screen presence, way better than some so-called top actresses. It takes a seasoned actor for movies, not
everyone’s cut out for it!”
The people who criticized Violeta were especially harsh.
“Seriously, Violeta’s face just doesn’t work for movies. She’s not cut out for it. She’d be better off in some cheesy historical drama or something. As for how she won the Best Supporting Actress Award, I can only say that entertainment these days has really gone downhill and the standards have dropped.”
“It’s hard to say. I actually liked The Island, but I skipped it when I saw that Violeta was the lead. It just gave off this weird vibe, like flowers on a pile of manure.”
“I’ve always thought Violeta looks pretty weird, not like someone from that era, and honestly, I think she’s pretty
unattractive. The short haircut? Even worse. Fans, please don’t come at me.”
“To the person above, I appreciate your comment, but remember to keep your DMs closed.”
In this wave of public opinion, Violeta was taking the hardest hit.
It was unclear whether it was because Violeta was the biggest star in this film or if the online buzz was just biased, with some people stoking the flames behind the scenes.
Violeta, who was far away filming in Jobus, was getting the worst of it.
Even though Violeta wasn’t involved in the promotion of The Island and hadn’t appeared in public for over a year and a half, the online negativity directed at her was still intense.
The online buzz was all about “popularity vs. talent.”
Even though Violeta had won the Best Supporting Actress Award three times, she was still mostly seen as just another popular star compared to her more experienced peers.
During the National Day holiday, people are out celebrating while arguing online.
In the afternoon, Eugene called Violeta to remind her not to let the online comments mess with her mood while she was filming.
Violeta replied, “I’m fine. Is the box office difference really that big this time?”
Eugene said, “It’s not that big, but it’s a big letdown for them. They didn’t expect The Island to be number one on the National Day box office chart.”
The holiday only lasted a week.
The first week’s box office numbers were the most important. While the total might go up later, it wouldn’t surpass the first week’s numbers.
“People didn’t expect you to be away for so long, so fans went out of their way to promote and buy tickets to support you. That’s the benefit of being a big name. As for the online haters criticizing your popularity, don’t worry about it. They’re just jealous.”
Popularity wasn’t a bad thing.
Everyone wanted a piece of that popularity pie.
Which young celebrity didn’t want popularity?
It was only the ones who couldn’t get it that got bitter.
The harsher the criticism, the more it showed how jealous they were.
Seemed like Eugene’s worries before Violeta joined the crew were totally unnecessary.
He thought that after Violeta joined the crew and all promotion was put on hold, the buzz and the fans would fade away.
But surprisingly, after Violeta joined the filming crew, there was no one else taking over her popularity.
Chapter 595
Zelena’s group kept arguing and trying to surpass Violeta, but none of them managed to succeed. In fact, they were all in messy situations themselves.
Violeta was still the best; no one else could compare.
Violeta said, “I didn’t expect The Island to top the box office. It’s quite surprising.”
Eugene said, “With all the buzz online, I’m guessing Ophelia’s team is really pushing hard. She’s aiming for the Best Actress Award with Dawn since she missed out on the award a few years ago. Teaming up with Hugo must be giving her a lot of
confidence. All this hype is also giving a boost to both movies.”
Violeta remembered Ophelia from before; she was the one who had a fashion clash with Zelena.
Ophelia was definitely someone to watch out for. She understood the ins and outs of the industry perfectly, and the fact that she had been around longer than Lydia shows she had big ambitions.
In any case, there was bound to be some friction eventually.
Violeta was pretty relaxed about it. If they could get along, that’d be awesome. But if not, they’d just have to clash and see who came out on top.
“Let them say whatever they want online. It’s their right.”
The box office numbers for The Island had gone beyond what Violeta expected, and she was pretty happy with it.
It also showed how loyal her fans were.
Her previous work had built a solid reputation, so even though this was her first movie, her fans were still fully behind her.
Eugene said, “It’s not that they’re unhappy with the box office, they just can’t stand someone outshining them. With both movies being so similar in theme, it’s a pretty obvious comparison.
“But right now, things are looking good. It seems like Chad’s about to make it big.”
Violeta replied, “Oh? Chad? That’s great. What’s meant to happen will eventually happen.”
Chad has been working hard for so many years.
At first, Apex was planning for Chad to go down the same high- profile route as Nolan and Jacques. But they quickly realized that wasn’t going to work out. So, Chad decided to pursue a tougher path as a serious actor.
He had done well in The Island with his standout looks, which were pretty unique in the industry right now.
He was definitely making a mark as a leading man.
Even though Chad was Wade’s grandson, he’s never been in any of Wade’s projects.
Like Violeta, he couldn’t join the film’s promotion due to contract issues.
If this movie helped boost his career, promoting The Golden Age will be easier later. With their second collaboration, there’d be plenty of excitement to generate buzz.
Let the online drama continue.
In the meantime, The Island was selling like crazy at the box office.
For a whole month, it had been the top revolutionary-themed movie.
But during the National Day holiday, it didn’t snag the top spot overall; it came in second.
The number one film was Red Lamp.
It was a detective comedy with a Chesia mystery twist-clever and packed with details. There was tons of hype before it came out, and everyone who had seen it said it was awesome.
Even short video platforms were full of bloggers diving into the details. It was definitely a hit.
Over a 90-day run, Red Lamp ended up making 4.18 billion.
The Island pulled in 3.27 billion.
Dawn earned 3.01 billion.
Elaine gave birth on the same day as The Island was released.
Irene called Violeta from the hospital to say that Elaine had safely given birth to a baby boy, a chubby little guy weighing seven pounds and three ounces.
Violeta was excited to hear the news and wanted to return to Quinston to see her little nephew.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get away from the set.
She also shared some good news with Irene: the filming of The Golden Age was finally nearing its end.
After several revisions, Mason discussed with the screenwriters and made more changes to the script. They were confident that the remaining filming could be wrapped up before New Year’s Eve, so everyone on set could go home and enjoy the holiday with their families.
This also meant Violeta could go home for the New Year this year.
The Golden Age was supposed to take two years to film. Even though there were worries it might drag on for three, everyone’s hard work paid off and they finished in the two-year mark.
Violeta joined the project when she was 26, spent her 27th birthday on set, and now, at 28, it was finally wrapped!
She was finally going to get some well-deserved rest!
Chapter 596
Over the last two years, Violeta gained a lot from her experience, spending every day fully immersed in filming.
She developed a great relationship with everyone on set, forming a tight-knit family. Even off-set, Kaylee and the three actors who played her parents and brother enjoyed calling each other by their family roles.
As they realized that filming was nearing its end, they were excited but also experienced a slight sense of sadness.
Nevertheless, the greater satisfaction came from completing a perfect piece of work.
It wasn’t only Violeta who had made progress over the past two years. After moving to the Ministry of Public Security, Hayden rose rapidly through the ranks, receiving four consecutive promotions. He is now the head of the Intelligence Command Division and the Counterterrorism Department, holding the rank of a ministerial-level official.
Although Hayden was still relatively young, advancing too fast wasn’t always ideal. He still required further experience.
According to the career path set by Glen, the next step above his current rank was deputy national level, but reaching that height would be left to destiny.
For now, the main focus for the Frosts was to have Hayden settle down and start a family soon.
It’s often believed that men appear more dependable once they’ve settled down, which is why they are somewhat eager for him to do so.
However, Hayden never pushed Violeta into marriage. He would often cite his hectic work schedule as the reason for delaying his family’s requests, and he didn’t spend much time living with his parents either.
While Violeta was filming on set, they would video call every night.
Even though they didn’t get to see each other frequently each month, they managed to meet two or three times.
Their relationship had grown so steady that it felt like they had been together for years, despite only a few years having passed.
Violeta felt overwhelmed by her filming schedule and thought that after The Golden Age, she would likely avoid committing to such lengthy projects in the future.
Even though her career was significant, she also believed that spending time with her family mattered.
Once filming for The Golden Age wrapped up, she intended to take a well-deserved two-month break.
As it happened, Hayden was also scheduled for his annual leave around the same time.
Violeta was nearing the end of her filming.
To boost their spokesperson’s profile, Eau Amore decided to organize events at all their counters.
They also put significant effort into online promotion.
Earlier, there were rumors that Eau Amore was searching for a spokesperson, which generated a lot of excitement. However, after Eau Amore extended the sole invitation to Tracy, everyone believed Tracy was the chosen one.
As a result, other artists became much more restrained.
Despite this, Tracy still hadn’t received an official endorsement contract from Eau Amore. While there didn’t seem to be any urgency, she needed to keep up appearances.
Now that Eau Amore was taking action, Tracy’s team was eagerly cooperative with them.
It wasn’t really cooperative, though it was more like offering their assistance.
Eau Amore never requested Tracy to assist with promotions, yet her team’s account would still share Eau Amore’s events on Twitter.
This behavior could be seen as trying too hard to impress.
Eau Amore’s official team found Tracy’s actions a bit confusing, but since it worked in their favor, they didn’t object.
Entertainment industry insiders assumed that Tracy had already secured a deal with Eau Amore’s official team, leading to quiet envy for Tracy.
This year, Tracy was invited by Orange Channel to perform at their New Year’s Eve event during the Spring Gala.
Evelina, who served an evil spirit for good fortune, had previously been cast in a TV series called Three-Faced Fox, which had recently finished filming.
This cursed object turned out to be quite beneficial for her. Initially, the script for Three-Faced Fox had considered many actors, but in the end, Evelina was chosen. Additionally, her looks have been drawing more attention lately.
On short video platforms and Twitter, Evelina has gained many fans because of her looks.
There were some who didn’t find her attractive before, but now they have come to appreciate her beauty.
The River’s Breeze is set to be released ahead of the New Year Festival.
The main cast is actively involved in promotions, and Zelena is encountering Evelina once more.
Zelena is very popular, with most of the front-row seats at offline events occupied by her fans.
In contrast, Evelina’s fan base is not as large.
This is because Evelina’s main audience consists of younger students, who might want to attend but often can’t.
Moreover, the male lead of the drama, Kyren Luz, has many fans. While he isn’t as well-known as Nolan, he still attracts a significant following.
Evelina’s career is advancing quickly, and she has moved beyond her previous level of fame from her earlier filming days.
She has also landed several endorsements from leading brands and has risen to become a second-tier artist.
At the promotional events, Evelina appeared somewhat arrogant, frequently interrupting Zelena. While Zelena felt a bit annoyed, she kept her feelings to herself.
This behavior followed the previous disruptions on set.
Chapter 597
Zelena understood perfectly that this woman was a formidable presence and would not make the mistake of underestimating her again.
Moreover, she sensed something unusual about Evelina’s presence.
She questioned whether this perception was merely a trick of her mind.
When God intends to bring about someone’s downfall, He first makes them arrogant.
Let her be arrogant. Her end is sure to be disastrous.
The team arranged for additional online traffic to boost the press conference for the new drama, The River’s Breeze.
The internet was abuzz with admiration for Evelina’s beauty. Whether it was due to some changes or just her styling being more typical, Evelina’s appearance seemed to be increasingly flattering.
“I’ve noticed that since Evelina joined the new agency, her appearance has really improved. She was once just an average girl, but now she’s starting to radiate that campus belle aura. I’m wondering if others are feeling the same.”
“Evelina is incredibly beautiful. She has this enchanting first love goddess vibe.”
“She’s definitely becoming more attractive. It even seems like Evelina’s skin is smoother than Zelena’s.”
While Evelina was browsing online, she came across a post that complimented her as being more beautiful than Zelena and even liked the comment.
However, she soon realized that she had done this from her account and quickly removed her like.
Despite her attempt to retract it, some individuals saw her action and captured screenshots.
Evelina liked and unliked comments.
It even became a trending topic in the trendy search.
Evelina’s team promptly clarified that the Twitter activity wasn’t from Evelina herself but from a staff member who made a mistake.
Naturally, some people online were skeptical of this explanation.
However, a few fans accepted it as the truth.
Zelena also learned about the commotion involving Evelina.
Since the issue with Polly, she had no desire to teach anyone a lesson herself anymore.
Influencing others to meet one’s own objectives is the most effective way to safeguard oneself.
The lawsuit battle with Polly was resolved.
Polly’s team purchased trendy search, and her team won the lawsuit.
To address the lawsuit against Zelena, Polly was determined to appear in court herself, postponing her own endorsement deals. She declined numerous endorsement opportunities, refraining from taking any in the first half of the previous year.
In the second half of the year, she promoted the movie The Island, which became the second highest-grossing film at the National Day box office, marking a significant success in her career.
The outcome of the lawsuit revealed that Celeste, Zelena’s assistant, was responsible for stealing the necklace and framing Polly.
Though collecting evidence was challenging, the police had a video showing Celeste entering Polly’s room. After thoroughly comparing body shapes, they were eventually able to confirm that the thief was indeed Celeste.
In the end, Celeste admitted her guilt and faced punishment.
Polly bought trendy search, but Zelena was resolute in preventing the trend from gaining traction and spent money to suppress it.
As a result, the issue did not create a significant buzz on Twitter.
However, fans who had been closely following the case were aware of the truth.
This led to some of Polly’s fans boycotting Zelena’s TV drama, labeling her as “a vile woman who incites others to frame and harm”.
However, Zelena’s fans rallied to defend her.
“Please clarify that Zelena and her assistant, Celeste, are two different people. It’s confusing why everything gets tied back to
Zelena, when it was Celeste who stole the necklace. Besides, the necklace originally belonged to Lena. What advantage does Zelena gain from being implicated? This entire situation is just a misunderstanding!”
Fans from both sides were engaged in heated arguments.
Zelena’s team and Polly’s team were also in conflict, to the extent that they rarely appeared at the same events.
Zelena made a promise to Celeste and discreetly gave financial assistance to Celeste’s family.
With the issue resolved, Celeste, though reluctant, considered her situation and realized that dragging Zelena into her troubles would not serve her interests.
In the worst-case scenario, both Zelena and Celeste could end up facing imprisonment.
However, if she took the fall for the situation, her family would still benefit, and Zelena would certainly look after them from the outside.
Ultimately, the prison sentence turned out to be relatively short.
As a result, Celeste decided to take the blame for the situation.
December……
The Golden Age completes its filming.
The hashtag quickly trended on trendy search.
Violeta shared a Twitter post celebrating the completion of the two-year filming period.
Chapter 598
Fans marked the end of Violeta’s filming with excitement in their comments, as if celebrating the New Year.
On the final day of shooting, Violeta received a present, which, when opened, revealed an exquisite bracelet made of white moonstone.
Violeta recognized that the gift was from Hayden.
She observed that Hayden had a habit of giving her items that were easily purchased.
For instance, whenever Hayden visited a place and came across something he considered good, tasty, or practical, he would send it to her.
Even though some of the items were not always useful to her, Violeta felt a sense of joy with each gift from Hayden, knowing that someone cared about her.
After unwrapping the present, Violeta took a picture and sent it to Hayden.
The bracelet was transparent and exhibited a noticeable cat’s eye effect, suggesting it was likely crafted from local moonstone materials.
The cat’s eye effect implied that this bracelet was probably not a cheap, mass-produced item.
When Violeta reached the hotel, Hayden messaged her on WhatsApp, asking, “Do you like it?”
Violeta replied, “I love it. Where did you get it this time?”
Hayden responded, “I got one for my mom as well. We just visited the Stone Monastery. And by the way, I saw your post on Twitter, Vio. You didn’t even mention you were done with filming.”
Violeta replied, “I knew you’d check my Twitter, that’s why I didn’t tell you. It’s really lovely, I do like it. But are you seriously still not going to share your Twitter account with me?”
Hayden rarely went online and never shared pictures on social media.
Violeta had accidentally discovered that he had a Twitter account, but when she asked for his username so they could add each other, he refused to tell her.
Even now, Hayden remained tight-lipped about his Twitter account.
Instead, he quickly shifted the conversation, asking, “Okay, when are you getting to Quinston? I’ll come pick you up.”
Violeta messaged, “I’ll be flying in on the 17th in the early morning. Can you pick me up at the airport?”
Hayden simply replied, “Sure.”
Violeta thought the conversation was over, but unexpectedly, Hayden added one more thing.
“Let’s celebrate New Year’s at my house this year.”
“Alright, just make sure to cook some of my favorite dishes.”
Violeta replied with a shy emoji.
A few days later, everything on Jobus had been taken care of.
The flight lands in Quinston on the 17th in the early morning.
The moment Violeta stepped outside, the biting cold hit her. December’s chill brought freezing temperatures, and her breath turned to mist in the frosty air. She pulled her oversized fur scarf closer, the wide brim of her hat shading much of her face.
Felix had already arrived in Quinston ahead of time to pick her up.
Aster originally planned to take Violeta home first, but she insisted that Felix send Aster home, saying she had another ride waiting.
As they exited the airport, they spotted a sleek Audi A8 quietly parked across the street. The license plate was unmistakable; it was Hayden’s car.
Aster noticed it and turned to Violeta with a grin, “Ms. White, see you at the office tomorrow.”
“Okay, Aster, take care and rest up.”
“Will do.”
Aster got into Felix’s car.
Once they left, Violeta calmly shifted her focus to the Audi A8 across the way.
A tall man, dressed in a black casual down jacket, stepped out of the car.
Hayden approached Violeta with confident, long strides. Violeta adjusted her scarf to cover her neck, gave him a warm smile, and then hurried toward him.
She leaped into his embrace, and Hayden wrapped his arms around her securely.
“Are you feeling cold?” he asked.
“What do you think?”
Violeta slipped her slim, chilly fingers under his sweater collar. The warm skin touched the icy hand, like an ice cream meeting a hot stove.
“It’s been two years since I was last here. It’s not this cold in Jobus.”
Hayden chuckled quietly, gently took her hand, wrapped it in his warm grip, and then placed it in his pocket.
“You’ll warm up soon. Let’s get in the car. It’s heated inside.”
They settled into the car.
The warmth inside quickly restored their comfort, and Violeta removed her scarf.
Hayden noticed the moonstone bracelet he had given Violeta sparkling on her wrist. He gently took her hand, examined it closely, and said, “It looks stunning.”
“Isn’t it? I think so as well. It’s so clear and transparent. You have great taste.”
Chapter 599
“I’m saying that hands are lovely on their own. A beautiful bracelet is just an extra touch,” Hayden said with genuine feeling, prompting a smile from Violeta.
The driver remained unchanged, having been a constant companion to Hayden during their trips to Jobus over the past two years. They had grown quite acquainted with one another.
Violeta asked, “Have you had something to eat? And Marco, what about you?”
The driver, Marco, joked, “I came to pick up Ms. White’s flight and was worried about being late, so neither Mr. Hayden nor I has had a bite.”
Violeta replied, “Since it’s so late, let’s head home and enjoy some soup later. I’m craving the buttermilk soup.”
Hayden agreed warmly, “Alright.”
Before long, the car reached Liberty Grove.
Throughout the ride, Hayden was on his best behavior, likely due to the driver’s presence.
Once Marco had parked, the two of them stepped out. Hayden eagerly reached out to hold Violeta and leaned in to kiss her.
The breeze was still, though it might have seemed a bit loud.
All they could focus on was the sound of each other’s heartbeats.
Once they were home, Tuna rushed over to sniff around and then jumped on Violeta
As Violeta petted Tuna’s head, she noticed something unusual and said, “Oh, Tuna’s fur on its head is so much shorter now. Did someone give you a trim?”
Hayden changed his shoes and handed Violeta’s scarf to Ms. Silverleaf.
Ms. Silverleaf smiled and explained, “Last month, Tuna’s fur got caught in super glue, so Mr. Hayden gave it a trim.”
Violeta pressed her lips together and said, “You’re so hands-on. Why didn’t you just take it to the pet shop? It seems like a dog might have chewed it.”
Hayden looked at her and said, “Even pet shops might be hesitant to handle it.”
The statement is accurate and cannot be disputed.
Violeta shrugged and replied, “Alright.”
Ms. Silverleaf made buttermilk soup and also had a portion for Marco.
Besides the housekeeper at home, a live-in maid was also hired.
She was relatively young, about thirty-five or thirty-six, and although she was mute, she was skilled in cooking. Her name was Hilary.
She was hired during the two years when Violeta was away from home.
When Violeta opened the fridge to grab a drink, Hilary suddenly appeared behind her, making Violeta spin around to see who it was.
“Who are you?”
Hilary blinked and used hand signals.
Violeta couldn’t make sense of it.
At that moment, Ms. Silverleaf rushed over and said, “Ms. Violeta, this is Hilary. She’s mute.
“She’s the new chef at home.”
Violeta asked, “A chef? Is she skilled?”
Ms. Silverleaf replied, “Yes, she’s excellent. Mr. Hayden brought her in.”
Violeta hesitated and said, “Alright, just don’t appear behind me like that in the future.”
Ms. Silverleaf waved to Hilary, who quietly walked away.
She then pulled out a book and said, “When Hilary first arrived, I didn’t understand her gestures, so I bought a sign language book to learn.
“Ms. Violeta, you’ll see over time that Hilary is a good person.”
Violeta replied, “Alright, I understand.”
Having another person in the house made her feel a bit uneasy.
Violeta took two bottles of drinks and went upstairs, where Hayden was on the phone, likely talking about his annual leave and work-related matters.
She quietly set the soda on the side table and then moved to the side to spend time with the birds.
After Hayden moved into her apartment, he also brought along a few birds.
During the weekdays, Hera and Zeus would sit perched up high, accompanied by three vibrant and stunning parakeets.
Hayden was so fond of the Sky Garden that he relocated his bookshelf and desk up there for his daily work, transforming it into his own personal airborne study.
It had been two years since she last saw Hera, and immediately, she noticed how much larger it had grown.
Its claws and beak were extremely sharp, but luckily, its memory remained intact. Although Violeta hadn’t been around much, Hera still recalled her presence.
It appeared somewhat drowsy and worn out, but when Violeta attempted to play with it, Hera would still react, albeit with little enthusiasm.
Just as Violeta was beginning to enjoy the playful moment, Hayden completed his phone call and approached her.
He embraced her from behind, and Violeta put down the wooden stick and turned to face him. “Did you get everything taken care of?”
“Yes, my annual leave will begin next week.”
“Great, that fits my schedule as well. I have some tasks to handle at work. By the way, who is this Hilary at home?”
Chapter 600
Hayden took his time to clarify, “She’s the child of a former soldier from the unit and was born unable to speak. She used to prepare meals for the soldiers, but she left the unit for some reason. So, I asked her to cook for us at home.”
Violeta acknowledged, “Oh, I got it.”
Hayden inquired, “Are you not fond of her? If that’s the case, I can make other arrangements for her.”
Violeta responded, “It’s not that I have a problem with it. I just needed more information about having another person here. I don’t mind it.”
Hayden assured her, “I’m glad to hear that. You can be sure she’s reliable at home.”
“Really?” Violeta asked curiously.
“Yes. Hilary was raised in the military from a young age. She has excellent observational skills and is very dependable.”
Even though Liberty Grove’s security system was now quite thorough and regular patrols were conducted at the entrance, Violeta had been seen there before.
It was widely known that she lived there.
Given Hayden’s special status now, he needed to have some reliable individuals around him for extra security, just to be safe.
If she were spotted again or if anything unusual happened, Hilary would be able to handle the situation.
Violeta nodded, acknowledging Hayden’s explanation.
He was quite considerate.
Being a celebrity, Violeta was accustomed to being photographed.
However, now that she was back in Quinston, it was wise to be careful to avoid causing any issues for Hayden.
The following day, Violeta returned to the company after a two-year absence.
Eugene was waiting for her in the lounge.
When the paparazzi who often hung around outside the Apex Entertainment building saw Violeta arrive, they quickly pulled out their cameras to take photos.
Violeta walked into the lounge and called out, “Mr. Scott.”
Eugene was occupied with planning the schedule for the coming year.
“Here you go, Beauty. These are the plans we have for the next year. Please review them.”
Violeta was aware that joining the team meant a heavy workload, but she hadn’t anticipated it being this extensive. As she skimmed through the list, she realized that the upcoming year would be packed with filming.
However, once she sat down, she said, “Mr. Scott, I intend to take a two-month break after the New Year. Let’s go over the schedules once I’ve had some rest.”
“Considering you’ve just wrapped up filming, I agree. It’s important for you to rest first. There’s no need to rush into work.”
At that moment, Lance opened the door and walked in. Noticing Violeta, he exclaimed with enthusiasm, “I was curious why there were so many more paparazzi downstairs. It’s because our big star has returned!”
Violeta glanced at Lance Sowle and offered a small smile. “Hi, Mr. Sowle.”
Lance carried a glass of water. “Feel free to call me Lance. I just came to check things out. You all go ahead with what you’re doing.”
After saying this, Lance shut the door and walked away.
Eugene looked around. “While you were gone, Tracy and Evelina had a big argument. Evelina is nearly becoming an A-list celebrity now.
“After the airing of her new TV series with Zelena, The River’s Breeze, the viewership ratings were quite impressive, securing the top spot for that period.”
Zelena had been popular for a long time.
The TV series The River’s Breeze also had excellent production values.
Evelina’s fanbase mainly consists of younger viewers, and
with the New Year approaching, the viewership is particularly high, making it unsurprising that she has risen to the top.
Violeta wasn’t very surprised.
Eugene said, “Eau Amore is still waiting for you to find time to film the promotional video.”
Violeta replied, “This is a resource that the Ridges secured for me, a free offer.”
Eugene added, “If Eau Amore doesn’t reveal the
spokesperson soon, Tracy will get worried. She has always believed she is Eau Amore’s chosen spokesperson.”
Violeta said, “Let’s wait until after the New Year. Let’s celebrate first and then discuss it.”
Eugene responded, “Alright, I’ll reach out to confirm the schedule. By the way, the Spring Gala organizers have extended an invitation to you.”
Violeta replied, “No, I’d rather just take some time to relax.”
Eugene nodded in agreement, showing no signs of disagreement.
Then, recalling something, he asked, “Beauty, I heard your mom was the chief editor of the Spring Gala last year?”
Violeta responded, “Oh? I’m not sure, maybe. I don’t really keep up with my mom’s work, haha.”
Irene and Anton each live in their own little worlds.
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