Login via

The Billionaire's Maid Bride novel Chapter 645

"Can you believe Allison still has fans? With all that dirt sticking to her like gum on a sneaker, what's there to fan over?" Valeria grumbled, her voice thick with irritation. "What's wrong with people's tastes these days, idolizing someone like her?"

"People like different things, Val. Chill out, okay? I've got the Twitter trolls handled," I said, trying to calm her down.

Valeria clenched her teeth, "But how do you handle it, huh? We can't just delete the comments! Am I supposed to just sit here and take the heat? Since when does Valeria have to put up with this nonsense?"

Sandy's eyes glinted with a cunning idea, and her assistant sidled up beside her with a sly grin. "We might not be able to delete the comments, but we can definitely play the sympathy card!"

Valeria's voice dropped to a whisper, "And how do we do that?"

"We spin it like Allison's fans are launching an all-out smear campaign against Valeria Studios. Once we push the press release, she'll be the one catching all the flak."

Truth be told, most of the trash-talking under Valeria Studios' posts were from Aaron's fans. They couldn’t stand Valeria trying to stir up a fake romance with Aaron for publicity. But Aaron was off-limits for backlash, so the press release would only name Allison. Valeria's lips curled into a satisfied smile, "Not bad, Sandy. I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry about it," Sandy reassured her. "Look, don't let this get to you. Even bad press is good press."

---

Allison's night scene had dragged on until the wee hours of the morning, a full five-hour ordeal. She didn't wake up until late afternoon. And tonight, another night shoot awaited her. Freshly awake, she had just showered and grabbed a bite to eat.

"Hey, Allie, have you seen what's trending about you?" Paige walked over, handing Allison her favorite comfort in a cup: milk tea.

Allison took a few sips. She loved milk tea, but during shoots, she stuck to sugar-free. Luckily, her metabolism was a firecracker; she could indulge without tipping the scales.

"What's trending now?" she asked, out of the loop while holed up on set, hoping it wasn't another baseless rumor.

Paige handed her the phone, and Allison glanced at the screen. It was a blurry behind-the-scenes photo; while Valeria and Aaron were crystal clear, she was just a smudge in the background. The comments were a battleground—fans and troll armies clashing.

Handing the phone back to Paige, Allison shrugged it off. She knew Valeria's type all too well, fiercely competitive and always looking to one-up everyone. The trending post reeked of Valeria's PR team's handiwork. Ever since filming started, security had been tight. Paparazzi hoping to cash in on leaks and eager fans were kept at bay. Media requests to visit the set? Denied. Wade, the director, was dead set on keeping the doors closed to focus on the craft. But that didn't mean nothing slipped through the cracks.

"From this angle, it's obvious one of Valeria's crew took the shot," Paige pointed out, "Look at how they airbrushed her face but left yours looking rough, even blurred out your outfit."

Seeing Allison unfazed, Paige suggested, "Valeria's blatantly trying to tarnish your image, just to fuel the fake romance buzz with Aaron. Should we get our own plant in the media, drop some high-res photos? I mean, you're the lead, Aaron's the lead—if anyone should be linked, it's you two."

Allison shook her head, "Don't jump the gun. I'm not into playing these games. Aaron and I are friends, nothing more. A show's success hinges on the story, not cheap tricks. Besides, Aaron hates gossip. He's always been a gentleman on set, polite and reserved."

She had no intention of using a friend as a stepping stone for fame.

Comments

The readers' comments on the novel: The Billionaire's Maid Bride