Chapter 345

Chloe thought it made sense. If Madeline had said she was an influencer from the start, would I have had a problem with her? I only bully people based on their status! Madeline clearly knows what’s going on but pretends she doesn’t!”

“So annoying.” Chloe muttered. “I can’t wait to see how she keeps pretending to be invisible!” Chloe was infuriated, thinking. about how tonight Madeline not only forced her to record an apology but also publicly embarrassed her. She just couldn’t let that go.

“Don’t be upset. Aren’t you having lunch with her tomorrow?” Rose’s eyes twinkled with a hint of scheming. “We can turn the tables then and make her slip up too,” she suggested slyly. “And it’ll be much more serious than just some gossip…”

Chloe was curious, but since Rose wasn’t planning to explain, she decided not to press further.

Madeline’s popularity was only exploding within the gaming community, but with the show’s marketing support and a financial boost from a wealthy sponsor, she stayed trending online until the following afternoon.

The gossip accounts spilled the tea: [Get this! Lynn, who used to be a big deal in esports, quit three years ago to focus on family after her partner complained. Even the esports coach was bummed out. And it turns out she was a girl–just 17 at the time! She left to prep for the SAT and scored first in the city. What a genius! She’s good–looking too, unbelievable!]

People were all about the drama, and with Madeline trending, the views were off the charts, pushing her to the fifth spot on the trending list.

By the time Madeline finished filming the next day, her Twitter followers had already exceeded 3.8 million, but the gain wasn’t anything special. Her previous most–liked tweet, which was a promotional post for a drama with Yohannes, only had 500 likes. But now, a casual photo shoot she posted last month had gathered over 10 thousand likes.

Madeline understood she was only an unknown actress, and she couldn’t handle this kind of attention yet. If she tried to ride the wave thinking she made it big, she’d soon replace herself falling. Only by steadily gaining recognition through her work could she truly achieve success. So, she didn’t pay attention to the buzz on Twitter.

Chloe and Rose were waiting specifically for Madeline.

With Lucas by her side, Madeline casually slipped her phone into her pocket as she met up at the filming location. Her demeanor was relaxed and unguarded. “You don’t mind if I bring someone else to lunch, do you?”

“Uh…” Chloe paused for a moment, feeling conflicted, “Madeline, this is a girls–only gathering, and we have private matters to discuss, remember? Having someone else around might not be appropriate. Plus, we’re both a bit reserved, it’s hard to talk about other things.”

Madeline waved her hand, “You guys already discussed what you needed to yesterday. Let’s just have lunch and pretend it never happened.”

“Isn’t that a bit inappropriate, Madeline?”

Lucas looked a bit puzzled and said, “I’ll cover the cost, so don’t worry. I’m not here to live off you guys for free. I can afford it.”

“I usually eat here with my sister, and if she’s dining with you guys, I’ll have to go to the cafeteria by myself.” He rubbed his nose and added, “Madeline, you won’t leave me behind, will you?”

“Let’s go,” Madeline quickly realized these two were up to something, which was why she brought Lucas along.

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If Rose is inviting me for dinner, it must be some sort of scheme. But, what exactly has she got planned?

Madeline smirked and went off to get her car.

Lucas got into the car with Madeline, sitting in the passenger seat. “Hey, Madeline, those two have been in the entertainment industry for quite a while now, especially Rose. She has a lot of fans–our mom even watched her shows.”

“Why would she invite you to dinner? With her level of popularity, she doesn’t really need to take you out, right?

“Or maybe you two are super close, like instant best friends?

“None of those,” Madeline chuckled. “Let’s just go

and

see. Are you afraid?”

172

པ འ་་་

“Of course not. What, am I afraid they’ll eat me alive?” Lucas laughed, noticing Madeline’s expression. “They can’t have bad intentions, right? The entertainment industry can be pretty rough for actresses, so stay cautious. Don’t eat or drink things you shouldn’t.”

“Alright, alright, I know,” Madeline replied, already familiar with the industry rules.

“You don’t think only women can be dangerous, do you?” she said with a smirk, starting the car. Then she went silent, not revealing anything more, even though Lucas was curious.

In the restaurant’s private room, Madeline followed Rose and her group inside.

This was a high–end restaurant, lavishly decorated and incredibly private. Only the elites came and went here. The staff stayed quietly in the halls, ready to respond to any call from the guests but never intruding.

As Madeline walked in, she noticed a few men already in the private room. The lights were dim, just enough to reveal the middle–aged men enjoying their cigars, with bottles of liquor in front of them.

The moment Madeline stepped in, they all went silent, squinting at her like she was a piece of merchandise. Their bold stares made her uncomfortable. She quickly realized they had bad intentions.

“Oh, this is interesting,” she said deliberately. “Rose, Chloe, didn’t you say this was a girls‘ night out? With all these uncles here. aren’t you feeling shy now? Or did we walk into the wrong room?”

“Come on, Maddie, don’t talk nonsense. These are well–known producers from our circle, very influential,” Chloe quickly explained. “We owe you an apology, and we want to show our sincerity. Rosie suggested introducing our contacts to you. From now on, we’ll be like sisters on the same team. When you hit it big, you’ll help us out too.” Chloe warmly linked arms with Madeline, leading her to a seat inside.

Rose walked in, knowing the cameras were already in place, her smile broadening. “Madeline, you don’t have many projects, and I saw your roles are quite few, so I specifically introduced you to some of my friends. We don’t have any other intentions, so please don’t misunderstand,” she said, glancing at the middle–aged, balding man. “Farrell is about to start filming a new movie. Didn’t you use to enjoy being an extra in fantasy dramas? Well, Farrell’s movie is also a fantasy piece, and he’s still looking for a female lead.”

Farrell stroked his chin and smiled eagerly, “I might be interested, but… isn’t it just her today? Why bring along a guy? We’ve already decided on the male roles.”

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