7
I stayed in the hotel for three days. I was about to go out to buy a few things when a message from Claire convinced me otherwise.
The news about my fight with Cara hadn’t died down, and now, new dirt was being thrown at me.
The director I had stabbed had come forward, claiming I had tried to seduce him for a role, but then dumped him when I found a new sugar daddy.
He didn’t dare name the sugar daddy, but he claimed he had been suppressed and blacklisted for years, providing a string of “evidence” that was a mix of truth and lies.
Claire was at her wit’s end. She couldn’t suppress this on her own.
“Ivy, can’t you just contact Mr. Croft? Apologize to him? This is something he could handle with a snap of his fingers.”
I was silent, my nose starting to sting. False rumors like this had surfaced before, but they were always shut down before they could gain traction. This time, the fire was only growing.
“He won’t help me anymore,” I said softly. “He’s getting married. Me breaking up with him is exactly what he wanted.”
Claire sighed. “If we can’t handle this, you probably won’t have any work for a long time.”
“It’s okay, Claire. I’ll post a clarification later. People can believe what they want. I don’t want to get caught in a cycle of having to prove myself.”
“Thank you for everything these past few years. I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
Claire tried to comfort me, saying she would do her best, but I knew it was a long shot.
I looked at the news. Everyone was bashing me.
[Why hasn’t this degenerate actress been canceled yet? So gross.】
[I said before she had a sugar daddy. How else could she have gotten to where she is with her terrible acti- ng?
[What, did her sugar daddy get tired of her?]
[I’m so curious who the sugar daddy is. He must be blind to have picked her.]
【Didn’t they say he has a childhood sweetheart he’s in love with? Is she the other woman?]
[Her dad is a shady contractor, too. Like father, like daughter.)
A few people tried to defend me, but their voices were quickly drowned out by the tidal wave of hate.
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Chapter 2
I logged into my social media account and started typing.
“Hello everyone, this is Ivy Shaw. I apologize for taking up public resources with my personal issues, but a: things have escalated, I hope everyone can see the truth.
First, I have no relationship with Director Yang, nor did I try to seduce him.
When I first started in this industry, I was naive and was tricked into signing a predatory contract. My agent forced me to drink with clients, and Director Yang tried to assault me. I was prepared to go to jail when stabbed him in the leg with a piece of broken glass to defend myself.
When he couldn’t get what he wanted from me, he turned to other young, aspiring actresses. I don’t know how many innocent girls there were, but I managed to save two of them.
I’m not saying this to prove anything, only to hope that everyone can see him for the scumbag he is. The girls I saved do not need to speak up for me. These horrible experiences should not be dredged up again.
Second, please direct all your hate towards me. Do not involve my family. They have done nothing to you. It
you continue to be vile, I sincerely hope everything you say comes back to you.
Finally, I was never the other woman. I was never a stand–in. We are now broken up.
Thank you for your time.”
I wrote a carefully worded statement, posted it, and turned off my phone.
I leaned back against the bay window. I hadn’t done anything, yet I felt so incredibly tired.
