Chapter 367 Breaking Big News

Chapter 367 Breaking Big News

The filming schedule for the movie was pretty long, and Victoria spent a lot of time on set, only taking breaks for really important events. One morning, while she was getting her makeup done, she noticed the staff in the makeup room whispering and pointing at their phones. Victoria waited until the makeup artist finished applying her lipstick before asking, "What's got everyone so chatty today?"

"Victoria, there's a juicy rumor going around. Have you heard? Someone leaked that a female star is pregnant out of wedlock! Recently, someone spotted a woman at the maternity hospital who looked a lot like Tessa. Everyone's speculating it might be her, and it's trending at the top of the searches."

"Yeah, I heard about it too. Last month, Tessa was supposed to go to a red carpet event, and she agreed at first but then canceled last minute. Now people are guessing it's because her baby bump's gotten too big to hide in a gown. Her recent photos show her wearing baggier clothes, and her fans have been criticizing her studio for it."

There were all sorts of rumors online. Some people even posted old photos taken abroad, claiming that a person in the background looked like Tessa, accompanied by a young man who might be her secret boyfriend. Since Tessa has always maintained a single persona and even mentioned in interviews that she's too busy with work to date, her fans couldn't accept the idea of their idol suddenly being pregnant. They flooded her studio's social media accounts, demanding an explanation and insisting that the studio send legal notices to those spreading false rumors.

"Did you know Victoria's agent used to be Tessa's agent?" the makeup artist asked, clearly interested in the gossip.

Victoria kept a straight face. "Let's not spread rumors. We should focus on our work." Despite the tension between her and Tessa over the past couple of years, Victoria didn't take pleasure in Tessa's misfortune. They had some conflicts over resources, but Tessa had never resorted to underhanded tactics to sabotage her. At least, Tessa's character wasn't bad. Victoria didn't enjoy seeing another actress caught up in a scandal over pregnancy and relationship issues.

Victoria's seriousness made everyone stop gossiping. There was no concrete evidence about the rumor, just speculation. Besides, being pregnant wasn't a crime; people were just curious and enjoying the drama.

The rumor continued to stir up excitement for half a day, staying at the top of the trending list. Tessa's studio was actively negotiating with the paparazzi, but they demanded a million dollars to delete the posts. 

While Tessa could afford the money, it was the second time the paparazzi had blackmailed her with such a matter, and their demands were increasing. Tessa tried to negotiate a lower price and ensure they wouldn't use the issue for news again. The negotiations fell through, leading the paparazzi to post a vague exposé. It was unclear who had targeted Tessa, guiding public speculation towards her.

As the buzz grew, Tessa reluctantly agreed to pay. The paparazzi deleted the post after receiving the transfer and stopped responding to inquiries from netizens. Seasoned internet users quickly deduced that a deal had been struck. However, the public's curiosity wasn't easily quelled, and many entertainment reporters continued to pursue the rumored actresses.

At a brand event, Tessa was surrounded by a swarm of reporters. Planning to leave, Tessa felt faint; standing in high heels on stage for half an hour had taken its toll. Now, she was being bombarded with questions. 

Since the pregnancy rumors surfaced, she had been anxious, and two days ago, she finally decided to get an abortion at a private hospital. Her plan was to rest for a while and then make a public appearance with a flat stomach to prove the pregnancy rumors false. But before she could recover, the paparazzi leaked the story. To dispel the doubts, she forced herself to attend today's event despite her condition.

"Tessa, is the rumor about the pregnant star true? Are you really pregnant?"

"No," Tessa forced a smile, firmly denying it. It was early spring, and the weather was chilly. Her exposed legs trembled from the cold.

Her assistant rushed on stage, supporting Tessa and shielding her from the reporters. "Please move aside, we have another engagement to attend." If Tessa were still with Starlight Entertainment, the PR team would have handled this better, and Wilmer wouldn't have let her spiral out of control or even get pregnant. Unfortunately, she chose to start her own studio for more freedom, leaving her to face these challenges alone.

As the assistant helped Tessa through the crowd, someone accidentally hit her abdomen with a camera stand. A sharp pain surged through her, and Tessa collapsed!

Chaos erupted as the crowd dispersed. Some reporters looked concerned and sympathetic, while others quickly snapped photos. Amidst the confusion, the assistant and driver managed to get Tessa to the hospital. 

By the time Tessa woke up in the hospital room, her collapse photos had flooded the internet. The worst part was that the sudden fainting and poor health made her look terrible in the photos. Without a company to manage PR, the reporters released the ugliest shots, accompanied by captions like "Tessa faints at event, suspected abortion!"

Many fans couldn't believe this was their pure, beautiful star. Comments poured in: "Tessa is not even thirty, how can her skin be so bad? Even with thick makeup, you can see wrinkles under her eyes, and her skin looks rough. If celebrities look this bad in candid shots, I suddenly feel less anxious about my own looks."

"The photos celebrities post are all heavily edited, and they go through approval processes. In reality, the difference between stars and regular people isn't that big; we just don't have professional retouchers."

Reading the malicious comments, Tessa felt nauseated. Her recent state was terrible; her boyfriend Albert didn't want to get married, and she had to abort the baby to avoid affecting her career. To maintain her image, she attended an event just days after the procedure. The unexpected incident not only failed to clear the pregnancy rumors but also resulted in many ugly photos circulating online. These photos would be saved by many netizens, and when she competed for resources with other actresses, the haters would spread them, affecting her future work. If only Wilmer were still her agent, his skills would have minimized the impact of this incident.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Wilmer. She quickly answered, hoping he still cared enough to help her. If Wilmer agreed to assist, she would listen to him and never oppose him again.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay?" Wilmer's voice was gentle, filled with concern.

Tessa's tears flowed, and she spoke with a sob, "Wilmer, I'm not okay. Can you help me? I really regret not listening to you and breaking up with Albert sooner."

Wilmer replied, "It's too late to regret now."

"No, it's not too late!" Tessa's voice suddenly became urgent, as if grasping at a lifeline. "You can help me. Victoria is so popular right now. If you leak some of her private matters, like her chaotic personal life, it would overshadow my issue." If the attention shifted, the subsequent matters would be easier to handle, and the brand wouldn't insist on terminating her contract.

"You've become someone I don't recognize. I won't help you. You want to trade Victoria's future for yours? Dream on! You made the mistake, and you should face the consequences." Wilmer sneered. He recalled how Tessa used to be a principled girl who rejected shady deals when she first entered the industry. 

Now, she had turned into a desperate, washed-up actress willing to do anything to protect herself. He hung up, not giving her a chance to persuade him further. He had called to check on her well-being, given their past acquaintance, but Tessa's behavior was deeply disappointing.

Staring at the disconnected call, Tessa broke down in tears. With Wilmer refusing to help, no one else would. Many people she had offended in the past seized the opportunity to expose her arrogance and disrespect towards collaborators. Competitors hired trolls to criticize her and her endorsed products, forcing brands to terminate her contracts and take over her resources. After this incident, Tessa gradually vanished from the entertainment industry.