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Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Chapter 30: I Will Compensate You
Imogen hesitated, her lips parting to speak, yet words eluded her.
Taking a deep, measured breath, her emotions churned with bitterness.
She couldn’t do it.
She couldn’t take that gamble.
She had long realized that in Troy’s eyes, she paled in comparison to Sarah.
If Troy could sacrifice her to shield Sarah from harm, what would stop him from doing the same to protect Sarah from mere rumors?
After all, these were only whispers on the internet, lacking any real sting.
Charlene’s confidence only grew in the face of Imogen’s silence. “Director Forbes, are you brave enough to take this wager?”
Without a word, Imogen ended the call.
Deep down, she knew that wagering was a lost cause. Even if Troy was in the dark about all this, and even if he did find out, he might still condone it.
She couldn’t just accept defeat; she deserved an explanation.
The studio manager had already forwarded her the soundless surveillance footage from that day in the dressing room.
The video might have been mute, but the actions spoke louder than words.
Casually, Imogen clipped a portion of the video and shared it in the Facebook group of Sarah’s team, along with several fan group screenshots. [Apologize on Instagram, or brace yourself. If I release this video, ponder the fallout.]
The Facebook group fell silent.
No one stepped forward; no one accepted blame.
Five minutes had gone by.
Realizing that no response was forthcoming, Imogen reached out to several influencer accounts she had collaborated with.
If this would cause a stir, she was ready to amplify it, leveraging both positive and negative publicity from this endorsement. At least it would be trending.
As she was navigating this storm, her phone rang.
The screen displayed Troy’s name.
A flicker of hope ignited within Imogen. Could he have noticed her post on Instagram and was now reaching out in concern?
She picked up and greeted, “Hello, Tro
“Imogen, don’t release the surveillance footage.”
Troy’s first words hit her like a cold wave, causing the smile that had been playing on her lips to fade instantly.
She should’ve known better.
She shouldn’t have harbored any illusions regarding Troy.
Drawing a shaky breath, she found even the act of breathing felt like an ordeal.
Chapter 30: 1 Will Compensate You
Now it made sense why Sarah’s team was so defiant and self–assured.
With Troy’s backing, her threats were rendered impotent.
Perhaps sensing her silence, Troy continued, “I regret what happened during Sarah’s shoot. I misunderstood you, and I’m sorry.”
Imogen’s response was a bitter laugh.
The absurdity of it all was overwhelming.
Would he have felt remorse about that day if not for the current circumstances? If Sarah wasn’t involved, would he even have considered apologizing?
She knew the answer was a resounding ‘no‘.
“Troy, I don’t want your hollow apologies. I just want the online hatred directed at me to stop.” “Imogen, I understand your pain. I’ll ensure this issue is suppressed. Just refrain from releasing the video.”
A realization struck her, a silver lining in her moment of despair: it was fortunate she hadn’t taken up Charlene’s wager.
“So, I’m just expected to take the fall? To be the scapegoat and bear the brunt of the blame, to face unwarranted criticism?” Imogen’s voice cracked as she all but shouted into the phone.
“I’ll make it up to you.”
“Make it up? What exactly can you offer besides money? Can you give me back what truly
matters?” Imogen retorted, emphasizing each word. “Unless you’re saying you won’t divorce me, is that it?”
There was a long pause from Troy’s end before he finally spoke, “What do you want?” Imogen scoffed.
He truly wanted it all. He desired to leave Imogen for his past love while expecting her to bear the weight of everyone’s scorn, all to shield his beloved.
“If they aren’t content with me as the director, perhaps I should just resign?”
“No, I won’t accept that condition,” Troy responded with finality. This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .
Exhausted, Imogen realized there was nothing to gain from this conversation. Troy might have had wealth to offer, but that was far from what she sought. Over the past three years, her earnings and bonuses have provided her with more than enough.
“Enough, Troy. Let’s end this discussion. Goodbye.”
With a click, she hung up, then lay down, enveloped in a sense of desolation, uncertain of her next step.
Her phone buzzed again.
She answered irritably without looking at the caller ID, “I meant it when I said goodbye. Don’t bother calling back.”
“Imogen, it’s Liam,” came a familiar voice.
Caught off guard, she quickly glanced at the screen. “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought it was someone else.” “I figured. I saw the commotion on Instagram. How are you holding up? Everything okay?”
“It’s manageable,” she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “Just a few hateful comments, that’s all.”
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Chapter 30: I Will Compensate You
The digital hatred didn’t cut deep.
Only Troy had that power.
Liam responded, “Alright, just so you know, there’s already a trending topic related to this. It looks like your Mr. Marshall is behind it.”
Hearing Liam’s prompt, Imogen questioned, “How can you be sure it’s his doing?”
“Just check the trending topics, and you’ll see for yourself.”
Taking Liam’s advice, Imogen quickly browsed Instagram’s trending section on her iPad. To her surprise, a new headline had risen to prominence, marked with the word “Breaking.”
The headline read: [Official Cast Reveal for Cloudwater City.]
Further down the list, she saw related entries highlighting Sarah’s selection for the role of Beryl and Liam’s casting as Larence.
Intrigued, Imogen tapped the primary trending topic, leading her to the official Cloudwater City page that had unveiled the main cast.
Sarah was to star as the lead character, Beryl, with Liam opposite her as Lawrence. The announcement also detailed the ensemble cast.
Various actors had already commented and shared this news on the official page.
The reveal seemed rushed. During such announcements, series would typically release promotional photos of actors in their respective roles. But Cloudwater City had none, only a basic textual introduction. The most likely reason? The final decisions on the actors had just been made, leaving no time for promotional shoots.
Yet, for budding actors, even a hurried announcement for a project of this magnitude was a boon. Directed by the acclaimed Rafael Balmont and penned by the original author, a highly respected screenwriter, the project’s production and supervisory teams held significant clout in the industry.
Securing a role in Cloudwater City was a coveted achievement, attracting numerous auditionees.. Given its popularity, it was natural for investors to angle for their preferred actors to land roles. Finalizing and disclosing castings swiftly was crucial, lest negotiations become even more complex and problematic.
Many online observers speculated that this abrupt casting announcement was a strategic move to divert attention from some other matter.
The exact nature of that ‘other matter‘ was a subject of debate. While many speculated it was related to Sarah’s recent endorsement, Imogen’s involvement was, for now, overlooked.
The diversion tactic seemed to work wonders, as the barrage of hateful comments on Imogen’s Instagram had notably diminished. And the reason?
Sarah’s fervent supporters had shifted their focus to Cloudwater City’s official page, rallying behind their idol.
In the grand scheme of things, a major TV drama overshadowed a mere endorsement deal.
After showing support for the star, a fan hurried to Imogen’s Instagram account and commented, “Look at this script that Mr. Marshall endorsed for our sister. How dare an adopted daughter flaunt her influence? Once our sister becomes Mr. Marshall’s wife, you’ll still need to address her as your sister–in–law!”
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Chapter 31.1. Disputes