Press Conference

THE MEN CLUB.

Xia pulled Natalie into the members only club and they sat on the front counter seats.

''I've never been to a place like this, heck I didn't even know something like this existed in City M.'' Natalie said as she scanned the place.

''Hello ladies!'' Josh walked up to them after serving two ladies at the centre of the club sitting area.

''We are here to celebrate a victory!'' Xia said and Josh furrowed his brows.

''What kind of victory has our reporter Kim gotten? You sound excited.'' Josh asked as he looked at Natalie. He already knew her even though she didn't know him. He had made it his duty to know everything about Alice Jun.

''You will hear about it soon. Give our lady here, one of your best cocktails and give me my usual.''

''On it!'' Josh replied and went to get their drinks ready.

''Xia, is this place safe? I don't want any pictures of me getting out of here.''

''Don't worry, you are safe here. Let's have fun!''

As Josh made their drinks, his phone buzzed and he took it out and saw the incoming call from Mikael. He put his handset on and answered the call.

''You must be a wizard to be calling me at this time. Your sister in law is here with her friend who happens to be my friend.''

''Natalie is at your club?'' Mikael sounded surprise over the phone.

''Yes, and they are celebrating something I think. I want to impress her since she is the elder sister of the woman I love.''

''You are so whipped; Josh. Alice doesn't even know you exist.''

''She will very soon. I'm going to sweep her off her feet before she knows it.'' Josh said confidently.

''Whatever, can you do something for me?'' Mikael said softly over the phone.

''Tell me, if it is illegal, the answer is no.''

''Can you take a picture of Natalie and send it over to me?''

''Are you pervert? Why are you asking me to send you a picture of your sister in law?" "Don't tell me you miss her?''

''No, I just want to be sure she is okay. A lot has happened in my absence; I want to be sure she is taking care of herself. I'm doing this for my mom. I don't want her to nag me.''

Josh chuckled, not believing anything Mikael was saying.

He turned to smiled at Xia and Natalie before lifting the drinks over, ''I will do that but you have a lot of answering to do once you are back.''

Josh placed the glasses in front of them saying. ''Here you go, ladies. Enjoy!''

''Thanks Josh.''

''You are welcome and this is on the house, to welcome you here. I hope you come from now onwards.'' Josh said to Natalie as he adjusted his lenses and she smiled shyly.

''Thank you!'' Natalie said to him.

Josh nodded his head and turned back. He took out his phone and looked at the video of Natalie smiling that he secretly took through the camera on his lenses.

He sent it to Mikael and turned it off before going to serve some VIPs that had arrived.

...

At the Black Horse Hotel.

Mikael picked his phone as soon as it buzzed. He opened it and looked at the video that Josh had sent and smiled. As he looked at it, he noticed that the smile on her face was genuine and it made her look even more beautiful.

Mikael chuckled and mumbled. ''She should smile more.'' He saw himself smiling through the side mirror and frowned. ''What is wrong with you, Mikael? She is your late brother's wife, what are you doing smiling at her picture?''

Mikael threw the phone away and stood up ready to leave for the night's shoot.

.....

Set For 'Lwanbil'.

Set Location 17.

Pool.

That evening, the set crew gathered at the pool and started setting up the area for the next filming. As the staff arranged the set gadgets, their phones suddenly buzzed blinking off in alerts.

Taking out their phones, the staff started murmuring among themselves after seeing the pictures and news about Lee Felicia and Mimi Song.

Alice frowned when she noticed the little exchanges between the staff and crew and turned to Niania and chuckled when she saw her own assistant's half-mouthed opened and asked. ''Pray, Niania, are you practicing how to keep your mouth opened or do you want to swallow flies?''

Niania turned the screen of the iPad towards Alice. ''Alice look at this!''

Alice snatched the iPad after seeing the pictures. ''What is this?''

''Alice, that is the reporter who wrote the article about big sister. She has been exposed as a secret hostess that entertain rich old men at an adult bar.''

Alice chuckled. ''Wow. She is an entertainer at a host bar for rich old men, that is new but truly refreshing.''

''Who could have leaked this?'' Niania asked as she leaned over to look at the screen.

''Reporter of an entertainment newspaper is actually a secret entertainer at an adult bar in City M. She recently reported about the life of the wife of the late business tycoon Thomas Sun, slandering her about how she didn't even mourn her husband and went in search for a job now that her money bank had died."

"The reporter is said to have gotten the pictures from a popular actress who is currently the female lead for 'LWANBIL' whose name starts with M'. It is still unknown what kind of grudge M has with the wife of late Thomas Sun for her to act so mercilessly towards her. What could have caused such high level of hatred?''

Alice read it out and murmured. ''Thanks Xia. I would kiss you if you were here right now.''

As everyone started discussing the trending issue, Mimi walked out of the hotel to the pool. Because she didn't know about the recent development, she smiled to the staff and other actors but the looks they gave her was far from welcoming. She noticed them giving her the side-glance and walking away murmuring.

Mimi frowned and turned to her assistant. ''Ailee, what is going on? Why is everyone looking at me like that like I did something wrong?''

Ailee shook her head. ''I don't know, but everyone seems to be talking about a trending issue online about a reporter.''

Mimi's heart throbbed and she commanded Ailee. ''Go online right now!''

Ailee nodded her head and turned on the table in her hands. Seeing the news and many backlash from netizens, her hands quivered as she looked up.

''What is it?'' Mimi asked.

''Mimi, you should see this for yourself Miss!'' Ailee said and Mimi snatched the tablet from her and looked at it.

Her body turned cold and colour drained from her face as she looked up to see the many gazes on her. She cussed and ran back into the hotel.

...

MIMI'S SUITE.

Mimi screamed on her phone to the one on the other line as she paced inside her suite room. 'What were you doing? Didn't I tell you to make sure you stop any news from going out? You're so useless. What were you doing and allowed this to happen? I don't care how you do it but I want you to get to work and make everything on the internet disappear. Get my name out of the trending hot picks right away, you lazy dog.''

She hung up and screamed. ''Natalie Jun, I will make sure you pay for this.''

Ailee ran into the room panting for breath as she spoke, 'Miss…''

''What!!!'' Mimi shouted, cutting her off.

''Reporters. There are reporters outside waiting to speak to you.''

Mimi glared at her and asked furiously, ''Do I look like I am in the mood to speak to anyone? Book me the latest flight to City M immediately. I need to get out of this place.''

''Yes, Miss!'' Ailee replied and left the room immediately to make the preparations.

Mimi's phone buzzed and she looked at the caller ID and answered, ''Mom. No, I swear I have no hand in this. This is all sister's fault. She just wants to tarnish my image. I already asked Ailee to book a flight, I will be in City M in four hours!''

Mimi hung up and threw the phone away before falling into the bed.

...

Monday Morning.

City M

T-Villa.

Hall.

Natalia walked out of her room. Putting her purse on the sofa, she walked to the kitchen and returned with two eggs in a plastic zip bag and puts it inside her bag. She looked at the hall with a smile and murmured. ''Ready!''

Her phone buzzed and she removed it from her bag and sighed upon seeing the ID. She ignored it and put the phone back and left the villa.

.....

Song Mansion.

Hall.

Mr. Daniel Song watched Solace as she paced about trying to reach Natalie on the phone. ''She dares to hang up on me? That girl has surely grown horns!''

''Send her a message. She needs to meet with the press and clarify things. What if Mimi's career gets affected by this? Our daughter is just starting her career and making a name for herself. Did Natalie really have to do this to her?'' Mr. Song pressured Solace.