Mallory's Bold Reckoning with Shayla

In the afternoon, reporters were already waiting outside. Jane sat calmly in front of the makeup mirror, giving her makeup one final check, when someone opened the door and stood by the entrance saying, "Mallory, come out for a moment, Shayla has something to say to you."

Jane, startled, dropped the lip gloss in her hands and turned her head, her expression panicked as she said to the person, "Okay... I'll be right there."

Once the person left and closed the door behind them, Jane looked at Mallory's innocent smile in the mirror, a deep, scornful sneer appearing in her eyes. Lips curling slightly, she thought, Shayla, so eager to restore your image, huh? Let's see who's got the thicker skin, who can play the part better. She tucked something into the strap of her bra before standing up and walking out of the makeup room.

Shayla was waiting for her in the adjacent makeup room, still surrounded by her opulent setup. Seeing Jane come in, she sat there arrogantly, motioning with a wave of her hand for the others to leave, "You all go out."

Once only Shayla and Jane were left in the makeup room, Shayla looked at the timid Jane through the mirror and laughed sarcastically, "You little girl, resorting to sneaky tactics to get famous? You're quite talented, very expressive in your acting. What, did you think you could steal the spotlight from me?"

Jane bit her lip and spoke hesitantly, "Shayla, I wouldn't dare…"

"Not dare?" Shayla's beautiful eyes scanned over her face. "I heard you have quite a few tricks up your sleeve, even managing to seduce William Blake, making him send his secretary away again and again for your sake. Ha, do you know what my relationship with William Blake is?"

Jane seemed frozen by the mention of the name William Blake. She shook her head, her innocent large eyes gazing at Shayla.

Shayla had no patience for her pitiful demeanor. Now a popular actress, she no longer had to live humbly. Her spine straightened, she refused to read people's expressions anymore, opting instead to give them a piece of her mind. It was almost like a warning she delivered:

"I'm telling you, William Blake is my man. Scram before it's too late. If I find out there's any funny business between you two, I'll make sure your death is an ugly one! Anyone who dares to steal my man only gets to die!"

 The venom in Shayla's gaze was something Jane had seen before; in the hotel suite that night, the moment of her death, she saw Shayla's eyes just as somber. Now, a very much alive Jane stood before Shayla, a bone-deep hatred tore through her heart, craving to bite the wretch Shayla to death, piece by piece!

 Yet, Jane remained still, suppressing all impulses, only replying with a nod, "Shayla, I wouldn't dare take what's yours, let alone your man. Rest assured."

 Because I will destroy everything you own, leaving nothing behind, and I'll make sure your man joins you in the eighteenth level of hell! Jane sneered internally.

 Seeing her so submissive, Shayla felt at ease, no longer bothering to look at her, fiddling with her nails, "You know what to say at the press conference, right? Have they taught you?"

 "I..." Jane hesitated for a moment, clutching the corner of her dress, "Shayla, I really didn't expect it to turn out like this, I'm so scared, I tend to forget what to say when I'm frightened..."

 "Scared of what? Just tell the truth and I won't bite your head off!" Shayla glanced at her, "Remember, number 17, if you dare say one wrong thing at the press conference, you can forget about making it in the entertainment industry! I mean what I say!"

 Jane bowed her head, the corners of her lips imperceptibly curling up. Very well, Shayla, you're playing right into my hands, every word is what I wanted to hear... Just don't get nervous at the press conference.

 After being briefed again by the staff on what to say at the press conference, Jane walked in with Shayla where they too their seats.

 Although the scale of the press conference wasn't large, the media present were all quite renowned in the industry. If they could get past them, no doubt the way forward for Shayla would be smoother.

 The host started by explaining the purpose of the press conference. When mentioning Shayla and Mallory, Jane's expression was naive and awkward, while Shayla looked at Jane with a smile that was brimming with confidence.

The reporter began the interrogation, "Miss Shayla, is there any truth to the claims that you have been acting like a diva and being harsh on your juniors? Did you really throw red wine on a junior at the party?"

Shayla was exceedingly surprised, "How could that be? As a friend from the press, you all know that I came from a talent show format, and I understand the hardships faced by the juniors very well. How could I be harsh on them? And Mallory..." She affectionately took Jane's hand across the table, displaying an actor's comforting charm, "Mallory is my junior from high school, I have a deeper fondness for her than for other contestants, so being harsh is impossible, and the idea of throwing red wine on her at a party is completely ludicrous."

"Really? But based on the photos, it seems that Mallory is soaked in red wine, and you're holding a wine glass in your hand, which suggests there might have been a conflict," the reporter pressed on.

Jane smiled secretly to herself. Yes, everything had been calculated by her. She had seen Liam Thompson entering the party, but nobody else recognized him, so she refrained from greeting him. However, Liam Thompson had a knack for being everywhere, and if he caught wind of something intense, he would not let it go.

The party the previous day was harmonious; the thirty beauties were either posturing or getting up close and personal with a wealthy individual—it was nothing intense, just another daily routine in showbiz, nothing of interest to Liam Thompson. Hence, she set up her own ploy, ensnaring both herself and Shayla, employing a painful ruse to force Shayla to reveal her true colors. Shayla didn't just lose face among the wealthy, but also became the subject of Liam Thompson's scathing pen as a popular actress known for her spitefulness.

From Liam Thompson's position at the event, the photos he captured mostly showed Shayla's front and Jane's side profile. Shayla's front was undamaged, but Jane's side and back were drenched with red wine—when the photos were released, no one was going to sympathize with Shayla. On the other hand, the people at the scene saw Shayla's back covered with the embarrassing stains of cream and fruit jam.

Facing the journalist's question, Shayla had already rehearsed lines with Jane beforehand, so now Shayla watched Jane with an calm smile and said, "That's a question for my little junior. Let her explain what she's done herself."

Consequently, all the microphones and cameras were turned towards Jane. Not being her first time in front of the media, Jane wasn't nervous at all, but she appeared tensely rigid on the surface, biting her lip. After struggling to speak several times, she finally choked up with a laugh, "Everything is my fault, it has nothing to do with Shayla. I hope everyone stops blaming her. She has been very, very good to me..."

While speaking, she didn't dare to look into Shayla's eyes. Her innocent and beautiful eyes were filled with an unmistakable grievance that couldn't be hidden. Although her words were trying hard to defend Shayla, her hesitation and restrained demeanor made the media even more skeptical of Shayla's composed demeanor earlier.

Everyone knows the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry. The press conference wasn't really for some small pageant girl, but for Shayla's reputation. Hence, the journalists had already expected to hear a lot of scripted dialogue, but they didn't expect this seemingly artless young girl's expression and manner to betray her.

Then, a journalist, known for their sharp tone, asked, "Mallory, are these words taught to you by Shayla? Is someone deliberately pressuring you to take the stand and shoulder all the grievance by yourself?"