After a long pause, Sharon finally processed it. "I don''t really have an issue with it. It doesn''t hurt me either way. No matter what, I''ll still be criticized." She had grown ustomed to being dragged through the mud ever since she debuted. "IF Thomas agrees, then so do 1. Ophelia raised an eyebrow, noticing Thomas let out a faint sigh of relief, his lips curving upward ever so slightly. As expected, real couples were always the best to root for. "Alright, I have Thomas make the official announcement Just remember to share it afterward "Okay," Sharon replied,


    Five minutes after hanging up, a new post with the hashtag "Thomas and Sharon official announcement shot straight to the top of Twitter''s trending list.


    Thomas posted with the caption: [Before I met you, I thought being single was great. After I met you, I prayed every day for us to be together. Thank you for giving me that chance ]


    Below the caption was a picture of Sharon fast asleep in the backseat of a car, wearing a royal blue coat and tilting her head to the side. Thomas took a sneak shot of her, with only half of her face showing


    When Ophelia saw this tweet, she couldn''t help but be impressed by Thomas. She thought, ''Well done. Looks like this was all nned well in advance. She even suspected that Thomas had orchestrated this entire public rtions storm.


    Meanwhile, Zoe still used her alternate ount to stir up trouble, attacking Sharon personally. (It must''ve been Sharon who seduced Thomas. That tramp is capable of anything]


    When Zoe posted that, she saw Thomas'' tweet and her whole world crashed. She thought, They made it official? How is that even possible? Those words sounded eerily familiar-weren''t they the lines from the scene we rehearsed during the audition" To top it off. Thomas added a few more words, rifying that "I was the one who pursued her."


    Zoe gripped her phone tightly, her eyes consumed with jealousy, Hurriedly, she led her fanbase to flood Sharon''s repost with insults. You don''t deserve to be with Thomas. Who knows how many men you''ve been with. Shameless. Break up


    The moment Ophelia saw someone stirring up trouble, she immediately noticed Thomas'' response from his official ount, fiercely defending Sharon: Sharon is the purest, most beautiful girl I''ve ever met. I had a crush on her and pursued her. If you want to me someone, me me.]


    Onemented: [Huh? Is Thomas really dating Sharon? What''s going on?]


    Another added: [I can''t handle this. Day one of heartbreak.]


    One typed: [Looks like he truly loves Sharon.]


    Another remarked: [Wishing them the best. Sharon is so beautifu]


    One cheered: [I trust Thomas'' choice. Supporting them forever, theart emoji)I


    Fans were initially hesitant to ept the news, which was understandable. But, seeing how boldly Thomas stood up to defend his girlfriend, Ophelia found herself rooting for them.


    Soon enough, the hashtag Thomas fiercely defends his girlfriend against haters began trending as fans captured and reposted the exchange, flooding thements with their blessings.


    Once the online buzz about their official announcement died down, Zoe''s im about insider information still needed to be addressed


    14


    The official ount of With Love as My Cause posted a statement on Twitter and tagged Zoe and Sharon in the post.


    Thank you to actress Zoe Holloway for your feedback. After careful consideration, the "With Love as My Cause" team has decided to host a live-streamed audition this Saturday morning. We cordially invite Zor and Sharon to participate, with the lead actress selected through live audience voting to ensure fairness and transparency.


    Zoe was utterly dumbfounded. She thought, What? They''re ying it like this now?"


    If Zoe epted the invitation to the live audition, Sharon would absolutely wipe the floor with Zoe in terms of acting skills, leaving Zoe to embarrass herself in front of everyone. But if Zoe didn''t show up, people would definitely drag Zoe through the mud for it. Zoe was trapped.


    All Zoe wanted was to get back at the production team and m Sharon. She didn''t know how this ended up backfiring


    her


    Zoe, Ive already epted the invitation on your behalf. You can do the live-streamed audition against Sharon, and we''ll see who the fans support After all, Zoe had far more followers than Sharon.


    Zoe shot a vicious re at her assistant. "Are you out of your mind?" If she went, she''d just be walking right into humiliation "Cancel it immediately. Find me some other work. Announce that I have prior engagements and no time to attend."


    The assistant, though confused, had no choice but to follow Zoe''s orders.


    As soon as Zoe skipped the live-streamed audition,izens quickly picked up on it.


    Onemented: [You were given a chance, and you blew it


    Another typed: (You imed there was insider favoritism, but when they gave you a public audition opportunity, you didn''t show Clearly, you''ve been lying this whole time.]


    People even beganparing Zoe and Sharon''s acting performances side by side. Soon enough, Zoe found herself trending for all the wrong reasons.


    Ophelia, seeing the buzz reach its peak, gave the signal. "Post the video."


    Silverline Media promptly uploaded a video. It was footage Ophelia had secretly instructed her assistant to record during the second audition round. This time, theizens exploded.


    Onemented: [Wow, I''ve never seen anyone this shameless. She can''t art to save her life and still uses the production team of bias?)


    Another added: What even was that performance? Did she think she was summoning ghosts or something! She looked like she was moved to tears by her own terrible acting I


    Someizens even tracked the IP address of the ount that had been ndering Sharon, only to find it matched Zoe''s exactly


    Onemented: [They auditioned together, but she tried to spin it like they were caught leaving a hotel together? This woman has serious ulterior motives I


    Another added: JAnd she had the nerve to hug Thomas.]


    One remarked: [Ugh, gross. Thomas, disinfect yourself quick. Sharon,e protect your man]


    Zoe''s Twitter was soon overwhelmed,pletely crashing under the weight of all the hate. Her private messages were flooded with insults, and half her fanbase abandoned her, switching their allegiance to Sharon. 15:41 Tue, Nov 12 Bu


    19 60% A


    Zoe''s agent stormed into the room, throwing a stack of documents in her face. "Thepany invested so much into promoting you, and look at what you''ve done. Forget about those variety shows we secured for you. You''re not going anymore. Apologize online right now, or you can kiss your career goodbye."


    Zoe posted a lengthy apology in no time, which somewhat managed to quell the outrage.


    Gradually, fans began to ept Sharon and Thomas as a couple They started flocking to their Twitter ounts, scavenging for any signs of affection, even specting that the two had started dating when they left their former agency together.


    In the evening, while driving back to Rosewood Manor, Ophelia received a call from Chloe. "Elia, Eric hasn''t been back to the apartment for three days. Did he mention anything to you?"


    "No," Ophelia replied, her foot pressing on the brake as the light turned red. A faint sense of unease crept into her. She knew Eric wouldn''t stay out of trouble.


    Chloe continued, "I checked the security footage. He left the studio that afternoon over the weekend and never returned. He''s a master at avoiding surveince. Thest time he was caught on camera was at the Avalon Port Dock." Ophelia thought. For Chloe to call means she sensed something was seriously wrong. The Avalon Port Dock... Why does this ce sound so familiar? She said, "Alright, I''ll go check it out."


    Chloe said, "Come pick me up. I''ll go with you."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ophelia nced at the rearview mirror, aware that Caleb was following her. "No need. I''ve got someone watching my back. You need to stay with Wyatt. Don''t worry."


    After hanging up with Chloe, Ophelia immediately dialed Eric''s number, only to hear a cold, automated message-it was


    turned off.


    Ophelia made a sharp turn at the next intersection without hesitation, heading straight for Avalon Port Dock.


    However, Ophelia didn''t know that as Caleb tried to follow, another car cut in front of him, blocking him at the intersection. By the time the traffic light changed, Ophelia''s car had already disappeared from sight. 1541 Tue, Nov 12