Giselleâs eyes were misted with tears, just enough to tug at every onlookerâs heartstrings.
Ivy, however, was unimpressed, finding the whole display bitterly ironic.
âLook at Ivy, can you believe it? Even a star like Giselle can be blind to the company she keeps! Who wouldâve thought sheâd be friends with someone like that?â
There was a collective sigh of sympathy from the bystanders, but Ivy only felt annoyed at the charade.
âBrava, Giselle,â Ivy said with a sardonic smile, her gaze piercing through Giselle, who instinctively averted her eyes. âAlways on cue, whether on camera or in real life. What a performance!â
Giselle couldnât bear to meet Ivyâs gaze, her guilt making her fearful of revealing her inner turmoil.
âIvy, I know youâre upset. You need to calm down. Donât say things youâll regret. You donât want everyone to be truly disappointed in you, do you? If you apologize sincerely, there might still be a chance to make things right.â
Ivy was done playing games with this phony. âWhat chance to make things right? Why should I apologize for something I havenât done? Drop the act, Giselle. We were never friends-thatâs just something you keep pretending to be.
Iâve kept quiet out of apathy, not agreement. You go on and believe your own lies. I was I too busy memorizing lines as a rookie to waste my time on you. But I guess I underestimated your capacity for deceit. Sorry, I donât have your acting chops-Iâm not staying for this drama.â
Ivy didnât give Giselle an inch, which only soured the crewâs opinion of her further. Couldnât she see the reality of the situation?
It wasnât about whether or not she and Giselle were friends. She had messed up and owed an apology to the injured girl and everyone else involved.
âIvy, youâre a real piece of work, you know that? You hurt Diana, and what does that have to do with being friends with Giselle? And talk about pride! If I were you, Iâd count my lucky stars for the chance to rub shoulders with someone like her!â
The crowd couldnât tolerate Ivyâs ingratitude. A newcomer like her should be thrilled to be associated with a super star like Giselle.
Giselle waved a hand and dabbed at non-existent tears.
âI know Ivy is just being protective, trying to shield me from the backlash. Donât read too much into it, folks. The bond between us isnât something that can be explained away so easily.
Ivy will surely apologize for her wrongs in due time. Letâs give her some time, shall we?â
But Ivyâs misdeeds had been caught on camera. The crewâs work had come to a halt, stirring discontent among them.
Giselleâs defense only made them more convinced that Ivy was not only guilty but also ungrateful.
The more Giselle sang Ivyâs past praises, the more everyone believed she had been gaslighted by her.
âGiselle, you deserve better friends. You shouldnât waste your time on someone like Ivy.â
People tried to reason with Giselle, telling her that for someone of her caliber, Ivy wasnât worth the hassle.
But only Giselle knew the threat Ivy posed to her, both emotionally and professionally. Before Ivy could make her mark, Giselle was determined to ruin her, to obliterate any chance of her rising in the showbiz.
As things stood, her plan was working. Nobody believed Ivy anymore. In their opinion, her reputation was already in tatters.