Chapter 557

Paige handed a glass of water to Allison with a friendly smile. “Here, take a swig, Allison. You’ve got another shoot this afternoon.”

Allison took a small sip and stretched out on the couch. “I’ll just catch some Z’s for a bit. Wake me up when it’s go-time.”

“Sure.”

On set, Allison was a total pro, never acting arrogant. Whatever pose the photographer suggested, she followed it. She never made a fuss over hair or makeup. Her work ethic was top-notch. After wrapping up the afternoon shoot, Allison, flanked by Paige and a few bodyguards, made her exit from the studio.

One of the crew members remarked, “You know, I think Allison’s actually a good egg. She has a good personality and no airs. She never gets angry easily. She’s miles better than some of the no-name hotheads we’ve worked with.”

“I feel the same. Despite her image taking a hit recently, she’s still a stunner. Plus, she’s genuinely nice.

No wonder she’s still got a loyal fan base.”

“Fan base? For what? She’s barely got her feet wet in the industry, no real standout works, and now this whole leaked photo scandal,” a woman’s voice chimed in, dripping with disdain.

“It’s the face, all about those looks. Nowadays, fans go crazy for a pretty face, and Allison ticks all the boxes. My cousin was even planning to get the ‘Allison look’-those gentle, doe eyes-at the plastic surgeon’s the other day.”

“In just a few days, her face has become the standard model for cosmetic clinics,” another voice added.

Then someone else jumped in, “Hell, I’d be a fan too. Who doesn’t love a beauty? So what if she had a wild private life before? She wasn’t cheating and is single. What’s the big deal if she had a few flings?

Why is it that guys can play the field, but it’s taboo for women? She hasn’t hurt anyone, and hasn’t broken any laws.”

A voice called out, “Deputy Editor!”

The Deputy Editor approached. “If we’re talking skeletons in the closet, the entertainment industry’s got a graveyard. Remember the scandals surrounding actresses like Zoe and Tamara? When Tamara started out, she stirred up way more drama than this. It was just that the internet wasn’t what it is now, but the tabloids were on it, and it was a media bloodbath.”

The Deputy Editor continued, “Instead of dishing the dirt, we should be upping our game. The lead’s long gone; let’s wrap things up too and get back to work.”

“Right.”

The studio staff dispersed from their gossip huddle and got back to their tasks. The Deputy Editor checked Twitter and saw the gossip about Allison was still trending. She smirked; despite the newcomer’s scant background, she was causing quite the storm. She was a born star indeed.

Grace had a night where neither food nor sleep did her any good. She arrived at the doorstep of Epic Entertainment early, strode in and approached the reception desk. As soon as she mentioned Allison’s name, the clerk clammed up, and a bouncer suggested she take a hike. Grace was frantic with worry for Allison and decided to wait outside. She waited the whole morning.

At noon, she grabbed a quick bite at a diner nearby, gobbling down a sandwich, and then resumed her waiting outside Epic Entertainment’s doors.

Sophie and a group of journalists, tipped off by a source, had been loitering around Epic Entertainment, hoping for a scoop. After a long wait with no sign of Allison or her mother, some media folks were ready to bail, grumbling, “Sophie, did your buddy feed you a line? Where’s this so-called scoop, and where’s Allison’s mom?”

“Yeah, Sophie, we need something solid here. We can’t just hang around like this indefinitely.”