CHapter 259
The Killer Queen
Chapter 259
Yabel wrapped her arms around Noellaâs waist, nuzzling against her with an almost pitiful affection.
âEver since the gemstone auction, my mentor asked me to follow Ms. Noella! Boss, Iâm all yours from now on. Youâve got to take good care of me, okay? And when you tie the knot with Mr. Pollack, donât forget to include us maids in your bridal party!â
If Noella could take the Polar Star under her wing and maybe even annex the Abyssal Organization, not to mention snagging such a heartthrob, their dreams of ruling the frontier would practically be within reach!
Stirlingâs attention was immediately diverted. âNoella, how come you arrived with Mr. Pollack? When I called you over earlier, were you guys possibly..â
From where Stirling was lying down, his view was skewed. All he could see was Noella and Palmer in an embrace, looking like they were about to lock lips at any moment!
Good thing he spoke up when he did! Otherwise, who knows what scandalous scene might have unfolded.
The thought of his pure and kindâhearted sister running off with another man made Stirlingâs heart ache!
Noella finally spoke. âAfter I got the call, it was Palmer who drove me here. I havenât told Beckett yet, but I fill him in when I get backâ
The Schnabel kids, though all capable of standing on their own, had a subconscious rule of not keeping secrets from each other. No matter what happened, they would share it with the rest, keeping their family in the loop of their lives!
The production manager approached with a cheerful grin. âStirling, feeling better? Just to be safe, weâve arranged for a car to take you to the hospital for a checkâup!â
Stirling raised an eyebrow at the manager, his response laced with sarcasm, âOh, so the catâs out of the bag, and youâre hoping for some PR damage control now?â
The manager, caught in the act, sheepishly nodded in admission
Somehow, despite efforts to keep things under wraps, news about Stirling and Yabelâs disappearance had exploded everywhere!
Stirlingâs phone was nearly blown up by calls from the Schnabel family members
Yasbel, too, received endless queries from the meda
The coincidences were too suspicious to ignore. They couldnât help but believe it as intentional!
Noella pondered for a moment âStirling, can we hold off on the PR for now?â
âOf course, we can! Whatever you say, Noella!â
Stirling didnât even question why, immediately agreeing to Noellaâs suggestion, completely disregarding the production teamâs dismay
âStirling, if we donât clanfy things, the production will suffer a huge lossâ
Noellaâs icy gaze landed on the manager, her look one of dedain that suggested she saw right through him
âThe main reason Stiding and Yasbel were in danger is because of the productionâs security lapses. Whether it was leaking the filming location or allowing them to be attacked late at night, itâs on youâ
The manager tried to defend. âIt was an accident. We didnât anticipate such incidents
Noella scoffed. âSo, the immediate leak of their discovery just happened on its own? You saw an opportunity to stir up some buzz now that theyâre safe! Its like hitting the jackpot with free trending topics Having Stirling and Yasbel clarify now means the production doesnât lose a thingâ
Instead of losing, the production could position itself as a victim in the narrative After all, it was all the fault of those obsessive fans,
The managerâs gaze shifted, avoiding eye contact. âMs. Schnabel, itâs not like that. If we were the ones releasing the news, wouldnât we be inviting criticism for our lack of security? Weâre genuinely concerned about the safety of our cast, we wouldnât do such a thing!â
Noellaâs contempt was palpable. âWho released those stones can easily be found outâ
Yasbel, spitting out a piece of straw, called Nolan avec âBro, track this down.
Nolan, without hesitation, whipped out his laptop.
The production manager wasnt womed, knowing the weak signal in Glen Village made internet access a challenge: one had to practically climb a mountain for a decent connection
Yet, they watched as Nolanâs fingers flew over the keyboard, his actions a blur, and within three minutes, he turned the screen around.
âRoss, it was someone from the production who sold the story, pushing those marketing accounts to spread the newsâ
The screen displayed several screenshots of discussions between the director and marketing accounts, all advocating for blowing the news out of proportion Only by making a big deal out of the situation could the production benefit
12
Whether it was spinning the narrative of Stirling being kidnapped by obsessive fans or being harassed in the middle of the night, it was all prime material for publicity.
The production could then buy trending spots on social media and arrange a hospital visit for the two, manipulating public opinion to its advantage.
Noella looked at the screenshots, disdainfully remarking. âIt seems the director has thought everything through, knowing exactly how to steer public opinion. But Stirling and Yasbel shouldnât be used as pawns for your publicity stunts!â
The director felt comered under Noellaâs piercing gaze, which seemed to see through everything, finding her more intimidating than Stirling, a seasoned actor.
But despite her formidable presence, she was still just a young girl, barely in her first year of college. Surely, she couldnât understand the complexities of the industry, he thought. A little misdirection should be enough to confuse her.
âAh, Ms. Noella, you might not be aware, but all this buzz is actually beneficial for Stirling and Yasbel. It translates into real, tangible popularity that will reflect back positively on them. Your lack of familiarity with the industry is understandable, but rest assured, we have Stirlingâs best interests at heart!â
Noellaâs smile was sharp. âIn Stirlingâs best interest, so you leaked his location to obsessive fans? As far as I know, Stirling changed his number after joining the production!â
The director and the entire production team had Stirlingâs new number, along with his agent and the Schnabel family. All accounts were registered under Stirlingâs assistantâs name to prevent hardcore fans from track it down!
Unless someone had leaked the information in advance, thats how the obsessed fans managed to locate Stirling!
The director was panicking!
How did Noella, a young girl, come to know about these things? They always kept such deeds under wraps, having developed a complete cycle of hype.
who would then show up causing wave to buy a few trending spots on social media for publicity
The crew would sell information to the obsessed
rbances, and the crew would ride on the
Naella must be making wild accusations
âMs. Schnabel, you can eat whatever you like, but words should not be thrown around lightly. We have never engaged in such unprofessional conductâ
Lands
âYeah, Ms. Schnabel, Stirling has been in the showbiz for so many years, he understands how things work. Ms. Noella is just talking nonsense, maybe itâs best she leaves now!
They were clearly angered and wanted Noella to leave immediately
Stirling erupted, âWhat do you mean? How dare you tal
ter like that?
He placed a hand in front of Noella, shielding her by pulling her wrist befund him
The manâs piercing gaze turned icy, his presence alone enough to send shivers down the directorâs spinel
Palmer smiled slightly, calm and collected. âWho just said my quite charming!â
nce was talking nonsense? Somehow, I find every word she says