Chapter 2418
Balfour stood alone in the sterile hospital corridor, his mind a whirlwind of recent events that left
him with a pounding headache. Watching the doctors wheel Mara away for tests, he couldn't help
but be swamped by a sense of déja vu, recalling the fraught days with her sister, Victoria, and the
turmoil they had gone through.
After a while, he let out a weary sigh, his thoughts drifting to Ivy. Despite her rise in the cutthroat
world of showbiz, she had never lost her integrity. She never harbored intentions to harm others,
focusing solely on her craft, on being the best actress she
could be.
The thought of Ivy caught in a maelstrom of public scandal made his heart ache anew. The mess, he
conceded, was his fault. If only he had steadfastly believed in her, trusted her words, they wouldn't
be in this heartbreaking standoff.
He knew his hasty, hurtful words had cut Ivy deep. But seeing Mara on the ground had triggered
haunting memories of Victoria's kidnapping, and the helplessness he had felt then. His emotional
defenses had crumbled in that moment.
Ironically, it was Mara who had inadvertently set the stage for her own deception and, ultimately,
exposed her lies.
Looking up at the hospital ceiling, Balfour felt the wisdom in his grandmother's words for the first
time. If he had addressed the undercurrents of feelings between them earlier, could they have
avoided this chaos?
Had he acknowledged Mara's affection sooner, clarified his stance, perhaps their lives wouldn't have
spiraled out of control. Regret, an emotion alien to him, now gnawed at his
conscience.
Meanwhile, Leo's investigation continued, the case unraveling with surprising ease.
Seren, before becoming a self-proclaimed insider, had left a heavy digital footprint. A look into her
bank records revealed a recent windfall-money that could only be explained by a lottery win or
something far more sinister.
It all pointed to someone colluding with her to frame Ivy. The question remained, who would dare
cross the formidable Mrs. Howard?
Seren, having called Mara, felt a burden lift off her shoulders. A lawyer would be arranged; she just
had to show up in court when the time came. Her online provocations, after all, were just words, not
direct insults aimed at Ivy
What could possibly go wrong?
Seren reveled in her online persona, basking in the anticipation her followers had for her next
expose of the industry's dark underbelly. Ignored in real life, she thrived in the virtual world,
masterfully manipulating her audience.
08:31
Chapter 2418
Her newfound talent for stirring the pot was a revelation, and she had Mara to thank for it. True to
form, after her last bombshell, Seren played coy, staying silent for two days. Her followers,
concerned for her safety, speculated wildly.
The comments section was abuzz with concern for Seren, the brave truth-teller, fearing she'd been
silenced by powerful forces.
[How come Ivy's fans have gone quiet? Where are they hiding now? They were so sure it wasn't Ivy,
remember? Look here, everyone, our truth-teller hasn't been seen for two days. Who else would
have a bone to pick with her? Well, I'll leave my comment right here. As long as that woman is free, I
refuse to set foot in a theater to watch Coltonâs new movie!]