Chapter 5

During Joel's hospital stay, neither Chris nor Daniel visited her. She had heard that Rosanne was shaken by the recent events and couldn’t be left alone, so they stayed with her. Joel felt a pang of bitterness but didn’t want to dwell on her emotions. After being discharged, she checked her phone. It was already the 14th. In three days, she would have to leave. Joel stayed indoors, locking herself in her room to pack. She avoided going out until her agent called. “Are you seriously this calm?” her agent snapped. “Daniel and Rosanne’s fans are tearing you apart online!” Joel froze and opened a news site. A photo of Daniel escorting Rosanne to her car had gone viral. In the image, Daniel was looking at Rosanne with a soft smile and tenderness in his eyes—impossible not to misinterpret. Joel had worked with Daniel many times. They were good friends, and Daniel had publicly praised her on multiple occasions, which had earned them a following of fans who shipped them as a couple. Once the photo surfaced, Rosanne was labeled the “other woman” and relentlessly attacked online. After a day of silence, Daniel finally posted a statement: “There’s been a misunderstanding. Rosanne is a good person. Please stop attacking her.” Just like that, Joel was turned into the “homewrecker.” Some accused her of creating drama for publicity; others called her shameless. Yet Daniel never once came forward to defend her. Joel felt a sharp pain in her chest. She turned and headed straight to Chris’s office. When she pushed open the door, Chris looked up, his usually stern face showing a trace of weariness. Joel didn’t hesitate. “I want to issue a statement. I was never in a relationship with Daniel. Why should I be painted as the homewrecker?” Chris rubbed his temples. “But if you do that, Rosanne will be targeted again. You know she’s in the middle of her career peak. She can’t afford bad press.” Joel found it absurd. She stared at Chris in disbelief and raised her voice. “So I’m just supposed to take the fall for her?” “Sorry for the trouble,” Chris said in a placating tone. “But you’ve given Rosanne a hard time before. Helping her out this once seems fair. Don’t worry, gossip dies down quickly.” Gossip may die down, but they couldn’t bear to let Rosanne suffer even a little. As they argued, Daniel walked in. “Joel, stop making a fuss,” he said softly, his usual gentle tone making her feel like a child being scolded. “Rosanne is strong, but she can’t handle this kind of pressure for long. We need to resolve this quickly.” Joel said nothing. She returned to her apartment in silence. That night, she received a cake, sent by Chris and Daniel. Perhaps out of guilt, they had remembered the birthday they had forgotten. But what was the point of a belated gesture? Joel stared at the cake for a long time before throwing it in the trash. Her phone rang. It was William. His usually curt tone carried a hint of concern. “I saw the entertainment news… Do you need the family to step in and handle this?” Joel’s nose stung, and her eyes welled up. She quickly wiped her tears and replied softly, “It’s fine. I’m done with acting anyway. In three days, I’ll be back in Oakshire.” Just then, Chris and Daniel walked in. They noticed her packed suitcases and frowned in unison. “You’re going back to Oakshire?” “What are you going to do in Oakshire?”