L chuckled softly. With all themotion, there was no way Dorian didn''t know what was happening. If he wanted to ride this wave of attention, he''d have to deal with the risks that came with it.


    But this time, she was wrong.


    Dorian really had no clue about the online chaos. He''d been in a foul mood for days, and the stress and constant traveling had taken a toll on him. After an angry outburst at the office, he''d gone home, downed some alcohol, and passed out, only to wake upter with a fever that left him miserable.


    When Ryan and Ethan rushed over to deliver the news, Dorian was still burning up.


    As Ethan nervously filled him in, Dorian let out a bitterugh, though his gaze turned razor-sharp as it shifted to his agent. It was the kind of look that could slice through steel.


    Ryan stammered, visibly trembling. "Dorian, I swear I was just trying to help you. I didn''t think the fans would escte things and go after the director. I really didn''t think it would get this bad. I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..."


    Dorian didn''t bother to hear him out. "Idiot! If this mess isn''t cleaned up, none of you are walking away from this unscathed. Get lost now!"


    His voice was low, but it carried the weight of venom, wrapping around the room like a snake ready to strike. Ryan and Ethan both felt like they were in immediate danger.


    Back when L was around, none of this chaos ever happened.


    L. Did it really have to be L?


    Ryan had already fled, leaving Ethan standing a few steps away, looking as though he wanted to vanish into thin air. The silence was suffocating, and he didn''t dare move.


    Dorian''s expression darkened further as he checked thetest developments online. Thepany''s PR team was scrambling to contain the situation, but the damage had already been done. Too many people knew, and the dy in addressing it only made things worse.


    Meanwhile, Magi Pictures released Michael''s audition tape on their official channels. They praised Michael for his outstanding performance without mentioning Dorian by name and congratted him onnding the role. However, every word felt like a p to Dorian''s face.


    He balled his fists. His knuckles turned white with rage.


    Suddenly, something on his feed caught his eye. It was a post from Joyce Group''s Citrus Media, officially announcing the leads for the drama "City of Blossoms". The female lead was none other than Rose White, this year''s Best Actress winner at an international film festival.


    With her striking looks, sharp wit, and natural charm, she had skyrocketed to fame, especially after a wildly sessful period drama earlier that year.


    The male lead, however, was a rtive neer who''d gained poprity from a low-budget drama. He had no major awards and barely qualified as an A-lister, nowhere near Rose''s level.


    Dorian''s reaction was immediate. The drama was the one that Amelia had had someone bring to him. He shot up from the couch, hurling his phone across the room. It shattered at Ethan''s feet, pieces scattering everywhere.


    "You told me ire was cast as the lead for that film. Why is it, Rose?"


    That one-word differencepletely transformed the film''s prestige. Joyce Group must have poured significant resources into it.


    This was supposed to be his deal. A project was handed to him on a silver tter. And now it was gone, all because his team had bungled the details.


    Ethan froze, unsure what to say. But the look in Dorian''s eyes was enough to shut him up.


    "Do you even realize the disaster you''ve caused? Idiot! All of you-useless idiots!"


    Dorian flipped the coffee table before him, the tempered ss shattering on the floor with a deafening crash.


    "Get out. You too—just get out!" His voice was hoarse, and his bloodshot eyes red with a wild, almost demonic intensity.


    Meanwhile, Dorian''s tarnished reputation was beginning to have ripple effects. The stock price of apany he had invested in started to plummet, and shareholders were bombarding him with calls and messages.


    He ignored every single one of them, letting his phone ring endlessly as hey back on the couch, feverish and defeated.


    A bitter smile tugged at his lips. So, this was what Camille had warned him about.


    All the stability he''d taken for granted had been an illusion, upheld only because L had shielded him from the storm.


    It was never that L was nothing without him but the other way around.