The questions started with the plot of the series, but the reporters quickly shifted their focus to Liliana''s personal life. It was to be expected. Their goal was to generate clicks and traffic, and the more explosive the story, the better. Liliana''s love life was far more sensational than any discussion about the script.


    Liliana, ever the professional, deftly sidestepped each question. She handled the inquiries with a perfect bnce of charm and ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying that she and Finnian were getting married, leaving plenty of room for spection.


    This, of course, was not what the reporters wanted. They wanted a definitive answer. They grew more aggressive, shouting over one another, throwing out increasingly pointed questions. The press conference was on the verge of bing a one-woman show about Liliana''s private life. Cedric, the director, smilingly intervened, steering the conversation back to the series.


    Just then, a reporter from a well-known national paper raised his hand. "Where is the head writer, Amarise? I see a seat for her. Is shete?"<f3b> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n ?ovelFind</f3b>


    There was indeed an empty chair on the stage. Since Amara was not only the writer of *Whispers of Winter* but also the ex-wife of its main investor, Mr. Everly, the gossip surrounding the three of them was a hot topic. Her absence was notable.


    "Didn''t Amarise have some kind of ident?" a male reporter with sses asked maliciously. "Weren''t there photos of her online? Maybe she''s too ugly to show


    her face, so she decided not toe."


    Thatment opened the floodgates.


    "Photos were leaked showing two very nasty scars on her face. I heard she usually wears a mask in public. Why not just wear a mask to the press conference today?"


    "Is it because the actresses in the show are all so beautiful that she feels insecure and doesn''t want to be seen with them?"


    "Maybe she''s so ugly that the production team was embarrassed to have her here and deliberately kept her away?"


    "Amarise is Mr. Everly''s ex-wife, right? And now he''s dating Ms. Porter is she just so jealous and ashamed that she couldn''t bear to be in the same room as Ms. Porter?”


    Amara had been a screenwriter for several years. She was known for creatingplex, morally gray characters and had a dedicated following, but also a fair number of detractors. She was a controversial figure on her own, and when you added in the mystery of her appearance and her past marriage to Finnian, she was a ma for spection. In her absence, she had be the main topic of


    conversation.


    Keith, who was already on edge with worry, felt his anger boil over as he listened to the vicious attacks on her appearance. He had never cultivated a particr public persona,


    ve


    preferring to be himself. His natural charisma and easygoing nature had given him a reputation as a cool, independent, but generally mild-mannered star.