For the first time, she felt truly alone-swallowed by the noise and nowhere to hide.


    The crowd of onlookers kept growing, and among them, of course, was Joy Thatcher, who always kept up with the drama surrounding Vanessa.


    She was one of the most enthusiastic spectators. She immediately forwarded the link to Eleanor.


    [Ellie, you have to see this. It''s so satisfying.]


    Eleanor was in the middle of writing a report and didn''t have time to click the link yet. She texted back first, [What''s so satisfying?]


    [Vanessa and her manager are fighting online! And her manager isn''t holding back at all, exposing what a terrible person Vanessa is. It''s perfect payback.]


    Eleanor opened the link and saw the long, usatory post from Vanessa''s manager. As someone who knew her best, the manager knew exactly where to strike to inflict the most damage.


    After a quick scan, Eleanor felt surprisingly calm. She replied to Joy, [I saw.]


    [She totally deserves it. Let''s see how arrogant she can be now! Ellie, don''t you feel vindicated? After how she treated you.]


    Eleanor replied, [A little, I guess.]


    But Vanessa was already a passerby in her life, someone not worth her time or attention. Her rise and fall had nothing to do with her, and she didn''t even want to waste energy following it.


    [Right? I''m going back to watch the show. I need to see if her manager drops any more bombshells.] Joy was at home taking care of her child, so she had plenty of time to enjoy the drama.


    Eleanor put down her phone, her focus returning to theb report in front of her. This was the material she was preparing for an uing conference in Montir. To her, the data and charts on the screen were far more captivating than any online scandal.


    Meanwhile, in a cramped apartment, Faye Yeaton lounged on her day off, scrolling through thetest gossip.


    Seeing what Vanessa''s manager had posted, she sneered. "I knew this day woulde for her."


    "What are you looking at?" Faye''s


    mother came over to ask. Her credit


    was wrecked, her ounts tightly


    limited, and the life she''d once unted had shrunk to something small and bitter. She waspletely dependent on her daughter.


    "Vanessa and her manager had a falling out. The whole inte is watching the drama," Faye said gleefully.


    Faye''s mother scoffed. "She came from the gutter and really started thinking she was a princess. Withoutn backing her, how far did she think she could get?"


    "Mom, didn''t Dad used to send them money?" Faye asked.


    "He did, but not much. She was just a shameful illegitimate daughter. Did you think I was going to let her live in luxury? If she hadn''t made a name for herself in the piano world wouldn''t have given her and ber mother a second nce. Do you really think I would have tolerated them?" A flicker of resentment crossed her mother''s eyes.


    "That''s right. And Vanessa never told us. All this time, she was just using her connection ton, dreaming of bing Mrs. Goodwin. As if she''s even worthy," Faye said with a е mocking look. Now, with Vanessa''s, career and reputation in ruins, she


    wondered how she would ever


    recover.


    On impulse, Faye wrote ament: "I heard her mother is a degenerate gambler who''s never away from the tables."


    Someone replied to the main thread: "Does anyone know what the deal is with her andn? Seriously, were they ever together or not?"


    Faye quickly replied to thatment as well: "I have inside info. Ian wouldn''t fuck her with a ten-foot pole. She was dreaming."


    A reply appeared under hers: "I heard from someone in the industry that all those early rumors about Vanessa andn were started by her. He never once responded. So shameless."


    "That''s what I thought! Why would a tycoon ofn''s caliber ever be interested in someone so petty?"