Chapter 39

Evelyn was stunned. "Trending searches? How am I trending when I haven't booked any roles lately? And I'm number one?"

She'd never topped the charts before, not even during that infamous wardrobe malfunction incident.

"What's happening?" A sinking feeling gripped Evelyn's chest as she fumbled for her phone. True enough, her name dominated the search rankings with the damning headline: "EXPOSED: The Sugar Daddy Behind Actress Evelyn Whitmore!"

Her fingers shook violently as she tapped the link. The article featured a compromising video of entertainment industry heavyweights at a private dinner. A looping GIF showed her perched on a bald man's lap.

"Who leaked these? Who's trying to ruin me?" Evelyn's voice cracked.

Going viral meant global humiliation. Gregory's face burned with shame as he glared at his daughter. "You disgraceful little tramp! Look at your disgusting behavior!"

Evelyn turned ghostly pale, shaking her head frantically. "It's not what it looks like, I—"

"Save your lies!" Gregory spat. "I saw you sitting on that old pervert's lap! How could I raise such a shameless—"

"But Dad, we were discussing work—"

"Work?" Gregory snatched a decorative vase from the table and hurled it at her. "Since when does discussing work require sitting on men's laps?"

The porcelain shattered at Evelyn's feet. She froze like a cornered animal.

"Calm down, Father." Cassandra handed him a glass of water, her voice dripping with false concern. "Poor Evelyn probably had no choice. Those predators took advantage of her desperation to bring honor to our family."

"Honor?" Gregory roared. "She's brought nothing but shame! Now the whole world sees my daughter behaving like a common—"

Comparing his two daughters put things in perspective. Gregory once thought Cassandra working as a maid was embarrassing. Now Evelyn's scandal made that seem virtuous by comparison.

Evelyn couldn't retaliate against her father, but she rounded on Cassandra. "You scheming witch! This is your doing, isn't it? Ever since you came back—"

Gregory's slap echoed through the foyer.

"How dare you blame your sister? She earns an honest living while you whore yourself out! You're the disgrace here!" He raised his hand again. "I'll beat some decency into you!"

Evelyn collapsed, sobbing.

"Stop crying, you shameless—"

"Enough!" Victoria rushed between them. "She must have had reasons!"

"Reasons?" Gregory sneered. "The only reason is her hunger for fame! You've both disgraced the Whitmore name! Neither of you will leave this house until further notice!"

He stormed upstairs, leaving Evelyn weeping in her mother's arms.

"Mom, how did this happen?" Evelyn whimpered. "That video was private! I can't face anyone now!"