Chapter 177

The moment Evelyn Sinclair stepped into the bustling café, she knew today would be anything but ordinary. The air was thick with whispered conversations, and she couldn’t help but eavesdrop—mentally, of course.

Her assistant, Lillian Graves, slid into the seat opposite her, eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement. "You won’t believe what I just heard," she murmured, leaning in conspiratorially.

Evelyn arched a brow, stirring her latte with deliberate calm. "Try me."

Lillian’s voice dropped even lower. "Vincent Holloway was spotted leaving Seraphina Delacroix’s penthouse at three in the morning."

Evelyn nearly choked on her coffee. Vincent Holloway—the notorious playboy—and Seraphina, the rising starlet? That was unexpected.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. A message from Nathan Blackwood lit up the screen: "We need to talk. Now."

Her pulse spiked. Nathan never texted like that unless something serious had happened.

Lillian noticed her expression and frowned. "Bad news?"

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "I don’t know yet."

As she stood to leave, a familiar voice cut through the café’s chatter. "Well, well, if it isn’t Evelyn Sinclair."

She turned to see Vanessa Sterling, Harrison Montgomery’s infamous mistress, smirking at her. The woman’s crimson lips curled into a knowing smile. "Rumor has it you’re digging into things that don’t concern you."

Evelyn’s grip tightened on her phone. "Rumors are often wrong."

Vanessa’s laugh was like shattered glass. "Are they?"

Before Evelyn could retort, another text from Nathan arrived: "Meet me at the penthouse. It’s about Sophia."

Her stomach dropped. Sophia Blackwood—Nathan’s sister—was involved in this mess now?

Lillian grabbed her arm. "You okay?"

Evelyn forced a smile. "I’ll be fine."

But as she strode out of the café, one thought echoed in her mind: This was just the beginning.

The Blackwood family had scrolled through the trending list, their expressions shifting from amusement to disbelief. Not only was Evelyn Sinclair dominating the top spot, but the first three hashtags were all about her. Only after those did they find the scandalous downfall of a once-beloved celebrity.

One headline hailed Evelyn as the "Modern-Day Nemesis," with netizens worshipping her like a deity.

Another trend urged aspiring stars to seek Evelyn's approval if they wanted an unshakable career.

The third hashtag was a direct plea for Evelyn to pass judgment on another celebrity.

It was like witnessing mass hysteria in real time! Who in the world had orchestrated this madness? The Blackwoods bit back laughter, their shoulders trembling with suppressed amusement.

Evelyn eyed the fallen stars—none of whom were trending as fiercely as she was—and couldn’t shake the suspicion that she was being used as a shield. But after a quick call to Isabelle Laurent, she had to accept the truth: no one was manipulating the trends. This was purely the result of the internet’s obsessive devotion. Damn it. The internet really loves me too much.

A chorus of stifled coughs erupted around her.

Evelyn shot them a glare, convinced they were laughing at her newfound notoriety.

Feeling her sharp gaze, the Blackwoods immediately shifted to gossiping about the disgraced celebrities.

The situation was dire. Not only had several rising stars been exposed, but even industry veterans—some who had publicly advocated for rehabilitation—were implicated. Countless films and shows were pulled overnight. Brands terminated contracts. Productions scrambled to edit out the accused.

The entertainment industry was in chaos, with furious staff members venting online.

This was a purge—swift, merciless, and utterly unexpected.

Twitter accounts of the accused were suspended, leaving only hollow statements from their agencies and devastated fan pages with blacked-out profile pictures.

Some fans refused to believe the allegations, scrambling for explanations. Overseas supporters dismissed the scandal as an overreaction, claiming their idols were being unfairly targeted.

But the majority of the public stood firm: drug use was unforgivable.

"I stayed silent before, not knowing the truth. Now that I do, I demand justice."

The Grim Reaper had arrived—and Evelyn Sinclair was at the center of the storm.

The internet was ablaze with outrage.

"A former officer? How vile!"

"They're supposed to be role models! And yet they're poisoning the minds of the youth!"

"Look at how twisted young values have become. It's horrifying."

Morality often bends under the weight of beauty—until reality strikes with brutal clarity.

"Blacklist these disgraceful artists. Never let them return."

"I can't fathom how anyone could indulge in this filth. It's tainted with blood—how can they stomach it?"

There was no reasoning with mindless fans. They were nothing but society’s leeches.

"If we excuse these scandal-ridden artists, what justice is there for the heroes who died fighting?"

"We owe Justice Upholder for this reckoning. Without their exposure, those sacrifices would’ve been forgotten."

But amidst the chaos, one truth stood out—the show had unearthed a phenomenon: Evelyn Sinclair.

"Hah! 'My Acting Skill'? More like 'The Reaper’s Shadow.' It silences the entire industry the moment it airs."

"I underestimated Evelyn. I thought the scandals had peaked. I thought she had nothing left. But no—she shattered boundaries. After moral cleansing, she’s ready for legal warfare."

The online frenzy was a mix of mockery and awe. Even officials praised Preston Whitmore and Donovan Sharpe for their bold production.

But opportunists lurked in the shadows. Innocent artists were smeared in the crossfire. With rumors swirling, truth became elusive. Many were misled.

At first, the accused could only defend themselves. "Our accounts are still active—that proves our innocence!" But their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Then—Vivienne Monroe was dragged into the storm.

Evelyn froze when she saw the new trending topic.

"Someone actually claimed Vivienne was involved?"

The Blackwood family immediately dug into the rumors. What they found left them stunned.

"Because of Gabriel Ramirez, his ex-girlfriend must be guilty? What kind of twisted logic is that?" Genevieve snapped.

The backlash was swift. But beneath the outrage, darker forces were at play—someone was pulling strings.

And Evelyn? She was just getting started.

"Does Vivienne have enemies?" Margaret asked curiously, her manicured fingers tapping against her champagne flute.

Julian arched a perfectly sculpted brow. "By now, the entire industry knows we've signed Vivienne Monroe. Who in their right mind would dare cross Justice Upholder?"

Evelyn Sinclair nearly rolled her eyes, though she couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"Then it must be someone outside the industry?" Richard Blackwood mused, his deep voice laced with suspicion.

Sophia Blackwood's eyes flashed with realization. "Her relatives, perhaps? Weren't they threatening retaliation?"

Bingo.

Evelyn immediately accessed her system to verify. Sure enough, Adriana and Bartholomeo had seized this moment to strike back, convinced that Vivienne's legal accusations were their final undoing. Pathetic fools.

The Blackwood family exchanged glances, their expressions mirroring the same thought: utter idiocy.

But the situation took an unexpected turn.

Vivienne swiftly took to Twitter to clarify the allegations. Yet, to everyone's shock, Adriana and Bartholomeo appeared in person—holding up their IDs like some twisted proof—to publicly denounce her. Tears streamed down their faces as they wailed about Vivienne's "betrayal," accusing her of abandoning family for fame.

"She cares more about justice than her own blood!" Adriana sobbed into the camera, her voice trembling with performative grief. "After everything I sacrificed to raise her!"

The internet erupted.

Relatives turning against their own? It was a spectacle too juicy to ignore. Netizens, ever eager for drama, immediately split into factions. Some swallowed Adriana's theatrics whole, while others—loyal fans of the production—remained skeptical.

"If Vivienne were involved, wouldn't she be on Javier's list too?"

"Exactly. She’s too close to Gabriel Ramirez to be clean."

"Wait, didn’t Adriana and Bartholomeo force her into that sham engagement? Hypocrites much?"

Skepticism flooded Adriana’s mentions, but when comments began mysteriously vanishing, the backlash only intensified. Nothing fueled online fury faster than censorship.

Meanwhile, Vivienne was no longer the helpless girl they remembered.

Ignoring the chaos, Isabelle Laurent pulled Vivienne into a strategic Twitter storm. A new post went live:

"Celebrating our newest powerhouse signing! Welcome to the family, @VivienneMonroe."

Then, like clockwork, Julian, Evelyn, and Rebecca Blackwood amplified the message, their collective influence undeniable. With a single retweet, Evelyn Sinclair—Hollywood’s most trusted voice—silenced ninety-nine percent of the doubt.

The Grim Reaper had arrived. And this time, she wasn’t playing defense.

No matter how desperately Adriana and Daniel begged, waving fabricated documents as evidence, the world had already turned its back on them. Their pleas fell on deaf ears, their credibility shattered beyond repair.

Then came the final blow—Isabelle Laurent's viral tweet that set social media ablaze: "Step one of joining our agency? A full medical evaluation for all employees. Safety first, darling."

The internet erupted. Memes flooded timelines. Hashtags trended. Adriana's name became synonymous with scandal, while Daniel's reputation crumbled to dust.

Somewhere in a penthouse overlooking the city, Evelyn Sinclair smirked as she refreshed her feed. The game was far from over—but the reaper had already marked his prey.