Chapter 92

Julian rose abruptly, raising his glass toward Seraphina and the others. "A toast to the three of you. May our upcoming showdown be thrilling."

Without waiting for a response, he downed his wine in one swift motion.

The others had no choice but to reciprocate quickly—anything less would have been disrespectful.

Adrian was the first to stand, glass in hand.

But the two beside him remained oblivious, tangled in their own world. When they finally realized what was happening, they scrambled to their feet in a flurry of panic, their fingers still entwined.

The way they hastily pulled apart only made their guilt more obvious. Even without seeing it firsthand, the awkward angle of their arms and their flustered movements told the whole story. Across the table, Marcus Donovan’s lips twitched in amusement.

Hah! Julian, your timing is impeccable.

Julian’s smirk widened as he took in the chaos unfolding before him.

Even Adrian looked momentarily stunned—proof that even the oblivious fool hadn’t expected them to be this bold in his presence.

Julian flicked a glance at Adrian, catching a flicker of jealousy in his eyes. It was unclear who it was directed at, but it vanished just as quickly.

Poor Isabelle. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t stop this train wreck. Seeing this in front of outsiders must be frying her brain.

Julian sighed. Life is hard. Being a woman is harder. But being Sebastian Hart’s manager? That’s the hardest job of all.

Hah! Sebastian and Seraphina look like they’ve seen a ghost. Still enjoying the thrill of sneaking around? Regretting it now? Sebastian, listen to your mother—stop getting involved with unsuitable women. It’ll ruin your career!

Julian found the whole thing darkly amusing.

Marcus noticed the two beside him trembling with suppressed laughter. Not wanting to humiliate them further, he smoothly changed the subject. "Julian, you drank too fast. I didn’t even get a chance to clink glasses with you. Shouldn’t you be toasting Evelyn first?"

Julian’s shoulders shook slightly as he picked up his glass again. "My mistake."

Evelyn stood as well, raising her glass with a slightly strained smile. "Let’s... do it together..."

Eventually, Sebastian and Seraphina managed to compose themselves enough to stand and join the toast.

Not long after they sat back down, Isabelle could no longer hold back. She excused herself under the pretense of selecting a wine and dragged Sebastian outside.

Evelyn knew Isabelle was about to tear into Sebastian, and the thought of witnessing his downfall was delicious. But with no idea where they’d gone, she couldn’t follow. She’d just have to wait for the inevitable fallout.

Soon after, Evelyn stepped out to use the restroom. As she exited, she spotted Seraphina lurking in the hallway.

Oh, this is going to be good.

Following Seraphina’s footsteps, she reached the balcony at the end of the corridor, where Seraphina was hiding behind a large potted plant near the door.

Moments later, Sebastian and Isabelle’s voices carried through. Evelyn smirked and slipped into an empty private room to eavesdrop.

Isabelle: "Sebastian, I’m done wasting my breath. If you want to live in denial, fine. But if you keep blurring personal and professional lines, letting your emotions run wild, causing scandals, and jeopardizing your image—I’m done with you."

Sebastian: "What the hell are you talking about?"

Isabelle: "Plain English. Do I need to spell it out? What you two were doing downstairs—right in front of her boyfriend—was disgusting. I never knew your morals were this low!"

Sebastian: "She’s my—"

Isabelle: "Ex-girlfriend! Are you stupid? Would you dare post what you did online and see if anyone defends you?"

Sebastian: "Isabelle, enough! Whose side are you even on? It was just an accident!"

Isabelle: "Shut up!" Her voice was razor-sharp.

Sebastian scoffed. "What right do you have to judge me? You’re no better—mixing personal and professional matters yourself!"

Isabelle: "Excuse me?"

Sebastian: "We agreed to change the script. So why are you still interfering? Tweaking the storyline every other day—what’s your game?"

Isabelle: "Oh, so you don’t want to cut the scenes where you spend half your time groping Seraphina? How noble of you."

Sebastian: "It’s necessary for the plot! Without it, the love story loses its meaning!"

Pathetic. If Sebastian’s fans knew he was using his career to fuel his personal fantasies, they’d be devastated.

Isabelle: "You’re shameless."

Suddenly, Seraphina burst into tears. "I’m sorry, Isabelle! There’s nothing between Sebastian and me. You heard him—he despises me. He likes you. Please don’t fight because of me. I just want you both to be happy. If you hate me, I’ll quit the project."

Isabelle nearly laughed. "I’ve been scolding him this whole time—when did I say I hated you? Stop creating drama, Ms. Delacroix."

Ouch. Isabelle wasn’t holding back.

Seraphina froze, clearly not expecting the direct hit.

Sebastian immediately snapped, "Isabelle Laurent!"

Isabelle: "I can hear you. It’s you two who are deaf—only hearing what you want to hear, lost in your own delusions."

She took a breath before continuing. "I’ve had enough of this charade. Things can’t get any worse anyway."

Evelyn’s eyes gleamed. Is she finally going to—?

Isabelle: "Sebastian, where did you get the idea that I’m into you? Have I ever said I liked you? Or tried to sneak into your life? To me, you’re just another artist I manage. Nothing more. If you keep this up, I’m done with you."

Hah! I wish I could see his face right now.

Sebastian looked like he’d been struck.

Seraphina quickly jumped in. "Isabelle, this is all my fault. Don’t take my words to heart. You’ve stood by Sebastian for years—everyone knows how much you’ve sacrificed for him. You’re the one who truly deserves him!"

Sebastian seemed to regain his footing—until Isabelle cut in.

Isabelle: "I wasn’t talking to you, but since you’re so eager—have you played the tragic second lead so much that you need me to fill the role? Even if I’m not interested, you’re determined to cast me as the villain while you play the selfless martyr. Does that make you feel better?"

She leaned in. "Or is it that you can’t decide between Adrian and Sebastian? Adrian’s unstable, but Sebastian has potential—and he’s obsessed with you. Tough choice, isn’t it? So you’re keeping both on the hook?"

Damn. Isabelle wasn’t just good—she was brilliant.

Best. Verbal. Duel. Ever.