“Can you change the punishment?I…”

The screen lit up and Wendy couldn’t stop it.The camera had already clearly captured her pinned profile picture—the exact same profile picture as the one on Madison’s phone,Michael’s profile picture.

The whole audience was stunned!

The comments went blank for a few seconds,then scrolled wildly.

[Is Wendy crazy?Who the hell does she think she is?!]

[You’re such a shrew?Have some shame!]

The atmosphere froze and everyone’s expressions varied.Joan gritted her teeth and tried to smooth things over.“Wendy,this...is just a bump in your profile picture,right?”

Wendy stared at the moon emoji on the note.She hadn’t had time to change it and now it had become glaring evidence.

“I’ve never heard that Miss Presley and Mr.Greenwood have a personal relationship?”

The female host,who was close to Madison,folded her arms and sneered,“Is it idol worship,or is she trying to compete with Madison?”

Madison immediately faced the camera,her eyes red,looking aggrieved but“magnanimous”.“Everyone,please don’t be like that!Michael is so outstanding,it’s normal to like him...I don’t mind.”

She knew Wendy wouldn’t really defend herself and this“rescue”was actually adding fuel to the fire.

“Just call according to the rules!”

“If it’s Mr.Greenwood,she’ll get a good slap in the face!”

Wendy’s heart was in turmoil and her eyelashes trembled unconsciously.She wasn’t sure if Michael would answer and since she was about to leave,she didn’t want to be involved in this performance.

“Let me help you call!”Seeing that she didn’t move,Madison’s eyes flashed with a fierce look.She snatched the phone away and pressed the dial button.

The long busy tone was particularly piercing in the silence,once,twice…until it automatically hung up,leaving no one to answer.

“Didn’t you hear it?Try again.”

Madison smiled and dialed again,but the result was the same.

Compared to the call that had just been answered instantly,this cold silence practically nailed Wendy to the pillar of shame.

“It seems Michael doesn’t like answering unfamiliar calls,”Madison said,her tone drawn out,sympathetic.“Wendy,don’t do such embarrassing things next time.”

Wendy tried to speak,but was silenced by the guests’disdainful or indifferent glances.Even the previously kind Bridget shook her head.

“Since you know Madison’s close relationship with Mr.Greenwood,you should have some sense of propriety.”

The comments were now out of control,with terms like“Wendy is shameless”and“18th-tier shameless girl loves to scam people”instantly becoming trending searches.

The game ended abruptly.Wendy returned to her room like a zombie.The bed reeked of mold and there was no hot water in the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the mirror,her face pale.Tears welled up in her eyes as the phone rang.

Michael finally called her back,with his usual gentleness.“Is there something you need?I was busy.”

How could he have the nerve to say he was busy?

In a matter of minutes,his beloved’s ringtone was a call,but hers was a disturbance.

Wendy raised her head and smiled,but tears silently wet her cheeks.

“I regret this,”she whispered into the phone and hung up without waiting for Michael’s response.

What she regretted most was falling in love with him.

An agonizing night passed and the next morning,the negative comments still lingered.

The recording session had concluded and when she left,no one offered to say goodbye.Only her whispered“thank you for your hard work”faded into the wind.The van slowly drove away.Wendy leaned against the window,exhausted,when she suddenly realized something was amiss.

The country road was quiet,but a gray van was following them from behind.

The phone vibrated and her agent sent a real-time screenshot:

Michael(V):[Image]The soup was almost overcooked.

Madison(V):/Happy,my favorite flavor,I’ll try it when I get back!

Then came a panicked voice.“Madison’s fans are trying to block you!Quickly,have the driver drive onto the main road—”

Before she could finish her sentence,the car’s body shook violently with a“bang!”,instantly hitting Wendy’s forehead and causing a splitting headache.

Followed by the sound of footsteps,several young men with menacing looks roughly yanked the car door open!

“Bitch!You’ve caused Madison so much grief.We need to help her vent her anger!”

“How dare you covet Mr.Greenwood?You’re such an overconfident,shameless bitch!”

In the chaos,punches and kicks rained down.Wendy’s world was drowned in pain and curses and her consciousness felt like sinking into icy waters,slowly falling towards an endless abyss.

The smell of disinfectant was cold and pungent.When Wendy opened her eyes,she felt her hand being tightly grasped.

Beside her,Michael’s eyes were red and his chin had a rare stubble.Seeing her awake,he immediately leaned forward.“Awake?How are you feeling?”

Wendy tried to pull her hand away,but failed.“Where are those people?”

“At the police station,awaiting your decision.”

Michael’s voice was slightly hoarse.He stood up and slowed down the drip.After a moment’s hesitation,he spoke.

“Wendy…those kids were indeed impulsive…”

“I won’t agree to a settlement.”Before he finished,Wendy interrupted him.

Every wound on her body still ached and he was actually thinking of helping Madison’s fans?

“I’m the one being cyberbullied and I’m the one lying in this hospital bed!Yes,Michael,I have no right to interfere in your affairs with Madison,but why should I be the one to pay for everything?”

Accumulated grievances overwhelmed her rationality,her voice trembling,tears streaming down her face.

A wave of guilt welled up in Michael and he pressed her into his arms.

“I’m sorry,I really didn’t hear your call then…”

“It doesn’t matter now,”Wendy suppressed a sob and whispered,“But those who hurt me must be punished.”

“Okay.”

“Michael!”

The ward door suddenly opened and Madison stood there,holding a bouquet of flowers.The smile on her face instantly faded when she saw the two hugging.

Michael’s arms stiffened,but he didn’t let go of Wendy,only nodding at her.

Her presence was like salt in a wound.Wendy frowned and said,“Please stay away from me.”

“Wendy,I’m sorry…”

Madison’s tears instantly burst forth,her expression even more heartbreaking than the person on the hospital bed.“They were wrong,but for my sake,could you please forgive them this time?I don’t want them to have a criminal record because of me!”

She looked at Michael mournfully,but for the first time,he ignored her.His voice was undeniably cold and unyielding.

“They’re your fans,but Wendy is my wife.There’s no need to discuss this matter.”

The air was silent.Madison took a few steps back in disbelief,then quickly turned and rushed out.

“Aren’t you going after her?”Wendy’s voice was calm.

Her appearance made Michael’s heart flutter.He placed a kiss on her forehead and said,“I’m not going anywhere.I’ll stay here to take care of you.”

The news quickly reported the punishment.A small number of online commentators expressed strong sympathy for Wendy,but the accusations of overreacting and claiming she deserved it continued to rage.

Michael kept his word.During her hospital stay,he made time to eat with her every day and his bedside was piled high with expensive supplements and items she’d casually mentioned.

However,no matter how attentive and gentle he was,Wendy remained indifferent,as if separated by a layer of invisible glass.

That day,just as Michael had left on the pretext of a photo shoot,Wendy opened her phone and saw another message from Madison.

In the photo,familiar,slender fingers held a gorgeous blue diamond necklace.

Madison’s every word pierced her heart:[Do you think Michael really chose you?After rejecting me that day,he was afraid I’d be angry,so he came to stay with me every day.He stayed much longer than at the hospital!]

Swiping up,she saw sunsets they’d enjoyed together at the beach,Michael personally cooking for her,countless priceless luxury goods...

But her heart had long been empty and seeing all this now didn’t seem as painful.

Wendy expressionlessly turned off the screen,the countdown in her heart turning another page.

The day she was discharged from the hospital,Michael came to pick her up.Unexpectedly,not long after she arrived home,Madison called,her voice thick with tears.

“Michael!Help me!I was drunk and secretly photographed and the paparazzi refused to buy out the photos.The photos…the photos have been released now!”

Michael’s expression suddenly changed and he quickly clicked on the notifications.

Topping the trending search list was a grainy photo of Madison being half-carried,half-hugged by a strange man as she walked into a hotel!

Half an hour later,Madison sat in the living room,her eyes red and swollen,gasping for breath.

Michael’s face darkened to the point of dripping water and he finally couldn’t help but grab her wrist.“Who’s that man in the photo?”

His anger stemmed from the fact that someone else was with her.

“Michael!I was completely blacked out that day!”

Madison threw herself into his arms,her fingers clutching his shirt.“He and I have nothing to do with each other!Please save me!My career is just getting started…”

Michael clenched his fists tightly,but he didn’t push her away.

“How do you want to resolve this?”

“Just say the photo is photoshopped!Or…”She suddenly turned and stared at Wendy,as if grasping at a lifeline.“It’s okay to say it was someone else!As long as it wasn’t me!”

Wendy felt a chill run down her spine and took a step back.“What are you looking at me for?”

“Wendy,help me!”Madison’s voice shrilled.“Even one more piece of blackmail on your character wouldn’t hurt,would it?”

“Are you crazy?!”Wendy’s blood rushed to her head and she turned sharply to Michael.“Don’t tell me you’ll agree to this?”

Michael’s jawline tightened.“I…”

But after only one word,Madison suddenly rushed into the kitchen like a madman!

“Madison!”

“If I’m going to be ruined like this,I might as well die!”

With a flash of cold light,the fruit knife stabbed straight into her heart!

Blood oozed instantly.Michael rushed over,terrified and picked up the limp Madison.He shouted to his agent,“Issue a statement immediately!Say the paparazzi made a mistake;the person in the photo is Wendy!”

Wendy felt as if struck by lightning,stumbling against the wall.

“Michael,”her voice trembling,“are you still human?”

“I’m sorry.”Michael held the person in his arms,not daring to meet her eyes.“Madison is right.This incident won’t affect you much,but it will be different for her.”

He hurried out and promised her soothingly,“Haven’t you always wanted me to go on a trip with you?We’ll go once these recent events are over.”

The door slammed shut.The staff silently distributed the press release and gave her a sympathetic look.

Wendy slid down the wall and sat on the floor,slowly curling up into a ball.

Promise?Travel?

Now she simply hoped she would never see him again.

As soon as the statement was released,Wendy’s private messages were instantly flooded with abuse.

She huddled at home,her phone constantly bombarded with obscene texts from unknown numbers.Looking in the mirror,she couldn’t even recognize the ghostly figure as herself.

Madison,however,posted several pictures of Michael caring for her in the hospital,captioned:[I hope I don’t make the mistake next time~],earning her countless hearts and well wishes.

With only two scenes left to film,Wendy forced herself to go to the set.The previously covert targeting was now all too apparent.

Coffee spilled,sand found in her lunch and in the final scene,in the water,the male lead deliberately failed over thirty times,leaving her lips purple from the soaking.

Madison,surrounded by stars,stirred an iced drink under a parasol.Suddenly,she chuckled.

“Even after all this,you’re still clinging to Michael,Wendy.Are you that cheap?”

Wendy slumped down,about to speak,when Madison’s familiar,vicious expression reappeared.

“So,I’m giving you a wrap-up gift.”

As soon as she finished speaking,her phone vibrated wildly!With trembling hands,she clicked on the screen.

Top trending search:[Wendy’s secondary account exposed!She posted her marriage certificate.Her husband is suspected to be the youngest filming emperor,Michael!]

The bright red headline splattered the screen like blood.