Twisted Ties of Love

Brad couldn't believe his eyes as he slowly reached out and took the hand extended by Izabella.

"Hold on, you're saying you're the current executive director of the Maple Group?" Brad exclaimed in shock. A thought crossed his mind: if this were true, could it shake up the entire entertainment industry? "Do you think I'm joshing around, Mr. York?" Izabella asked bluntly.

"No, it doesn't seem like you're pulling my leg," Brad said seriously, letting go of her hand. What surprised him the most was that Izabella, who was so powerful, had been playing coy with everyone.

She had been constantly criticized online, ignored by X Entertainment, and ridiculed by her haters. She came from a humble background, hailing from the countryside. Just a few months ago, she was mocked online for her garish makeup.

She got the role of Megan in "Blood Ties" purely because of her acting skills and Brad's staunch support. Since her debut, she had been pretty much a non-entity in the industry. The best two opportunities she had gotten were this TV show and the variety show "Here Comes the Superstars," in which she participated last time.

Both of these gigs received ruthless criticism online. The variety show almost didn't make it on air, and "Blood Ties" almost didn't get the green light for production.

Brad wondered if she was a jinx or something, always landing in hot water. It was rare for him to be this supportive of an artist, and it was the first time he felt this sympathetic towards someone.

But it seemed that the one who deserved sympathy was not Izabella, but himself.

He had been the one who was bamboozled.

The Maple Group had effortlessly acquired X Entertainment, with a market valuation of at least $30 million.

Moreover, the group had only been established for two months. The quick success had left many guessing about the mastermind behind it.

No one would have guessed it was Izabella, who was incessantly criticized online.

Brad came back to his senses. Looking at Izabella, he said, "You're quite the enigma; you've kept your cards pretty close to your chest."

"I didn't really have a choice," Izabella said.

Brad didn't press Izabella for more details. He gathered the contract documents, put them in a folder, and said, "All that's left is for me to sign. I'll sort it out with the producers later. Can't wait to see the looks on their faces."

Izabella picked up the water glass on the table and said, "I'll head to the set, then."

"No rush; tell the production team to take a half-day off. We'll start shooting in the afternoon."

Izabella agreed and was about to leave when Brad stopped her and said, "Hang on. There's something I'm curious about. What's your relationship with Casey?"

Without hesitation, Izabella replied, "Friends."

"Nothing more than that?"

"What are you getting at, Mr. York?" Izabella asked, knitting her brows.

"Nothing, really. I just suddenly realized how good young people have it. Izabella, you're not getting any younger. Have you ever thought about dating or even tying the knot? Other artists avoid relationships because they're worried about how it might affect their careers and fans. But you're different; you're the boss. You can even afford to keep a few young hunks if you want to."

Izabella was a bit perplexed, not really understanding what Brad was trying to say. He had brought up Casey and marriage, and now he was talking about keeping young hunks. "You're overthinking things, Mr. York. I'm not ready to settle down yet."

"And what about you and Casey?" Brad asked, looking at Izabella's confused face. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

She really didn't know. Izabella wasn't aware that Casey had confessed his feelings for her online.

If Izabella had feelings for him, she would have given him some signs instead of just saying, "We're just friends."

"Never mind," Brad said, giving an awkward laugh. Since Casey hadn't said anything, it wasn't his place to say anything either. Maybe being just friends was the most comfortable relationship for both of them. Besides, Izabella was still young. Her career was her top priority, and love could wait.

Chasing after Izabella wouldn't be a walk in the park for Casey. Despite Izabella's stellar performances in love scenes on screen, she was inexperienced when it came to real-life relationships. Unless Casey made his feelings clear, she might never get it and continue to see him as just a friend.

If Izabella's high-ranking position in the Maple Group became public knowledge, the list of Casey's romantic rivals might grow a lot longer.

Izabella found Brad's behavior rather peculiar. He had said some strange things, then suddenly stopped and made weird faces.

Maybe he didn't get enough sleep last night. Or maybe it was just that directors tended to think differently.

Izabella picked up her bag and quietly left the green room. At the shooting point, she relayed Brad's instructions to the staff: "Mr. York said we're off for the morning. The time for the afternoon shoot will be announced in the group."

Brad had already posted the notice in the group. He asked Izabella to communicate verbally just in case some people didn't check their phones.

The other actresses showed envy when they saw Izabella, grumbling to themselves, "Just my luck!"

Brad was efficient. He soon got the contracts from the producers. There were three copies, one of which he gave to Izabella. The matter was now thoroughly settled.

"When can I go public with

terminating the contract?" Brad

blurted it out during lunch with Izabella, sounding eager as a beaver. He'd been pestered nonstop by Kristin's fans, his phone blowing up with their constant calls. Now, all heCopyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

wanted was to see Kriche

her face!

flat on

"You can drop the termination bomb anytime. But if you want to make a splash, I'd say do it when Kristin's fans are feeling smug. It'll be like punch in the gut, and you might enjoy it." Izabella replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. With her innocent look, it was easy to

underestimate her. Content belongs

That's what made her dangerous. Brad was glad he'd never crossed paths with Izabella.

Brad took a moment, then asked, "When would they be feeling smug?"

He meant Kristin's fans, the only people Kristin had left in her corner.

"I bet they're trying to shift attention away from Kristin and make it look like she's winning. They're probably watching us right now. I wouldn't be surprised if our lunch date is already online," Izabella said. "No way. We're low-key; how could we get spotted? And it's not like we're alone; we're in a public restaurant. What's the big deal?"

"Brad, you've been in showbiz long enough. Don't you know how powerful gossip can be? Bad can be twisted into good, and even if we're low-key, people can still recognize us. Even if we were in disguise, we'd still get spotted."

Brad didn't buy it. He pulled out his phone and opened Twitter. Sure enough, there was already chatter about them. It was only a matter of time before it trended.

Brad didn't bother reading the comments. It would only ruin his appetite.

Izabella tapped her glass lightly. "Tonight, Kristin's crew might hire a PR team to push us up the trending charts. Don't waste a good opportunity. Once we've gotten enough attention, drop the termination news. I'll do the same."

After some thought, Brad agreed. Izabella made a good point.

"Kristin may be your talent, but if you treat her like a pawn, you could still make a pretty penny."

"I don't want to dirty my hands with such a pawn," Izabella scoffed.

After lunch, they headed back to the set, ready to work. They'd been spotted on arrival, so there was no point in hiding now. But when they got to the set, they were met with hostile looks.

Izabella was shooting outdoor and night scenes today. Night shoots often meant pulling an all-nighter, but Izabella was a pro. She was quick and good at directing others, making the process smooth. Meanwhile, the Dempsey family was enjoying dinner when an "unfamiliar relative" showed up.

Casey lost his appetite the moment he saw Brett sitting next to him. All the dishes were Brett's favorites.

Casey didn't have a close relationship with his family. His parents weren't the issue; he just didn't feel strongly about them.

His mother doted on him, giving him

anything he wanted. His father was stricter, with higher expectations for Casey than for his sister, Wendy. After all, Casey was the one to inherit the family business. But after recovering from heart surgery, Casey insisted on entering the entertainment industry. Content

This infuriated his father, who locked him in the house for three days. Casey held his ground, refusing to eat. In the end, his mother and Wendy managed to broker peace.

Finally, his father agreed to let him join the industry, with one condition: Casey couldn't let anyone know he was the Dempsey family heir, and they wouldn't support him. Any problems, he had to handle himself. Moreover, they signed an agreement. Casey had four years to become a star, or else he had to take over the family business.

Shockingly, it took Casey just two years.

His father was disappointed, and their relationship grew distant. Casey visited home less and less, from once a month to once every two or three months.

His father didn't believe the entertainment industry was easy to survive in. If it weren't for him arranging for people to protect Casey and handle any media issues, Casey would've been penniless by now!

His sister, Wendy, however, was thrilled with his career. Casey often gave her signed T-shirts, which she sold for a tidy profit.

"You don't consider this home anymore, do you?" His father glared at Casey and said, "Just seeing you makes me lose my appetite!"

"Well, you could just not eat," Casey shot back, a line he used every time he came home.