Chapter 104: Chapter 93: The Recording

Iris Tierney had originally thought that after helping Genevieve Quincy take care of Isla Prescott, a glittering future awaited her. She never expected karma to strike so swiftly.

Not long after her makeup was done, she felt a slight stinging on her face. Soon, the stinging turned into a scorching burn, as if her skin was on fire.

“Ah! My face hurts… It hurts so much!” she shrieked, rushing to a mirror. She saw her reflection—her face was red, swollen, and festering, with pus faintly oozing out. “My face… Help… Save me…”

The staff were all dumbfounded. They had just sent off Isla Prescott, and now Iris Tierney was having a problem too?

Everyone gathered around Iris Tierney. Seeing the severe state of her face, no one dared to move for a moment.

“Who was the makeup artist for Isla Prescott and Iris Tierney?” Director Evan Shaw was already furious about the week-long delay. Now, with one incident after another during the reshoot, he was so angry he started cursing. “What the hell is the makeup artist doing? If you don’t want to work, then pack your bags and get the hell out!”

The makeup artist, who had been unjustly questioned, didn’t even have a chance to defend herself before Iris Tierney suddenly charged at Genevieve Quincy like a madwoman.

“Genevieve Quincy, you bitch! It was bad enough you went after Isla Prescott! Why did you have to target me too? If my face is ruined, I will never be done with you!”

This outburst was packed with information.

Evan Shaw had navigated the entertainment industry for years and had seen more than his fair share of infighting between actresses. He understood the situation instantly.

Although Iris Tierney’s ruined face was pitiful, Genevieve Quincy was backed by the investors. When it came to choosing who to protect, Evan Shaw made his decision in a second.

He quickly intercepted the flailing Iris Tierney and shot a look at the assistant director. “Iris Tierney is delirious with pain! Get her to a hospital, now!”

The assistant director and staff members rushed over, hastily dragging and pulling Iris Tierney out of the dressing room.

“It was Genevieve Quincy! She couldn’t compete with Isla Prescott, so she made me poison Isla Prescott’s cosmetics! Now she’s trying to get me too! I’m going to call the police…”

Iris Tierney was taken away, still shouting curses as her voice gradually faded.

Everyone in the dressing room stood frozen in place, like puppets on pause, waiting to see how this absurd scene would end. But Genevieve Quincy, the instigator, remained perfectly composed in her seat. She calmly twirled a lock of hair by her temple in front of the mirror and let out a cold remark: “A mad dog, barking without any proof.”

Evan Shaw’s palms were sweating. The show was truly unlucky to be stuck with such a difficult VIP.

“No one is to speak of what happened today!” Evan Shaw issued a gag order. “If any word gets out and negatively impacts the show, I will hold you fully responsible!”

—

The slight redness and swelling on Isla Prescott’s face had already mostly subsided by the time she reached the hospital. However, out of a sense of responsibility for the show’s guest, the staff still had her registered for a dermatology appointment.

While the two of them were waiting for her number to be called, the staff member’s phone rang.

Isla Prescott heard her exclaim, “What? Iris Tierney, too…?”

Immediately after, the staff member covered the receiver, lowered her voice, and walked aside to continue the call.

A corner of Isla Prescott’s lips curled up. She just pretended she hadn’t heard a thing.

An hour had passed by the time they left the hospital. The staff member had been replying to messages in the work group chat the entire time, looking completely frazzled.

’Iris Tierney must be seriously hurt.’

Isla Prescott quietly sent a message to Justin Wyatt: “Did you get it?”

“Got it. You really called it.”

Justin Wyatt sent over a ninety-second audio recording.

Isla Prescott didn’t dare listen to it in the car. After returning to her dorm and hearing the recording, she went straight to find Evan Shaw.

Evan Shaw had been through the wringer that day. In particular, he had just received news that Iris Tierney’s face might be permanently disfigured, and his mind went blank with a deafening roar.

The previous episode’s shoot had been a complete waste, squandering a significant part of the budget. Now, with a serious work-related injury, it felt like the show’s entire budget was about to be drained dry.

He was on edge when he saw Isla Prescott return, and he forced a smile onto his face.

“Isabelle, how’s your face?”

“I’m fine,” Isla Prescott said.

“That’s good to hear. Go get some rest. We’ll notify you about the schedule for the next shoot.”

Isla Prescott wasn’t in a hurry to leave. She looked at Evan Shaw and asked, “Director Sheffield, how do you plan to handle today’s incident?”

“The makeup artist who did your and Iris Tierney’s makeup today was a freelancer. I’ll deal with her severely later. Don’t worry, I will definitely get justice for you.”

’Just as I expected. When there’s a problem, they grab a powerless worker to take the blame. It’s the production’s usual trick.’

“Director Sheffield, are you sure it’s the makeup artist’s fault? Because I heard that before Iris Tierney was sent to the hospital, she was adamant that Genevieve Quincy instructed her to poison my cosmetics, and that they later turned on each other, with Genevieve then targeting her.”

“How could that be? That’s all nonsense.” Evan Shaw immediately jumped to Genevieve Quincy’s defense. “Genevieve has no motive to do something like that. There’s no need for her to.”

“Genevieve Quincy’s skills are inferior, but she still wants to be number one. That’s her motive. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come to you, Director Sheffield, to change the competition rules, would she?”

Evan Shaw was momentarily speechless.

“Director Sheffield, we all came here to film a show. I hope you won’t show favoritism and will handle this matter impartially. Otherwise, it will be hard to win everyone’s respect.”

“Isabelle, don’t be so aggressive. You say Genevieve wanted to harm you, but do you have any proof?”

“Iris Tierney’s words are the proof. So many people at the scene heard her.”

“She was talking nonsense. She herself has no evidence that Genevieve put her up to it.”

“Is that so? Then take a listen to this.”

Isla Prescott turned her phone’s volume to maximum. Genevieve Quincy’s voice came from the phone: “That idiot, Iris Tierney! Didn’t I tell her to put the poison in Isla Prescott’s cosmetics? How did she end up ruining her own face? So stupid… Quick, send someone to the hospital. No matter the cost or the method, we have to shut her up. Don’t let her keep spouting nonsense…”

Evan Shaw’s face turned pale.

“You… Where did you get this recording?”

“You don’t need to worry about that, Director Sheffield. All I want is a fair resolution from you. Otherwise, if I have nowhere to file a complaint, my only option will be to seek justice online.” Isla Prescott looked Evan Shaw directly in the eye. “Many fans took pictures of me going to the hospital today. You can gag the staff on set, Director Sheffield, but gagging the fans might be a bit more difficult.”

Seeing the tables had turned, Evan Shaw started playing the victim. “Isabelle, we can discuss this further. You know that Genevieve is backed by the investors. I can’t touch her.”

“An industry bigshot bullying her colleague—that’s the kind of drama netizens love to eat up. Director Sheffield, if I were to release this recording, don’t you think it would generate a huge wave of traffic for our show?”

“No, no, no! That’s negative publicity! The show can’t afford that! Calm down! You must calm down!” Evan Shaw’s legs were trembling. He was afraid that if this blew up, the entire variety show might be canceled. “Isabelle, why don’t you tell me… how do you want to resolve this!”

Isla Prescott pursed her lips. “I’m just a person of little influence. Will my words even matter?”

“Yes, yes, they’ll matter! As long as you propose a solution, I’ll go and ask Young Mr. Shaw for his decision.”

“Fine. I have only one demand: get Genevieve Quincy kicked off this show.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep