I was photographed going into a mansion with my younger brother, sparking a massive scandal that blew up the trending topics. My ex-boyfriend went absolutely insane. For every photo the internet sleuths dug up of me and my brother, my ex would stubbornly throw out another photo of us to compete. I’ve seen people clarify scandals, but I’ve never seen someone drop hammers on themselves. Netizens were screaming: What day is it? Is the A-list movie star having a lovesick meltdown on the main timeline? My ex tweeted one after another until the crowd finally had to beg him to stop—the tea was too hot, and they couldn't drink it all. 1 My mom doesn’t have many hobbies, but she loves designing clothes. It just so happened that I had an empty schedule and my brother, Jace, had no gigs, so she called us both home for dinner. Because the security in our gated Beverly Hills community has always been incredibly strict, we didn’t think twice and just went home together. "Come here, come here! Look at these matching family outfits I made! One for each of us." I looked at the clothes in front of me with a bit of disdain. A perfectly good Hermès shirt had been altered to look like a cheap knockoff. I patiently tried to reason with her. "Mom, embroidering a letter on an Hermès shirt doesn't make it your design." My dad immediately jumped to her defense. "What are you talking about? This letter is the pièce de résistance! One look and you know it's something special." I muttered under my breath, "You don't put the cherry on top before you bake the cake." My dad, the ultimate simp for my mom, glared at me. "If your mother tells you to wear it, you wear it. She spent days embroidering these. I'll put mine on first." He pulled the black shirt over his head. I have to admit, for a guy in his fifties who works out every day to stay in shape, he looked good in anything. My mom looked at him with starry eyes. "Honey, you look so handsome. I’m going to make you a few more." Alright, two hopeless romantics unconditionally supporting each other. I held the shirt in my hands. "I'll wear it tomorrow." Seeing me refuse, Jace folded his up too. "I'll wear mine tomorrow, too." Early the next morning, I tried to sneak out, but both my parents were waiting in the living room. "Dad, aren't you going to the office today?" "I’m packing some organic fruits and vegetables for you two to take back." He had actually dug up a massive plot of land behind the mansion just to grow fruits and vegetables for us. He insisted fresh was best. I curled my lip. "It’s so heavy. Let Jace carry it." As the housekeeper packed the bags, my dad nagged, "Take it all. Stop ordering takeout and make sure you eat properly. Look how skinny you two are." My mom frowned. "Why haven't you changed your clothes?" In the end, Jace carried two massive bags of produce, and the two of us headed back to the city wearing our matching "family" outfits. 2 Before we even reached the agency, Twitter was already blowing up. Paparazzi had camped outside our house all night and caught photos of Jace and me leaving together. [Daily Entertainment V: Top idol and rising actress spotted leaving a luxury mansion together! After a passionate night, the two emerged wearing matching couple's outfits, carrying groceries and household items, looking very much like they've been living together for a while. Stay tuned for more details!] #JaceAndQuinnRomance was the number one trending topic. By the time I got to the agency, Jace’s sports car was already parked in the underground garage. Jace came over and opened my car door. "Quinn, the security guard who took a bribe to let them in has already been fired. How should we draft the joint statement? I'll follow your lead." I put on my sunglasses as my assistant pressed the elevator button. "The PR and legal teams are waiting upstairs. Let's go up together." As the story developed, the arguments online were getting fiercer. For an idol like Jace, the negative impact of a dating scandal was massive. His obsessive fans and "wife" fans were practically drowning me in spit. The narrative on Twitter was overwhelmingly against me, though he was definitely taking some heat too. They called me a seductress. Shameless. They called him blind and said he was throwing his career away. Yeah, it felt like they were mostly just attacking me. I’ve been in the industry for a long time, and Jace and I have always kept our true family background a secret. I even used our mother's maiden name as my stage name. Honestly, the best way to resolve this was to reveal our true identities: we are full-blooded siblings. But if we did that, all our efforts to keep it a secret would be wasted. I looked over the PR team's proposed strategies. Collaborating on a project, writing a song together, hanging out with mutual friends... I got a headache just looking at these overused excuses. I've been in the industry for so long without a single scandal. My team had never dealt with anything like this before. It looked like I needed a new PR team. Forget it. It was better to just tell the truth. "Quinn, it's drafted. Waiting on you," Jace said, his finger hovering over the 'Tweet' button, but he didn't press it. "Quinn, Rowan Pierce is trending," my assistant said, looking shocked as she handed me her phone. I looked at the screen. Rowan Pierce V: [She's a tease, but she refuses to commit. Kid, you're still young. Don't let her fool you. Let me handle this one. @Jace] It was over. Complete chaos. We had just spent a fortune to suppress the trending topic about Jace and me, and the moment Rowan chimed in, Jace's and my names shot right back to the top. I scrolled through the timeline. My image as a homewrecking siren was now firmly cemented in everyone's minds, and the hate was getting worse. I grabbed Jace's hand, stopping him from posting the clarification. "Wait a minute before you post." When Rowan didn't get a response from me, he actually posted several more tweets in rapid succession. Rowan Pierce V: [I didn't mean it like that, please don't misunderstand her. It's because I was too busy and neglected her that she dumped me. It's not her fault, it's mine.] Rowan Pierce V: [I haven't even been to your house, what right does he have?] Rowan Pierce V: [You like this type? Is it too late for me to sign up to be an idol?] Rowan Pierce V: [Which agency is looking for idols? The kind that can debut immediately. Please contact my assistant's email: xxxxxx.] Twitter exploded. What was happening? The notoriously rational, A-list actor was losing his mind over love online? To his fans, Rowan Pierce had always been the epitome of a clear-headed professional. He hadn't had a single scandal in his five years in the industry. The name Rowan Pierce represented rationality, low-key professionalism, and dedication. This was the first time anyone had associated Rowan Pierce with being "lovesick." Many actresses had tried to ride his coattails, but he and his team were like internet watchdogs. The moment a rumor surfaced, they would clarify it within an hour. Fans joked that he was the only active celebrity in Hollywood who acted like a ghost—never appearing unless there was a rumor, and then instantly popping up to debunk it, as if he were allergic to women. 3 I was getting confused too. Rowan and I had fallen in love on set. It was the very first movie I filmed after entering the industry, called Autumn Whispers. We filmed for six months, completely entangled in a beautifully tragic romance. After we wrapped, he confessed his feelings to me. Coincidentally, my heart skipped a beat every time I saw him too. But after that movie, he transitioned to big-budget blockbusters. We were both busy with our careers. He was shooting movies; I was shooting TV shows. Often, he would send a message, and I wouldn't reply until I finished work half a day later. Then he would reply half a day after that. We couldn't even manage a five-sentence conversation in three days. As time passed, we rarely saw each other, and communication dwindled. He started acting like the aloof, unapproachable leading man he played in movies. My enthusiasm faded, and I broke up with him. I was definitely sad about the relationship ending, but not to the point of begging him to stay. Rowan's career skyrocketed, he became more and more famous, and any actress associated with him would inevitably get attacked by fans. The only exception was Sloane Pierce, who was the only actress he hadn't publicly distanced himself from after they were photographed having dinner together. To save myself some trouble, I wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. I was genuinely curious—what was the reason behind this crazy outburst? While I was watching Rowan lose his mind. Reliable internet sleuths had already pieced together Jace's true identity from various clues. After all, he shared the same last name as my father, and once someone made the connection, the proof followed. Jace's true identity hit the trending list again—Jace, son of real estate tycoon Marcus Thorne. A bonafide top-tier billionaire heir. Rowan Pierce V: [Is that it? Ever heard of the Pierce family? Apex Global's Chairman, Arthur Pierce, is my father. If it's money you're looking for, I have more than that kid. Look at me.] In a single day, the entertainment industry had exposed two wealthy heirs. [I thought Jace's identity was shocking enough, the son of the biggest real estate developer! Now Rowan actually steps forward and admits he's the son of the Chairman of the multinational Apex Global? What right does Quinn have?! Is it just because of her face?] [Is this some kind of Cinderella story? Quinn is so damn lucky!] [Rowan Pierce has been in the industry for five years, his background a mystery, never appearing at public events outside of filming, and now he voluntarily exposes his identity! His dedication to pursuing her is real. I'm crying!] [Retweet this Quinn, and you too can be pursued by two billionaires.] A portion of the general public on the timeline had gone from hating me to envying me. Both Rowan and I were incredibly career-driven; at least, that's what I believed until today. Besides acting, we were like ghosts in the entertainment industry. We didn't do reality shows or attend galas. So, apart from our closest friends, almost no one in the industry knew we had dated. The netizens relentlessly continued digging. They actually dug up photos of Jace picking me up from school when we were kids. In the photo, Jace was waiting for me outside the school gates. As soon as I walked out, I tossed my backpack and uniform jacket to him, and Jace actually flashed a huge grin, trailing behind me and catching them. The Twitter timeline was bombarded non-stop for a whole day. The gossip consumers were practically stuffed. [To treat the young master of the Thorne family like that, how does Quinn have the nerve?] [Why does it feel like she has this sense of disdain toward the young master? Like she looks down on him.] Rowan Pierce V: [Isn't that just a photo from childhood? I have one too.] Wow, truly a man who lives on the internet. Rowan posted a photo of me when I was about seven or eight at an amusement park. In the photo, I was handing a balloon to a little boy. Thinking back carefully, I remembered hearing a kid crying nearby. I was tired of playing with the balloon in my hand, and finding the crying boy annoying, I just shoved it at him. That crybaby was actually Rowan Pierce? 4 Fans also dug up that I was present at Jace's 18th birthday party, standing right next to him in the group photo. Rowan Pierce V: [You met the parents at 18? So I was just the rebound?] The most explosive part came when Jace's fans dug up a photo of the two of us walking down the street holding hands. In the photo, Jace was looking at me with absolute adoration, and from the camera's angle, my body was practically leaning into his embrace. I looked at my pained expression in the photo and the bicycle nearby, trying to recall the memory. Wasn't that when I rode my bike into a ditch and he came to pick me up? These gossip-hungry netizens! Was that adoration? He was laughing at me! I had sprained my ankle and could barely stand. He was supporting me to the car to take me to the hospital. If you're asking why I was riding a bike... well, my persona in the entertainment industry was "the broke girl." Of course, this wasn't my idea; it was arranged by my agency. However, I gradually realized that with the "broke girl" persona, I didn't have to rack my brains trying to outshine other actresses. I wouldn't be the first choice for high-fashion galas or new product launches, which gave me a lot more free time. I was quite happy to play along. Rowan Pierce V: [You forced me to do this!] Rowan posted another photo, but the traffic was so intense that it broke as soon as it was posted. The image was unviewable the moment it went live. [Bro, stop posting. I'm afraid Twitter is going to crash.] [Stop it, bro. I don't know if Twitter will crash, but I know your persona is shattered into a million pieces.] [Can someone tell me why this guy suddenly lost his mind today?] [Which adult hasn't lost their mind? We're all just barely holding it together.] [Am I the only one who wants to know if they really dated?] The fan comments were getting more and more ridiculous. I couldn't let this escalate any further. I dialed that familiar number on my phone, having just pulled it out of my blocklist. I said softly: "Hello." "Finally decided to call me?" I don't know why, but I could hear the smile in his voice over the phone. Ever since I realized Rowan Pierce and the crybaby at the amusement park were the same person, his image in my heart was completely ruined. "Was your Twitter hacked?" "No, I posted them all. If you didn't call me, I was going to post something even worse." He sounded incredibly smug. I gritted my teeth: "Rowan, what do you want?" "Break up with him." I was baffled: "We have nothing to do with each other anymore. What right do you have to order me around?" "I'm not ordering you around, I..." His tone softened: "Unblock me on iMessage, and we can talk this over slowly." I pulled his contact out of my blocklist. Me: "Spit it out. How much money do you want to delete the tweets?" Rowan: "Do you think I need money?" Me: "Then what do you want?" Rowan: "Go on a reality show with me." After all this fuss, just to get me to go on a reality show? I seriously wondered if he had been kicked in the head by a donkey. He sent me a poster on iMessage. It was a travel reality show. The first two seasons had already aired, but because the drama in the second season was too intense, the third season had been delayed for a long time. A five-day, slow-paced travel show. It could be seen as a way to relax, which was acceptable. Me: "I'll go. Will you stop causing a scene?" Rowan: "Once you sign the contract, I'll delete the tweets immediately." Fine, I'll go. 5 After arguing with Rowan for a while, Jace had fallen asleep next to me. My manager gently shook him awake: "Young Master Jace, wake up. The PR team has left." He opened his eyes groggily and asked me: "Quinn, what about me? Are we still clarifying?" "Send out a legal notice first, stating the rumors are false. I'll think about the rest later." "Okay." He nodded and saved his drafted tweet to his drafts. Suddenly, he called out: "Quinn, look at this. A reality show reached out to me." Jace pushed his phone toward me. Wanderlust Vibes? Wasn't this the show Rowan wanted me to do? Alright, this is how we're playing? "Go. Everyone's going." I looked at Jace with amusement: "Don't tell outsiders you're my brother just yet." I admit I had a little selfish motive. I wanted to see what Rowan was really up to. To be honest, I still liked him. After all, as someone who appreciates good looks, he was genuinely handsome. 6'2", broad shoulders, narrow waist—he gave off a strong sense of security. He dressed with great taste, and although he seemed cold to others, he was a true gentleman. He was infinitely better than the sleazy male stars I'd seen in the industry over the years, and the guys who used their status to sleep around. If he truly wanted to get back together, I thought I would be happy. Regardless of the outcome of this trip, I would clarify my relationship with Jace when it ended. Being an idol was his dream, and I couldn't be so selfish as to jeopardize his future. Just as I was feeling happy, I was tagged in a tweet. Wanderlust Vibes V: [A new season of travel is about to begin! Let's all look forward to the sparks our new cast members will create! Rowan Pierce, Quinn Thorne, Sloane Pierce, Jace Thorne, Leo Brooks.] Why was Sloane Pierce there too! Back then, for my first TV drama with Rowan, the rumor was that Sloane was supposed to be the female lead. In the end, for some unknown reason, she was replaced by me right before shooting began. And then Sloane's fans held a grudge against me, constantly claiming I stole their idol's role. At the time, it was my first acting gig. I had zero fans and could only silently endure the hate. Later, I just stopped looking at the comments and focused on acting. After it aired, the show was a massive hit, and both Rowan and I blew up. I looked pretty good, my acting was natural, and it was watchable, so my status in the industry rose. When the show got popular, Sloane's fans were even angrier, saying all of this should have been Sloane's, and that everything I got was stolen from her. The entertainment industry treated Sloane and me as rivals, and our fanbases tore into each other constantly. But the truth was, we had never even met. Sure enough, the production team knew how to generate buzz. Sloane Pierce's name also hit the trending list. For an entire morning, the trending list had been dominated by the four of us taking turns. 6 During this sensitive time, Jace and I didn't dare go back to the mansion, so we just packed a few clothes at my small apartment. By the time we arrived at the hotel prepared by the production team, the journey had already begun. The production team had installed cameras and required us to do a live stream sharing our luggage before departure. To maintain my "broke girl" persona, I brought very few things, but they were all highly practical. I showed them off one by one: "This hanger is foldable. When you pull it open, you can hang clothes, towels, and even shoes." "This collapsible kettle is very convenient for boiling water when you're out, and it doesn't take up much space in your suitcase." "This is hot pot base, and some instant food. If we run out of money and can't afford to eat, at least we won't starve to death." I thought it was going to be a normal pre-interview like previous seasons, since I had binge-watched the first two seasons before coming. Suddenly, the production team handed me a mission card. The producer explained: "This is a secret guardian mission. You need to complete your guardian mission on the first day without being discovered by the others. If you succeed, we'll increase your travel budget." The production team arranged a draw. Four envelopes were placed in front of me. I silently prayed in my heart: Please don't let me draw Rowan. And please don't let me draw Sloane. I didn't know Leo well either, so that would be awkward. Please, please let me draw Jace! Just to be safe, I asked before opening it: "What if I draw someone who's already been drawn?" "You protect whoever you draw. If all four people draw the same person, then you all protect that one person." I opened the envelope in my hand. As soon as I pulled the card halfway out, I quickly shoved it back in. The producer reminded me: "You need to show it to the camera." I asked desperately: "Can I see the other three?" "You may." I flipped them over one by one: Jace, Sloane, Leo. I really was that unlucky. I revealed the card in my hand—Rowan Pierce. I watched helplessly as the comments flew by faster and faster on the live stream. [Good stuff. Love to see it. Chaos lovers are satisfied.] [This is so dramatic. I'm already looking forward to this trip.] [Am I also a part of their game?] [Just go on the trip. I won't say a word.] To prevent the live stream from leaking secrets, everyone drew their cards privately. My mission was to make him drink three glasses of water in one day. I was doomed. When Rowan was filming before, he hated drinking water. He could go a whole day without a single sip. 7 The next day, the five of us gathered at the airport and flew abroad together. We met for the first time in the VIP lounge. When I arrived, Jace and Rowan were already sitting in the lounge, but they were seated very far apart. Seeing me walk in, Jace came over to take my suitcase: "Hi, Quinn." I nodded politely: "Hello." Rowan cleared his throat: "Long time no see." "Yeah, long time no see." Rowan took my suitcase from Jace's hand and placed it next to his own. As if to cover up something, he also moved Jace's two suitcases over. Leo walked in pushing his suitcase. A boy wearing a white button-down shirt. He wasn't composed like Rowan, nor did he have Jace's bad-boy charm. He had a fresh, sunny vibe. As soon as he walked in, he pulled out business cards from his pocket: "Hi Quinn, hi Jace, hi Rowan. I'm Leo Brooks, an actor and singer. I just graduated this year, so I'm Quinn's junior. I'm an extrovert. If anyone needs help or heavy lifting, just call me." Since yesterday's trending topic, Jace had a new nickname—Young Master Jace. Leo watched as we put all our suitcases to the side, so he pushed his all the way to the back. After putting away his luggage, he sat down next to me: "Quinn, I'm such a huge fan of yours. Can we take a picture?" "It was because you applied to the Drama Academy that I wanted to be your junior. I've always looked up to you..." Saying that, he turned to look at Rowan and continued: "And Rowan is my role model. Autumn Whispers left such a deep impression on me." "I actually have a still from back then here. Could you two sign it for me?" I could tell he was an extrovert! Because he was invading my introvert personal space, and he seemed to be enjoying it! I looked at the photo. It was supposed to be a backstage group photo, but it was cut by the director because our smiles were too sweet. In the photo, the two of us were leaning our heads together, making peace signs. At the time, we filmed from summer to winter. I was still a nobody actress. Before that movie, I had only shot a few commercials and had no real acting experience. But Rowan was already an established actor and had a lot of say on set. We were the male and female leads, but he had a huge dressing room with air conditioning, and when filming got tiring, he had an RV parked right outside the set. I could only sit on a small stool on set in the summer, using a handheld fan to cool down, and relying on heat packs to stay warm in the winter. At the time, acting was my dream. I stubbornly refused help from my family, insisting I wanted to build my career from scratch, just like my parents did. I was too competitive. I really didn't want a single dime from my family. So when I shot my first movie, I was genuinely broke. That was the toughest period of my life. Fortunately, Rowan was there during that time. Once we got to know each other, Rowan wasn't as aloof as he initially seemed. He would invite me to his dressing room for the AC, let me nap in his RV, stand on the shore with a towel and jacket waiting for me when I had to film scenes in the water, halt production when I accidentally got hurt to take me to a hospital miles away, and guide my emotions during our scenes together. The sound of rolling luggage interrupted my memories. "Ms. Pierce, I'm Leo. I'll be working with you on my next project. Please take care of me." I watched Sloane Pierce walk in. She was wearing a white suit and black sunglasses. She had short hair and looked chic, capable, and had a very strong aura. "Oh no." But as soon as she made a sound, that aura shattered, and a look of panic crossed her face. The four suitcases she was pushing were veering off course, and she was clearly losing control of them. Seeing this, Jace and Leo rushed over to take them from her. Empty-handed, she walked towards me step by step in her high heels, took off her sunglasses, and extended her hand: "Hello, I'm Sloane Pierce. I've heard your name for a long time, and I've been wanting to meet you." "Hello, Ms. Pierce. I'm Quinn Thorne." "Yeah, I know who you are." Saying that, she glanced in Rowan's direction. I originally thought meeting Sloane would be tense and awkward. After all, before yesterday, she was the only woman whose name appeared in trending topics alongside Rowan without being immediately debunked. But her initiative surprised me. However, looking at the dozen or so cameras in front of us, I figured I understood. "You go first." "You go first." "You go first." Jace said straightforwardly: "I'll go first." He pulled out a card and opened the envelope: "No need to be polite, everyone. I'm the tour guide for the first stop." 8 Jace took the mission card and read it aloud: "The hotel and dinner for the first stop have been provided by the production team. The initial budget is $500. The tour group can earn more travel funds by completing missions during the trip. If a mission fails, the initial budget remains. There is one mission per day." He flipped the mission card in his hand: "Alright, brothers and sisters, you can now board the plane and begin your journey. Have a great trip." Jace looked at the envelope in his hand: "$500? For two days? For five people? And we have to book hotels and restaurants? How is this going to be a 'great trip'?" Since Jace's identity as a wealthy heir had been exposed, everyone understood his reaction. I patted his shoulder: "Then we'll just have to earn more money. Anyway, the hotel and restaurant for today are already sorted by the production team, so at least we won't starve tonight. We'll figure it out as we go." Since we were already here, we had to just go with the flow. When the plane landed, our destination was a tropical coastal city. It was 11:00 PM when we arrived at the airport. Knowing it would be hot, I had already changed into a tube top and a short skirt in the lounge, but a wave of heat still hit me the moment we stepped outside. As we exited the airport, Rowan draped a jacket over my shoulders. I looked back at him. He acted like nothing had happened. I remembered the guardian mission. Could he have drawn me? I politely said thank you. For the sake of the travel budget, I'd endure it. By the time we got to the hotel, I was sweating profusely. Because it was a budget travel theme, there were only two rooms. Sloane hooked her arm through mine: "Then it's boys in one room, girls in the other. Quinn and I will take the smaller one, and you three can take the bigger one." Luckily, it was a room with two twin beds, so it wasn't a big deal. Sloane smiled at me: "Is that okay, Quinn?" "Yeah, no problem." "It's just... them?" I turned to look at the three men. Rowan and Jace's faces were darker than the other's. Leo smiled as he pushed his suitcase: "Rowan, Jace, I'll do missions to earn money tomorrow." I checked my watch, then looked at the water glasses in the kitchen. We had ten minutes until midnight, and I still hadn't completed my guardian mission. Looking at the situation! I gritted my teeth. I poured the bottled water provided by the hotel into glasses: "Let's celebrate arriving safely!" I placed five glasses in front of us, and everyone raised them to toast. As soon as we finished, I refilled them: "Here's to a smooth trip!" The five of us toasted again and downed the water. Running out of things to toast to, I braced myself and filled them one last time: "Let's have one more!" Sloane didn't raise her glass. She waved her hand: "I can't. If I drink anymore, I'll be bloated tomorrow." Jace whispered: "I really need to use the bathroom. Honestly, I've been holding it in for a while." "Quinn, if I drink this glass, I won't be able to sleep tonight. I'll drink it when I wake up tomorrow. Thanks, Quinn." Leo quickly went out the door to help move our luggage. Only Rowan and I were left in the living room. I checked my watch. Two minutes left. I had no other choice. I forced myself to ask: "Are you going to drink it?" Rowan smirked: "Will you keep me company?" I looked at that huge glass of water: "Deal!" We clinked glasses and stared at each other. I checked my watch. 20 seconds left, and he still had half a glass. I chugged mine and turned the glass upside down. Refusing to lose, he downed his in one breath as well. Thank goodness, mission accomplished. We should have a bit more money tomorrow.
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