Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

Joanna Kennedy didn’t click on the other trending topics. She could guess what the comments would be like.

Netizens were just redirecting the insults they’d thrown at her to Ivy Nash, perhaps even more viciously.

They had been filled with righteous indignation on Ivy Nash’s behalf, only to discover in the end that they were the ones who had been deceived. Who wouldn’t be furious?

While Joanna Kennedy was gaining followers, Ivy Nash’s official social media account lost nearly three million. The comment section below was an absolute cesspool.

[I’ve seen it all, I’ve really seen it all now. What a performance—inciting cyberbullying, maliciously editing videos, buying your way onto the trending list. Our Jojo didn’t do anything to you!]

[Couldn’t land the luxury endorsement yourself, so you resorted to dirty tricks to harm others, huh? Did you think that if you ruined Jojo’s reputation, mimniu would come crawling back to you? What a shame. mimniu made a special post to point out they never even considered you!]

Joanna’s Fans were indignant, and casual observers joined in with the ridicule, even starting to dig up old dirt.

[Ahahahaha, that satisfying feeling when someone you can’t stand finally gets exposed. I always thought Ivy Nash was fake, but her fans were like rabid dogs. This is great. Now I can finally say it without holding back.]

[Tsk tsk tsk, I guess it’s a whole new crowd on the internet now. Does no one remember the time she deliberately suppressed a co-star?]

[Unbelievable. To think I sincerely defended you and even slid into Joanna Kennedy’s DMs to curse her out. Turns out you were the real troublemaker all along?]

[I remember! I remember! She’s such a green tea bitch. The other girl had low blood sugar and was eating a piece of candy, and she was being all passive-aggressive. During an interview, she deliberately called her unprofessional, saying she was always sitting around resting. Hello? The girl had low blood sugar. What’s wrong with taking a break?]

The incessant, attacking, and mocking comments also served as a wake-up call for some of Serena’s fans.

[I’m done. I’ve been a fan of Serena for three years. I always thought she was a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry. I never thought she’d resort to such tactics to bring others down behind the scenes. She’s so skilled at it, this can’t be the first time, right?]

[+1, I’m out too. I’ve liked Serena for years. I remember she used to be so great when she was still playing supporting roles. I don’t know when she changed into... this...]

Amidst the flood of ”I’m done” posts, many disbelieving fans, clinging to a sliver of hope, were still desperately trying to argue.

[I don’t get it. Why is everyone leaving the fandom? There’s no concrete proof that Serena did this.]

[Exactly! All of you leaving the fandom were never true fans to begin with! True fans know what kind of person Serena is. She would never do something like that!]

They argued vehemently for their idol, but in reality, separated by screens and networks, who truly knows anyone else?

Joanna Kennedy didn’t read any more comments and closed the app.

The matter was resolved perfectly, and she had even unexpectedly gained a wave of new followers. Joanna Kennedy breathed a sigh of relief.

A thought struck her. Seeing the bathroom door was still closed, she furtively took the half-knitted scarf from her bag and resumed her work on it.

Hearing a soft click, she immediately stuffed it back in and pretended to be playing on her phone.

Early the next morning, before she was even fully awake, Joanna Kennedy was groggily pulled out of bed. She washed up and ate in a daze, and was still too out of it to react even after she was sitting in the car.

”When we get to the construction site, stay in the office. Don’t wander off, and don’t just open the door for anyone, understand?”

Simon Lockwood’s voice, clear in the quiet car, finally brought Joanna Kennedy back to her senses. She nodded obediently. ”Oh...”

A thought occurred to her and she asked, ”Did you find out? Was that man I saw yesterday Charles Jennings?”

After they returned to the hotel last night, Simon Lockwood had sent someone to investigate, but she had gone to sleep before getting an answer.

”Probably not,” Simon Lockwood said.

The man in the white sweater on the security footage was wearing a mask. The video was too blurry to get a clear look, but Charles Jennings’s name wasn’t on the hotel’s guest registry.

Besides, Liam Valentine’s reply email claimed that Charles Jennings had already been located in Marinus.

”Then why are you still making me tag along?” Joanna Kennedy asked. ”I could just wait for you at the hotel. I don’t want to get in the way of your work...”

The danger had supposedly passed, yet Simon Lockwood still insisted she come along.

”Is it because you couldn’t bear to leave me at the hotel?” When he didn’t answer, Joanna Kennedy raised an eyebrow and teased, ”Simon Lockwood, you’re so clingy.”

Simon Lockwood: ”...”

Simon Lockwood pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression deadpan. ”I am.”

His dead-serious act made Joanna Kennedy laugh. She leaned against the window, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she smiled.

With her rosy lips, pearly teeth, and infectious laugh, Simon Lockwood’s expression couldn’t help but soften.

’Once bitten, twice shy.’ Even though all signs indicated it was impossible for Charles Jennings to have escaped to this area, he still couldn’t rest easy leaving Joanna Kennedy by herself.

The construction experts hadn’t arrived yet. In the distance, Joanna Kennedy spotted a flashy pink Porsche with two men standing beside it.

Sean Grant was waving his arms around, jabbering away about something. The man opposite him kept glancing at his watch. When he saw the black Bentley, he strode over.

”Miss Kennedy, you’re here as well,” Jack Warren said in greeting.

Joanna Kennedy smiled. ”Hello, Special Assistant Warren.”

She had to force her gaze away from Jack Warren’s disheveled collar. ’Oh, my God,’ she thought, ’this is unbelievable.’

Once inside the office, Joanna Kennedy discreetly sat down in the lounge area off to the side. A moment later, Sean Grant came over and sat down too. The two of them stared at each other, wide-eyed.

In the main office area, Jack Warren began his report, as diligent and responsible as ever. ”The new contract has been drafted. Please take a look and see if anything needs to be changed.”

Simon Lockwood took the document, looked it over, and asked, ”Has the legal team arrived?”

”They’re on their way. They’ll be here in half an hour.”

”Mm, good.” Simon Lockwood set down the document, opened his laptop, and sent the digital file to Mayor Miller.

Jack Warren waited a moment. Seeing that Simon had finished, he finally asked, ”Are we really not taking a cut of the mineral deposits?”

Experts had surveyed the area. There were several other natural mineral deposits nearby—not just common coal, but even gold. It was an enormous fortune that anyone would covet.

What’s more, the contract clearly stated that with the 50-50 profit split for the economic development zone, Southland had every right to demand a share of the mineral resources.

Jack Warren still didn’t understand why Simon Lockwood would rather incur a financial loss just to be released from the role of primary responsible party. This wasn’t Simon Lockwood’s style.

But Simon Lockwood simply said, ”There’s no need.”

’High risk, high reward. But he was already very wealthy; there was no need to take on the venture. The mountainside at Oakhaven was unstable. He’d had people look into it—the probability of danger to the workers was extremely high.’

While those two were discussing business, Sean Grant pulled his gaze away. He was just about to sigh when he met Joanna Kennedy’s contemptuous glare.

Sean Grant: ”...”

”...What are you looking at me like that for?” Sean Grant’s eyes flew open as he crossed his arms protectively over his chest. ”Don’t get any funny ideas about me, alright? A bro’s wife is off-limits. I know the rules!”