Chapter 6 The Top Of The Trending List

Emma glanced toward the door and saw Brody standing there.

Kate was practically bouncing with excitement, fumbling to find her phone. "Can I take a photo with you? Maybe an autograph too?"

Brody's smile was warm, his voice calm and approachable. "How about a photo later? I'm here to see Emma."

He was surprisingly polite for someone of his stature. His tall frame and striking features were effortlessly captivating, and the way his eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled added to his charm.

"I'm here," Emma called out softly, her voice drawing his attention.

Brody tilted his head, his gaze settling on Emma. She was seated by the window with the delicate curtains swaying behind her, the late afternoon light casting a soft glow over her. The golden hue illuminated her features, accentuating her smooth skin and the gentle waves of her hair stirred by the breeze, creating a moment that felt almost cinematic.

Their eyes met, and a faint smile passed between them.

"Brody," Emma said, setting aside the script and the half-eaten apple as she rose, "it's been a while."

Kate blinked in surprise. "Wait-you two know each other?"

Emma nodded with a small smile. "We do."

Brody and Emma had attended the same film academy, first meeting during a college anniversary event where they had performed together. Over time, they had collaborated on a few projects and had maintained a cordial relationship, even though they had lost touch in recent years.

In Emma's memory, Brody had always been the epitome of gentleness and class, and standing before him now, she realized he hadn't changed one bit.

"Are you joining the crew's dinner gathering tonight?" Brody asked, his tone light.

Emma shook her head.

Brody's lips curved slightly. "Me neither. How about we grab a meal together instead?"

"Sure," Emma replied without hesitation.

It had been far too long since they last met. In the three years since she had entered the industry, their paths hadn't crossed publicly. Their careers existed on entirely different levels, with little opportunity for interaction, making this chance to reconnect all the more special.

......

Brody was exceptionally cautious the entire time. From leaving the hotel to arriving at the restaurant, and even after finishing their meal, he ensured his face remained unseen in public.

By two in the morning, however, Twitter was abuzz with comments.

A trending topic #BrodyDinnerWithGirlfriend caught fire, accompanied by nine photos being shared by countless media accounts. The photos featured a man, suspected to be Brody, and a long-haired woman in a mask, entering and exiting a restaurant together. Within an hour, the topic soared to the top of the trending list.

At that moment, Emma was sound asleep, blissfully unaware of the frenzy unfolding online.

When morning came, her alarm jolted her awake. She was barely out of bed when a knock at the door startled her. She shuffled to open it, finding Kate practically bursting with excitement as she rushed inside. "Emma, you and Brody are trending!" Kate squealed, her voice rising. "Number one! Can you believe it?"

Emma frowned, rubbing her temples. "What's gotten into you this early?" she asked, her tone groggy.

Kate waved her phone like a trophy. "You're everywhere! It's huge!"

Emma's sleep-addled mind cleared as she quickly grabbed her phone. Sure enough, the trending topic was blazing across Twitter, with the number of retweets and comments climbing by the second.

Brody's status as a media darling made this sudden frenzy unsurprising. Anything remotely linked to him always turned into a spectacle.

Thankfully, his meticulous disguise and Emma's mask left their identities speculative for now.

Unbothered, Emma shrugged it off, heading to the bathroom to wash up and change. Before leaving for the set, she told Kate to grab breakfast while en route. In the car, she ate quickly, flipping through the script to review her scenes for the day.

The first day of shooting unfolded seamlessly. The crew was welcoming, and while Emma's scenes were limited, she maintained her focus, pouring herself into her character. Her phone remained untouched the entire day.

When she returned to the hotel that evening, the situation online had escalated.

Netizens had unearthed her entire history-her debut, her agency, her filmography, and even personal tidbits. Her senior-junior connection to Brody at the academy, their shared stage performances, and every collaborative moment between them had been exposed, leaving no detail overlooked.

Her Twitter follower count had skyrocketed from ten thousand to an overwhelming five hundred thousand. Her most recent post, a month-old promotional update about her movie, had gone from being sparsely commented on to now flooded with tens of thousands of replies, many laced with harsh criticism and personal attacks.

Emma's brows knitted as she scrolled through the comments, but the words quickly became too much to bear, and she set her phone aside.

Noticing her distress, Kate tried to soothe her with a few comforting words before quietly retreating to her own room.

The night dragged on as Emma lay in bed, unable to sleep. She was worried that Ricky might see the trending topic and misunderstand her connection to Brody. Then reality sank in-Ricky wouldn't care.

He didn't love her or concern himself with her life, so why would baseless rumors about her and Brody make any difference to him?

As the first light of dawn peeked through the curtains, Emma finally drifted into a restless sleep. When she awoke again, the world outside had already plunged into evening's darkness.

Her stomach growled with hunger, reminding her that she hadn't eaten all day. She called Kate to order some food.

A few moments later, Kate appeared at her door, holding a large, round blue gift box. "Emma, you were asleep earlier, and I didn't want to wake you, so I accepted this on your behalf."

"Who sent it?"

Kate shook her head. "I'm not sure. It didn't come with a name."

Curiosity piqued, Emma opened the gift box. Inside, nestled within tissue paper, was a sleek black evening gown. A card sat on top, its surface bearing a single line of elegant, flowing handwriting. There was no signature, but Emma immediately recognized the hand.

It was Ricky's.

The card instructed her to be ready by eight o'clock-he would pick her up to accompany him to a charity gala.

Emma's chest tightened as a thought crossed her mind. Could this sudden gesture have been prompted by the trending rumors about her and Brody?

But she quickly shook her head, a bitter smile curling her lips. "I'm probably reading too much into this," she muttered under her breath.

She glanced at her phone to check the time. It was already seven-thirty.

Only thirty minutes remained to prepare.

With no time to eat, she headed straight to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Afterward, she applied her makeup and, with Kate's help, hurriedly styled her hair.

By seven-fifty, the food Kate had ordered arrived, still steaming and fragrant.

Emma reached for the meal, intending to take a few bites to ease her hunger, but her phone buzzed with an incoming call.

The screen lit up with Ricky's name. Her pulse quickened as she answered, a mix of curiosity and anticipation swirling within her.

"I'm at the hotel entrance. Come down." Ricky's voice was curt and authoritative, giving no room for discussion before the line disconnected.

Emma exhaled sharply, setting her phone down with a sigh. She scooped two quick bites of food into her mouth, barely tasting it, and turned to Kate. "Eat without me. Don't wait."

Without another word, she grabbed her clutch and hurried out the door.