Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Tiana smirked, easily seeing through Jocelyn’s act. She studied Jocelyn for a moment. At first, it looked like she wasn’t wearing any makeup, but Tiana quickly realized that it was just a skillfully applied “nude” look.
Putting her book down, Tiana slowly stood up and pulled a spray bottle from her bag. “Ugh, the AC is on but it’s still roasting in here. Let me cool us down a bit.”
With that, she sprayed some water on her neck and arms, but accidentally got a little on Jocelyn’s face too.
“Oops, sorry about that!” Tiana said, quickly grabbing a wet wipe to dab at Jocelyn’s cheek.
Jocelyn raised her hands to stop her. “It’s fine! I know you didn’t mean it.”
She figured Tiana had just sprayed water and wasn’t worried. Besides, her waterproof “nude” makeup would stay put unless she used a good makeup remover. “Anyway, it’s getting late. I’m heading back to my room for some rest.”
“Go ahead!” Tiana waved her off.
Once Jocelyn crossed the hall and settled into her room, Tristan reminded everyone that the live broadcast was about to wrap up. Jocelyn turned toward the camera, flashed a warm smile, and waved. “Goodnight, dear viewers and all my fans!”
Comments flooded in.
Is this the right live stream?]
[This woman with acne on her forehead and dark circles under her eyes–are we really calling her the nation’s sweetheart?] [Wasn’t she supposed to be the no–makeup beauty? Her skin looks worse than mine.]
[I was about to sleep and thought a ghost appeared. Good Lord, I’m so scared!]
[This isn’t Josie’s real look; she must be worn out from her busy schedule.]
[Tiana the Schemer tricked our Josie. That spray was makeup remover.]
[She won’t show her true face, but she’s making Josie look bad–such a mean thing to do!]
[Let’s band together to take down the schemer!]
During her first variety show live broadcast, Tiana thought the camera would shut off automatically after Tristan announced the end. She didn’t realize she needed to turn it off herself.
Once the broadcast ended, she ripped off her facial mask, let her hair down, and dove onto her bed, rolling around with the quilt tangled around her legs. After a moment of blissful relaxation, she rolled her eyes and sneered, “Don’t put on an act with me. I see right through you.”
Remembering that light green headband made her feel sick. “Relying on a man? Pigs will fly before that happens!”
[I can’t stop laughing. What sparked this outburst?]
[Honestly, I want to be that quilt she’s got!!
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Chapter 20
[Doesn’t she know the camera is still on?
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[Tiana the Schemer, come out and face the music for embarrassing Josie. Dare to show your true face?]
The flood of Tiana’s haters and Jocelyn stans rushed in, eager to catch a glimpse of Tiana’s unfiltered face,
Unaware that the camera was still rolling, Tiana muttered to herself, “Stay away from men, or you’ll end up miserable!”
Just then, her phone rang. It was Elodie. “Hey, girl, stop bashing men and turn off the camera first!”
Tiana was shocked. She looked up, and sure enough, the red recording light was on.
Panicking, she dropped her phone and hurried barefoot toward the camera. “Can you still see me?” she asked, waving her hand.
In front of the lens, she appeared with an oval face that was as smooth as a baby’s skin, glowing in the light. Without makeup, her features looked even more delicate and radiant. Her long, thick eyelashes fluttered, and her fox–like eyes sparkled, radiating warmth and beauty. From her perfectly shaped eyebrows to her soft lips, every detail seemed crafted by an artist’s hand.
Absolutely stunning–a true beauty. Her bare face radiated a warmth that made her all the more captivating.
The trolls who had come ready to bash Tiana were now speechless. As she leaned into the camera, all of their negativity evaporated. One could criticize her for many things, but her looks? No way! She had every right to show off.
[(Screaming) (Shocked) (Freaking out) (Rolling on the floor) (Wrapped in a blanket)]
[Wife, wife, wife, look over here!]
[How much is the bride price to marry Tiana? Is 10 thousand dollars enough?]
[Marrying her? In your dreams!]
Viewers were about to lose it over Tiana’s natural beauty, but before they could react, she abruptly turned off the camera.
Moments later, new trending topics lit up the Internet.
Tiana Bare–faced Goddess #
What’s the bride price for Tiana?#
I want to be Tiana’s quilt!#
Bare–faced comparison between Tiana and Jocelyn#
Jocelyn has two zits on her forehead#
After Jocelyn ended the live stream, she pulled off the light green headband she had been wearing, glancing at it with a scowl before tossing it into the trash. She really didn’t care about that headband Tiana had used. If it weren’t for the intention to annoy Tiana, she wouldn’t have worn it at all.
As expected, Tiana had gone off, making sarcastic comments. Jocelyn could imagine how harsh her fans and online commenters must be toward Tiana.
When Jocelyn left Tiana’s room, she mentioned “without makeup” on purpose. Tiana always looks flawless on camera, but without her makeup, she can only be average, she thought.
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Humming a little tune. Jocelyn grabbed her phone. She was sure she’d hit the trending charts tonight. Her makeup was perfect, and there had to be loads of people complimenting her natural beauty online. She might even gain a few followers.
As she clicked to check the trending topics, she spotted her name among several hot searches. A smile crept onto her face. but it quickly vanished as she realized the hot searches were all praising Tiana’s looks while putting her down.
Jocelyn clicked on one of the side–by–side comparison photos. Seeing her own unflattering picture next to Tiana’s beautiful one nearly made her faint.
She dropped her phone and rushed to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she saw that her “nude makeup had been ruined, revealing her true face Blood rushed to her head and her limbs turned cold. How could this have happened?” she thought.
Suddenly, she remembered the spray Tiana had accidentally hit her with. Anger surged through her, and she trembled with
rage.
Taking a deep breath, Jocelyn closed her eyes and quickly reapplied her makeup. Not sure if Simon had seen the disaster, she headed back to her room to contact her agent about getting those ugly photos deleted. Once that was sorted out, she emerged from the room, ready to face the world again.
Once Tiana turned off the live camera, she rolled around on her bed a few times. She was definitely tired but not ready to sleep. So, she got up and wandered over to the balcony
The Love Nest Villa was a three–story place, with the women on the top floor and the men below. Tiana glanced at the backyard and was startled to spot two familiar figures–Jocelyn and Enoch heading deeper into the garden
Her grip on the railing tightened as she thought, What does Enoch think he is doing? He came to participate in this reality show, but was it really for Jocelyn? And why was he still flirting with me in front of the cameras? Men could be so infuriating
Realizing the was letting Enoch get to her, Tiana smacked herself on the forehead. She told herself that it didn’t matter who he was after and at the end of the day, it was just a contractual relationship
Just as she turned to head back to her room, she felt a sudden grip around her wrist. Before she could react, she was yanked into an empty lounge. The door slammed shut behind her, and she found herself pinned against the wall by a man.
Tiana looked up to see Simon, his eyes bloodshot. She furrowed her brow, her beautiful eyes narrowing in cold annoyance.
Seeing
that look on her face, Simon felt a wave of pain wash over him. He gripped her shoulders tightly and said in a low, hoarse voice, “Tia, have you had your fun? Why did you decide to team up with Enoch? It hurts to watch you with another buy
Tiana looked at Simon’s anxious expression and couldn’t help but scoff. She thought, If one doesn’t know what happened and sees his behavior, they might think he actually cares for me.
She replied, “Mr. Fletcher, I’m done with you. Stop grabbing me.” She tried to shake off his hands on her shoulders, but he held on tight
Seeing the indifference and disgust in her eyes made Simon’s heart race with panic. She used to call him “Simon” or “Sim.” It hurt to hear her say “Mr. Fletcher” now. Not being at the engagement party had clearly made a bigger impact than he realized.
Tia, sorry that I messed up. Can you please give me another chance?” he pleaded.
Tiana curled her lip. “What about Jocelyn? If I give you another chance, can you break things off with her and never see her
Chapter 20
again?”
Simon frowned at her question. “Tia, don’t be unreasonable. I’ve already apologized”
Tiana’s laughter was cold. “So you do know you’re the one who made a mistake?
Realizing he’d messed up, Simon softened his tone, using the same coaxing voice he always used. Tia, I only want you. I promise I won’t hurt you again. Just don’t stay mad at me, okay?”
Tiana had heard these words countless times before. He would sweet–talk her, but she’d let things slide before. This time was different he had shattered all the trust and patience she had for him
“Simon, I’m married With that, silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Simon blinked, convinced he must have misheard her. But as the reality sank in, he found it utterly ridiculous. He thought, Just to cut ties with me, she’s lying about being married? Who would dare marry her in Novavista besides me? Everyone knows the belongs to me and no one would dare challenge my family. Also, Mr. Schneider wouldn’t allow her to marry anyone so casually
“Tia, I get that you’re still upset and want some space, I can understand that. But can you please stop getting so close to that bodyguard on the reality show?”
Tiana frowned, confused as she thought, Is he serious? I’m married, and my husband is exactly the bodyguard he mentioned although no one else knows. Who I chose to be close to is none of his business–especially as my ex
