The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!

Chapter 274: The Real Deal — Beautiful, Cool, and Strong

Maya discovered a strange phenomenon: Ian Rowe’s obsession with the kitchen had reached a new level; he studied recipes whenever he had time.

Lately, Maya had been eating Ian Rowe’s meals the most, and she had to mention that his progress was swift; the food that was barely palatable before had now improved significantly.

Ian Rowe seemed equally obsessed with feedback and would ask Maya the same question every time: "Whose cooking do you like best? It’s mine, right?"

He stared intently at Maya, not missing even a flicker of expression on her face.

Seeing Ian Rowe’s hopeful expression, Maya chose to make him happy: "Of course."

Ian Rowe let out a laugh, seemingly satisfied with her answer: "I remember your survival reality show has finished filming, right?"

"Yes, it’s finally wrapped up."

Ian Rowe nodded slowly: "In the future... I think major female lead dramas suit you better."

Maya perked up with interest: "Why?"

"Because..." He paused, but no follow-up came.

*

After six months, Mirror finally ended its shoot. Yvonne Hall was extremely excited and invited everyone to a wrap party at a hotel.

As the lead actress, Maya naturally had to attend.

The champagne glinted with a golden hue as it reflected off fluted glasses. Amongst the clinking and clattering, Maya felt a bit dazed. This was her second TV series; unknowingly, she had been in this world for more than a year now.

"Come, Maya, a toast to you. With you here, we’re sure to win an award!" said Yvonne Hall as she approached, feeling much more relaxed after completing her duties.

Maya stood up, picked up her juice from the table, and gently clinked glasses with her: "Director Huang, you’re too kind."

Seeing her raise her glass, people around encouraged her to drink. Maya just smiled faintly: "Sorry, I’m allergic to alcohol."

Alcohol numbs the nerves and often leads to some bad situations; Maya always kept her distance from it.

Later, many came over to greet Maya, engaging in various conversations and asking for contact details, but she dispensed with them using various excuses.

As she watched the disappointed figures leave, Maya realized she was no longer the social outcast she once was. She had risen to top-tier fame, with her fan base doubling. Naturally, the way people looked at her had changed.

The wrap party had many segments, and Maya mostly sat quietly, eating. She always disliked joining noisy environments; only the food before her could bring her temporary peace and relaxation.

Yvonne Hall held her hand and spoke a lot, mostly praising her, saying she had great resources and a promising future, stressing the importance of working together again.

Maya smiled and agreed. During her time in the crew, Yvonne Hall indeed provided a lot of help.

When the wrap party ended, it was already eight in the evening. Many around were tipsy, leaving with the help of assistants.

Maya grabbed her coat, said goodbye to Yvonne Hall, and walked outside with Scott.

Maya got into the RV, feeling slightly fatigued after the socializing. Scott handed her some coffee, but Maya declined; she wanted to head home and sleep early.

"When is the opening ceremony for Solara?"

Solara was her latest film offer, a major production by a renowned director. This film meant a lot to her, as it was her debut in the movie industry.

Scott replied: "It’s next week. During this time, Maya, you can adjust yourself to present your best on screen."

Maya nodded: "Okay."

Taking on the lead role in a big production for her first film was bound to spark controversy and attract jealousy.

She gently closed her eyes; for this film shoot, she must perform exceptionally well to prove her abilities.

The rapidly growing popularity tagged her with a "traffic star" label. She clearly knew that the best way to prove her strength was to produce more excellent works.

*

Maya was leisurely browsing Weibo, not expecting to find herself amidst gossip.

Her fingers lightly tapped the screen.

A month had passed, and Maya didn’t expect Kiki Monroe to stir things up again.

Out of nowhere, a large amount of negative news about Maya began to surface online, mostly reiterating old issues. Some marketing accounts deliberately compared Maya and Kiki, praising Kiki’s modest work ethic and notable acting skills, while criticizing Maya for being poor in every way...

Due to Maya’s immense popularity and deliberate marketing, negative gossip related to "Does the Internet Have No Memory?" quickly spread online, causing quite a stir.

At this moment, it was the eve of the broadcast of Mirror and Spring Flowers. As both films were scheduled to release around the same time, it was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes that the sudden negative press against the lead actress of Mirror, Maya, was a deliberate suppression from Kiki Monroe’s side.

Maya casually glanced through a few comments, with various opinions, and undoubtedly the possibility of hired trolls.

[ljxx: Does the internet truly have no memory? Can what Maya did be so easily forgiven? Can a villain be absolved of all her past sins just because she turned over a new leaf?]

[Gossiper: Just woke up to such big gossip, the entertainment industry has indeed been quite eventful recently.]

[Hehehe: I’ve long found Maya unpleasant; how can such a scandalous artist become popular?! If someone like her can be a star, I must be an international superstar!]

[See the Stars: Is everything alright with the people upstairs? Aren’t things too exaggerated? Is it interesting to bring up old stories again? Granted, Maya’s acting wasn’t the best before, but how did it turn into a heinous crime in your mouths? She hasn’t killed/anyone or broken any laws, so why slander her like this?! Isn’t someone allowed to improve?!]

[Bright Smile: From the above articles, it’s true that Maya was once temperamental and lacking in acting skills, but she has changed now. Honestly, when I see these slanders, I can’t even associate them with Maya’s face; she’s just too beautiful. However, in my opinion, Maya is genuine and stunningly cool, far from what’s described in those articles.]

[Clear-headed in the World: I’m just a pure onlooker; the tone of the people above is indeed a bit harsh, clearly targeted at Maya—couldn’t they be hired trolls from Kiki Monroe’s side?]

[Chan Chan: On the eve of Mirror’s release, all this negative news suddenly popped up, and Maya was dragged down by Kiki Monroe. Anyone with clear insight can see what’s going on here, right? These marketing accounts are obviously paid for, must have cost a lot, right?]

...