Mr. Kane Got Blacklisted

It took Stella a while to figure out what was going on. She finally understood why Joe suddenly showed up during the incident with Grace Allock and turned the situation around. It turned out to be this all along.

She felt incredibly awkward. If she had known it was a wrong number earlier, she wouldn't have spoken up. It was indeed a bit mean, something only someone as childish as Keegan would do.

Keegan also realized he hadn't handled the situation well. Trying to make amends, he said, "I didn't explain clearly. How about I give you a set of the exclusive skins from the 'Honor of the Deities' beta?"

Joe sniffled softly, "Three sets of beta skins.”

Keegan couldn't help but laugh at his bargaining. It seemed Joe wasn't too hurt after all. "Alright, I'll give you three sets."

Joe immediately stopped crying. A limited-edition skin set that money couldn't buy versus an idol already married to someone else-any fool would know which to choose.

"Alright, I guess I misunderstood."

Then, looking at Stella, he couldn't help but feel regretful. "Stella, why did you get married so early? Men just slow down your chances of winning awards."

Keegan's eyelid twitched. "Marriage and career don't conflict, stop trying to sow discord."

"Of course, it doesn't conflict for you as a man," Joe, having been deceived, now "turned dark” upon discovering his idol was taken by an older man." Once you're married, you have to have kids. Do you see any major directors casting pregnant women? The best years of your life are spent on marriage

and childbirth. By the time you raise your kids, your golden years are over. I feel so sorry for Stella. It's just not fair."

Joe’s comments, while provocative, did touch on a real issue. Pregnancy and childbirth could indeed be a hurdle in a woman’s career, as the best age for having children often overlapped with the peak of one's career. Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

Before Stella got pregnant, her last two films were highly acclaimed. If she had continued on that path, she wouldn't have won fewer awards than Nicole Aspen.

But once she became pregnant, she turned down all the good scripts that came her way. She didn't mention it, and Keegan didn't press the issue. Now that Joe brought it up, Keegan was also curious about Stella's thoughts.

Stella smiled. "It's not so bad. Having children is a responsibility women take on because of their biological structure. There's no issue of fairness here. After all, whether or not to have children is a personal choice. If there's any regret, it's usually because the partner didn't do their part. It does affect one's career, but it's all about personal choice. Everyone has different priorities in life.

"I never aimed for a grand slam of awards. When I am young, I can play young girls; when I'm older, I can play wives and mothers. As long as I have roles to play, I’m happy whether they are lead roles or not. This is just a job

I love. But I also have my own life. I want to build a good family with the person I love, take care of my familu, and see the world. Life is short, and the journey is more important than the destination."

She was different from Nicole. Nicole had ambitions in acting, whereas Stella enjoyed experiencing different lives through various roles. But for Stella, work was just work. She wouldn't let it consume her life, which was why she didn't try to gather fans on social media. As an idol with "no ambition," she knew she would disappoint fans, so it was better to let things happen naturally.

Keegan was deeply moved after hearing her words, completely enchanted by her.

Joe let out a reluctant grunt, then suddenly slapped his forehead. "Wait, I called for something else. Stella, why were you photographed with that pit bull?"

"Pit bull?” Stella was confused. "You mean Leighton?"

"Yes! I called about this. Now Facebook is buzzing with rumors that you knowingly got involved with my cousin and that pit bull. You two were photographed getting cozy. Your Facebook is about to explode!"

After the Dahlia Crosby incident, both of them had uninstalled Facebook. Keegan had joined Stella in quitting social media because she spent too much time on her phone, and he was worried about her eyesight.

So, they had no idea what Joe was talking about.

Stella frowned, "When did I ever get cozy with Leighton?"

Joe said, "I sent the pictures to Keegan's Whatsapp."

Stella opened the message and her mouth twitched.

Keegan leaned over, and his face darkened when he saw the photos.

The pictures weren't of Stella and Leighton Hall but of Stella and Trevor from tonight's dinner, snapped in the parking lot by someone. Trevor, wearing sunglasses, was carrying Stella's bag, and they were holding hands as they entered the elevator. From the angle of the photos, Trevor looked just like Leighton.