Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 438 The Mastermind Behind the Criticism

"Violeta's Downfall."

"Violeta's Cross-Dressing Fail."

Those hashtags trended for three days straight.

Aside from Zelena, the person most thrilled by this turn of events was Lydia.

Lydia's team had always been at odds with Violeta's.

Not long ago, Lydia was in the spotlight for a relationship scandal that caused quite a stir, leaving her worried about how to handle the fallout. Unexpectedly, Violeta sent her a gift.

Violeta's rising popularity quickly overshadowed Lydia's scandal, shifting public attention away from Lydia's problems and focusing instead on Violeta.

It was a stroke of luck for Lydia!

Taking advantage of the situation, Lydia fueled the controversy further.

While high popularity brought many benefits, it also attracted a fair share of critics. The path to success was rarely smooth.

Many people thought Violeta's choice to take on a theater role was a mistake, believing it would ruin her career.

Despite her success with 'Nirvana and Rebirth' and 'The Quiet Ode', the cross-dressing controversy seemed to tarnish her reputation, with the entire internet mocking her.

Lance mentioned to Eugene, "Shouldn't we do something to manage the damage? Don't let it spiral out of control."

Eugene took a sip of his drink and replied, "It's too late for that now. Trying to remove the topic from trending will only stir up more trouble."

Lance asked, "So what's the plan?"

Eugene chuckled. "To achieve great things, sacrifices must be made. Can you guess how this situation was set in motion?"

Lance frowned, suddenly realizing something.

"Did you orchestrate this whole mess?"

Eugene poured the wine and clinked glasses with him. "The time for rehearsals is too long.

"I can't bear to waste the time in vain."

Rehearsals and performances had already taken almost as much time as shooting a movie. After so long without exposure, Eugene wouldn't let Violeta's popularity dissipate in vain. Lance finally understood. "Well, well, you even kept it from me!"

Eugene chuckled. "Well, you know me. Although I started the mess, it became an uproar because there's a lot of envy in this circle. Those people are ruthless."

He knew how to handle popularity expertly. Even if it meant letting Violeta be criticized, he believed the criticism would eventually lead to benefits.

That was why he was the superagent.

Lance asked, "Aren't you worried Violeta might end up like Tracy, nearly driven to depression by the criticism?"

Eugene replied confidently, "No, she'll be fine. I trust my judgment.

"Alright, drink less. You've got work tomorrow."

He set down his glass and prepared to leave.

After the play was aired online, he expected the public opinion to shift.

As Eugene was about to leave, Lance's voice rang out.

"Violeta's rise in popularity is overshadowing Lydia's relationship scandal."

Eugene paused, turned, and said, "It's just fate."

Lance smiled.

Eugene then left the office.

Being Lydia's former agent, Eugene's motives were unclear. Lance couldn't quite figure him out.

He put the unfinished wine away for another time.

The seven plays concluded with all tickets selling out.

The new play 'Love Dream' was a huge success, surprising everyone with its strong performance despite the short preparation time. Even scalpers drove ticket prices to record highs.

All of that was closely linked to Violeta's influence, highlighting the immense power of popularity.

However, 'Love Dream' also faced its share of controversy.

After the play ended, the theater decided to release the full version of 'Love Dream' online.

Violeta took the opportunity to rest and reflect.

The theater experience gave her valuable insights into acting, serving as a hands-on learning experience. Despite the online criticism, she chose to ignore it entirely.