Chapter 526

The cameras kept rolling despite the sudden commotion. Victoria Ellington, who stood nearest to Miranda Graves, immediately noticed the disturbance and rushed to assist her. "Miranda, are you hurt? Oh heavens, you're bleeding! Does it pain you terribly?"

Even if Victoria was merely performing for the cameras, her concern appeared utterly genuine. Tears welled in her expressive eyes, a perfect blend of distress and maternal worry that played beautifully on screen.

Online viewers erupted in outrage against Olivia Sinclair and little Isabelle.

"What kind of monster child is this? Miranda was only speaking the truth and trying to protect that brat! Why would she push her like that?"

"I had such high hopes for this show, but that toxic mother-daughter duo is ruining everything. Producers - if you want ratings, get rid of them immediately!"

"Exactly! They're poison. Remove them now before they destroy the entire program!"

"Someone please make that wretched pair leave! I can't bear watching another second of their nonsense."

"Did you see the electric chemistry between Miranda and Victoria though? They're perfectly matched in beauty and screen presence."

Olivia remained silent, her icy gaze locked onto the director. She understood the production needed drama for ratings, but harming Isabelle crossed every line. From the crew's vantage point, it was painfully obvious Miranda had staged her fall.

The director cleared his throat awkwardly. "This was clearly an accident. Miranda slipped on a loose stone. We all witnessed it. How could a four-year-old possibly possess that kind of strength?" Miranda hadn't anticipated the crew defending Olivia. A flicker of guilt crossed her features before she schooled them into perfect wounded innocence. With assistance from the surrounding crowd, she rose gracefully, catching the director's subtle warning glance.

Turning toward the cameras, Miranda adopted a martyr's expression. "It was simply an unfortunate accident. Please don't blame Miss Sinclair or her precious daughter. I brought this upon myself through my own carelessness." As she spoke, Miranda shot Olivia a sideways glance that was anything but innocent.

The actress pretended to be diffusing tension, but her carefully chosen words subtly implied Olivia had bullied her. Olivia merely watched the performance with amusement. She hadn't revealed what transpired at the last gala because the timing wasn't right.

Olivia's original plan had been simple - a relaxing outing with Isabelle while casually getting closer to Victoria. She hadn't accounted for Miranda's relentless provocations.

The veiled hostility in Miranda's gaze didn't escape Olivia's notice. A cold smile curved her lips while her eyes remained glacial. This time, Miranda's fear was unmistakably genuine as she shrank from Olivia's arctic stare. Though some audience members continued grumbling, the immediate outrage had subsided after Miranda's "gracious" explanation.

The production team had discreetly pulled Miranda aside earlier, reminding her that Olivia had invested substantial capital into the program. Crossing the Sinclair heiress would be unwise. Miranda's agent had reinforced this, pointing out that the exposure from this show could land her lucrative endorsement deals. Sinclair Enterprises, though newly prominent, maintained close ties with the powerful Montgomery Group and possessed formidable marketing resources. Securing a Sinclair endorsement could catapult Miranda's career to new heights. Clenching her jaw, Miranda swallowed her pride - for now. The game wasn't over yet.