Chapter 279 - 278: Hot Search

Delicate and gentle, like a pink version of Elsa...

As she lowered her head, the wide collar of her shirt gaped open slightly, offering a glimpse of fair skin and a subtle, alluring curve.

Simon Lockwood’s Adam’s apple bobbed sharply, yet he didn’t avert his gaze. He took the opportunity, while she was tending to his wound, to brazenly drink in the sight of her.

Joanna Kennedy, her head lowered, didn’t see the man’s dark, unreadable gaze. When she felt the muscle beneath the cotton swab tighten, she instinctively eased her pressure. "Does it hurt much?"

Her concerned tone, the feather-light touch, the sight of her fair skin... Simon Lockwood felt a flutter in his chest, as if he’d been brushed by a feather. He shook his head, his voice a bit hoarse. "I can do it myself..."

His voice was so low and magnetic, it was as if he’d whispered right in her ear. Joanna Kennedy’s ear burned. She rubbed it vigorously and retorted without a hint of politeness, "If it doesn’t hurt, then shut up."

Simon Lockwood: "........."

Fifteen minutes later, the wound was treated. As Joanna Kennedy packed the iodine and cotton swabs away, she said, "Take this with you. Apply it a few more times and it’ll heal. Don’t touch it with your hands, or it could get infected."

Staring at the small bag she held out to him, Simon Lockwood hesitated for a moment before taking it. "Thank you..."

The man’s low, hoarse words of thanks hung in the quiet living room before silence fell once more. They sat across from each other, neither one speaking.

The flowers were mostly dealt with, and the wound was dressed. It seemed there was no reason to stay any longer.

The air grew still as something began to brew between them. After waiting a moment for her to speak, Simon Lockwood pressed his lips together. "Well... I guess I’ll head back?"

He said he was leaving, but he didn’t budge. Joanna Kennedy pursed her lips, affecting a nonchalant tone. "Oh."

’We’re just a wall apart, it’s not like he’s going far. Why does he look so dejected?’ Joanna Kennedy didn’t get it.

But as she watched him walk to the door, she couldn’t help herself. The words slipped out before she could think. "I don’t have work tomorrow."

The moment the words were out, Joanna Kennedy regretted them. ’Why did I say that? It sounds like I’m hinting at something! This completely ruins the cool, aloof image I’ve been building in front of him!’

She wanted to say something to walk it back, but the words died on her lips as she froze.

There in the entryway, the usually silent and reserved man smiled. It was a subtle curve of his lips, but a gentle warmth filled his eyes.

It wasn’t much of a smile—you’d miss it if you weren’t looking closely—but it inexplicably felt like the first thaw of winter.

"Joanna Kennedy," Simon Lockwood said slowly, his gaze soft. "Tomorrow... may I take you to dinner?"

Joanna Kennedy: "........."

Joanna Kennedy said nothing, quickly looking away. After a long moment, she gave the faintest of nods. "Mm."

The door clicked shut. A few moments passed before Joanna Kennedy rubbed her flushed, hot cheeks.

’Courting a girl is just flowers and a dinner invitation. So unoriginal, so cliché...’

Joanna Kennedy complained silently, but the smile on her face only grew wider.

The next day, however, they weren’t able to go out for dinner after all. The reason: Joanna Kennedy was trending.

The timing was insidious. It started trending after one in the morning, when most people were asleep, so her PR team didn’t catch it in time.

By the time they did, it had already shot to the top of the trending charts, marked with the red "EXPLODING" tag indicating it had gone viral.

[A-List Superstar Joanna Kennedy’s Relationship Exposed!]

[Joanna Kennedy’s Secret Rendezvous with Boyfriend!]

[Joanna Kennedy Suspected of Cheating, Clashes with Boyfriend in Public Argument!]

.........

...............

A quick scroll down revealed that every tag was about her relationship status.

It was all because of a video clip showing her and Simon Lockwood on the street corner from the night before.

The person filming was some distance away, but the camera was zoomed right in on her face. It only caught a blurry side profile of Simon Lockwood, but even that was devastatingly handsome.

And even though Joanna was wearing a mask, sharp-eyed netizens recognized her immediately, and the news instantly blew up social media.

[Holy crap! Holy crap! I’ve lived long enough to see it all—Joanna is dating someone! She barely interacts with any male celebrities outside of filming. I honestly thought she was a man-hater!]

[Uhm, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Joanna probably just doesn’t want to be shipped with anyone, since most of them are just trying to ride her coattails for clout.]

[Exactly. Our Joanna always maintains clear boundaries with her male co-stars. She’s probably just trying to avoid rumors. It’s not like she hates men.]

This comment came from a fan, but it was the truth. Joanna Kennedy was a huge star with a string of hit projects to her name. She had no need to engage in shipping for publicity. If anything, it was her male co-stars who often tried to ride her coattails.

But the truth, when stated so bluntly, came off as arrogant and immediately provoked the fans of several male celebrities.

[Pfft, you talk as if Joanna Kennedy is such a hot commodity. If she doesn’t want to be shipped, then why is she starring in costume dramas? She should just act opposite other women then.]

[Seriously. LMAO, I’ve never seen such an arrogant celebrity. She’s a huge star herself but looks down on others who are trying to make it. That’s rich.]

The haters mobilized, steering the conversation toward the topic of "clout." Netizens who just wanted to watch the world burn chimed in with sarcastic and passive-aggressive speculation.

[Maybe she’s "saving herself" for her boyfriend?]

[Hahahaha, I remember Joanna Kennedy said she was single on that show a while back. How’d she suddenly magic up a boyfriend?]

The ever-resourceful netizens immediately dug up the video clip from the show. In it, the host asked Joanna Kennedy when she planned on dating and whether she already had a boyfriend.

Joanna Kennedy, dressed in an elegant gown with flawless makeup, smiled and shook her head. "Not at the moment."

The clip ended there. Joanna Kennedy had, for a fact, said she didn’t have one.

The haters and rival fanbases went wild, piling on with ridicule.

[Busted. Tsk, tsk. I’d love to ask Joanna Kennedy if her face stings. The nerve of her to lie like that.]

[Hahaha, watching her get called out like this is so satisfying!]

A horde of paid trolls jumped into the comments, making increasingly outrageous claims. They even started fabricating stories, alleging that Joanna was being kept by a sugar daddy, that her boyfriend had found out, and that’s why they were fighting in the street.

The rumors were fabricated with such convincing detail that they thoroughly enraged Joanna’s Fans, who had, until then, been trying to explain the situation calmly.

[Unbelievable. She’s in a relationship, and you’re all losing your minds. What’s it to you? Did she steal your man, or did she steal your dad?]

[Pay attention, can’t you read? Joanna said "NOT AT THE MOMENT." Has it ever occurred to you that maybe they were just in the talking phase back then and only just got together now??]

[All you liars can go to hell. Our A-list superstar doesn’t need a sugar daddy. She’s got Mr. Thorne in her corner~]

[Her boss, Howard Thorne, was her high school classmate. I ask you, does she look like she needs a sugar daddy?]

In just half an hour, the impressively combative Joanna’s Fans had shut down the haters and rival fanbases, leaving them speechless.

A top celebrity’s fanbase is nothing to scoff at, and that was especially true for Joanna’s Fans. They were a battle-hardened army, forged in the fires of countless fan wars.