Ch. 31..40

Chapter 31

Alistair didn't regret stepping in. If Dominic was foolish enough to let her go, that was his mistake.

However, Alistair couldn't help but fear Audrey might regret marrying him. He couldn't even imagine what he would do if she filed for divorce.

As Alistair gazed at Audrey's striking profile, his expression grew serious. Just then, she looked up suddenly, meeting his eyes head-on.

Alistair's heart skipped, and he looked away quickly, covering his mouth as he cleared his throat, wondering if she was about to ask for a divorce.

After a pause, Audrey's bright voice rang out. "Alistair, what kind of car do you like?"

Alistair's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. "A car? Why? Are you planning to buy one?"

'Has she really been so deep in thought about this?' Alistair thought, feeling relieved.

Audrey nodded, replying, "Yeah. Don't you say you were fine being a freeloader? You practically covered dinner tonight with that favor of yours, so I figured I'd buy you a new car, just to keep you comfortable." Audrey meant it playfully, of course, not really calling Alistair a freeloader.

Alistair, momentarily speechless, looked a bit dazed. "You...uh..."

"Well, do you want one or not?" Audrey demanded, feigning annoyance as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course I do. As long as it's from you, I'll love it," Alistair answered quickly.

Whatever her reasoning, Alistair was happy to accept it. 'After all, at least for this moment, she's thinking of me, isn't she?' he thought.

"That's more like it. I'll make sure it's a good one," Audrey said with a nod, glancing back down at her phone.

A moment later, Audrey looked back up, adding thoughtfully, "It's not that I don't like your car. It's just, well, we're married, and you paid for the house, so I figure getting you a car is fair. Plus..." Audrey trailed off for a second before continuing, "I want everyone watching to know I'm serious about this marriage. I didn't do this on a whim."

Audrey had seen the posts herself. She wasn't about to go around explaining to everyone individually, but if they lived well together, the gossip would eventually die down.

The determined look in Audrey's eyes as she talked about their future made something in Alistair stir. She was ready to move on from her past and make a real life with Alistair. When Alistair heard this, his heart stirred slightly. Like everyone else, he'd thought Audrey married him just to spite Dominic. And there was no reason for her to marry a stranger.

Alistair wanted to ask about her true feelings, but after a pause, he kept it to himself and went along with the current conversation.

"I don't have any strong preferences. I just want something spacious and comfortable, maybe an SUV?" Alistair asked carefully.

Alistair's garage was already packed with luxury cars, but this one, from Audrey, would mean a lot more.

"Got it." Audrey took a few minutes to pick out a couple of options on her phone and then handed it over. "Look, any of these appeals to you?"

Alistair leaned in, glancing at her phone. After a moment, he said, "The top one, I think. I've got a friend in car sales; he might be able to get us a deal. Send me a picture, and I'll reach out to him." Audrey agreed, saving the image quickly. "Sure, once you work out the details, I'll handle the payment."

Though her paycheck wasn't much, Audrey still had her earnings from her design work in Koivara and streaming savings set aside. So she could cover a car just fine.

As she was about to send the photo, Audrey realized something. Then she said, "I don't even have your number."

Funny, how they'd been married yet hadn't exchanged contact information or even WhatsApp.

Annoyed with himself for overlooking that, Alistair took out his phone, letting her scan the QR code. Once they'd added each other, he pinned her to the top of his list subtly, saving her as "Sweetie." Unaware of the change, Audrey sent the picture over. Alistair forwarded it to Logan immediately.

Logan, trying to keep an eye on Instagram, saw the incoming image and sent back a question mark. [??]

Logan: [So, a new car? Looks pretty basic. Haven't you always said SUVs handle like boats compared to sports cars? If you're gonna buy one, it might as well be a Karlmann King. Now that's a real beast!] The one-million-dollar SUV didn't exactly catch Logan's eye.

Alistair: [It's a gift from my wife.]

Logan: [...Get lost!]

'Is he here just to rub his happiness in my face? You think it's cool having your wife buy you a car, huh?' Logan muttered.

Alistair: [Go talk to the people at this brand and have them modify an SUV with the best configuration. I want it sold to my wife for under 700 thousand dollars, with me covering any difference in cost.] Logan stared at his phone and murmured, 'So, Mr. Hayes can do anything to attract his wife.'

 

Chapter 32

When they got home, it was already past ten. After changing into their house slippers, Audrey couldn't help but remember last night, when she had drunkenly insisted on sleeping next to Alistair. A wave of shyness washed over her, and Audrey couldn't bring herself to look at him.

On the other hand, Alistair seemed unfazed, saying softly, "It's late. You should get some rest."

Audrey opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out; her face was already flushed. Last night was an accident. Honestly, Audrey wasn't ready to share a bed with Alistair yet.

Audrey thought, 'How could I tell him I want to sleep separately?

'Not long ago, I told him that I wanted to settle down and live a good life, but as soon as I got home, I changed my mind. Will Alistair think I'm insincere?'

At that moment, Audrey was filled with inner turmoil and confusion, gripping the throw pillow on the couch until her fingers nearly twisted it out of shape.

After Alistair put the leftovers in the fridge, he came out to see her sitting on the couch stiffly, lost in thought. He understood immediately.

'Is she struggling again? It seems I have a long way to go before she accepts me fully. Well, she's my wife now; there's no need to push her too hard. There will be plenty of time later,' Alistair thought.

Thinking this, Alistair poured Audrey a cup of milk and said gently, "Here, drink some milk. I still have work to finish and will need to stay late at the office. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight so I don't disturb your rest."

Hearing this, Audrey felt a mix of concern for Alistair's workload and a sense of relief. She took a sip of the milk, feeling it warm her heart, and her expression softened.

With genuine concern, Audrey said, "Make sure you get enough rest tonight. If you can't finish your work, just push it back. If it gets too overwhelming, maybe consider changing jobs. Don't wear yourself out! I can help with supporting the family; don't put so much pressure on yourself!"

"Alright, I get it. Thanks for caring, sweetie," Alistair replied with a gentle smile, ruffling her hair as he turned to leave.

It wasn't until Alistair entered his study that Audrey came back to her senses, touching her head. 'Why does it feel like Alistair treats me like a child? He seems to love ruffling my hair,' she thought.

After finishing the milk, Audrey stood up and headed to the bedroom. Once inside, she noticed some changes in the master bedroom quickly.

Her suitcase had been moved from the guest room, and half of the space in the open wardrobe was cleared out, now with a vanity added.

On the vanity sat her favorite skincare and makeup products. It was obvious who had prepared these things.

Thinking of the spread of her favorite dishes at dinner, along with these cosmetics, Audrey couldn't help but feel suspicious. She wondered, 'Is this all just a coincidence?'

Audrey's skincare products weren't mainstream brands, yet they had somehow bought the right ones.

As Audrey pondered this, her phone on the vanity suddenly buzzed repeatedly. She picked it up and saw a flood of messages from her fans on her Tik Tok account urging her to post updates. [Why hasn't the blogger updated yet... Didn't she take a two-day wedding leave? It's already the third day!]

[I miss the blogger's content. I haven't eaten well in three days without her emotional commentary; It feels like my romantic impulses are kicking back in. Come back soon!]

Audrey slapped her forehead and thought, 'Oh no, I'm too busy to forget I promised the fans a livestream after my wedding!'

 

 

Chapter 33

After a quick skincare routine, Audrey propped her phone up on a stand and started her livestream.

Previously, Audrey had created a relationship-focused account to vent her feelings since she often had conflicts with Dominic, wanting to seek help from her fans. However, it ended up with her solving their emotional problems instead, and many knew about her relationship with Dominic and envied it.

But Audrey had never revealed her and Dominic's real names in the stream, nor had she shown her face.

Audrey used to wear a fox mask while streaming. Since she didn't have the mask with her this time, she decided to keep the camera off. Ding! Your favorite streamer, Audie, has started a live stream!

About a minute in, many familiar usernames flooded in, and the chat screen was going wild.

Within a few minutes, the number of viewers in the livestream surpassed ten thousand. Audrey didn't have a huge fanbase, but her followers were mostly loyal.

Settling in, Audrey looked at the rapidly scrolling chat, picking some questions to answer. "Why aren't you showing your face? I changed locations today, so it's not convenient to show my face right now." [Changed locations? Oh wow, did you move into your new house with your boyfriend?]

[After three years of dating, you finally tied the knot. Congratulations, Audie!]

Seeing all the congratulations on the screen made Audrey feel a pang of bittersweetness, but she let it go quickly. She could just pretend everyone was congratulating her and Alistair.

After the congratulations, the chat shifted back to relationship questions.

[Babies, I'm planning to pursue a guy I've had a crush on for years. I think he likes me too, but he hasn't said anything. I'm a bit impatient, so I want to take the initiative. What should I do? Please give me some advice!] Reading this, Audrey couldn't help but remember her own experience chasing after Dominic.

Although Dominic had pursued her first, once they were in a relationship, Audrey had been the one running after him.

In the end, everyone thought Audrey was the one clinging to Dominic and couldn't let go.

When she was deep in it, she was confused, but now Audrey felt like she had been blinded by so-called love back then, like a fool.

The chat was already buzzing with suggestions for the girl, advising her on how to flirt and when to confess.

In the past, Audrey would have joined in to comfort her. Now, however, she said directly, "Baby, don't chase after guys! It's a lifelong mistake to chase after them!

"Trust me, you have money and looks. Why should you chase after someone who just wants to toy with you without ever confessing? It's much better to date a sweet guy, right?"

As soon as Audrey said this, the chat, which had been scrolling rapidly, came to a brief halt.

Everyone paused, wondering if this was really the Audie they knew. And had she been taken over by someone else after three days of not streaming? Because Audrey used to teach them how to make their boyfriends love them more. After a moment of silence, the chat filled with a long string of question marks slowly.

[Audie, what happened to you?]

[Did something suddenly change? This feels like a scandal...]

Audrey realized that her fans might not accept this change right away, so she explained patiently, "It's not a scandal, babies. I've just woken up!

"Chasing after men just to please them won't end well. Don't waste your youth on jerks; otherwise, you'll end up losing both your heart and your money! "We're rich, so why not just find a sweet guy to date? It's casual fun, and when you get tired, you can just switch to the next one. Isn't that great?" [Sassy little Audie, please spoil me.]

[Honestly, I think this is normal. Those old tips about chasing after men make a lot of people uncomfortable!]

[Absolutely! Everyone used to follow that advice. I didn't want to say anything, but I'm tired of it. We're not broke; there's no need to chase after men! We should work on improving ourselves and let those guys chase us instead!] [Why are you all jumping on the bandwagon? Didn't you enjoy the old advice?]

[Yeah, why the sudden change? Did you ask your fans for their opinions?]

[We come in asking for advice, not for a lecture!]

[I'm outta here. This is boring...!]

After a brief argument, the number of viewers in the livestream dropped quickly.

Audrey didn't mind, but many fans felt it wasn't fair, thinking those who left weren't true fans of hers.

[Don't make excuses; she must be struggling with her own love life and just wants to say these things. How can we adapt to such a huge change after she's been so different? I'm unfollowing.] [Yeah, I'm unfollowing too!]

[I don't need an emotional blogger who can't even catch a guy!]

In an instant, the chat became a mess. The flow of the live stream was disrupted.

Audrey frowned slightly, about to explain again when she saw an influx of lion emojis filling the screen.

In just two minutes, there wasn't a single arguing message in sight, only lion emojis, and they shot up to the top of the rankings quickly.

The top donor even commented, [The blogger is right; girls shouldn't compromise themselves or have to please men.]

[Oh my gosh, who is this generous supporter? Can someone count how many there are?]

[Over a hundred, but I can't keep track...]

Because lion emojis are public across the platform, many people from other streams came over. Within a few minutes, the viewer count in Audrey's livestream skyrocketed past one hundred thousand.

 

 

Chapter 34

Audrey was momentarily stunned by the gift effects that flooded her TikTok livestream.

Once she regained her composure, Audrey interjected quickly, "Audessa, you don't need to send any gifts! I'm just a small emotional broadcaster here, and you can ask questions without spending anything!" Even though Audrey wasn't short on cash, having such a large amount thrown at her by a stranger over the internet was quite shocking.

[This isn't a girl; I just checked the profile, and it's a guy.]

[Looks like he shared a video on how to get your wife's attention. It seems like he's already married.]

In an instant, the chat was buzzing with speculation about Audessa's identity.

Many guessed that this person might be Audrey's husband, pointing out that choosing "Audessa" seemed like a sneaky way to flaunt affection, implying that Audrey resembled his wife. Actually, she was his wife indeed. Audrey frowned slightly, realizing that her fans had no idea she hadn't even married the guy she'd been pursuing for three years. They all assumed that her husband was Dominic.

However, Audrey was well aware that this was not Dominic's account. After all, she had insulted him earlier in the day, so he wouldn't come back that night under a fake name to send her gifts. Plus, he didn't even know she was live. So, this "Audessa" definitely wasn't Dominic. Maybe Audessa was just an ordinary internet user.

Meanwhile, in his study, Alistair watched the barrage of comments on his computer screen, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him.

'How can these netizens be so clever to guess correctly?' Alistair thought.

Not wanting them to keep speculating, Alistair clicked and sent ten more lions to Audrey's stream.

[Another gift? What on earth? Did the lion shrink, or did I miss some crazy promotion?]

When Audrey once again urged the sender not to give gifts, it clearly had no effect, and luxurious rockets continued to appear.

Audrey was momentarily taken aback and suddenly recalled a trending topic she'd seen recently. It mentioned that many underage kids would steal their parents' phones to tip streamers.

A closer look revealed that the account had just registered the account recently, and his wealth level had shot up only from the gifts given to Audrey, proving he had never tipped anyone else before.

Not wanting to delay any further, Audrey opened the top donor's direct message and sent a reply.

[Hey, kiddo, send me your account, and I'll refund your gifts. You don't have to tip me just to ask questions. The platform takes half of it, so I can only return half for now. I'll also talk to the platform about getting your full refund since you're underage. Just don't do this again, okay?]

In the study next door, Alistair chuckled softly as he read the message. 'My wife is just too cute, like a caring big sister,' he thought.

After suppressing his amusement, Alistair regained his composure quickly and typed back. [I'm of age, I have a decent job, and the amount I tipped is negligible. Keep it.]

Seeing the response, Audrey was taken aback again. She muttered, 'How can a simple reply carry such an air of authority? He sounds like a wealthy mogul! But I still can't accept such a large sum of money from a stranger.'

Audrey was resolute and insisted that he send his account for a refund.

Alistair felt a headache coming on. 'Is it normal for the first time I'm tipping my wife to have it turned back? This couldn't be right!' he thought.

Alistair had no experience dealing with such situations and immediately thought of Logan. Then he took a screenshot quickly and sent it over. When there was no reply, he dialed Logan's number.

In a bar filled with blaring music, Logan answered the phone, shouting, "What's up, Mr. Hayes? Why are you calling me at this hour?"

"I need to ask you something," Alistair replied softly.

Logan raised his hand for silence, and the crowd quieted down instinctively, eager to hear his conversation.

"What's going on? Just spill it," Logan asked.

"I sent you a message; check it out," Alistair replied before hanging up.

Logan grimaced, realizing he was destined to be Alistair's friend in this lifetime.

 

Chapter 35

After reading the message, Logan called Alistair back, laughing for several seconds first. "So, you have trouble spending money on a woman too? That's hilarious!" Alistair's expression remained serious as he said, "I'm pulling out of the Brightview Group's new project."

"Wait, wait! Aren't we friends? Let me give you some advice instead! Listen, here's the deal: since Mrs. Hayes is an emotional streamer, just tell her you had a rough breakup and were on the brink of a breakdown," Logan said seriously. Logan continued, "After watching her stream, you gained some clarity and wanted to thank her with gifts for saving your life. It makes sense, and she'll definitely back off about the refund."

It sounded plausible, but after a moment of contemplation, Alistair frowned. "I don't want to deceive her."

Logan cursed inwardly, 'Seriously, man? Who's the one hiding his identity?'

Logan felt that Alistair seemed to have fallen hard for her. This was definitely not the Alistair he knew; he was now hesitant over such a trivial matter.

'Is this what falling in love looks like? Terrifying!' Logan thought.

Logan, feeling a mix of concern and amusement, continued, "This isn't really deception; it's just a little white lie. After all, she wouldn't know the person behind the gifts!"

"Fine." Alistair agreed finally, and after hanging up, he sent a message to Audrey using this approach.

Sure enough, after reading the message, Audrey conjured up a scenario in her mind of a man abandoned by his girlfriend, driven to the brink. And then he found solace in her stream, only to have his life saved by her.

'If the man has been dumped, he must be feeling fragile right now. Insisting on the refund can trigger a negative response, pushing him over the edge,' Audrey thought.

With that thought in mind, Audrey accepted his kindness reluctantly.

Seeing Audrey no longer insist on the refund and instead sending a long message of encouragement, Alistair breathed a sigh of relief.

'Audrey was always so kind. Yet here I am, deceiving her.' A strange feeling welled up inside Alistair. He thought that this state of affairs wouldn't last long. So Alistair would find the best moment to confess to Audrey.

After sorting out the refund situation, Audrey continued her TikTok stream. Many viewers who remained started sending in various relationship questions.

As Audrey answered one by one patiently, a request for a live battle suddenly popped up on her screen.

"Someone just sent a request for a live battle. What's that?" Audrey asked, a bit confused. Just as she was about to decline, she clicked to accept accidentally.

Since this was a new feature developed for Tik Tok recently, Audrey wasn't familiar with the rules yet and felt a bit lost as she watched the other streamer's face appear on her live screen.

It was a stunning beauty, enhanced by a ten-level beauty filter. As soon as she appeared, she said, "Oh, I can't see you! Are you the kind of streamer who doesn't show their face? It's impressive to be the top streamer without showing your face!" Moreover, the streamer's sarcastic emphasis felt intentionally pretentious.

Seeing that face, Audrey felt a flash of annoyance and wanted to end the call. 'Seriously, what kind of luck is this? Even during a livestream, I've to deal with someone acting like a diva!' she muttered.

On the other end, Eliza noticed Audrey's silence and spoke again. "Hey, since we're in a live battle now, let's play a game! How do you want to do this?"

'A live battle? Play a game? What's it?' Audrey wondered.

 

 

Chapter 36

Audrey was just an emotional streamer and had never done live battles before, so she didn't understand what Eliza was talking about.

The moment she thought of Eliza, though, Audrey lost all desire to be polite. Coldly, she said, "I'm not your baby, and I won't do a live battle. I clicked the button accidentally. Sorry, you should find someone else." 'That voice sounds a bit familiar, like Audrey. That bitch,' Eliza thought. Her eyes flashed with disgust as she opened Audessa's profile.

Eliza muttered, 'A little internet celebrity with only over three hundred thousand followers after two years of streaming. She sounds like Audrey and her name is just as unfortunate!

'Moreover, she dares to steal my spot as the top streamer in Riverdale? She needs to be taught a lesson today."

Feeling pleased with herself, Eliza clicked on the fan contribution list for Audrey's live stream. She lost her composure immediately.

The top contributor, 'Audessa,' had donated nearly 200 thousand dollars. And it was from a new account.

'No wealthy person will drop that much on a random streamer in one go. If I can attract this generous supporter to my stream...,' Eliza thought.

Eliza's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Before Audrey could figure out how to exit the live battle connection, Eliza said deliberately, "Since you agreed at the beginning, it would be a bit rude to back out now." Audrey's expression darkened as she realized Eliza was being unreasonable. She didn't want to waste her time with her.

Eliza continued persistently, "Hey, you're just a small streamer too. Your fans seem pretty solid; don't play like you can't afford it."

Such an obvious bait.

Seeing that Audrey wasn't biting, Eliza added quickly, "You're an emotional streamer, right? But this live battle isn't about emotional advice. How about we show off our talents? We can each sing a song; how does that sound?" Eliza's voice was sweet, but it only annoyed Audrey more. Meanwhile, some of Eliza's fans started chiming in, mocking Audrey for being unable to keep up.

[Damn it! Audie, why would you be scared? We have a top donor backing us; we have nothing to fear!]

[Exactly! We've got the big spender on our side.]

'The top donor... how does that even concern him?' Audrey thought.

Audrey was confused until she finally found the introduction to the live battle feature. Once she understood, she realized this was about seeing how much fans could donate, and the side with the most contributions would win. 'Wow! Isn't this just milking the fans for money?' Audrey muttered.

Audrey started streaming to chat and share emotional experiences to help others navigate their relationship struggles. She never intended to turn it into a money-making scheme.

So after realizing the true nature of the live battle, Audrey refused again firmly, saying, "Sorry, but I don't do live battles. Find someone else."

"Is it that you won't do it, or that you're too scared to?" Eliza's voice dripped with provocation.

Eliza continued, "Everyone is just playing online, so there's no need to act so high and mighty. Or do you lack confidence in yourself, thinking you can't beat me?"

Eliza's aggressive tone made many in Audrey's chat dislike her even more. Moreover, some of her fans joined in to stir the pot quickly.

Seeing Audrey refuse, they thought she was just disrespecting Eliza. A few little fans even started spreading rumors.

[You're just an escort pretending to be an emotional support streamer, so stop acting all high and mighty!]

[Why agree to the battle at first, then? Are you just trying to save face because you know you can't win against Eliza?]

[You were so good at getting that top contributor to donate earlier; why not keep it up? Are you embarrassed to show off your skills in front of everyone?] [You must have some shady deal going on behind the scenes!]

 

 

Chapter 37

Audrey's fans trembled with anger, seeing the screen flooded with nasty, vulgar comments. They fired back immediately.

[Do you guys have no decency? Audie had said she refused. Keep spreading lies, and we'll shut you up!]

With her massive following, Eliza's fanbase had its fair share of foul-mouthed fans, spitting out insults that were both dirty and disgusting. Audrey's fans could barely keep up and were brought to tears in frustration. 'They can come after me all they want, but going after my fans? Absolutely not,' Audrey thought.

Then Audrey spoke up directly, calm but firm. "If it's a talent showdown you want, then let's do it."

[LOL, does this clueless nobody even know what she's up against? Or is she just that arrogant?]

[Eliza was on national TV, and she's got over three million fans now. Even pro singers have praised her voice. There's no doubt she'll wipe the floor with this wannabe!]

Eliza had always had a sweet and innocent look, and with the beauty filters in her TikTok lives, her smiles were more sweet and wholesome.

So even though Eliza mostly lip-synced, she'd still gathered a hardcore following.

Albert didn't really support her TikTok career, but Fiona was all in, showering her with cash to boost her profile. Now, Eliza was officially the hottest star on TikTok.

When Audrey heard her fans mention she'd been on a national show, her face darkened even more. Back when the show scouted talent, they'd chosen her initially.

Audrey wasn't interested, but Eliza had been dying to go. Not wanting to disappoint her friend, Audrey had recommended her to the producers, even helping with song selection and hiring a styling team.

'If I'd known Eliza would use that experience to look down on me one day, I'd rather have handed the spot to a random stranger than her,' Audrey thought.

Eliza's smile grew wide as she saw her fans praise her, and she started singing a sweet pop song confidently. With her sugary voice, it was an easy song for her to sing.

As soon as Eliza started, her fans went wild, showering her with praise while taking digs at Audrey.

Meanwhile, Audrey's fans had stayed out of the trash talk entirely, keeping to themselves. But halfway through Eliza's song, they couldn't help themselves and started commenting. [Honestly, she sounds pretty average.]

[To be fair, there are better singers on the cover charts.]

But those comments were buried under the flood of compliments from Eliza's fans quickly.

As soon as Eliza finished singing, the top supporters in her stream dropped over 300 thousand dollars in gifts, pushing her to the top of the live rankings.

For a moment, Eliza was unstoppable. Her fans, after celebrating, turned their taunts back to Audrey.

[Is there even a point to this contest anymore? She doesn't even show her face! She's probably ugly as sin and sounds just as bad.]

[Take a hint and just give up already!]

In the middle of the chaos, a message popped up on the screen. Audessa: [Audie, you can do it!]

This was a special message from her top supporter, and everyone saw it.

Logan, who had just joined Audrey's live, saw the message and followed suit quickly, sending a supportive message under his max-level account.

Eliza was fuming. She'd just sung her heart out, and two wealthy fans were rooting for Audrey. 'How clueless could they be?' she muttered.

But, remembering she was live, Eliza kept her cool and smiled sweetly. "Oh, Audie, don't worry if your singing is a bit rough. I did come from a talent show, after all, so there's no shame in losing to me." Eliza's words, though seemingly supportive, were laced with sarcasm, as if she were certain Audrey would fail.

Audrey ignored her and began to sing softly, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high..."

 

 

Chapter 38

Eliza and her fans had been ready to laugh at Audrey's attempt, but the gentle, melodic notes of the folk tune stopped everyone in their tracks. Listeners, from both live streams, fell silent, afraid to miss a single word. The once-noisy chat stilled, and even the comment section was eerily quiet. No one had expected Audrey to be this talented. The song ended all too soon, sung completely a cappella.

When Audrey finished, she glanced at the commentless screen nervously and pressed her lips together. 'Maybe it isn't as good as I've hoped?' she thought. Before Audrey could let the disappointment set in, a flood of gifts began to pour in from Audessa.

The gift effects splashed across the screen, and Audrey's fans finally snapped out of their reverie.

[That was stunning! It felt like a concert hall!]

[So professional! Absolute vocal queen!]

[Even Audessa thinks so! Look at the gifts, it's non-stop!]

Comments and gifts flooded in, overtaking the screen completely. Seeing Alistair dropping lions one after another, Logan started joining in too.

Ten minutes later, the gift effects were still going.

Audrey's eyes widened, and she stammered, "Audessa, please stop. You really don't need to keep sending more."

But Alistair wasn't stopping, his gifts piling up.

[Whoa! That's gotta be over 50 thousand gifts! Almost one million dollars!]

Even without counting Logan's and others' contributions, Alistair's support alone put Audrey miles ahead, rocketing her to the top of the rankings. Audrey's fans, after being pushed around for so long, could barely contain their joy.

But the biggest surprise was that even some of Eliza's fans began complimenting Audrey, admitting her voice was more polished and impressive.

Some even confessed that after hearing Audrey, Eliza's sugary tunes felt stale by comparison.

Audrey was overjoyed, though a bit overwhelmed by the nonstop gifts. She said softly, "Thanks for all! You're all spending way too much; it's really not necessary.

"If you want, I could sing for you guys at the end of my lives from now on. Today was so hasty, but I'll make it up to you. Really, you don't have to keep sending gifts." [ Love it! I'm declaring you my new favorite!]

[Hands off! Now, you're my girl!]

[Our queen deserves a debut, no doubt. Isn't this way better than some talent show star?]

[Finally, my ears have been blessed. Audie, I love you!]

Watching the chat, Eliza was practically seething. She spat, 'Where did this bitch come from? A nobody with just thirty thousand followers, trying to steal my spotlight?'

'No, I can't stand for this,' Eliza thought. Then she plastered on a sweet smile and made a heart with her hands. "All right, everyone, let's show the other side what we're made of! Please don't let me lose face here!" "Thank you all so much!" Eliza blew kisses at the camera.

Expecting her top fan to respond with more gifts, Eliza froze as her icon vanished from her live.

Seconds later, Eliza's top donor appeared on Audrey's live and sent gifts.

Eliza's face faltered. 'Son of a bitch!' she thought.

In reality, Eliza had tried to win over Audrey's top fan, only to lose her top supporter in the process.

 

 

Chapter 39

Eliza was so furious she almost ground her teeth, her anger almost giving her a heart attack. Just when her expression turned especially grim, there was a knock at the door. Fiona's voice came from outside. "Eliza, it's me. Can I come in?"

With a glance, Eliza hastily turned off the camera and microphone in the TikTok livestream, replying quickly, "Come in."

Fiona entered, carrying a tray of fruit. "Eliza, I brought you some fruit."

As soon as the door opened, Eliza lowered her head, pretending to wipe her tears, and whispered, "Thank you, Mrs. Rhodes, but I really don't have much appetite right now."

Seeing this, Fiona grew anxious immediately. She set the fruit down and hurried over to Eliza, asking with concern, "Did you cry? What happened? Did someone bully you?"

Eliza's eyes turned red instantly. Then she shook her head and said softly, "It's nothing. I was just in a live battle, and the other side hired trolls to create chaos. Their insults were pretty harsh, and it made me feel a bit upset. I'm sorry to worry you." Fiona felt a pang of heartache at her words and frowned, asking, "Who is on the other side? How can their fans be so rude? I need to see what they're so cocky about!"

Eliza sniffled, still looking down as she said pitifully, "My top supporter left to support them, so I don't have anyone to back me up. They're all laughing at me."

Seeing Eliza's tear-streaked face made Fiona's heart break. Even though Eliza hadn't called her 'Mom,' she had long since considered her as such. 'How can I just sit by and watch her suffer like this?' she thought.

"It's okay, Eliza, don't cry. I will stand up for you!" As she spoke, Fiona logged into her account immediately and loaded 700 thousand dollars into it.

Once the money was in, Fiona entered Eliza's livestream and started sending her gifts without a second thought.

'Just sending gifts? How much can these online people really make? My daughter is the daughter of the Rhodes family. She wouldn't lose to them,' Fiona murmured. Eliza's fans had initially worried that with her top supporter gone, she would lose to Audie in the live battle. But unexpectedly, a wealthy supporter swooped in suddenly. Moreover, this wealthy supporter sent in 700 thousand dollars at once, surpassing the opponent easily. Soon, many fans began to feel envious.

Fiona hadn't noticed who Eliza was competing against until after she took the lead. Then she glanced at the name casually.

'Audie? Why does that name seem so familiar?' Fiona wondered, her eyes flickered.

Then Fiona shook her head quickly, dismissing her suspicion. 'It must just be a coincidence. Audrey's focused solely on her work and won't be into this kind of thing,' she thought.

On the other side, when Audrey recognized Fiona's account the moment the first gift was sent. It wasn't because she had an amazing memory, but because she had helped Fiona set up that account. Audrey had originally wanted Fiona to keep up with the younger generation and not be too bored.

Back then, Audrey saved money and bought gifts for Fiona with her hard-earned cash. But now, Fiona used the money to help Eliza against her. It was simply too ironic.

Audrey felt a pang in her heart and fell silent for a long time.

Seeing Audrey's silence, her fans thought she was upset and began sending supportive messages in the chat.

[Don't worry, babe, we just fell behind a little. There are still two minutes left, we have a chance!]

[Sweeties, let's send some free little gifts to chip in!]

Since Audrey firmly insisted that no more gifts be sent, her fans felt hesitant to ask for more.

Fortunately, the free gifts could also participate in the rankings, although each person could only have one little heart per day.

Soon, the livestream was flooded with little hearts. Many people in the chat were comforting Audrey, calling her "my wife" like crazy.

On the other hand, Alistair was still immersed in Audrey's melodic voice. After sending over fifty thousand lion gifts, he looked up to see the chat filled with "my wife" and frowned immediately. 'What's going on? Why are all these people trying to steal my wife?' Alistair muttered.

 

 

Chapter 40

Audessa: [Stop calling her that! She's my wife!]

[Haha, look at the top supporter getting jealous!]

[She's everyone's wife, but since you're putting in so much effort to help her with this live battle, we'll make you a "Queen" for now. You can have her one day first, and we'll have her the next!] 'Everyone's wife? I have her one day?' Alistair thought. His face darkened as he typed another response swiftly.

Audessa: [Audie is really my wife. If you keep calling her that, I'll have my lawyer send a cease-and-desist!]

[Top supporter is hilarious-"lawyer warning"!]

[Shut up! Nobody messes with our top fan's wife!]

Clearly, the fans didn't take Alistair's words seriously.

Even Audrey, reading the chat, just laughed it off. 'My sweet husband is working late in his study. He'd never waste thousands on gifts like this,' she thought.

Seeing that they didn't believe him, Alistair didn't press further. Threatening a lawyer was just talk anyway, not something he'd actually pursue.

Frustrated, Alistair decided to drown out the competing comments by flooding the chat with gift after gift. That way, the chat would be full of his support for Audrey, and they'd stop claiming her. With that move, Audrey's battle score surged quickly, putting Eliza behind once again.

Watching Audrey's popularity soar on the screen, Eliza grew restless. Feeling the sting of jealousy, she turned to Fiona and said, "Maybe we should just give up, Mrs. Rhodes. That top supporter has too much money, and we can't keep up." Eliza's voice wavered with emotion, her expression heartbreakingly pitiful.

Hearing this, Fiona felt her heartache. She thought, 'She's my daughter! How can I let her lose over something so trivial? Especially when she's had a lifetime of hardship, thanks to the Rhodes family. This little victory should be hers.' Determined, Fiona opened her app to add more funds, but after she typed in her password, a "low balance" message popped up.

For a moment, Fiona's face froze in embarrassment. She'd never been short of money before, with Audrey always transferring funds for her living expenses on time every month.

Therefore, Fiona had grown so used to spending freely that her private savings had dwindled to the last 700 thousand dollars. And she'd just blown through in mere minutes.

In reality, Fiona had scoffed at people who poured money into online battles, but now? She was stunned by how the funds disappeared quickly, even compared to her own luxurious shopping trips. "Eliza, I'm really sorry, I..." Fiona began, about to confess her empty account.

But Eliza interrupted her preemptively, putting on a brave face. "It's alright, Mrs. Rhodes. I'm used to people looking down on me by now. Let's just let it go; we don't need to spend more."

As soon as Fiona heard this, her heart sank, as if pierced by a dagger. Then she said quickly, "Absolutely not, Eliza. I'm going to make this right for you!"

'I don't have any more money herself, but Audrey certainly does. All I have to do is ask, and Audrey will surely help,' Fiona thought. Filled with resolve, she picked up her phone and dialed Audrey's number. Audrey had been deep in thought about Fiona's recent spending when her phone started ringing. Seeing her mom's name on the screen, she froze for a moment.

Ever since Audrey had moved out, Fiona hadn't once reached out, not a single call or message. It was as though Fiona had forgotten about her entirely.

Now, with the phone lighting up with Fiona's call, a hopeful warmth spread through her as Audrey picked up. "Hi, Mom!"

Fiona's voice on the other end was brisk. "Audrey, can you transfer me some money? Quickly, please."

Audrey's hopeful smile vanished instantly. Fiona had just been throwing money at Eliza's livestream. That much was obvious. It wasn't hard to guess where this new "loan" would go. Clinging to a last shred of hope, Audrey asked carefully, "What do you need it for, Mom?"

"Oh, uh..." Fiona hesitated. She knew Audrey didn't like Eliza, so telling the truth would mean a definite "no."

Unable to come up with a convincing excuse, Fiona said finally, "Don't worry about it. Just send the money over."

Audrey let out a soft, incredulous laugh, and muttered, 'I should have known better. Guess I'm an idiot.'

Hearing Audrey's cold laugh, Fiona frowned. She snapped, "Audrey, I need this urgently!"

Neither Fiona nor Eliza noticed that Audrey's stream had gone dark, with a notification reading. [The streamer has stepped away for a moment.]

Audrey gathered what was left of her composure and said bluntly, "I don't have any money for you."

"What do you mean, you don't have money?" Fiona's voice rose in irritation. "You're a senior manager at the Rhodes Enterprises! Your salary alone is in the millions."

Fiona continued, "And with bonuses, holiday gifts, and perks, where could all that money be going? You live at home; it's not like you have any real expenses."

'She won't be deliberately refusing to use it for me, right? I've raised her for so many years; she can't possibly be ungrateful like that.' Fiona thought.

Audrey replied, her tone icy, "Have you forgotten? For years, I gave every cent I saved to you."

With disappointment piercing her voice, Audrey continued, "Did you think your facials, afternoon teas, gatherings, designer clothes, and all your little indulgences, came for free? "You wanted to keep up appearances as Mrs. Rhodes, but didn't want Mr. Rhodes to think you were overspending. So I covered for you. All!

"Over the years, apart from my fixed salary, I haven't taken a penny from the company. I've given it all to you. What more do you want?"

Fiona was speechless. Audrey's words were like a cold slap, her tone distant and unfeeling. Fiona hardly recognized this daughter of hers, who had never spoken this way before.

After a stunned silence, Fiona softened. "Audrey, don't be mad. I know you've spent a lot of money on me. And you're always been my pride and joy. Can you help me out just this once?"

In the end, Fiona still didn't believe that Audrey was really broke.

Audrey's heart had hardened entirely. She said coldly, "I can't. And if you don't believe me, go ahead and check my bank records. I didn't take a penny from the company when I left, and I won't be sending you any more money." Hearing this, Fiona realized that Audrey was serious. She wanted to apologize, but before she could speak, Audrey hung up.

The way Fiona had just treated her left Audrey feeling drained. She thought, "Even though we aren't biological mother and daughter, we've lived together for over twenty years.

'Yet, Fiona always thought that I was the kind of person who embezzled money from the company.'

For a moment, Audrey lost interest in continuing the live battle with Eliza. Returning to her stream briefly, she thanked her fans and logged off.

Seeing the battle end abruptly, Eliza grew angrier. She kicked her desk, seething. "She's so full of herself, ending the battle like that."

Upon seeing Eliza's frustration, Fiona felt any lingering guilt for Audrey evaporate. 'This's all Audrey's fault! If she's just sent the money, Eliza won't have to endure this insult,' she murmured.

Hugging Eliza's shoulders in support, Fiona reassured her. "Don't be upset, honey. It's only a live battle, after all. I've already talked to Albert, and we're going to the city hall tomorrow to make it official."

Instantly, Eliza's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Fiona grinned, thrilled at her response. "Once you're officially added to the Rhodes family records, you'll be our daughter just like Audrey. Whatever she had, you'll have. Everyone will respect you, honey. No silly TikTok girl is worth getting angry over." Hearing this, Eliza felt a rush of warmth and threw her arms around Fiona. Becoming the Rhodes family's daughter meant she'd be worthy of marrying Dominic, and no one would be able to criticize her for it.

But thinking of Dominic's indifference toward her pregnancy, Eliza was frustrated. She thought, 'It's time to make a different move.'