Behind The Spotlight Chapter 160
"Let go of me!"
The woman, who had been wearing a hairnet to hide her long black hair, struggled and tried to reach her purse, but Smirnoff pinned her down with firm restraint so she couldn't move.
"Take her away." Collin appeared with five security personnel, all of whom moved quickly to control the situation. When he sensed something was off about the woman earlier, he had already prepared for various scenarios, mentally bracing himself for the worst.
By the time she was close to the mic, Collin took that opportunity to contact the security personnel stationed around the theater.
"Stop touching me! Don't you know who my father is!? Let me go!"
Reporters immediately began taking photos, hoping for exclusive shots.
The security personnel dragged her away as she screamed, her voice echoing through the venue. Smirnoff grabbed her purse, and his expression darkened. He didn't reveal the contents since reporters were present. Instead, he leaned toward Collin and whispered.
"There's a small revolver in her purse."
That sentence sent a chill down Collin's spine.
"I'll contact the police. I want you to stay close to Lawrence."
"I understand."
People began whispering among themselves, each trying to figure out what happened.
"What's going on?"
"What are they talking about? Hey, did you hear what that Russian said? Tell me, I'll pay you. This sounds like a big scoop."
"Shit! My camera used all of its film earlier, I didn't get a picture of the incident."
"Does anyone know who that woman is?"
The host tried his best to calm the situation. After a few minutes, things settled, though the tension lingered.
Collin nodded at Lawrence, who had a stiff, forced smile. The gesture reassured him that everything was under control. Lawrence exhaled in relief. He glanced backstage and spotted Smirnoff, which eased him further.
An hour later, the interviews ended. Collin returned from the police station, but his bitter expression made Lawrence uneasy.
"Collin, did something happen? Why do you look like that?"
"Your stalker got bailed out by her father."
"What? But I thought you had it under control?" Lawrence was stunned. He intended to file a case and was already on the way to the station, yet Collin returned with that expression instead.
"This one is complicated. Your stalker is Emma Blackstone. Her father owns the largest private equity firm in the country, Blackstone Corporation."
"Blackstone? I think I've heard of that."
The two entered the limousine. A private driver sat in front, while Lawrence's assistant and Smirnoff were seated a bit farther away inside.
"Terrier Blackstone is the owner of Blackstone Corporation. He's a billionaire. His daughter lives in Beverly Hills, and she's your close neighbor."
"Please tell me you're joking." Lawrence rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Did that mean his stalker had been living in the neighborhood this whole time? That explained how she delivered those letters, she probably delivered them personally. Maybe she even watched him daily.
But other questions still bothered him. Why did she have photos of his recent trips and appearances? Did she hire a private detective just for that? Why was she wearing a wig? And why did she have a gun in her purse? The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.
"Lawrence, Terrier Blackstone personally came with a top lawyer and bailed out Emma. He also said he wants to meet you tomorrow and have a nice talk. Don't worry, I'll be there. We're on the right side. We have the upper hand. I believe Terrier will want to negotiate. Think of this as an opportunity. I'll handle it. You don't have to worry."
"Collin, this is messed up."
"I know. None of us expected this. But we have to get to the bottom of it." Collin was also uncomfortable, his instincts screaming at him to stay cautious.
"Let's meet at this hotel tomorrow."
Collin handed him the address before getting out of the limousine.
"What kind of situation did we walk into without knowing?" he muttered to himself.
To be fair, none of them expected the stalker to come from a powerful family. Collin could only hope tomorrow wouldn't make things worse.
...
...
...
The next day, Collin felt chills when he confirmed that not a single article or news report mentioned the incident from the night before. It was as if the entire thing had never happened.
The fact that over a hundred reporters witnessed it, yet none dared to write a word, made Collin think deeply about the situation.
He realized then that there were people who could silence the media at will. It was terrifying.
Blackstone Corporation was not a simple organization. Even the media feared them.
He recalled what he knew about private equity firms, how they operated, how ruthless they were. But he didn't expect media outlets to be this intimidated. Perhaps Blackstone Corporation was simply that influential.
His head throbbed. He barely slept because of the incident and still struggled to process everything.
Collin and Lawrence's team met in front of the luxurious hotel. Like Collin, Lawrence barely slept, though makeup hid most signs aside from his tired eyes.
They went up to the rooftop and found an old man with grey hair relaxing in the pool, he was Terrier Blackstone. His daughter was nearby in a bikini, no wig or glasses this time, revealing her real appearance.
When Emma saw Lawrence, she squealed and hugged him tightly with overwhelming enthusiasm.
"Lawrence! I love you!"
The actor stiffened as she pressed herself against him. His smile was painfully forced as he secretly looked at Collin for help, begging for the moment to end.
'Please help me.'
'Please endure it.'
Their eyes conveyed a brief silent exchange.
"Lawrence, Collin, you've arrived."
Terrier Blackstone stepped out of the pool. A few women in maid uniforms approached and helped him into a thick robe.
"Let's have a talk."
"Alright."
Collin took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever was about to unfold.
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[Author's Note:]
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