Fading Spotlight

Chapter 5: "Us against the world"

FADING SPOTLIGHT

Isabella's arrival at her house was met by the absence of the media circus that had previously swarmed her life.

Stepping out from her mom's car, she entered the house and strolled through the living room.

The clock on the wall chimed the exact hour, marking it as five in the evening.

Out of nowhere, Kevin rushed into the living room, nearly colliding with Isabella.

"I'm sorry, sis," he apologized without looking at her.

"What's the hurry?" Isabella asked.

"My favorite show is about to start," Kevin replied, hastily claiming the middle seat on the sofa and grabbing the television remote.

Isabella dismissed him with a subtle turn, making her way to her room. Just as the rhythm of her steps set a cadence, a familiar voice from the television froze her tracks.

She turned her attention back to the television screen, only to watch William Hart tease, "Tonight's show is special. I have a video of our favorite actress, the one we all love."

Kevin noticed Isabella shaking and instinctively reached for the remote to turn off the television, but she stopped him with a hand gesture.

William continued, "The video you're about to watch was sent to me by the unknown 'Man in Mask,' who seems to know everything about Isabella Parker."

The sound of William's voice drew Michael and Cynthia downstairs to the living room.

"What's this William guy spewing nonsense about now?" Michael grumbled, "Isn't he tired of stirring up controversy?"

"This video will reveal a bit, not even much, about actress Isabella Parker," William persisted and a video played on the screen.

The footage featured a distraught Isabella in her room, desperately crying, capturing the moment when she covered her ears to avoid the whispers, and Kevin coming to her rescue.

This came as a surprise to them all. Isabella herself was even more baffled because the whispers and the wind weren't in the video. She looked like a crazy girl—more like someone being haunted by a ghost.

William's declaration hit like a thunderbolt,
"Well, according to the 'Man in Mask', Isabella is a murderer and she's been haunted by her victims. My big question for tonight is, 'Who did Isabella murder?'"

Kevin switched off the television and went straight to his room with his head bowed.

Cynthia cast a perplexed look at Isabella, who retorted sharply, "I took my meds on time, so please don't give me that look!" She then turned and headed to her room, her spirit crushed.

"Do you think she's lying about taking her medicine?" Cynthia asked Michael.

"No, and even if she didn't take her medicine, that doesn't mean it will make her act like a lunatic. Our daughter has bipolar disorder, she's not 'mad'," Michael replied, voicing out his opinion. "Do you know what I think? I think it's a side effect of her medicine or..."

"Or what?" Cynthia creased her brows.

"Or she has been taking the wrong medicine, who knows?" he mused.

Cynthia tousled his hair. "Don't overcomplicate things, stay positive."
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Once inside her room, Isabella's emotions burst out. She yelled out of frustration and flipped the bed, creating chaos in her space.

Amidst this, her phone rang with an insistent melody and she picked it up.

"I'm not in the mood to talk."

"Relax, girl," the female caller reassured her, "You know I'm there for you."

Isabella sniffled, replying, "Yeah, I know, but how do I relax?"

"Mm, can you tell me what really happened that made you scream and cry?" the caller urged.

Isabella sighed. "I don't know how to explain this to you," she said. "I was in my room, and all of a sudden, I could hear voices."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that."

"Well, with one year of experience as a psychologist, I can say you're hearing voices because you're stressed out with the accusations laid on you."

"Now, what do I do? The million people who watched the video aren't psychologists. How do I convince them that the video is not what it looks like?"
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Around 8 p.m. the same day, Cynthia hurried to the living room to peek through the window upon hearing noise outside. "It's the media," she told Michael with a worried look.

"Why are they here at this hour?" Michael asked.

"I called them!" Isabella said, walking confidently towards them. "Why? Because I have an explanation to give the world."

Michael voiced his disagreement, "It's not the right time, my dear."

"Please don't stop me, I can do this," she pleaded, and called Kevin from his room.

Kevin came out in pajamas, and Isabella appealed, "I know you love me, bro, so help me out."

"I've got your back sis—anything, anytime. It is us against the world," Kevin said.

"Us against the world." Isabella smiled, intertwining her fingers with his and led him to the front door.

Her assistant, Edward, approached them, holding a tablet. "Everything is in order, Miss Bella," he assured her.

The front door of the Parker mansion opened, and the assembled media in the compound captured the scene as Isabella stood near the entrance with her brother, Kelvin, and her assistant.

A news reporter promptly asked, "Miss Isabella, what do you have to say about your trending video?"

Isabella chuckled as she replied, "I'm an actress, have you forgotten?"

"What do you mean by that?" Another reporter asked, creasing his brows.

"Everything in the video was staged. My Dad and I came up with a project about mental health struggles, with an emphasis on the importance of support from family members. So, I had to do a short clip with my brother," Isabella clarified.

The news reporters looked at one another, confused, and one of them spoke, "Are you saying the video was planned?"

"Exactly!" Isabella affirmed. "You can confirm that from my brother."

Kevin nodded rapidly, putting a smile on his face.

Minutes later, the news reporters left, and social media hummed with discussions. While some believed Isabella's account to the news reporters, a skeptical few perceived it as a ploy to save her reputation.
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How Isabella orchestrated the turn of events within a short period, amazed her parents.

"Why didn't you tell us about your plan, darling?" Cynthia asked her, following her to her room with Michael.

"You two might have ruined it," Isabella replied her.

Michael joined in jokingly, "Then why involve me? 'My Dad and I came up with a project--'"

"You don't have to repeat my words, Dad," Isabella cut him off. "One thing I've learned from being an actress is courage, and it is thanks to you and Mom, though I never wanted to become famous. I really appreciate what you've been doing for me."

"Don't make me cry." Cynthia rubbed her arm. "It is us against the world. We're family."

Michael cleared his throat and playfully said, "It's getting late, mom and daughter, time to sleep." He held Cynthia's hand, and they left Isabella on her own.

Isabella entered her room and began pacing back and forth, pondering who might have recorded the video of her. As she moved around, her eyes set on a bloodstain on the cold tiled floor, alongside broken shards of the glass cup she had thrown earlier.

"Someone definitely came into my room without me knowing and got hurt by the broken glass," she figured. "But, who could it be?"