"Who bought this trending topic?!"
"Nonsense! It's all nonsense! Clearly Frank Castle is the one who wronged me!"
In the hotel, Amelia Quinn's face was flushed with anger, her chest heaving continuously. She almost threw the red wine glass in her hand.
Immediately after Frank Castle's performance aired on The Voice of America, the trending topics exploded.
#NoMakeup#
#SpeakingThroughSong(X)CursingThroughSong(✓)#
#AmeliaQuinnFrankCastle#
A triple trend!
Especially after Frank's performance, the camera kept focusing on Amelia Quinn, and everyone clearly saw her grim expression. Evidently, the song truly hit a nerve. In her subsequent critique, Amelia Quinn only gave Frank 70 points, which again caused a huge controversy.
Some bystanders who had initially sympathized with Amelia began to feel that something was off.
"This song shouldn't have been only 70 points, right?"
"To be honest, Amelia Quinn, as a mentor, really isn't professional enough."
"If Frank Castle's lyrics are true, then there might be more to Amelia and Frank's divorce than meets the eye?"
"Exactly, I saw those cheating photos leaked a few days ago, and that person looks nothing like Frank!"
Amelia Quinn looked at the online debate, her pretty face incredibly grim. She deeply regretted giving Frank a low score while emotional during the recording. She hadn't expected to trap herself instead. Amelia, her eyes red, asked Liam Reed: "Didn't Director Scott promise to cut out Frank's singing segment? Why was it all aired?"
"Amelia, don't rush, I'll ask Director Scott myself." Liam Reed quickly took out his phone and called Director Scott. The call was answered quickly, and Director Scott sounded in good spirits.
"Mr. Reed, anything I can do for you?"
Liam Reed said: "Director Scott, we're watching the show. Congratulations, the first episode is a huge hit."
"Haha, it's thanks to all of you mentors for being so amazing!"
"Um, Director Scott, didn't you promise to cut some of Frank Castle's footage?"
Director Scott chuckled: "I did! At least half of it!"
"Half of it?"
"Yes, anything that couldn't be aired was cut. What aired was all very 'harmonious' content."
Liam Reed was a bit bewildered. The song was insulting, and it was trending. Was that "harmonious"?
Seemingly aware that Liam Reed didn't believe him, Director Scott sent him a video. "Mr. Reed, this is a clip we edited out. I have to go now. Remember to come record next week!" Director Scott hung up after speaking. Liam Reed received the video he sent. Amelia Quinn also heard their conversation and urged: "Hurry up and open it!"
Liam Reed agreed, clicked on the video, and both looked at the phone screen.
It was footage from the contestants' lounge, probably right after everyone had arrived. Alex Stone walked up to Frank Castle with an unfriendly expression: "Excuse me, could you get up? That seat was mine."
Frank chuckled, pointing to a seat opposite: "Little kids go to that table."
"What did you say?!" Alex Stone lost his temper, saying sharply: "Liam is the only man worthy of Amelia! You should have been kicked out long ago!"
Frank suddenly stood up. Alex Stone stepped back in fright: "What are you going to do?"
Frank said coldly: "With that brain of yours, you're only fit to idolize a manipulative green-tea man who only wants to be a homewrecker."
The video ended there.
"Bastard!" Liam Reed also lost his temper. Frank Castle actually publicly called him a homewrecker and a green-tea man?! "How dare he insult me like that?!"
Amelia Quinn's eyes turned red with fury, her heart filled with immense anger and grievance. She was just playing up a relationship with Liam, forming a studio together, and being a little close. How could Frank Castle say she cheated in front of so many people?! Was he really trying to destroy her and wouldn't stop?! Thinking of how Director Scott said he cut a lot of Frank's footage, she wondered how many more nasty things Frank had said.
Amelia Quinn clenched her fists, her charming eyes filled with venom. "Frank Castle must be eliminated in the next episode!"
Just then, a huge gasp was heard on TV.
The show had reached the end of the mentor scores. Celeste Monroe gave Frank Castle an 80 points, a score that exceeded everyone's expectations. Needless to say, Frank once again made it to the trending topics, this time with Celeste Monroe.
#CelesteMonroeHighestScoreToFrankCastle#
#EveryoneHatesYouButYoureTheOneWhoShines#
These two trending topics were filled with discussions about No Makeup. Many of Celeste Monroe's fans gave Frank a high evaluation.
"Just talking about songwriting and singing, Frank Castle really has something."
"I have a feeling 'No Makeup' is going to be a hit."
"Who would've thought? He was unknown when he was with Amelia Quinn, and the moment they divorced, he got famous."
"Ex-wife gives 70 points, ex-wife's aunt gives 80 points. What's going on?"
"You guys need to understand, The Untouchable Diva's 80 points is more powerful than a regular mentor's 100!"
Looking at the trending topics and online discussions, Amelia Quinn gritted her teeth, veins bulging on the back of her hands. In her imagination, Frank Castle, after leaving her, would only be able to exit the entertainment industry and become an ordinary person. The two would never be in the same world again. But she never expected this obscure, mediocre ex-husband to inexplicably become famous after just one episode! And the way he got famous was with her own aunt helping him step all over her. Amelia Quinn simply could not accept it!
Liam Reed saw Amelia Quinn's eyes turn red and her body tremble. He took the opportunity to put his arm around Amelia's shoulder, softly saying: "Amelia, don't be sad. Frank Castle will be eliminated in the next episode. We don't need to get ourselves sick over a jerk."
At this moment, on the TV screen, Frank Castle had returned backstage. Chloe, a contestant, genuinely congratulated Frank. Other contestants who had previously avoided him like the plague also offered their congratulations.
Alex Stone chuckled: "Frank Castle, congratulations! Lucky for you. Your total score is only 29 points lower than mine. This must be your limit, right?" His words were clearly mocking Frank for having a lower total score than him. Liam Reed watched with a smile. "Alex is right. Even if Diva Queen Celeste favors Frank, his total score still won't beat Alex!"
On TV, Frank Castle looked at Alex Stone for a moment, then suddenly sighed: "Is your skin so thick because your foundation is heavy enough?"
"What do you mean?" Alex Stone's face changed.
Frank shrugged: "Want to know how I can tell? Because besides you, I've seen another man who likes to wear a lot of makeup."
Alex Stone grew furious: "How dare you insult Liam?!"
Frank looked surprised: "Who's Liam?"
"You, you, you..." Alex Stone's face on the screen turned red.
Liam Reed's face in front of the screen also changed. This idiot! Frank didn't even say my name, why did you have to mention it?
Liam Reed instinctively picked up his phone to check the online comments. His already grim face turned completely black!
"Pfft! I thought Frank Castle was good at insulting people through song, but I didn't expect him to be so fluent at insulting people with words too!"
"Although it's very rude, I really can't help it, hahaha!"
"Liam? Is that who I think it is?"
"Liam Reed does wear makeup every time he's on screen. That's definitely not a wrong insult!"
"Even if Frank Castle isn't a good person, effeminate men disgust me even more!"
Before he finished reading the comments, Liam Reed realized he was already trending.
#MadeUpLiamReed#
Normally, he'd be thrilled to trend, but today's trending topic was making him anything but happy.
Liam Reed's voice was no longer calm with anger: "Didn't Director Scott say he cut all of Frank Castle's other footage?!"