True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules

As the premiere of Ghostly Guidance was announced, the show skyrocketed in popularity within. an hour. 

Among the buzz, there was no shortage of Jeers aimed at Winnie. 

“I knew this girl was bound for stardom the moment the web started buzzing about her,” one commenter said. “And here she is! 

“Turning down offers from prestigious universities like Capital University and Silverpine University to join a Supernatural Department? Now that’s a publicity stunt if I’ve ever seen one. Clearly, this was all part of the plan, laying the groundwork for her big debut.” 

“First, the reveal as a brand ambassador, then steering the online conversation, and now a leap into reality TV. Winnie’s team is no joke.” 

“But let’s be real. She gets looks to kill for!” 

“Agree with the comment above. She’s almost on par with our darling Kane.” 

“The person who tries to ship my Kane with her please shut up. Keep your shipping fantasies to yourself!” 

“Here’s my prediction. There’s gonna be a romantic storyline scripted for her in the show. If not, I’ll eat my hat.” 

“Whoever thinks of pairing Winnie up with Kane for marketing, back off! He’ll be the first to reject.” 

“And my boy Naylor will be the second to say no.” 

“Count Gentry in as the third.” 

try was the sole influencer in the 

supernatural niche among the guests. 

Ghostly Guidance ended up with a cast of four guys and two gals, aside from Kane, Naylor, Mervin, and Gentry, there was Winnie and the up–and–coming starlet Candace. 

Six guests in total, but the real traffic drivers for the show were Kane and Candace. 

Baily, the showrunner, was glued to the online chatter, especially when the conversation drifted towards shipping the cast. He felt a twinge of guilt. He had initially intended to play up a romantic angle for ratings. 

Just imagine Winnie, Kane, and Candace standing side by side. Their stunning looks alone could inspire a melodramatic love triangle. 

But that was before he witnessed Winnie’s true talents. Now, Baily wouldn’t dare use her for cheap thrills. Upsetting her could spell disaster for the show. 

Baily had decided to treat Winnie like royalty. 

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The other two might have their reputations, but he hadn’t seen their capabilities firsthand. Compared to them, Winnie had his full confidence. 

Resolved, Baily couldn’t let Winnie be targeted online by fan wars. He unleashed his army of online defenders to sway public opinion and stoke anticipation for Ghostly Guidance. 

The Bryant family had mixed feelings about Winnie’s foray into reality TV, especially after reading online speculations about her calculated debut. Cutler turned sour at the thought. 

With the Bryant family’s standing, they didn’t need to resort to such sensational methods for attention. It was beneath them. 

Winnie should’ve pursued a legitimate career in the arts, much like Uncle Middleton who made his name through pure vocal talent. 

Or, at the very least, follow in the footsteps of someone like Yates, who genuinely pursued film school. 

Cutler found Winnie’s approach embarrassing, to say the least. In his social circle, influencers were often seen as accessories for the rich kids. 

“I just can’t fathom what she’s thinking?” Cutler complained, making sure not to do so in front of Winnie. 

Amber, always the listener to his rants, advised, “Winnie has her mind. Besides, if others doesn’t object, you, as her cousin, shouldn’t criticize her. It won’t reflect well on you. And never say these things to her face, which would only hurt her feelings.” 

Cutler scoffed internally. There was no way Winnie could be hurt. She was too strong for that. 

Despite his disdain for Winnie, Cutler softened his tone when he spoke to Amber. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Don’t worry, these thoughts stay between us,” he assured her. 

Hobson had learned his lesson about speaking his mind in front of Winnie and had since kept his thoughts to himself. Cutler knew he had to do the same. 

Amber smiled and then sighed wistfully. “It’s normal for a girl to dream of stardom. But at our age, we should seek pragmatic progress, not impractical stardom. And with Winnie’s smarts. I feel like the family is doing her a disservice by letting her join this reality show…” 

“She’s stubborn. Who could control her?” 

Amber sighed again. “Don’t be so harsh. She’s family, after all. We can’t just watch her go astray.” She paused and added, “Winnie probably sees it all through rose–colored glasses. Once she faces setbacks in that world, she might come to her senses.” 

Hearing this, Cutler seemed to have an epiphany. “You know, maybe she needs to face some hardships to realize the entertainment industry isn’t as easy as she thinks it is.” 

With that, Cutler pulled out his phone, scrolling through contacts. He knew people in the industry who could teach Winnie a lesson without tipping off the family. It was time to call in 

17-15 

some favors. 

Cutler reassured himself that he was just looking out for Winnie’s future and wasn’t targeting her, not intentionally. He just wasn’t that guy. 

Amber sat nearby, watching him walk away with his cell phone to make a call, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. She picked up a cup of coffee from the table and sipped it with an air of sophistication. 

Meanwhile, Winnie paid little attention to Cutler’s plans. She was even less concerned with the chatter online. 

Her decision to join the reality show Ghostly Guidance wasn’t about fame or attention. She hoped it would somehow prompt her elusive mentor to seek her out. 

Since the traditional paths of the Mystical Sects were closed to her, she decided to try something more mainstream. 

With this intention in mind, Winnie didn’t expect her first day on the set of Ghostly Guidance to bring such an unconventional surprise. 

On her arrival at the location, she unexpectedly ran into a familiar face. 

Well, familiarity might be a stretch. 

It was Delia’s sister, Yolanda. 

They’d met only once, but that didn’t stop Winnie from recognizing the unmistakable aura of love misfortune clinging to Yolanda. 

However, it was different from the last time she’d seen her at the farewell banquet. 

This time, the rotten love aura around Yolanda was tinged with a dark and blood–red hue. It was a sign of malevolence. 

It signified that Yolanda was marked by death.