I Married the President

Claire Sinclair took a quiet breath. "I know my current achievements don’t really measure up to Mr. Quincy’s. It’s not just his family that thinks so, and people online think so too. Deep down, you all probably feel the same way, but I don’t care."

At her words, all the trainees fell silent. Some were reflecting on what she said, while others simply didn’t know what to say.

Claire Sinclair took out her phone to check the time. It was still early, so she decided to offer them one last piece of encouragement.

"I’m not much older than any of you—I’m 23. I’ve faced endless doubts and had more mental breakdowns than I can count. Yet I’ve made it to where I am today with no one to guide my path and no one to open any back doors for me. I got here all on my own, one step at a time. I won’t get into the hardships, but I can say that I’ve done right by my own efforts and haven’t let down the people who believed in me.

I hope you can all do the same. Ignore the gossip, hold on to the passion that got you started, and be fearless. Don’t forget the responsibilities you all carry. Life isn’t just about living for yourself. Keep fighting."

Hearing this, Leonard Bishop was the first to applaud.

The others quickly joined in, all of them deeply moved by her story.

Claire Sinclair turned and left without another word.

Only after she was completely out of sight did the trainees break the silence.

"I had no idea Professor Sinclair was so inspirational. I honestly thought she just relied on Young Master Quincy to get ahead."

"We shouldn’t say things like that anymore. We don’t know the real story, so let’s just focus on ourselves."

"Haha... I’m actually pretty excited about the new mentor. I hope they have some surprises in store for us."

...

That evening at 8:00 PM sharp, the official Weibo account for the "Shining Star" production team released a bombshell announcement: "Due to program adjustments, ’Shining Star’ will be terminating its partnership with Instructor Cecily Taylor, effective immediately. It was fate that brought us together; may we meet again among the stars."

Before people online could even react to the announcement, the "Shining Star" production team immediately followed up with another post: "Shining Star welcomes you, @Instructor Sheryl Drake."

The two back-to-back posts instantly sent the internet into a frenzy.

[What’s going on? Did Cecily Taylor get fired?]

[Cecily Taylor hasn’t said anything. Did the show just terminate the contract unilaterally?]

[Sheryl Drake!! My goddess is joining a talent show!]

[But doesn’t Sheryl Drake never do variety shows? What is going on?]

[Hahaha... I wasn’t planning on watching "Shining Star," but now that Baby Drake is here, I have to watch!]

Besides these casual observers, a swarm of anti-fans also flooded the comments, not only hurling insults but also pushing conspiracy theories.

[Claire Sinclair must be behind this! That power-tripping bitch!]

[Is Claire Sinclair really this disgusting? First she writes articles to slander our Cecily, and now she’s pushed her off the show. You call that noble?]

[See, everyone? Don’t ever cross Claire Sinclair, or you won’t even know what hit you!!!]

Facing the accusations from people online, Claire Sinclair nonchalantly posted a single sentence on her Weibo in response: "Our journey together may end here, but we shall meet again."

A moment later, Sheryl Drake also posted: "Who will be the Shining Star in my eyes?"

Not long after, Cecily Taylor’s studio also issued a statement: "Due to a scheduling adjustment, Cecily Taylor will be pausing her collaboration with ’Shining Star.’ We ask that everyone online please stop all malicious speculation. This was an amicable parting."

Even though Cecily Taylor’s team had said this, people online weren’t buying it. Her loyal fans, in particular, launched a campaign demanding justice, even getting a hashtag to the top of the trending charts: #InvestigateClaireSinclairNow.