Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



Hobson, Sylvia, and Calvert exchanged a series of perplexed glances, their faces a collage of question marks.

Eileen, standing off to the side, eyed Egbert with a growing suspicion, feeling more and more certain that he was involved in the whole kissing thing.

As soon as they got home, Eileen burst through the front door, grabbed Egbert by his shirt collar, and slammed him against the door, her voice a low growl. "Did you do this?"

Egbert, ever the cool head, gently grasped her wrists, his tone laced with resignation. "Why would you think it has anything to do with me?"

Eileen shoved his hands away, her teeth clenched in frustration. "I should have known! Pretend spouses, my foot! Who asks for a kiss out of the blue? It must have been you! Just keep lying to me, Egbert! One of these days, I'll be done with you for good!"

With a sigh meant to soothe, Egbert replied, "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Eileen wasn't buying it.

"But the photographer was hired by the show's producers. Why would he listen to me?"

Hmm? That made Eileen pause. That did make sense.

The production team would have their own set of rules. Even if Egbert wanted to mix business with pleasure, he couldn't just sidestep the director to talk directly to the photographer.

And the director wouldn't propose such ludicrous requests as a kiss. They oversaw a huge operation, their professionalism and leadership beyond reproach. Why on earth would they start meddling in the guests' interactions?

Could the photographer be the real issue? Eileen rubbed her chin, lost in thought.

At that moment, Rolls Royce, the family cat, woke up from its nap on the couch. Shaking its fur, it meowed plaintively, trying to make its way over to Eileen but, in a clumsy misstep, its paw hit the remote control, inadvertently turning on the TV.

They had fallen asleep with the TV tuned to the entertainment news channel, and now, as it flicked back on, the screen was filled with the day's latest gossip.

An upbeat presenter with a pixie cut enthusiastically reported the latest viral sensation.novelbin

"Today at noon, the much-anticipated hit show 'Romantic Revelations' finally premiered on the Ivybrook Entertainment Network. The show is a major highlight of this year's entertainment calendar, boasting a star-studded cast and endless intrigue. Not only did they invite two leading men and a leading lady to anchor the show, but they also brought in Eileen, the breakout star who's been all over social media lately. After the premiere, Eileen herself joined in on the live chat, engaging with viewers in real-time..."

The presenter's words were punctuated by images of Eileen's comments flashing on the screen.

The presenter chuckled. "We've censored parts of the messages due to language and privacy concerns, but it's clear that Eileen accidentally used Egbert's phone to post these comments. She expressed immediate regret for her actions and clarified the situation promptly.

Interestingly enough, just ten minutes after Eileen's clarifying message, Egbert's studio team posted a second statement on Twitter."

Next to the presenter, a screenshot of the Twitter trending topic appeared.

The comments section was visible, and the top trending comment was from a user with a verified account named "I'll eat my hat if E&E isn't real."

The user commented: [Is there really anyone out there who doesn't know? Egbert and Eileen have been using couple avatars for centuries! Surely, nobody thinks they're a fake couple anymore, right?]

Following this screenshot, another appeared, showing the user's Twitter profile.

The verified user was none other than the director and showrunner of 'Romantic Revelations.'

The presenter continued, "The director himself has entered the fray with such a bold statement. Let's see what the audience has to say about this development."

The screen then filled with various colorful comments from the audience.

- [If your account's been hacked, we'll call the cops for you.]

[They say they're a couple? I don't buy it! How could I know if those accounts are really theirs? Prove it by adding me.]

[That director is obviously a fake, no way it's the real deal.]

[Bro, that's actually the real director. His Twitter username was his real name up until five minutes ago. He changed it because he was afraid that people wouldn't recognize him as the biggest E&E shipper. Oops, gotta go, the assistant director is chasing him with a script again.]

[Come on, those really are Egbert and Eileen's accounts. Don't ask how I know, I'm just an anonymous person who happens to have both their private numbers.]

[To that 'anonymous person,' your Twitter is full of likes and retweets of Phyllis Sankner. Admit it, are you Phyllis?]

[Nope.]

- [Case closed, you're definitely Phyllis!]

- [How did you figure it out? Where did I slip up?!]

[Well, you hadn't until just now.]

- [Classic Phyllis, always a bit clueless.]

The news segment lasted only five minutes, but for Eileen, it felt like an eternity had passed.

Eileen sat there, her gaze fixed on the TV where the host kept babbling away, his words blending into a monotonous drone.

She fell into a moment of silence before turning to look at Egbert beside her.

Egbert steadied her shoulders with a reassuring grip, thought for a moment, and then said earnestly, "Since the cat's out of the bag, maybe we should just come clean."

Eileen stared at him, speechless.

In one swift motion, she pushed Egbert away and fumbled in her jean pocket for her phone.

Finding it off, she realized the battery had died at some point. With a stagger, she brought it over to the coffee table to charge.

After powering it back on and logging into Twitter, she wasn't surprised to find that the inte had exploded with the news.

A vein throbbed at her temple as she struggled to formulate a response. Just as she was about to exit the app, her phone rang - it was Ophelia! Eileen hesitated before answering.

Initially, there was silence on the other end, and then Ophelia's voice cut through, "Why didn't you tell me about the matching profile pictures?" With her hand pressed to her forehead, Eileen replied, "It's not what it looks like..."

"Is Egbert there with you?" Ophelia asked.

Glancing at Egbert, Eileen responded, "He's here."

There was a weathered edge to Ophelia's tone as she instructed, "Put me on speaker."

Eileen did as she was told, and gave Egbert a look that said, 'Brace yourself for a scolding.'

Ophelia's voice came through clearly, "I can only deal with you two sneaking around. She's on the rise in her career. You can't go public for the next three years. Do you understand?"

Egbert replied without hesitation, "No problem."

"That's settled then," Ophelia concluded.

"Alright," Egbert agreed.

Eileen was baffled, but Egbert turned to her, gently stroking her hair, and teased, "Since we're together, can I hear you call me 'honey'?"