[Chapter 281: The Heartthrob]
The dia frenzy reached a boiling point, and Red Table Talk seized the opportunity to launch its second episode to draw even more viewers. Hawke's aim was crystal clear; he wanted to tap into the online audiences in Europe, Latin Arica, and Asia. The influence of soccer and the star players associated with it was enormous outside North Arica.
Unlike Arican football, soccer had a global reach that was undeniable. With high demands for hardware and bandwidth, live streaming was challenging; besides video, Twitter would also sync text and image comntary.
Outside the studio, a fully made-up Jada Pinkett Smith told Hawke, "I'm going to uncover every secret Rebecca has with Beckham and let the world see what they've been up to."
As a master of gossip, Hawke added, "And her personal feelings about it too." He paused for effect, pointing out, "I've heard Beckham has incredible stamina, especially when it cos to running."
Jada got the hint imdiately. "I'll have to see for myself one of these days."
Hawke pretended not to hear her and called out, "Let's get ready to roll."
...
Inside the studio, the crew was all set.
Rebecca Loos who had beco very popular these days, looked radiant, like a Hollywood star. Yet, when she saw Caroline enter in red high heels, she felt a bit diminished.
Caroline glanced at Rebecca and stated, "Cooperate well."
Rebecca knew she wasn't a must-have and realized that any shot at fa and fortune rested on Beckham. She nodded eagerly, "I absolutely will."
...
Caroline stepped out and t Hawke, informing him, "We've decided to use a ten-second delay for the live broadcast, just as you suggested."
Hawke replied, "That way, if anything goes wrong, we can handle it in real ti."
...
As they approached the beginning of the broadcast, Jada Pinkett Smith entered the studio, and the second episode of Red Table Talk comnced.
The first episode covered the infidelity of the Smiths; the second focused on David Beckham's cheating scandal. These consecutive episodes essentially defined the format of the show, centering around celebrity infidelity.
Jada, being a seasoned Hollywood veteran and soone who had experienced this firsthand, was acutely aware of how sensational and attention-grabbing celebrity cheating stories could be.
Hawke chatted briefly with Caroline before heading to the director's room to watch the live feed.
...
Rebecca, guided by Jada, spoke about her relationship with the Beckhams: "My job in Madrid focused mainly on taking care of Victoria. I'd show her around the city and take her shopping; I was the first to see the Beckhams every day, arranging their schedules."
Jada didn't hesitate to dig into the crux of the matter: "How did your professional relationship with Beckham turn into sothing more?"
Rebecca thought for a mont before answering, "Victoria wasn't fond of Madrid; her career revolved around England and the U.S. At least half of each month, she stayed in England, and one week in the States. Beckham felt lonely and, as a celebrity, found it hard to confide in anyone. He often chatted with and showed genuine concern about my life. When he found out I was single, he asked out."
"Did you accept?" Jada interjected.
Rebecca replied earnestly, "No one can turn down Beckham. He's a heartthrob, a true gentleman."
Jada probed further, "What was your first date with him like?"
"It was a disaster; I'd rather not think about it," Rebecca recounted. "David picked up, but we got spotted by paparazzi. He drove into the hotel's underground parking, and I had to hide in the back of his car to avoid being seen. I didn't co out until we reached a villa, and I was sore all over." 𝘳𝘢ɴŐᛒЕꞩ
Jada chuckled, "That sounds awful. Why didn't you just refuse?"
Rebecca paused, and then said, "Because he's David Beckham."
"Not because he's rich?" Jada's questions gradually beca sharper. "When your date with Beckham went public, many of his fans on Twitter accused you of being a gold digger, calling you a prostitute."
Rebecca shot back, "I'm not a prostitute. I've seen those articles. That guy who claims to know and called a prostitute, I don't even know him."
Faced with fierce accusations, she remained composed. "Other than my assistant's salary and bonuses, there was no financial exchange between Beckham and . My relationship with him was never about money; I never received anything for it."
Jada picked up on her sentint and asked, "What was it then?"
Rebecca responded, "David confessed he liked , and I was captivated by his charm."
Jada continued probing, "Was that emotionally or physically?"
"Both," Rebecca gushed about Beckham, "David is a true gentleman, incredibly charming, and one of the best athletes in the ga. He's in phenonal shape; I don't know how to describe him."
At that point, Jada opted to stop probing.
Rebecca elaborated, "David told I was beautiful and sweet, unlike Victoria, who tends to be bossy and always orders him around."
Jada imdiately inquired, "Are there serious conflicts between Beckham and Victoria?"
Rebecca hesitated before responding, "They're not as harmonious as they appear; maybe they were in the beginning due to love, but now it feels more like a business partnership. They stay together for comrcial interests. David has told he doesn't feel warmth or romance with Victoria anymore; they just discuss money."
Jada, speaking from her own experience, noted, "I've been through sothing similar; it truly is frightening."
Rebecca added, "Another thing to ntion is, Victoria is getting thinner. David said it's too scary to be with her." She suddenly stood up and turned to the cara, showcasing her figure as she declared, "Honestly, David likes my type..."
Jada inquired, "Since you seem to get along well with Beckham, why co forward?"
Rebecca replied seriously, "I fell for David, but he's not loyal to ; he has other won."
Jada appeared shocked, "You an Victoria?"
"Not her. It's soone else," Rebecca clarified, based on her observations as an assistant. "Though I don't know the na, I'm sure of it, and that person is likely a model from Asia."
The conversation shifted entirely into more private matters, and Rebecca went so far as to ntion a particular characteristic of Beckham's anatomy to corroborate her claims.
...
The live video, images, and texts spread across Twitter, reaching a staggering audience of over 27 million viewers worldwide. Most ca from Europe, Asia, and Latin Arica.
David Beckham, undoubtedly one of the most marketable soccer stars, made headlines as his infidelity scandal boosted Twitter's international profile. By the ti the show concluded, the latest stats were presented to Hawke.
Caroline remarked, "The total viewership for the video, images, and text broadcasts reached 32.11 million, including an impressive 3.27 million new registrations, of which over 75% ca from overseas, particularly Europe."
Hawke was quite pleased and instructed, "Keep in touch with Rebecca and see if you can extract more stories from her."
Turning to Edward, he added, "Notify Butterfly Consulting to see if we can find out who else Beckham has been involved with according to Rebecca."
Edward confird, "They're already on it."
Vague mories of a past life hinted that Beckham had been linked to four or five won who were rumored to be involved with him. So were even assistants or caretakers from when he beca an owner of a Miami team.
The vicinity of the stars was often a hotspot for scandal. Beckham never failed to provide juicy gossip.
Caroline chid in, "We could incentivize the news leads; if they're willing to co forward, we can offer them a reward."
Hawke agreed, "Sure, get that organized. It doesn't matter if they don't cooperate with Twitter; as long as they're willing to speak, the interest will remain. Twitter will still benefit from being the first to report."
...
Caroline exited the director's room and posted a reward notice for news on Twitter.
Ever since the release of Beckham's incriminating video, Rebecca's profile shot up, making her an internet sensation. Those won associated with Beckham, inspired by Rebecca's revelation, might decide to step into the spotlight.
Caroline's announcent wasn't the only thing making waves; she also released news about Rebecca. Just days ago, Rebecca received an interview request from The Sun, which was willing to pay her PS200,000 for a tell-all.
However, Rebecca had signed a contract with Twitter, and their offer was not significantly better than what she had with Twitter. Naturally, in her response, Rebecca firmly declined The Sun's invitation.
...
As word spread on Twitter, many won, especially those seeking fa and a quick payday, felt a stir of excitent. Many aspiring actresses and models who had distinct looks and were willing to step into the fray were aplenty -- too nurous to count, especially in Los Angeles.
In Australia, a model nad Sarah Marbeck was also a Twitter user. Ever since Beckham's cheating video went live, she had been following the story closely.
Upon seeing Twitter's news alert, she decided to let go of her daydreams and head to Los Angeles. She had t Beckham during a 2001 sumr tour with Manchester United in Asia, and they had exchanged numbers.
In just a few hours, they had sent dozens of texts back and forth, with Beckham inviting Sarah to his private training session, where he showcased extraordinary ball skills and impressive lob techniques.
Later on, they maintained a lengthy connection, with Beckham offering her match tickets and inviting her to Europe to catch gas, where he'd also use her as a target for shooting practice.
*****
/Sayonara816.
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