"Okay, ask him later. Hey, Peach, if you're no longer single, will I get a gift?" Gale grinned.Peach, who had just been happily gossiping, suddenly froze as the topic shifted to herself. "How's it going? How far have you progressed? I've seen you smiling a lot lately, giggling at your phone for no reason. Seems like things are going well, huh?"Peach lowered her head, cheeks flushed. "Gale, don't tease me.""I'm just concerned about you.""Just take it slow, go with the flow. Being able to maintain contact with Mr. Carson outside of work is already enough for me," Peach said.To her, Sam was a high born and being able to be by his side made her very happy."Relationships can't be forced. The more you rush, the more likely it'll fail. Taking it slow and letting things flow naturally is the best." Gale nodded. "You're happily chatting with Sam, right?"Peach softly replied, "Mm.""Chat away." Gale patted her shoulder. "I'm rooting for you two, just like I root for Joe and Summ
She had also landed the lead actress role in the film directed by the talented young director, Paul.Other female celebrities all were envious of Ivy, gossiping about the source of her newfound luck. How could she be noticed by Mr. Wood, be plucked out from her agency, and then even allowed to take control of her destiny?In reality, Ivy's hidden struggles were unknown to others. They only saw the glamor. During this time, Ivy stayed indoors and canceled all her commercial activities, quietly nursing her wounds alone. She only emerged today for the photoshoot.Inside the studio, Ivy stood under the spotlight, adorned with the latest high-end jewelry from the latest collection. She professionally posed for the camera."A little tilt of the head... Perfect.""Now, give us a smile.""Casually run your fingers through your hair and show off the ring on your finger."Ivy executed the directions flawlessly.Gale stood in front of the monitor, watching Ivy on screen. She was confident
"Paul will face retribution. I can't do anything to him. I need to protect my career." Ivy gritted her teeth.Ivy had nothing else but her career. It was the source of her strength and confidence to face life and start anew.Gale reached out and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Shawn is still investigating what happened that night. Ivy, let's both wait a little longer and don't look down on yourself. Neither of us did anything wrong. We are innocent victims, and we need to continue with our lives, even better than before.""I'm waiting for Mr. Wood to expose the truth.""Mm."Ivy patted her back. "I'm fine. I've moved on. My biggest wish now is to expose the mastermind behind it and make sure they get punished. Everything else doesn't matter to me, and it doesn't affect me.""Ivy, I feel exactly the same way as you.""Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Ivy glanced at the time. "It's almost time for a break. I still have to continue shooting. After that, I have to vi
"When did I say that?""You mentioned it to Mrs. Wood at the studio. You said you would come here after the shoot. So, I instructed the driver..." the assistant replied.Ivy furrowed her brow.She did intend to attend the meeting, but after the shoot, she was especially tired and just wanted to lock herself at home. Plus, Paul would be there at the meeting, and she wanted to avoid it even more.Ivy thought she had informed her assistant to send her straight home, but she had not actually said anything.She was feeling so disoriented that she could not remember anything clearly."Never mind, I forgot to inform you. Since we're here, let's just go in." Ivy sighed.Ivy got out of the car and entered the company.The meeting was scheduled for four o'clock, and it was only half past three. She was early. Ivy thought she would sit in Aurum's office for a while; hopefully, he would not mind.He was always elegant, easygoing, gentlemanly, and very considerate in his dealings with peop
"Even if it exceeds the budget, it won't be by much. Ivy's prices are very low so it saved us a sum of money. The biggest expense is the actors' fees. I never expected her to be willing to lower her price," Paul replied.Aurum lounged on the sofa, crossing his legs. "She believes in this movie, thinks it's a rare gem of a script, and believes it could win awards, which is why she agreed to a lower fee.""No, no, it's all thanks to your influence. Since you insisted that she play the lead role, I had no reason to refuse. Your recommendation and her willingness to lower her fee is a stroke of luck for me! It's like I've hit the jackpot!" Paul said.In the restroom, Ivy stared motionlessly at her reflection in the mirror. Her face turned pale. She already had a headache, and hearing that left her even more surprised. Aurum and Paul seemed unaware that she was in the office, casually chatting away, oblivious to any consequences.Ivy remembered that Aurum had recommended her for the lea
Ivy was under Aurum's protection; he was the only one who could touch her, and only if Aurum allowed it. If Aurum did not say anything, Paul would not dare to touch Ivy.Ivy was completely stunned.Paul held a high position in the entertainment industry; he was a young director with guaranteed box office success. He was polite and carried himself with an air of sophistication, discussing art knowledgeably and confidently.Who would have thought that, in private, Paul would reveal such a disgusting character? From their conversation, it seemed that Paul and Aurum knew about the incident. How did Aurum know? Was not he unconscious? They were discussing her so casually as if she were some exquisite object to be enjoyed. What did they take her for? A plaything?!Ivy clenched the lipstick in her hand, her long nails digging into the flesh of her palm, leaving deep marks!She had her suspicions about the events at the motel.She held her breath, afraid to make the slightest sound, fe
"How could a married woman with two children be any fun? Your tastes are truly unique!" Paul remarked.Suddenly, Paul felt a sense of danger. He could not afford to offend Aurum, but even more so, he could not afford to offend the Wood family! They were a wealthy and influential family; a single word from them could ruin him or even make him disappear from the entertainment industry.Paul realized he might have made a mistake."Scared?" Aurum observed his expression. "What's there to fear? You haven't offended the Wood family. It's just Ivy. What can she do to you?""I..." Paul stuttered.Though he had not touched Gale and dared not to entertain the thought, he had helped Aurum plan it out, so he was an accomplice.Paul hesitated before asking, "Aurum… did you achieve your goal that night?"If Aurum had indeed had an affair with Gale, things would have escalated. Then again, this was also a leverage Paul could hold. If one day Aurum stopped protecting him and even tried to make
Suddenly, they heard a clang from the restroom. Aurum's expression instantly changed. Who was in his office?Paul also looked bewildered. "Where did that sound come from?"Aurum got up immediately. He was about to go toward the source of the sound when his secretary knocked on the door. "Mr. Lefting.""Come in!"The secretary entered with some snacks, looking puzzled as she glanced at the couch. "Mr. Lefting, where's Ivy? Why isn't she here? Did she leave early?""What did you say?" Aurum gritted his teeth. "Ivy is in my office?""Yes, Mr. Lefting. Ivy arrived when you were out, so I brought her to your office and asked her to wait for you. Then I went to prepare the refreshments."So, the person in the restroom was Ivy. She had been here all along. Then, Ivy must have heard the entire conversation.Paul's face turned pale. "Aurum..."What to do?If Ivy found out the truth and reported it to Mr. Wood, everyone would be doomed. Offending the great, vengeful Mr. Wood meant a li