Stacey sighed and shook her head. “I can’t believe my daughter can be so careless. Bianca won’t be easy to handle. From now on, let’s plan our moves carefully. And next time, talk to me before you do anything.”
Ashley sniffled, worried about her career. “Mom, do you think I’ll lose my job in the entertainment industry?”
Stacey comforted her with a cunning smile tugging on her lips. “Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to help you.”
That night, after Peter had fallen asleep, Stacey slipped out to the balcony and made a phone call.
“It’s me. Ashley’s contract with Phoenix Entertainment has been terminated. Can you help her? Remember what you promised me. I trust you’ll find a solution. I’ll be waiting for your update.”
****
When Bianca went to work on Monday, she noticed that Jessica’s office was empty.
It seemed like Jessica had quietly resigned over the weekend and cleared out her belongings.
Bianca felt downhearted. The one person who had shown her kindness in the company was gone.
Just then, the elevators opened, and a tall woman in a corporate suit stepped out.
She walked confidently past the busy office workers and headed straight for Jessica’s office door. Then, she turned to address everyone.
“Hey, everyone! That’s Zoey Carter, the department director!” One of the senior staff members exclaimed, recognizing her.
Almost instantly, hushed discussions broke out as to why their department director would suddenly show up.
Zoey’s cold gaze swept across the crowd.
“Who’s Bianca Scott?” she asked, her voice cutting through the murmurs.
At the mention of her name, Bianca was momentarily stunned. She gulped and slowly raised her right hand, saying, “I am.”
With her eyes slightly narrowed, Zoey looked Bianca up and down sharply before shifting her gaze back toward the crowd again.
“The higher-ups have decided to promote Bianca Scott to the position of executive agent. From now on, she’ll take over Jessica’s work.”
As if she had just surprised everyone, the people in the Agent Department started talking all at once. Many of them seemed unsure about Bianca.
Zoey clapped her hands twice loudly to get their attention.
“Okay, everyone, back to work. Bianca, come with me.”
Zoey swung the door wide open to Jessica’s office and marched inside. Bianca, still reeling from the sudden promotion, quickly followed her.
Once inside, Zoey stood by the French window in silence for a moment. Then, she pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing her legs confidently. She had an air of superiority about her.
“Your education is similar to Jessica’s, which is why the higher-ups value you. That’s why you’re getting this unusual promotion, but-”
After a dramatic pause, Zoey locked eyes with Bianca and said, “You’ll have a three-month probation period. If you do well, you’ll keep the position. If not, the company will demote you and find someone else. Got it?”
Bianca nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“Good.” Zoey stood up, walked over to Bianca, and patted her on the shoulder. “You’re the first to be promoted this quickly. I’m eager to see how you’ll do.”
Her tone was so ambiguous that Bianca couldn’t tell if it was praise or sarcasm.
After Zoey left, Bianca sat in the office feeling stunned, like a ton of bricks had been dropped on her. She couldn’t believe she got promoted so quickly, especially since she was new here.
When she left the office, she sensed her colleagues giving her unfriendly looks, but she brushed them off.
She spent the whole morning getting used to Jessica’s tasks. In the afternoon, she had a meeting scheduled at Golden Gate Films.
As she headed out, she hopped on a crowded elevator and moved to a corner to make space for others.
As the elevator doors closed, Bianca overheard two employees talking in the front.
“Did you hear? That new assistant in the Agent Department got a big promotion.”
“Really? How did she manage that so fast?”
“I heard she might have gotten close to Mr. Wilson for it. Makes sense, right?”
“Yeah, and now we know why Jessica left so suddenly. Must have been pressured out.”
“Ugh, I can’t stand those who take shortcuts.”
Finally, the elevator doors slid open, and the two gossipers left.
Bianca clenched her fists angrily. That night at the party, Justin had seemed quite keen to praise her, and he had even gone out of his way to introduce her to those big shots. Was her performance that night too eye-catching that he had suddenly taken an interest in her?
‘Oh, God! Was this a “casting couch” situation?’
The mere thought made Bianca shudder in disgust.
‘No, she had to make things clear to Justin as soon as possible!’
When Bianca stepped out of the elevator, she bumped into Zoey, who had just finished a call. Without saying a word, Zoey handed Bianca a pile of papers.
“Something urgent came up, so I have to leave immediately. Take these to Mr. Wilson’s office for me.”
“Got it.”
Bianca eagerly accepted the task as it gave her a reason to speak with Justin.
She headed to the top floor, where Justin’s office was located. After informing his secretary of her errand, she knocked on his door.
Justin was in the middle of signing documents when Bianca poked her head inside. He paused his work upon seeing her and rose from his desk.
“Bianca? What brings you here?”
Bianca swiftly placed the documents on Justin’s desk and took a step back, maintaining a distance between them. Although she appeared tense, her voice remained steady.
“Miss Carter requested me to deliver these documents,” she began, pausing briefly before continuing. “Um, Mr. Wilson, I have a question. Did you arrange for my promotion to executive agent?”
Justin nodded nonchalantly as Bianca expressed her question.
Bianca lowered her gaze, maintaining a steady but assertive tone.
“I’ve only recently joined the company. Isn’t it somewhat inappropriate to promote me so soon?”
Justin was taken aback. Typically, people would be happy about a promotion, but Bianca’s hesitation surprised him.
He acknowledged her lack of experience and newness to the company.
Had it not been for Jessica’s endorsement and Bianca’s impressive performance at the party, he would never have considered such a swift promotion.
He also consulted Dave before deciding.
Dave had suggested, “If you’re thinking of promoting Bianca, it means you see potential in her skills. Promotions should be based on talent, not just seniority. Give her a shot. But are you promoting her only because of me?”
Justin nodded, understanding Dave’s point.
He turned to Bianca and explained, “The company promotes based on talent, not just how long someone’s been here. Your work at the party was impressive, and when Jessica left, there was an opening. I thought you could use this chance to prove yourself further.”