Raising an eyebrow, Bianca asked, “Are you interested in acting?”
Reese looked down but nodded.
“Go ahead. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your own duties, it’s fine,” Bianca said with a gentle smile.
Surprised and pleased by Bianca’s encouragement, Reese lifted her head and beamed. “Thank you, Bianca!”
Reese finished all her tasks by eleven in the morning and headed to the training classroom. Feeling overwhelmed and unsure of herself, she hesitated at the door, unable to gather the courage to go inside. Peering through the glass door, she watched the session, observing the different expressions being practiced under the teacher’s guidance.
Just as she was starting to enjoy the performance, a harsh laugh broke the silence. “Hahaha, does this pathetic company even have artists? They’re hiring someone so overweight! The entertainment industry isn’t for trash.”
Startled, Reese turned to see a disdainful woman standing behind her, arms crossed and radiating arrogance.
“Ashley, what are you doing here?” Bianca’s voice cut through the tension as she emerged from her office, immediately recognizing the arrogant newcomer.
Wasn’t Ashley’s reputation so tarnished that she wouldn’t dare show her face here? Was she here for revenge?
Ashley turned to Bianca, who was watching her warily.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ashley said as she walked closer, her heels clicking on the floor. “Don’t worry. I’m here to see your company and share some exciting news.”
Bianca looked at her skeptically. “Are you sure? What’s good news for you might be bad news for me.”
“I’ve just signed a deal with Orion Entertainment. Aren’t you happy for me?” Ashley said with a laugh.
Bianca’s eyes widened in disbelief. ‘How did Ashley get signed by Orion Entertainment? Didn’t she just get banned by Golden Gate Films and have that scandalous video all over the internet?’
Orion Entertainment was a major player, second only to Phoenix Entertainment. It was surprising that they would sign someone as controversial as Ashley, especially with all the negative headlines about her.
“Are you too shocked to speak?” Ashley asked with a mischievous grin.
Bianca composed herself and looked at Ashley calmly.
“Wow, look at your small company. It’s nothing compared to the greatness of Orion Entertainment.” Ashley stood up and looked around the office, finally focusing on Reese outside the performance room. She laughed and said, “And your actress over there, she’s just a bit… unique. Bianca, why did you bring someone like her on board? Are you trying to grab attention with such a clever trick?”
Bianca ignored her comments and replied coldly, “Is it any of your business? If you’re done here, you should leave. We’re busy and don’t have time for your nonsense.”
Ashley sneered and pulled out a gold-plated invitation from her bag, placing it in front of Bianca. “Take a look at this.”
“This is…” Someone in the office recognized the invitation and couldn’t hide their excitement. “It’s the yearly invite to the prestigious global brand fashion show! In the past, they invited celebrities from top-tier companies or international superstars…”
Ashley smirked. “That’s right. Orion Entertainment gets a slot at the grand event every year. This year, I’m representing them. Clearly, they value me a lot. A small company like yours would never get an invite to a show like this.”
She moved closer to Bianca, her tone taunting. “Bianca, no matter how hard you try to bring me down, I always come out on top. Doesn’t that bother you?”
Bianca smiled, not angrily but calmly. “Aren’t you the one always bringing yourself down?”
Ashley’s frustration was clear as Bianca’s calm demeanor seemed to embarrass her more than anger her.
Instead of the reaction she wanted, Ashley’s lips tightened with frustration.
“Bianca, I just wanted to let you know that our little game isn’t over. I promised I’d have you at my mercy sooner or later!”
With that, Ashley turned and walked out.
Once Ashley was gone, Bianca’s expression turned serious. She pulled out her phone and checked Twitter, only to find that all the recent scandalous posts and trending topics about Ashley had disappeared.
Moreover, the headlines began declaring Ashley’s innocence, backed by detailed evidence that the controversial video wasn’t actually her. Rumors spread that it was all a setup to damage Ashley’s reputation.
Conspiracy theories even emerged, suggesting someone with a grudge against Ashley created the fake video to ruin her.
Orion Entertainment then proudly announced Ashley’s addition to their list, showing full support for her. This caused a major shift in the internet trends, boosting Ashley’s popularity instead of diminishing it.
Bianca clenched her fists. It felt like Ashley was making a strong comeback.
It was clear now that Ashley had a powerful ally, someone besides Joshua, working behind the scenes to help her.
Ashley’s backer was incredibly powerful, so much so that even the respected Reed family had to be careful and let go of her easily.
Even though the Reed family was one of the top four families, this person’s influence was even greater. Who could be backing Ashley?
Bianca felt a looming threat and was growing increasingly uneasy.
‘Who could possibly be behind Ashley?’
“Bianca, did I make you uncomfortable?” Reese’s voice, full of sadness, broke Bianca’s thoughts.
Bianca turned to see Reese with her head down, clearly upset.
“Not at all,” Bianca said kindly. “Her problems are with me, not with you. Don’t worry about it.”
“Is she the artist from Orion Entertainment, Ashley Scott?” Reese asked hesitantly.
“Yes,” Bianca confirmed. She then patted Reese’s shoulder and pointed to the nearby performance room. “If you want to learn acting, go into that room with confidence. Don’t let others’ opinions bother you.”
Reese clenched her fists and looked at Bianca, asking, “Bianca, do you think I’m too chubby to dream of becoming an actress someday?”
Bianca smiled warmly and replied, “Of course not. Every dream deserves respect.”
Reese’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met…”
Bianca gently ruffled Reese’s hair and said, “Cheer up. I have to go take care of some things now.”
As Bianca walked away, Reese watched Ashley’s path with narrowed eyes, whispering to herself, “Orion Entertainment… Ashley Scott…”
Dave was busy with work when his phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he saw it was Justin.
He answered the call and heard Justin’s urgent voice: “Dave, have you seen this? It’s about Bianca’s sister, Ashley. After that explicit video leaked, she faced a lot of backlash, and Golden Gate Films even blacklisted her. But now, all the negative press is gone. Major headlines are now positive, and Golden Gate Films has reversed its stance, saying they were wrong! She’s even landed a high-profile contract with Orion Entertainment!”
“Get to the point,” Dave said, his eyes still on the documents he was signing.