“Wait. This was planned. I’ll find out who did it.” Bianca placed her hands on Diana’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “We’ll issue a statement promising the public we’ll explain soon. As for the contract terminations, don’t agree to let the artists go until we solve this issue. If they keep insisting on leaving, we won’t retain anyone, and we’ll pursue any liquidated damages as the law allows. And let’s keep the collaborations on hold for now. By the way, how much cash does the company have available?”
Diana, who managed the finances, replied, “Even with recent discussions and deposits, it’s not enough. We’re facing a cash flow problem, and I’m worried we’ll run out of money if the collaborations stop and we can’t collect what’s owed. But I can work on the financial side. I’ll ask my team to help me get more.”
“No need. I’ll come up with a plan to fix our financial issues.”
With that, Bianca turned and went to her office.
Diana stood there, biting her lip. As a stakeholder, she knew she couldn’t let Bianca take on all the stress alone. She had to find a way to help the company.
Returning to her office, Bianca turned on her computer and checked the trending topics online.
The top searches were all about the weight-loss pill scandal, and people were really angry at Bianca.
But the most shocking headline was-EXCLUSIVE: Bianca’s Real Mother is the Founder of Cherish!
The comments under this post were harsh.
“I thought Bianca made it on her own, but now I see she has a powerful family behind her.”
One comment said, “I always knew Bianca’s background was special. How else could a new agent stand up to someone like Zoey and outsmart Natalie? Now it all makes sense.”
Another comment added, “So her mother is Graciel? No wonder Cherish ignored Orion Entertainment and went for a smaller company. These behind-the-scenes deals are disgusting!”
One more wrote, “We’ve all been fooled by the image Bianca created. If her company can survive, the showbiz world is really messed up!”
Fans who had once supported Bianca were now turning against her. They threatened to boycott Cherish if the company worked with Bianca.
Bianca realized Cherish might get dragged into the mess, which she wanted to avoid at all costs.
Feeling a pounding headache, Bianca took a deep breath and called Madison.
“Hi, Mom. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Madison said, sounding calm despite the chaos. “What’s up? You want to talk about the scandal online, right? I’ve talked to Leonel. It’s just dirty tricks. Do you need me to step in?”
“Mom, I’ll handle it. You don’t need to get involved,” Bianca replied, not wanting to drag her mother into the mess. She paused and then said, “I called to tell you I’ve decided to end my partnership with Cherish.”
Ending the partnership would help to stop all the rumors.
Bianca thought this was the quickest way to handle the situation.
“Bianc, are you really going to give in to those who are attacking you? That’s not like my daughter,” Madison said firmly.
Bianca tightened her grip on the phone. After a pause, Madison continued calmly, “Do you really think ending our partnership will stop the online hate? No way! They’ll just say you gave in under pressure and will continue to disrespect you even more. Once everything is open, any explanation will just sound like an excuse. The best thing you can do is ignore it and keep moving forward. By the way, Orion Entertainment reached out about a collaboration. You’re smart enough to see what’s happening.”
Bianca realized Orion Entertainment was the company where Ashley was now.
She remembered Ashley talking about Orion Entertainment’s interest in working with Cherish. If Bianca stepped aside, it seemed clear who would benefit the most.
With that realization, Bianca’s thoughts became clear.
“I understand now, Mom.”
After hanging up, she knew exactly what to do next. She called the officer who had visited her earlier, shared her suspicions about Ashley, and requested a private investigation.
Later that night, after finishing the tasks Bianca had given her, Diana stayed in the office. Bianca had left earlier and hadn’t come back.
After spending ten minutes mentally preparing herself, Diana finally picked up her phone and messaged Brandon.
“I really need your help,” Diana typed.
Brandon replied almost instantly, “Just remember to be sincere when asking for a favor.”
Diana hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen. She gritted her teeth and replied, “What do you want?”
Brandon sent back just three words: “Come to me.”
He then sent her an address.
Diana’s eyes narrowed as she remembered her outburst with Brandon and his hurtful words.
‘How could she face him if she went?’
She glanced toward Bianca’s office, realizing the serious situation of their company but feeling helpless.
Clenching her fists, she finally responded, “I’m on my way.”
Following the address Brandon had given her, Diana arrived at an upscale club.
In the private room, Brandon wore a dark gray T-shirt that showed off his good looks. He had two women dressed in revealing outfits close to him, and their lipstick marks were all over his face.
When Diana opened the door, she was shocked by the extravagant scene in front of her.
She remembered Brandon as a charming, well-dressed young man, but now he looked like a reckless playboy.
It became clear that her view of him all these years had been just a fantasy.
“Come here,” Brandon said casually from his seat as he noticed Diana walk in.
Diana stood in front of him, fists clenched.
Brandon looked her up and down and scoffed, “Weren’t you more confident last time? Why are you hesitating now? Don’t be shy.”
At his words, Diana slowly relaxed her fists and let them fall to her sides.
“I know what you want from me, but there’s no benefit for me in this.”
As a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, Brandon knew all about the trouble at Bianca’s company. He understood why Diana had come to him-to use his influence and reputation to help manage the public fallout.
Diana looked directly at Brandon and asked, “What exactly are you asking me to do?”
She was smart enough to know Brandon wouldn’t have called her if he hadn’t already decided to help her.
Brandon raised an eyebrow, watching her with a hint of amusement. Then, in a casual tone, he said, “Take your clothes off.”
“What?” Diana’s eyes widened in shock at his request.
“Didn’t I make it clear? I said take your clothes off!”
Brandon stared at Diana with an intense look that was clearly suggestive to any woman.