Bianca let out a soft sigh. She felt the pain in Reese’s story. But now wasn’t the time to feel sorry. What mattered most was helping Reese fix this and making her aunt and uncle-in-law face the consequences.
“Do you still talk to your high school head teacher?”
Reese gave a small nod. A bit of light returned to her eyes. “Yes, we still keep in touch. I owe her a lot. I visit her when I can to say thank you.”
“Do you remember the places where you used to work?”
Reese looked a little confused but nodded again. “Yes, I remember.”
“Then please give me their contact info and addresses,” Bianca said firmly.
Reese’s eyes widened. “Bianca, what are you planning?”
Bianca gave her a calm smile. “I believe every action leaves a trace. I’ll help you expose what they did. They won’t dare bother you again.”
Hearing that, Reese felt a bit of relief. Her sadness slowly disappeared.
“Thank you, Bianca. I didn’t mean to hide all this from you. I just didn’t want to drag you into it. I was scared you’d judge me for where I came from. I thought I could handle it, but it’s gotten worse than I expected.” Reese lowered her voice. “My aunt and uncle-in-law are just regular workers. They don’t know anything about the internet or showbiz. I never thought they’d show up at the talent show and cause trouble.”
“They’re capable of more.”
The sudden voice from behind made Reese jump. A chill ran through her as she turned around.
It was Leonel. She hadn’t expected him, but somehow, his presence felt calming.
He looked at her with narrowed eyes and gave a soft smile.
Reese froze for a second. Then she quickly stood up and greeted him. “Hi, Leonel.”
Bianca looked at him and motioned for him to sit beside Reese. “Take a seat.”
Reese moved quickly to make space for him.
“Sorry, I got stuck doing some overtime,” Leonel said with a small smile toward Reese.
She bit her lip nervously and looked at Bianca for answers.
Bianca said, “My brother just wanted a free meal. Please try to tolerate him.”
“Is that how a sister talks about her brother? I just wanted to eat with you. We haven’t seen each other in days!” Leonel said, rolling his eyes at Bianca.
Bianca looked at him, then glanced at Reese beside him. She raised her brows. “Are you really here for me, or is there someone else you’d rather be eating with?”
Leonel coughed and took a sip of water, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Bianca stopped joking and asked, “Leonel, what did you mean earlier? When you said they can do more-what were you talking about?”
Leonel turned to Reese and spoke gently. “I’m guessing you’ve told Bianca everything. Is it alright if we talk about what happened at the promotional event?”
Reese lowered her head and stayed silent for a moment before giving a small nod.
Watching them, Bianca frowned. “Am I her agent or are you? Why do you know something I don’t?”
Leonel looked at her with a smug smile. “It’s a secret between me and Reese.”
Reese quickly spoke up. “Bianca, it’s not what you think. I didn’t mean to hide anything. It’s just that day-”
“Let me explain,” Leonel cut in, seeing the worry on Reese’s face. He didn’t want her to struggle with the words. “Reese was late that day because her aunt and uncle-in-law found her. They followed her and asked for money. I ran into them by chance and sent them away. If I hadn’t, she wouldn’t have made it to the show.”
Bianca’s brows knitted. “The company only posted online that Reese would be the publicity ambassador. They didn’t share the date of the event. But somehow, her relatives still found the place.”
“Exactly,” Leonel said. “Only invited businesses and key people in the industry were there. It was an indoor event. The public only saw it through video. It wasn’t open to just anyone.”
Bianca leaned on her hand, deep in thought. “Regular people wouldn’t know those details. But they went straight to Reese and showed up during the live stream. That can only mean one thing…”
“Someone helped them!” she and Leonel said at the same time.
Reese’s eyes widened in shock.
“How-how could that happen? Who would do something like that? And why?” Reese asked in a trembling voice.
“It’s not hard to figure out,” Bianca said with a sharp snort. She was already putting the pieces together. “They wanted to mess with you through your aunt and uncle-in-law. If you lost focus during the show, their own performers would have a better chance.”
Reese’s eyes widened. “You mean Orion Entertainment planned all this?”
Bianca let out a cold laugh. “Exactly. But they didn’t expect you to show up on time or perform so well. Then Blake got into that car accident, and the show drew even more attention. They were furious. So they used your relatives to ruin your image. They also exposed your spot in the show and the promotional event. After that, they leaked those fake training videos of Shelly. It was all done to shake us and help them win.”
“The entertainment world really is full of tricks,” Leonel sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
“That kind of thing happens a lot,” Bianca said with a small, helpless smile. “I started to suspect Orion Entertainment when they went quiet. I guess their tricks aren’t that impressive after all.”
Leonel had thought this would stress her out. He didn’t expect her to handle it so calmly. A bit of respect showed in his eyes. “Bianc, you’re just like Mom right now. I’ve clearly underestimated you. You’re not just about love-you’re sharp when it comes to work too.”
Bianca gave his brother a sharp glance and pouted. “Such a sweet brother you are.”
Leonel laughed, sneaking a glance at Reese.
Seeing her smile again made him feel at ease.
“I understand everything now. Don’t worry. Leave it to me,” Bianca said to Reese.
“Thank you…” Reese whispered. Her voice was full of guilt. “If it weren’t for me, the company wouldn’t be caught in this mess.”
“This was bound to happen sooner or later, so don’t blame yourself. And as your agent, this is part of my job,” Bianca said with a cheerful smile.