When Tony’s words echoed through the studio, everyone instinctively paused. All eyes shifted toward Vivienne and Tony, an air of tension thickening the room.
Tony noticed a couple of crew members whispering, their faces betraying schadenfreude. It was clear that Vivienne’s usual sharp-tongued demeanor had long made her unpopular.
Vivienne’s face turned crimson almost instantly. She took a deep breath, forcing a smile. “Tony, you must be joking. This is Dior’s latest perfume, a limited edition.”
“Oh, darling,” Tony wrinkled his nose, stepping back as if repelled, though his expression was unnervingly sincere, as if he were genuinely sympathizing with her. “You didn’t accidentally buy a counterfeit, did you? I thought someone had spilled toilet cleaner!”
“Pfft-” A makeup artist couldn’t hold back her laughter, quickly covering her mouth in fear of Vivienne’s wrath.
Vivienne’s face burned as if on fire. She had never imagined that the sophisticated image she had meticulously crafted would become such a joke! Clenching her fists tightly, she struggled to remain calm.
After another deep breath, she plastered on a smile, pretending nothing had happened. She turned to the photographer, Wendy, and asked, “Wendy, can we begin?”
Wendy glanced at Tony, who seemed unbothered, then nodded. “Alright. Everyone, get ready for the shoot.”
The assistants quickly adjusted the cameras, and the first commercial shoot officially began.
According to the script, Vivienne and Tony were supposed to gaze deeply into each other’s eyes, creating an atmosphere of luxurious romance.
However, every time their eyes met, Tony would deliberately squint or make exaggeratedly silly faces, turning the scene into something absurd and comical.
After dozens of attempts, Wendy’s frown deepened. She was clearly dissatisfied with the results.
Unable to hold back any longer, Wendy called for a halt. “Tony, please control your expressions!”
Tony shrugged, feigning innocence. “Sorry, I’m just trying not to pass out from her perfume.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, a few crew members burst into laughter.
An assistant laughed so hard that he nearly dropped his equipment.
Vivienne’s nails dug into her palms, anger boiling inside her. She couldn’t believe Tony was targeting her so blatantly! But the shoot had already started, leaving her no choice but to endure it.
Suppressing her fury, she shot Wendy a cold glare. “Continue! If it doesn’t turn out well, it’s your lack of skill.”
Wendy had no choice but to adjust the plan, minimizing Tony and Vivienne’s interactions to salvage the shoot.
The second scene required the two to walk toward the camera side by side, exuding elegance.
Tony, hands in his pockets, deliberately slowed his pace. Unaware, Vivienne walked ahead, making it look as though she was hogging the spotlight.
Wendy had to call for another halt. “Vivienne, you’re walking too fast. Remember, Tony is the star of this shoot.”
“Hmph, she probably thinks she’s the star,” someone muttered.
“Yeah, poor Tony, having to work with her,” another whispered.
Though quiet, the murmurs were loud enough for Vivienne to hear. Her composure teetered on the edge of collapse.
She couldn’t fathom why Tony was treating her like this. All she could do was silently pray for the shoot to end quickly.
Turning to Tony, she almost pleaded, “Tony, can you walk a little faster next time?”
Tony nodded.
The shoot resumed.
This time, Vivienne kept her eyes glued to Tony’s movements, determined not to disrupt the rhythm again. She carefully matched his pace, striving for synchronization.
But just as everything seemed to be going smoothly, Tony suddenly took a giant stride, crossing the finish line ahead of her.
Caught off guard, Vivienne tripped over a camera cable, her high heel snagging. She stumbled and fell heavily to the floor.
For two seconds, the studio was silent. Then, laughter erupted.
At that moment, Broad’s car pulled up outside the studio. Traffic had delayed him, and he worried he’d missed the start of the shoot. He reassured himself that with Vivienne present, nothing could go too wrong.
However, the moment he stepped into the studio, he was greeted by waves of laughter.
Broad’s heart sank as he strode toward the set. From the monitor, he saw Vivienne sprawled on the ground, surrounded by laughing crew members.
The laughter ceased abruptly when they noticed Broad’s arrival. The studio fell into a tense silence.
Vivienne, still oblivious to Broad’s presence, struggled to her feet. Her hair was disheveled, and her anger flared.
She turned to Wendy, furious. “Wendy, what’s going on? Why are these cables everywhere?”
Lost in her rage, she hadn’t realized Broad was standing right in front of her, his expression as cold as ice.
As she pushed her hair out of her face, she suddenly locked eyes with his dark, piercing gaze.
Her heart froze.
“Bro…Broad, why are you here?” Her voice trembled, laced with fear.
“Well done.”
Broad’s voice was low, barely restraining his fury. The sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable.
Vivienne, having endured Tony’s mockery all day, now faced Broad’s wrath. Her eyes reddened with frustration, tears threatening to spill.
“It’s Tony! He did this on purpose! He’s sabotaging the shoot!” she stammered, pointing at Tony with a shaky hand.
Broad shifted his gaze to Tony, who lounged casually on a sofa, legs crossed, the picture of indifference.
“I’ve worked with countless partners in my career,” Tony said as he stood and dusted off his pants. “Never have I met someone so impossible to work with.”
He turned to leave, his agent, Ceban, trailing closely behind. As they passed Broad, Ceban sighed regretfully. “Mr. Broad, you’ve just missed a golden opportunity.”
The studio was left in a heavy silence. The crew began packing up their equipment, avoiding eye contact.
Vivienne stood frozen, her hands icy. She didn’t understand-despite her careful efforts, she had not only failed to gain Tony’s favor but had also ruined the collaboration entirely.
Her focus shifted to Broad. She was the victim here. Surely, he would sympathize with her.
But reality shattered her hope.
Broad’s voice was cold and deliberate. “Vivienne, you’re aware of the agreement I made with the board, aren’t you?”
He paused, his tone heavy with disappointment. “Because of you, I may lose all my decision-making power in this company.”