Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Cassandra’s expression gradually became solemn after she heard Nellie’s question.
As a matter of fact, the time when she last looked in the mirror was not the first time he touched her belly. Orlando assumed that she had gained some weight and playfully teased her about it, saying, “I like it better when your tummy’s a little round. It feels nice.”
Since then, his hand never left her abdomen at night, despite their strained relationship. Every time she woke from her sleep, she would find his hand resting on her waist.
Had Orlando been a bit more observant, he might have noticed the subtle changes in Cassandra. Yet, his heart had never been fully committed to her, so those details flew past him.
Cassandra responded nonchalantly, “Maybe we’ve gone our separate ways before it’s too late to hide. Why bother stirring up trouble?”
If you have no love for someone, anything they do will irk you.
Such thoughts lingered on her mind.
Meanwhile, in another building in Broburgh.
Rebecca found herself getting dragged to the company by Sophia early in the morning. Rebecca had been dealing with many problems over the past few days. In the ruthless world of showbiz, a single misstep could unleash a torrent of public criticism. Recognizing the need for foresight, she resolved to devise strategies early. NôvelDrama.Org owns this.
Sophia briefed Rebecca about an invitation from a sponsor, saying, “We have a dinner tonight. Secure a sponsorship for your new song, and all the problems you’re facing will go away.”
“I’m not interested. Mr. Ross is fat and gross. I don’t wanna have dinner with him.” Rebecca dismissed the ideal without a second thought. Despite catching some flak after the birthday banquet, she did not plan on enduring it any longer.
However, Sophia persisted. “Rebecca, we really need this sponsorship. Once we lock it down, they won’t ridicule you anymore. It’s just a meal. Plus, I’ll be with you the whole time. You can handle it, right?”
Undeterred, Rebecca shot back with a hint of annoyance in her voice, “I’ve got an innocent idol image going on. What if I get photographed eating with that revolting guy?”
Sophia scowled. Rebecca was her cash cow, so she had no choice but to let her be.
Tension hung in the air.
After a beat of silence, Sophia leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice, “Rebecca, you’ve been taking the heat. lately, and Mr. Quinn is giving you the silent treatment. Are you gonna let that slide?”
Rebecca was caught off guard.
Despite her recent attempts to reach Orlando, that man remained indifferent. She didn’t know whether it was because of Peter’s birthday banquet or Cassandra. Rebecca tried hard, but her efforts were in vain.
Rebecca pursed her lips then asked, “So, what should I do?”
Sophia leaned closer and pitched a plan. When Rebecca heard her agent’s suggestion, her eyes immediately lit up. With a grin across her face, she said, “I’m not gonna stop at making him jealous. I want everyone to see how much Landy cares about me, even if it means becoming a laughingstock.”
Sophia wanted to stop Rebecca, but she stayed quiet and let the latter run with her plans.
Rebecca agreed to her agent’s plan and showed up at the restaurant her sponsor had booked for the evening.
Trevor never took his eyes off Rebecca. “Ms. Spencer, you look stunning as always. I hope we can work together,” he remarked.
The words “work together” carried a certain weight and seemed to hint at something beyond a mere professional collaboration.
Rebecca held back the intense displeasure within her and kept smiling.
Trevor’s secretary dropped a subtle hint. “Ms. Spencer, a collaboration between you and Mr. Ross would be like match made in heaven. He’s easy to work with, and as long as he’s pleased, the sponsorship amount won’t be an issue. You mustn’t miss out on this opportunity.”
Rebecca did not utter a single word and only put on a subtle smile. Sophia quickly responded on her behalf, “Mr. Ross, thank you for your generosity toward Ms. Spencer. As her agent, I sincerely appreciate it.”
Despite being moderately famous, Rebecca found herself bowing to wealth.
In order to hide Rebecca’s disdain from Trevor, Sophia tactfully guided her through toast several times, causing her to feel a little lightheaded.
During the dinner, Rebecca kept signaling Sophia to call Orlando.
She swiftly came up with an excuse to leave the private room and quickly dialed Orlando’s number. “Mr. Quinn,
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this is Rebecca’s agent. I apologize for disturbing you at this late hour.”
“What’s the matter?” Orlando asked curtly.
Sophia explained, “Mr. Quinn, Rebecca has had a bit too much to drink. Could you come and pick her up? She’s at a crucial point in her career, and I’m worried that being photographed in this state could harm her future.”
“You’re her agent, so it’s your job to protect her image and interests. Don’t come to me and ask me to clean up your mess,” Orlando replied, wanting to hang up. His displeasure was evident in his tone.
Sensing his irritation, Sophia quickly apologized. She turned around and peeked through the gap in the door to find Trevor leering at Rebecca. She noticed Trevor’s hand landing on Rebecca’s shoulder without that woman noticing. Anxiously, she implored, “Mr. Quinn, I’m begging you. Please come and take Rebecca home. We came to meet her sponsor, but he was too powerful and we couldn’t stop him from giving Rebecca wine.
After she finished speaking, there was a brief silence on the line.
Then, she heard Orlando’s voice again. “Where are you guys?” he asked.
Sophia hurriedly provided the address and added, “Mr. Quinn, we’ll be waiting for you here.”
After ending the call, Orlando remained by the bedroom window, tightly gripping his phone and not getting up immediately. He wore a serious, though indifferent, expression on his handsome face.
The bathroom door opened and Cassandra came out.
He turned to glance at her nonchalantly. “I’ll be heading out for a bit.”
“It’s so late. Where are you going?” she casually asked.
Orlando furrowed his brows slightly, and a there was subtle change in his expression. In contrast to her recent coldness, Cassandra’s attitude toward him seemed to have changed.
He slightly pursed his thin lips. “Lloyd and the others are out drinking. They asked me to join them for a bit.”
“Okay,” Cassandra responded faintly.
Orlando left the Dustmeadow Mansion with his clothes and car keys. An inexplicable feeling lingered in his heart -he couldn’t quite grasp why he lied to Cassandra.
However, he knew that telling the truth would only upset her and possibly make her even more distant.
During their recent interactions, Orlando couldn’t help but notice how cold and aloof she was. That side of
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Cassandra was unfamiliar to him, and was something he hoped not to witness again.
Orlando arrived at the restaurant where Rebecca was. He did not get out of the car and saw Sophia supporting Rebecca at the entrance, flanked by two men.
He
e sat motionless. When he saw a chubby man reaching for Rebecca, he pushed open the car door and stepped
out.
Sophia spotted him and greeted him as if he were Rebecca’s last hope. She quickly waved as she called out, “Mr. Quinn.”
She hurriedly turned to Rebecca and said, “Rebecca, Mr. Quinn’s here to pick you up.”
At the mention of Orlando’s name, Rebecca sobered up considerably. She let go of Sophia’s hand and dashed toward Orlando, seeking refuge in his arms.
Orlando reached out to steady her and keep her from stumbling. Rebecca grabbed his waist and buried her head in his chest. Feeling aggrieved, she whispered, “Landy, it’s been a long time since you talked to me: Are you angry at me?”