Chapter 42: Chapter 42: I’m Here to Vent, Not to Be Reasonable
That final "Hmm?" sent Ray Warner and Tom Chase into a fit of frantic head-shaking.
They felt a cold chill run down their spines, and their whole bodies went numb.
"Miss Sterling, how could we possibly bear such a huge responsibility? You see..." Ray Warner forced an awkward smile. When he saw Cecilia Sterling staring at him without expression, he cast all other concerns aside, yanked Tom Chase in front of him, and snapped, "You! You tell her! Explain everything to Miss Sterling clearly."
’Right now, Tom Chase wished he could turn invisible. Or maybe transform into a speck of dust and drift into a crack in the floor. Anything, as long as it meant he didn’t have to stand here and face this.’
"S-S-Sorry," Tom Chase stammered. The moment the words left his mouth, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a glance at James Lockwood, the very picture of a thief with a guilty conscience.
James Lockwood’s brow furrowed. "Why do you keep looking at me? Is something written on my face? Just tell us what happened!"
"It wasn’t... President Lockwood, it was someone from our company who... who suggested it. Am I allowed to say?" Tom Chase asked, breaking out in a sweat. His armpits were already soaked through.
The moment James Lockwood heard it was someone from his own company, his heart sank.
Seeing Miss Sterling’s gaze turn to him, he decided to ask directly. "Who? Jessica Reynolds?"
He’d only thrown out a wild guess, not expecting to hit the mark. When Tom Chase nodded, James Lockwood’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Jessica Reynolds?" he asked, completely taken aback. "Why on earth would she give Lily Sterling a hard time?"
’Jessica Reynolds is an A-list actress at the peak of her career. She has a solid filmography, a huge online fanbase, and a collection of awards. A newcomer could only dream of reaching her level. How could Lily possibly be a threat to her?’
"How should I know?" Tom Chase replied, looking like the unluckiest man alive.
’He was just doing a simple favor, something incredibly common in their circle. How did I end up kicking a steel plate? That Jessica Reynolds is a real jinx.’
Cecilia Sterling wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with Jessica Reynolds. Her roommate, Estelle Goodman, had recently been binge-watching a drama that featured the actress. Apparently, she specialized in playing villainesses and had taken on many similar roles.
From the very beginning, she had never believed it was a staff member’s oversight, nor had she bought the excuse that the stage was too small. For her sister to be barred from the stage for such a bizarre reason, it had to be a deliberate attack by someone with malicious intent.
"Miss Sterling, Jessica Reynolds is one of our company’s artists. The fact that she is involved in this shows a lack in our management. I will handle this matter with the utmost seriousness, I assure you."
James Lockwood made no attempt to protect one of his own—not that he had any standing to do so in front of Cecilia Sterling. He immediately adopted a serious and respectful attitude.
Cecilia Sterling looked at him and asked directly, "Mr. Lockwood, how do you plan to handle Jessica Reynolds?"
James Lockwood was at a loss for words for a moment. He hesitated before saying, "I haven’t quite figured that out yet. But please, rest assured, Miss Sterling. I will make sure the resolution is to your satisfaction."
"However, replacing her is likely impossible, and I must explain the situation to you upfront, Miss Sterling. First, while she is one of our artists, she signed a binding contract when she got the role. Second, the main cast was already announced at the press conference. If we were to suddenly replace her now, it would have a major impact on the show. We also have to consider the public reaction online. Wouldn’t you agree?"
Cecilia Sterling raised an eyebrow slightly at his words. What James Lockwood said was pragmatic. He wasn’t deliberately defending Jessica Reynolds but was considering the bigger picture.
Her goal was to get an explanation, not to target James Lockwood or his company. She knew he had sold his house for this project; he cared more than anyone about the show’s success.
"Mr. Lockwood, I won’t make things difficult for you. Since Jessica Reynolds wouldn’t let my sister appear at the press conference, I’ll just have to give her a taste of her own medicine. From this moment on, all official accounts for *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix* are forbidden from publishing any materials, news updates, or behind-the-scenes content related to Jessica Reynolds. Furthermore, she is banned from all future promotional activities!"
"What?" Tom Chase blurted out instinctively. "President Lockwood, Jessica Reynolds is the second female lead! That’s not reasonable, is it?"
"’Reasonable’?" Cecilia Sterling turned to Tom Chase. "Do you think I’m here to be reasonable with you?"
"I’m here to stand up for my sister, not to argue about what’s reasonable!"
Her words shut Tom Chase up instantly. Standing behind him, Ray Warner wished he could just kick the man.
James Lockwood quickly nodded in agreement. "No problem, Miss Sterling. As long as you’re not asking us to replace her, I’ll agree to all your demands."
Hearing James Lockwood’s response, Cecilia Sterling felt a little better, but she wasn’t finished. She looked back at him and continued, "And what about my sister? How do you plan to appease her, Mr. Lockwood? You don’t intend to let her suffer today’s humiliation for nothing, do you?"
"Of course not. Here’s the deal, Miss Sterling. Our company has several upcoming shows in the works. Your sister gets first pick of any uncast role. Whichever part she wants, just say the word, and I’ll personally guarantee she gets it!" James Lockwood pulled out his phone, ready to make good on his promise. "I’ll have my team put together a list right away and send it directly to your sister later. She can choose for herself."
Cecilia Sterling was quite satisfied with this offer. It was sincere and substantial.
’For a newcomer like her sister, being able to pick her own role is something she couldn’t even dream of. She’s going to be thrilled.’
Cecilia Sterling nodded. After taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet. James Lockwood scrambled up as well, cautiously watching her expression.
She paused for a moment before speaking. "This matter ends here. And don’t let my sister know about any of this."
"I understand, Miss Sterling. You can rest assured," James Lockwood promised, nodding eagerly.
With nothing more to be said, Cecilia Sterling composed herself. She politely declined James Lockwood’s offer of a ride and left on her own.
The moment Cecilia Sterling was gone, James Lockwood felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He let out a huge sigh of relief and sank back into his chair.
Having made such a colossal mistake, Ray Warner didn’t dare to even breathe too loudly. He simply burned Cecilia Sterling’s face into his memory, vowing to never, ever cross her again.
Only Tom Chase was left secretly gritting his teeth. His anger wasn’t directed at Cecilia Sterling, of course, but at Jessica Reynolds, who had nearly ruined him.
"Tom Chase, is it?" Having caught his breath, James Lockwood suddenly turned to him, his expression cold as ice. "Pack your things, go to HR, and file your resignation. Then get the hell out of my sight!"
"P-President Lockwood..." Tom Chase was stunned, but James Lockwood simply stood up and walked away without a backward glance.
After leaving the building, Cecilia Sterling didn’t head straight back to school. Instead, she sat down at a nearby coffee shop. Just as she was about to scan a QR code to order, her phone buzzed with a text message.
She casually tapped it open, and her eyes instantly widened in shock.
Your card ending in *1069 received a cross-bank transfer of 74,800.00 Dollars at 15:00 on September 20 from the Lorcain branch. Current balance: 4,837,159.88 Dollars. Payer: Cathay Department of Space Exploration and Research. Memo: August Salary. [Construction Bank]
Cecilia Sterling stared at the unbelievable message, completely stunned. The "Cathay Department of Space Exploration and Research" was the organization where she had worked for decades. The amount, 74,800 Dollars, was her final month’s salary before she retired. And it had been deposited into her account right on schedule, on the 20th of the month—payday!
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