Chapter 11
Yolanda could feel Sophie’s hateful gaze burning into her back, but she didn’t care.
When she finally walked outside with Ian, she stopped, turned her head, and gave him a glance.
He looked cool, not disappointed at all, and that somehow made her a little sad.
Her forced dignity collapsed for a moment, but she quickly pulled herself together.
She opened the passenger door and let him get in first.
He said. “Thanks.”
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Yolanda stepped on the gas. “Starlight Entertainment just invested in two TV dramas. One’s directed by Sean Anderson, the other by Zack White. Same type of show, except Zack’s show only has the male lead and a supporting role left to cast.
“The supporting role’s tricky–nail it, and you’ll gain fans. The male lead’s already cast, and the role isn’t that strong. The script was basically written to make the male lead shine.
“Ian, I’m not going to let Charles ruin your career.”
Sophie wasn’t the type to let things go, but Yolanda was ready to shield lan from all the storms. She believed someone with Ian’s talent shouldn’t be wasted like this.
Ian looked at her, then turned his eyes to the window, staring at the scenery outside. “I’m not scared.”
His words floated in the air like they were carried by the wind.
Yolanda took it as him trying to comfort her. Everyone in showbiz was afraid of being iced out, and with Charles’s power, it would be way too easy to crush their future.
At the end of the day, they were just too weak. They had to get stronger fast.
The car stopped in front of a bar. Yolanda got out and called Zack.
She bounced back quickly, like Sophie’s mess hadn’t touched her at all.
Zack came out himself to greet her. He looked surprised. “Didn’t Sean say you called him?”
“Sean’s not available right now,” Yolanda said. “Mr. White, I brought lan here to meet you.”
Zack was a little flattered by her polite attitude–after all, Yolanda was Charles’s wife.
“Mrs. Sinclair, I-” Zack started.
“Just call me Tessa. From now on,” Yolanda said. “Just let Ian audition like anyone else. If you’re not interested in him, then I’ll have to go ask my brother.”
These days, anyone doing good business ended up investing in entertainment–it was fast money.
But if Yolanda went to the Grant family for help, she’d have to hide Ian.
The Grant family didn’t allow Yolanda to get this close to another man, much less spend time alone with him. Married women had to keep their distance from strangers–it was a rule carved into the family’s bones.
Just as Zack was about to speak, Yolanda smiled and said, “Mr. White, are you free now? We can talk the way we used to–over drinks.”
Zack was polite to Yolanda, but the truth was, he didn’t like her much. Back when she walked away from showbiz, she’d broken several
contracts.
If it weren’t for the fact that he worked for Starlight Entertainment and knew who she really was, he never would’ve come to pick her up himself.
Yolanda could tell he wasn’t happy about it, so she decided to give him the chance to make things hard for her.
Sure enough, Zack gestured toward the bar with a stiff smile. “Alright, Tessa. Let’s talk over a drink.”
As Yolanda stepped forward, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Ian following.
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2:13 AM P P .
Chapter II
His gaze was dark, lips pressed tight, looking anything but pleased.
“Wait in the car,” Yolanda told him.
“I” Ian started, wanting to protest.
“From now on, I’m your manager and assistant. You do what I say,” Yolanda cut him off. “You need to listen.”
Ian froze, his head dropping. After a few seconds, he gave a small nod.
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Since Yolanda had decided to take her career seriously, she wasn’t about to give up at the first bump in the road. Especially when all these bumps were nothing more than karma–her old choices for Charles coming back to bite her now.
“I’ll be fine. Go wait,” she told him.
Everything had to be done by the book. She wasn’t going to spoil her actor like some managers did.
In showbiz, fame could skyrocket overnight–and crash just as fast. Yolanda wanted Ian to be in it for the long haul.
Inside the bar, Zack had already caught wind of what went down with Sean through the group chat. The look he gave Yolanda dripped with disdain.
‘So that was why she quit being a housewife, he thought. ‘Turns out her husband cheated.
His eyes landed on her. Yolanda had a great figure–slim waist, long legs—and even with just a touch of makeup, her face was already stunning.
Zack had been around Hollywood for years, seen more beauties than he could count, but Yolanda still made his eyes light up.
He smiled and had the bar manager bring over a few bottles of hard liquor on purpose.
“Tessa, does Ian want the lead, or just the supporting role?” Zack asked.
Yolanda frowned. Everyone knew the whole point of this drama was to push the male lead. As the director, Zack should’ve known that better than anyone.
But the next second, she understood what he was after.
Zack suddenly placed his hand on her leg. “You’re way too pretty to waste yourself on that cheating husband. If you’d just come around,
Ian could have whatever role he wants.”
Yolanda calmly moved his hand away and gave a faint smile.
“Mr. White, I don’t think you understand,” she said evenly. “Charles can cheat, but I can’t. If I ever did, he might spare me for the Grant family’s sake, but he’d definitely kill my lover.”
Zack froze, realizing what Charles was capable of. Awkwardly, he pulled his hand back. Still, he felt irritated, thinking, “What’s this abandoned woman acting all high and mighty for?‘
Finally, he sneered, “If you can down three bottles of this stuff, I’ll let lan take the supporting role.”
These were high–proof liquors. Three bottles would knock anyone out cold.
But Yolanda had known what she was walking into the moment she decided to return to the industry.
She deftly pulled some hangover pills from her bag, swallowed two, then chugged a bottle of milk. Quietly, she set her phone on the table–recording had already been running.
“Fine,” she said with a smile. “Let’s hope you keep your word.”
When Zack spotted the glowing screen and the recording symbol, his face went pale in an instant.
He knew she was threatening him. If he went back on his word, news of him trying to take advantage of her would end up with Charles.
And then, he’d be finished–blacklisted from the showbiz, maybe even forced out of Beloris entirely.
If he kept his word, Yolanda would have paid a heavy price with those three bottles, and they could call it even.
Zack couldn’t help but admire her guts and cunning. He took a deep breath. “Tessa, with moves like this, if you hadn’t quit back then, you’d probably be managing half a dozen A–listers by now.”
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2:13 AM P P .
Chapter 11
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Yolanda let out a small laugh. “I was pretty stupid back then. My studio’s talents really did give you some trouble. So this drink–let me toast you.”