Chapter 31
Before attending this meeting, I had a conversation with PulseFive, the boyband managed by SummitGlow Talent. The group of five young male idols shared their frustrations with me.
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"Our March single barely made an impact," Alex said, running a hand through his damp blonde hair. "Midnight Dreams' didn't meet our expectations, and with no proper promotion, we've lost our drive. The agency's treatment has drained our passion."
Another member spoke up, his voice edged with weariness. "Ms. Prescott, we came here today to discuss terminating our contract. The group has made no progress, and we're exhausted."
A third member chimed in, "They always blame budget issues when we ask to join summer festivals or radio tours. But without exposure, how can the public even recognize μs?"
"We had hopes when Mr. Blake took charge months ago," Jordan said bitterly. "But nothing changed. If anything, things got worse."
I carefully listened to their grievances, and after conducting a thorough
investigation, I uncovered the truth: the agency had been siphoning off the funds allocated for the group's promotions.
Now, in Conference Room A, I activated the 85-inch display screen, illuminating my detailed report. It outlined company's expenses from the previous year up to its bankruptcy and eventual acquisition by Grayson.
I pointed to the highlighted figures on the screen. "According to this investigation, millions were allocated to promote PulseFive during that time-until the first quarter, when Mr. Blake took over. However, the evidence shows that no such promotions ever took place. It's clear that someone-or perhaps several individuals-in this room have been embezzling the agency's funds."
All
turned to Mr. Brown, the current head of this agency.
"This is nonsense!" he growled, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. "Who's going to believe a lowly celebrity over
19noveldrama
The room filled with skeptical glances.
"Come on, guys! You can't seriously believe this!" he sneered, his gaze fixed on the company's finance officer. "Back me up here. This is ridiculous, right?"
I presented another report outlining the events Pulse Five was supposed to attend. The list included international performances, but these events never occurred, according to their leader, Alex. Some of their fans had already started supporting a different boyband.
In the end, the group had been stuck and unable to move forward.
"The numbers don't lie, Mr. Brown," I continued. "Eight separate wire transfers to offshore accounts. All traced back to you."
Not a single person at the table stood up for him, and soon, the police arrived, handcuffing him and escorting him out of the office.
"Now, let's talk business, shall we?" I said, my voice steady. "If any of you think this is some joke, the door's right there. Feel free to leave because I don't want to work with anyone who doesn't trust me. It's better to cut ties now."
The room fell silent. No one spoke. I knew they still didn't trust me, but I wouldn't waste the opportunity Grayson had given
1. me.
***
When Thursday night came-the night of our next live stream-that's when we received a series of unsettling updates.
19:30 Sat, 12 Apr 1.
"Fifteen percent of pre-orders were canceled," one staff informed.
<35588
"We released the promotional video for some major shows, but it got rejected due to a conflict with the booty product Sabrina Morrison is promoting reported the marketing team.
"Most of our potential buyers were Sabrina's followers. Some videos have circulated showing that you pushed her into the pool," one staff member added.
"Even though Sabrina publicly claimed it was an accident-that your drew got caught on hers, causing both of you to fall into the pool-it still damaged your reputation. When you think about it, it's almost like she's the one who sparked the rumors and anger from netizens."
Of course, who else but Sabrina could be so good at spinning storieý
"So, the customers changed their minds. In just a few days, Bloomify's sales of
the sets are looking pretty poor," another staff member hesitated, her voice heavy with concern.
It was clear Cassie was upset. "So none of the shows accept the ad for their campaigns?"
"Bloomify's sales numbers are concerning," one staff continued hesitantly. "And none of the major networks will run our ads -they're saying our budget can't compete with Sabrina's beauty campaign."
I felt the pressure but knew I had to trust my instincts.
"What are you thinking, Isabella?" Cassie asked, worry lacing her voice.
"I'm sure Charlotte's behind this. My cousin Jake showed up days ago at SummitGlow's office, and he said Auntie sent food, which got me curious. But I know he's reporting back to Charlotte," I whispered to Cassie.
“That bastard! Is he still Charlotte's lapdog?"
"Unfortunately, he's not just a lapdog. He's in a secret relationship with Charlotte," I said with a sigh.
"Tss! I'm not surprised anymore. We both know how evil that woman is. It's only Lucas who still believes his girlfriend couldn't even break a plate," Cassie said sarcastically.
The live stream was about to start, so I quickly snapped back into my usual composure.
The comment section was chaotic for the first ten minutes. However, I couldn't help noticing that the number of items sold was still under a thousand-compared to the fifty thousand units we sold during the last livestream.
"Oh my God!" one of the marketing staff exclaimed. "Ms. Isabella is trending on social media again!"
I forced a smile, though I couldn't help feeling nervous about the bad news they might bring.
Then I saw the comment section blow up.
"Guys, all the Times Square screens show Isabella's Bloomify!"
"Every LED board on Broadway is showing it!"
Another comment came in: "In SoFi Stadium too!"
"I'm at AT&T Plaza! Oh my God!"
"Hold your breath, sisters! My cousin just sent me a video-the ads are at Shibuya Crossing!"
"Ms. Isabella is amazing! I can only imagine how big the budget must be for this beauty product!"
19:30 Sat, 12 Apr D
Someone else added, "It's lighting up Marina Bay Sands!"
I stared at the screens, my carefully maintained composure cracking. What was happening?
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