"I was held up by something," Melody Monroe replied calmly, looking past Raymond Ford. She didn't see Rose Shaw. "Raymond, have you seen Rose?"
"I saw her at the venue, but I don't know where she is now. Melody, are you saying you were late and didn't even get into the venue? You've just been waiting out here for over two hours?" Raymond Ford's voice grew a little louder.
Everyone nearby could hear him clearly.
Sure enough, many people turned to glance at Melody Monroe.
Someone immediately couldn't help but start laughing.
"If you can't get in, why are you standing here waiting like an idiot?"
"Exactly! Is there something wrong with her brain?"
Raymond Ford looked at Melody Monroe with a remorseful expression. "Rose went to great lengths to get this spot for you. Ugh, what a shame. Even though you couldn't get in today, Rose thinks so highly of you, and you have so much going for you. You're bound to be a huge star in the future."
Melody Monroe looked at Raymond Ford. 'This guy seems so concerned about me on the surface, but he actually has ulterior motives, doesn't he?'
'We're both with Stellaris and both artists under Rose Shaw. My existence must be a significant threat to him. It'd be a miracle if he were genuinely nice to me.'
'Did Raymond Ford sabotage my dress?'
"Raymond, you have to catch the earliest flight back to the set tomorrow. You should head back and get some rest," Leah Young reminded him.
"Melody, I have to go now. It's too bad you're not still on set with us. We could have gone back together."
"Yes, a real shame," Melody Monroe replied with a smile.
Based on all the novels she'd read, her bitch-detecting skills told her one thing: Raymond Ford was, without a doubt, a "white lotus."
As Rose Shaw walked out of the venue, she spotted Melody Monroe at a glance. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.
Melody Monroe saw Rose Shaw too and immediately walked over to her.
"We'll talk back at the hotel," Rose Shaw said curtly before walking ahead.
Melody Monroe had no choice but to follow. Judging by the look on Rose Shaw's face, her failure to enter the venue and meet that producer meant there was probably no hope for the new role.
Back at the hotel, before Melody Monroe could even change out of her gown, there was a knock on the door.
Talia Mercer immediately went to open the door, and Rose Shaw walked in.
"Rose, I'm sorry. Something came up on my end, and I didn't make it to the venue on time," Melody Monroe said, getting straight to the point.
Rose Shaw walked over to the sofa and sat down, her exquisitely made-up face revealing little emotion.
"What kind of something?"
"My gown was damaged—someone tampered with it. I rushed back to change, but then the elevator malfunctioned, so I missed the entry time. I'm sorry, Rose. I've caused you trouble."
"You haven't really caused me any trouble. You've just missed another opportunity, that's all."
"Rose, Melody's gown was ruined on purpose! And the person who did it is from our own company. This has to be investigated!" Talia Mercer said angrily, taking out the gown and placing it on the table in front of Rose Shaw.
Rose Shaw didn't even glance at the gown. She pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.
Melody Monroe found that the way Rose Shaw smoked was even more captivating than how it was described in the book, possessing a unique charm.
It brought to mind a single rose blooming on the vine-covered walls of a castle that had slept for a thousand years.
"Is there any proof?" Rose Shaw asked.
"No," Melody Monroe said, shaking her head.
"I'm not a detective, and I don't have time to deal with such trivial matters."