But just before Andrew was about to speak again, Amy's voice came over the phone again, this time in a more collected tone.
"And that's not all, Andrew. There is a strong possibility that more clients will follow suit."
"Then let them follow," Andrew said through gritted teeth despite knowing his rash answer would do them no good. Still, his anger got the better of him. "If they want to cancel the contracts because of this, so be it. Even the penalty fee won't be an issue for us."
There was a short silence from the other end of the line.
"You know it's not about the penalty fee, Andrew," Amy said calmly. "It's about Jessica's image and her future. Once these clients start leaving, it'll be a chain reaction. The more clients who walk away, the more damage it will do to her reputation. And once her reputation is damaged, it'll be hard for her to get new contracts, especially from major brands."
This time, Andrew didn't respond, but he understood what Amy was getting at. He knew the entertainment industry was a business built on images. And now that Jessica's image had been tarnished, the companies would be reluctant to work with her, fearing it would affect their own brands.
After not getting any reply from him, Amy let out a frustrated sigh. "Alright, this is what you'll do: come to the agency right now. We need to have an emergency press conference to address this situation. Bring Jessica with you. And for God's sake, try to keep calm. Don't cause another scene like the one you did at the party."
Andrew's jaw tightened at the reminder, and he suddenly realized something crucial: this might be connected to that incident with Thomas.
"I think I know who's behind this," Andrew said, his voice cold as ice. "It's Thomas. The bastard I beat up at the party."
"It's possible, but we can't just point fingers without proof, Andrew. Right now, we need to focus on damage control. We'll worry about the 'who' later," Amy countered before continuing in a serious tone. "We need to craft a statement and decide how to move forward. So be here in thirty minutes. Not a second later."
"Alright," Andrew agreed, his mind already racing through their options. "We'll be there."
He ended the call and turned to Jessica, who was now staring at the floor, her expression unreadable.
"Hey, look at me," Andrew said gently, lifting her chin to meet her gaze. "Don't worry, we'll get through this. Together."
"I'm not worried about the photos, Andrew." Jessica replied with a surprising calm, her blue eyes no longer trembling but cold and determined. "They're just my body. And the people who will see them are either perverts who will lust after me or women who will envy me."
She paused, her gaze shifting to the window. "What I'm upset about is that someone violated my privacy. That some bastard felt proud to show the world my most intimate moments for whatever cheap thrill or petty revenge. That's what pisses me off."
Lisa looked at Jessica in surprise, then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're much stronger than I thought, Jessica."
"What are you saying, Mommy? I'm a top model. I've seen worse things than this. It's just that if I had known something like this would happen..." Jessica's voice trailed off as her eyes fell on her brother. "I should've done nude photoshoots properly on my own terms and not let some creep decide how the world should see me naked."
For a moment, Andrew forgot about the crisis as he stared at his sister, stunned by her unexpected reaction. He had expected tears, panic, perhaps even anger. But not this... this strange sense of acceptance combined with a hint of regret.
"You know," Andrew finally spoke, "I feel stupid for asking now. You're indeed a different breed of woman."
"Haha... And you're just realizing it now?" Jessica replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm just an open-minded, free-spirited person."
The exchange, though brief, helped diffuse some of the tension in the room. It was as if Jessica's acceptance of the situation had somehow lightened the mood, making the crisis seem more manageable than it had just moments before.
Lisa, however, was still concerned. "Even if you're fine with it, this is already damaging your career, Jessica. Not to mention, the people around you will also start looking at you differently."
"I know, Mommy. But crying or panicking won't solve the problem, will it? Besides, if people treat me differently just because of some naked pictures, then they're not worth my time from now on. I will still stand by my decision: I will live by my rules and not according to others' expectations."
Jessica's words were strong and confident, and Lisa felt that perhaps she shouldn't worry too much about her. Instead, she decided to support her in any way she could.
"I think we should get going. We shouldn't keep Amy waiting," Andrew said, checking the time.
"Give me a few minutes to get ready," Jessica said, then turned and ran back upstairs.
Andrew nodded and watched her go before turning to Lisa, who came over to wrap her arms around his neck.
"Be careful, Andrew. I don't want you to get into any more trouble," she whispered in his ear, then gave him a gentle kiss. "Also, keep an eye on Jessica. No matter how strong she seems, this is still a hard thing to go through."
"I will, Mommy. I promise." Andrew hugged her back before letting go. "And don't worry, I'll be calm." He finished with a smirk. "Unless someone crosses my line again."
Lisa shook her head at his playful words but smiled nonetheless. "Just... try your best, okay? For Jessica? And for me?" Her eyes searched his, filled with genuine concern.
Andrew saw the worry in her eyes, and his smirk softened into a reassuring smile. "Alright, I promise. For you both."
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