Joanna had a dejected look on her face. "Well, that's it then. It's probably a lost cause. Good thing I didn't turn down that other variety show offer. I'll go sign the contract with them in a bit."
The two of them chatted as they walked out, with Rhona trailing behind. Just as they were stepping out of the elevator, Joanna's phone rang. "Hello? Who's calling?"
"Agent Joyce, this is Director Quinn's assistant. Your artist just passed her audition. Could you please come over to sign the contract?"
Joanna's voice cracked with surprise. "Yes, yes, of course! I'll be right there. I'm on my way!"
After hanging up, an ecstatic Joanna patted Riley Perry's soft face. "You really did me proud! A part in Director Quinn's show… a role so many people were fighting for, and you just snatched it right up. Come on, let's go! Hurry up and come with me to sign the contract!"
Joanna was genuinely happy. Getting a part in Director Quinn's production was proof that Riley Perry's acting had improved.
There had been a lot of talk online about Riley Perry's bad acting, so maybe this show could help restore her reputation.
Rhona chattered excitedly as well. "Ria, you did so well! Why didn't you say anything just now? Nana was about to pack you up and ship you off to that variety show."
'This was Director Quinn's show! Forty episodes! Even if Rhiannon didn't have many scenes, the pay would still be good. Oh man, with her artist doing so well, she was truly happy as an assistant.'
Half an hour later, the contract was signed. Riley Perry had been a minor celebrity before, and Director Quinn was very impressed with her audition today. Even though it was just a small role as the fifth female lead, she still landed a salary of 1.5 million.
1.5 million sounded like a lot of money—more than an ordinary person might earn in their entire life.
But after the company took its cut and taxes were paid, Riley Perry would only end up with around 400,000 at most.
Riley Perry wasn't greedy, though. At least it was an income. Half the salary was paid upfront, so she would get 200,000.
Leaving Caelus Tower, Joanna waved a hand grandly. "Come on, I'll treat you to a nice meal."
And so, Riley Perry and Rhona were dragged by their "big shot" agent to a seafood hotpot restaurant that cost 98 yuan per person.
"Eat all you want, it's on me! Let's celebrate Ria finally getting into a decent production."
Rhona covered her face as she tugged the "magnanimous" Top Agent Joyce into a small private room. 'Seriously,' she thought. 'I've been with Ria for over half a year, and this is the first time Nana has ever treated us. I can't believe she's so cheap, fobbing us off with a 98-yuan-per-person buffet.'
'I should've just offered to pay myself!'
Riley Perry, on the other hand, was quite happy. Back in The Cultivation Realm, cultivators began abstaining from food after reaching Foundation Establishment. For three hundred years, she had been so busy with her training that she had rarely eaten any real food.
'As for the price, it was all-you-can-eat. A 98-yuan buffet was already pretty great.'
She grabbed a plate and loaded it with seafood. Thinking of a certain someone, Riley Perry smirked, picked up her phone, snapped a photo, and casually sent it to Assistant Hayes with a message: No matter how busy you are at work, don't forget to eat lunch!
Then she found several links online and sent them over as well: #The Dangers of Irregular Eating Habits#, #How to Save Your Stomach#, #The Best Way to Eat Three Meals a Day#...
At that very moment, Henry Hayes was in the middle of a report to Cole Sinclair when his phone started buzzing insistently. DING. DING. DING. DING.
Given his position, he never turned his phone off. The people who had his number were all important, but they almost always called. It was extremely rare for anyone to send him a text message.
Naturally, this caught Cole Sinclair's attention.
Henry Hayes shot him an apologetic smile, glanced at his phone, and then explained in a hushed voice, "It's… It's Miss Perry."
Cole Sinclair frowned, his hands freezing over the documents he was flipping through. "Does she need something?"
"No, it's just… Miss Perry is reminding me to eat lunch on time."
Cole Sinclair's expression turned icy in an instant. "Are you two close?"
'They're already at the point where she's reminding him to eat lunch?'
Henry Hayes was so scared his knees felt weak. "Not at all! We're not close at all! I assume Miss Perry doesn't have your contact info, which is why she sent it to me."
Cole Sinclair's eyes darkened. "Did she ask you for my contact information?"
"No," Henry Hayes answered truthfully.
Cole Sinclair said, "Send it to her." 'Even though Henry Hayes can solve any problem for her,' he thought, 'it just feels wrong for my own pet canary to be texting another man every day.'
Henry Hayes immediately agreed.
'I reminded you to give her your number just yesterday, and what did you say? Oh, that's right: "It's not necessary!"'
'And now all of a sudden it is?'
'Heh. Men are so fickle.'
Soon, Riley Perry received a QR code from a certain someone. Henry Hayes had also thoughtfully sent Cole Sinclair's phone number with a message: Miss Perry, please add the President's contact info.
'Please, never send this stuff to me again,' he silently pleaded. 'I can't afford to mess with a jealous man.'
Riley Perry, of course, saw Henry Hayes's reply. The corners of her lips curved up, and her eyes narrowed into happy crescents. It was obvious she was in a great mood.
Joanna prompted her, "Aren't you going to reply?"
Riley Perry set her phone aside and said nonchalantly, "No rush. I'll do it after we eat."
'That fake Riley Perry had been so smitten by Cole Sinclair's good looks and family background that she hadn't paid any attention to the contract's terms when she signed it.'
'So, after waking up this morning, she had carefully read through the contract she found on the bedside table.'
'The entire contract boiled down to a single core message: President Sinclair was a cold, unfeeling man who would only ever discuss money with Party B, never feelings.'
'If Party B ever deluded herself into trying to get attached to Party A, it would be considered a breach of contract. She would have to pay a hefty fine, and the contract would be terminated immediately.'
'I'm not mad. Not at all. Mr. Sinclair is the crown prince of the Sinclair Family, the sole heir to the Sinclair Conglomerate. His status is on another level. How could an ordinary person like me possibly covet him?'
'But that just makes me especially curious to see what Cole Sinclair will be like when he falls for me.'
After lunch, Joanna drove Riley Perry back to the apartment the company provided. It was a small place—one bedroom, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom. With Rhona helping to keep it tidy, it was clean enough, but it didn't suit Riley Perry's aesthetic sensibilities in the slightest.
Riley Perry knew Nana had driven her back to ask her something. Before Joanna could speak, Riley picked up a pen and paper, sat on the sofa, and wrote out a list. "Rhona, could you please buy these things for me? Try to get everything on the list, and grab some snacks for me while you're at it."
Rhona took the list and headed out. It wasn't until she was in the elevator that she realized it was mostly a list of books. 'Wow,' she thought, 'has Ria had a complete change of heart? Is she planning to start studying hard?'
After she left, Joanna's expression changed instantly. She asked with a grave look, "Alright, talk. What's this about a sponsor?"
Riley Perry sat down beside Joanna, trying to curry favor. She wrapped an arm around Joanna's and rocked it back and forth as she explained, "Nana, don't be mad. I was never planning on hiding this from you.
I was just so furious with that Vernon Jacobs that I acted on impulse and found myself a sponsor. Don't worry, I promise it won't affect my work in any way."
Joanna shot Riley Perry a look of exasperation. "I've told you before that Vernon Jacobs is a schemer. I told you to stay far away from him, but you acted like you were blind and threw yourself at him anyway."
Speaking of which, she couldn't help but feel that the Riley Perry described in the file she'd received when she first became her agent was vastly different from the real Riley Perry.