Chapter 3

"But giving up this fast is honestly a letdown."

"Where's the fun in that? No challenge at all."

"Or you could hold out a little longer. I've still got plenty of tricks I haven't used."

Jeffrey said it without a trace of shame.

"Jeff, that's the Angela Salazar you were talking about?"

"Doesn't look like she's got as much backbone as you said."

The young woman trailing behind him spoke up.

The look she gave me carried contempt, and a thread of jealousy underneath it.

"She's prettier than you, at least!"

"Better presence, too. She could hold her own against any of our A-listers."

Jeffrey laughed, pleased with himself.

The woman gave a cold snort and rolled her eyes.

"Then why don't you make her your manager?"

Jeffrey just pinched her cheek.

"Ha, Tessa Perry, are you jealous?"

"Once she's mine, I'm getting her signed to the company as talent."

"You'll manage both of us. Straight promotion for you."

The woman's eyes lit up at once.

She turned to me, all mockery.

"Angela Salazar, it's your good fortune that Jeff even looks at you."

"Congratulations. You'll be moving up in the world before long."

My face went cold.

A manager helping a monster do its dirty work. So little professional integrity.

How had Skyworks Media ever let someone like her in?

"Move. Stop blocking my way."

I couldn't be bothered to argue with them.

Jeffrey's smile dropped instantly, and his face went startled.

"What, changed your mind?"

"Are you mad about what I said just now?"

"All right, don't sulk. I was only teasing you."

"Just be good and give in to me, and everything's easy!"

There was almost a pleading note in his voice.

I laughed out of sheer disbelief.

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm here to see my mother."

Jeffrey looked startled again.

"Your mother works here too? What does she do?"

Tessa gave a scornful little laugh.

"She's not on the cleaning crew, is she?"

"What, you want your mom to put in a good word for you?"

Jeffrey's face turned cold as well.

"Nobody's word will help. I'm not letting you off!"

"If you dare defy me, I'll have the company fire your mother!"

The full domineering-CEO act, overbearing and grand.

I couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Fine, let me tell you. My mother's name is Georgina Pruitt."

Jeffrey frowned.

"Who's Georgina Pruitt? Never even heard of her…"

But Tessa suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Ms. Pruitt! Our company's owner!"

Jeffrey jolted from head to toe and stared at me, panic all over his face.

"Your mom—your mom is the owner of our company?"

I nodded.

"That's right. Georgina Pruitt is my mother."

Jeffrey and Tessa looked at each other.

Both of them at a loss for what to do.

But then Tessa's brow suddenly furrowed.

"No, that's not right. I heard the owner only has a son."

"He's studying abroad right now!"

Jeffrey's eyes lit up at once.

"You're sure?"

Tessa nodded hard.

"Sure. I never heard anything about the owner having a daughter."

Jeffrey narrowed his eyes at me.

"Not bad. You'd actually dare pose as our owner's daughter to scare me?"

"Too bad this little trick won't fool me!"

"You'd better wise up and quit the pointless struggling!"

For a moment I had nothing to say.

Because I was a girl, and had no interest in the entertainment world.

To protect me, my mother.

Had never once made my identity public.

So outsiders only knew my mother had a son.

"If you don't believe me, fine."

I walked straight past them.

"Fine, fine, fine, Angela Salazar. We'll see about that."

"Since you still don't know what's good for you, this is the perfect chance to show you my other methods!"

Jeffrey shouted after me, seething.

After that I went to my own studio and got to work.

Only, after a while, the mood in the office started turning strange.

The employees kept glancing over at me.

Every one of those looks odd, edged with doubt.