Chapter 22

One wrong note made Katie Adams frown and get distracted. But she quickly realized that she hadn’t made any sound at all. Even if she really had made a mistake, it wasn’t a big deal.

As long as the tape is playing in the background, there’s no problem.

Calmed down, Katie Adams regained her composure and continued to pretend to sing.

Although to outsiders, it seemed like she was only stunned for a few brief seconds, during those moments of daze, her singing remained beautiful. To some who paid close attention to details, however, this was a significant clue.

Those who noticed this immediately started mocking it on Weibo.

[White’s Blackness: I’ve discovered something quite amusing. So-called talented woman Katie Adams isn’t that great after all…)

Below are several comparisons between the audio and screen recordings, revealing Katie Adams’s fake singing during the show.

[Bye bye: Ugh… What a shocker! Some people are really talented at pretending to be perfect, but in reality, they’re just as terrible as before.]

Of course, in complete contrast to Katie Adams is Simone Milton. Simone Milton’s performance on the show can be said to have once again impressed many netizens who were already familiar with her.

Until now, although they had a vague idea that Simone Milton was a singer, they had never truly realized, as clearly as they do today, that Simone Milton is indeed a singer.

For a time, online comments about Simone Milton and Katie Adams were extremely polarized. While some tried to take advantage of the situation, most netizens were sharp-eyed. It wasn’t easy for anyone to try to manipulate the situation.

In summary, this variety show can be considered a successful and fulfilling conclusion.

Although I watched the replay in Georgia and learned about everything that happened during the show, I also learned that Simone Milton didn’t behave as he claimed she would. Thankfully, Simone Milton’s reputation wasn’t damaged this time around.

Sitting in the van, Georgia told Simone Milton about her plans for tomorrow. Thinking about Simone Milton’s arbitrary decisions during the show, Georgia couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

“This time, I’ll let you go… Tomorrow, you have a lipstick endorsement with Xiangmi. Although this brand isn’t considered a major one, and can only be regarded as a mid-range brand among domestic brands, it’s still the best opportunity you’ve gotten lately. I hope you’ll make the most of it.” Georgia spoke slowly.

Honey Scent’s lipstick? After thinking carefully for a moment, Simone Milton recalled a little bit of information about this lipstick.

In the original story, this lipstick brand was also mentioned. However, since the original character wasn’t around at that time, and the products became extremely popular in those two shows, they instead caused widespread criticism online. So, this lipstick brand had nothing to do with the original character.

Simone Milton remembered that the last remaining lipstick sample ended up in Katie Adams’s hands. Thanks to this lipstick ad, Katie Adams became a national sensation overnight.

In fact, when Katie Adams’ advertisement was aired, the line “A woman should treat herself well…” became one of the most popular phrases of the year, gaining widespread acclaim among women.

Unexpectedly, after she arrived here, she changed the original owner’s image, and was able to land such a great deal.

Simone Milton certainly has no intention of giving away such a valuable resource to Katie Adams. After all, she’s confident that she can do a better job than Katie Adams with her own abilities.

While it might seem a bit arrogant to say so, Simone Milton believes she has the right to be arrogant.

“Don’t worry, Georgia. I certainly won’t let you down. I’ll keep this resource firmly in my hands!” Simone Milton said confidently to Georgia.

“It’s good to be confident. But in any case, don’t let me down tomorrow! After all, the advertising agency didn’t choose you specifically. If you don’t perform well, they might replace you at any time!” Seeing Simone Milton so full of enthusiasm, Georgia couldn’t help but speak up and pour cold water on her enthusiasm.

Upon hearing these words, Simone Milton finally calmed down for a moment.

Just then, a luxury car with a sleek and understated appearance drove up next to their nanny car. The passenger side window of the luxury car was lowered, revealing the face of the bodyguard.

“Miss Milton, our boss wants you to come in,” said the bodyguard after opening the car window.

Upon hearing this, Georgia’s eyes widened immediately. He glanced at Simone Milton, feeling a bit worried.

Simone Milton saw Georgia’s worried expression and quietly shook her head, signaling that there was no need to worry.

“Don’t worry, Georgia… she’s someone I know. You don’t need to accompany me any further,” said Simone Milton.

“He can’t possibly be yours…” Georgia simply refused to say who that “sponsor” was. Her face showed concern. She was afraid that Simone Milton might be blinded by the glitz of the entertainment world and become even more impulsive as a result.

If this had happened in the past, Georgia would never have bothered to intervene when it discovered such a situation. But lately, Simone Milton has been so obedient and well-behaved that he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“Where were your thoughts? I and that gentleman have only a normal relationship between us… As for anything more, I really can’t tell you…” Simone Milton said, wearing a playful expression.

She repeatedly assured Georgia that she hadn’t done anything illegal or improper. Only after that did she quietly get into Nick Arthur’s car.

Seeing Simone Milton leave, Georgia could only sigh helplessly. She thought to herself that hopefully, Simone Milton would know when to stop.

Simona Milton, who was now in another luxury car, saw Simona Milton with dark circles under her eyes the moment she looked at her.

“You’ve finally arrived. You’ve had a fulfilling time lately,” said Simone Milton with certainty.

As he spoke, he leaned naturally against Simone Milton, squinting his eyes slightly, clearly enjoying himself.

“Yes, I’ve been quite busy lately. I really can’t spend that much time with Mr. Arthur. I’m very sorry for that!” Simone Milton was sensible enough to feel apologetic for neglecting her own friend during this time.

Upon hearing these words, Simone Milton’s discomfort finally subsided.

In fact, he didn’t really think Simone Milton was that strange. In his opinion, although Simone Milton had been busy lately, she still took the time to inquire about his situation. That was already quite nice of her.

As for why he thought that Simone Milton was busy during this time yet still inquired about him, it had to be attributed to what Assistant Hobson had said.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that Simone Milton hasn’t been part of her life for such a long time just because of that cold she had last time.

In fact, although that cold seemed serious at the time, he eventually managed to get through it unharmed.

The reason he hasn’t been in touch with Simone Milton for so long is simple: Arthur has big plans going on right now.

Yes, it’s simply because Ann has been quite busy lately that Nick Arthur hasn’t had much opportunity to interact with Simone Milton.

Now that Arthur Group’s busy period is finally over, Nick Arthur can finally go look for his “Goddess of Sleep” and get a good night’s rest.

But unexpectedly, this time, when Nick Arthur went to see Simone Milton, he was extremely tired, yet his mind was full of excitement. He looked forward to continuing the conversation with Simone Milton.

It was as though, just by sitting next to Simone Milton, he had countless things he wanted to say to her.

“You don’t need to apologize to me. After all, strictly speaking, it wasn’t me who came to you,” Nick Arthur said with a smile. “Besides, don’t forget, we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s not right to act so formal between us.”

Such a seemingly joking remark made Simone Milton’s heart tremble. Undeniably, when Nick Arthur said those words, her heart was deeply moved.

For a moment, Simone Milton thought the man beside her was incredibly charming. It seemed as though they weren’t just fake lovers acting together, but real lovers indeed.

She’s falling for the person right beside her!

But soon, Simone Milton put this illusion-like feeling behind her. She was afraid not only because of Martha, but also because of the ending of the original story.

Due to her fear of the original ending, she had no choice but to proceed carefully and step by step, in order to change her own future and avoid that tragic outcome.

So, Simone Milton felt that she shouldn’t be deceived by Nick Arthur’s apparent gentleness and kind face.

She should be vigilant at that moment.

“Mr. Arthur, you’re being silly. There are no other people around. It’s not necessary for us to continue this pretense, is it?” Simone Milton said with a bitter smile. “Mr. Arthur, with your behavior like this, it’s easy for me to start believing that this fake act might actually become real!”

“But I think, even if what seems like a fake situation actually becomes real, it shouldn’t really matter, right?” It was hard to detect the bitterness in Simone Milton’s words. Nick Arthur continued speaking.

That’s just how he is—he tests things out little by little, to find out where Simonne Milton’s limits really lie.

He wanted to control everything about this woman. Although it might seem shameless to say so, Nick Arthur believed that it was absolutely impossible for him to give up Simone Milton.

Before another woman appeared who could make him feel things in such a wonderful way, Nick Arthur decided that he must keep this woman by his side.

So he spoke again: “Actually… Miss Milton, no, I think I can call you Simone… You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

Simone Milton really wanted to say that she minded it, but when she looked at Nick Arthur’s sincere face, she suddenly realized that she couldn’t bring herself to say those words at all.

As if Simone Milton were Nick Arthur by default, he looked at her with affectionate eyes and said, “I’ve thought long and hard about this. Perhaps, the only person who can bring me such a special experience is you. That’s why I want to make a lifelong agreement with you.”

“That doesn’t seem right. A lifetime agreement or something like that… I think the agreement we’ve signed already works just fine!” Simone Milton refused without even thinking.

So far, she’s already signed two agreements with Nick Arthur. She has no intention of signing a third one. Moreover, this third agreement would be a lifetime contract. No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t seem worthwhile.

Seeing Simone Milton resist so firmly, Nick Arthur ultimately decided not to push her any further.

He gently stroked Simone Milton’s hair and changed the subject gently. “By the way, I remember that TV series you were filming earlier is about to be released, right?”

Seeing that Nick Arthur wasn’t dwelling on that issue, Simone Milton truly breathed a sigh of relief. She nodded in agreement and said:

“That’s right, Queen De Xian. I’m really looking forward to this drama. If Mr. Arthur is interested, why not give it a watch too? At least the script is excellent.”

Simone Milton praised Nick Arthur without reservation. Although she hadn’t seen the finished film, she was 80% confident in its quality, based on her understanding of the script.

Hearing Simone Milton say that, Nick Arthur, who had merely picked up the topic casually, froze for a moment before saying, “In that case, I’m actually quite looking forward to it!”

After saying that, Nick Arthur decided not to pursue the awkward topic any further. He changed the subject and asked Simone Milton instead.

“By the way, Simone, may I ask what your plans are for the future? Maybe I can help with your plans in some way!” Nick Arthur said.

He thought that since he hadn’t been able to support Simone Milton in the past, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for him to do so now.

At least in Simone Milton’s future, there will be a place for him.

Just thinking about it made him feel extremely happy.

“Oh… no need, Mr. Arthur. I think I’m just fine right now. You really don’t have to go to such lengths,” Simone Milton thought when she heard Nick Arthur say that. It felt like a tiger pouncing on her.

To her, wasn’t he just a fierce tiger? Nick Arthur said so much to her for no reason at all, and he even wanted to promote her. Simone Milton wanted to stay away from him at all costs.

Who knows, what if in the future she does something to offend this big shot? Could he, in a fit of anger, take back everything he’s given her and send her to the 18th level of hell?

There’s a saying that goes: I could have endured the darkness, as long as I never encountered the light.

This is also true in her case. Since she never expected to get it in the first place, then it’s better not to try to get it at all from the beginning.

In this way, it’s possible to effectively eliminate those restless thoughts in her mind.

Yes, she never denied the restless desires in her heart. She was afraid that continuing to take more from Nick Arthur would change her completely, turning her into someone even more unscrupulous.

“…You’re wonderful,” Nick Arthur looked at Simone Milton intently. He realized that Simone truly didn’t want his help. Though he felt a bit frustrated, he also admired Simone even more. “I really like your personality.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Simone Milton spoke in a somewhat awkward manner. For a moment, she couldn’t figure out what Nick Arthur really wanted.

Until she finished her work and returned to the villa, she still couldn’t figure out what Nick Arthur really wanted.

Since I can’t figure it out, then there’s no point in overthinking it. Simone Milton told herself that what mattered most was the lipstick ad tomorrow. Winning that ad was the most important and clear goal at the moment.

To do this, she must make thorough preparations.

Meanwhile, Nick Arthur, who had just seen Simone Milton off, returned to his villa and suddenly called Hobson’s assistant. He asked, “I remember Simone Milton has a press conference scheduled for tomorrow, doesn’t she?”

At the lipstick ad shoot for Honey’s House, Simone Milton had been waiting for quite some time, accompanied by Marian.

At this moment, Georgia is discussing the details of the advertisement with the director.

In order to successfully secure this ad, he said many nice things about Simone Milton. He hopes that the director will be satisfied with Simone Milton.

Director Big Beard couldn’t quite believe it when he heard Georgia going on and on about how malleable Simone Milton was, how easily she could be shaped into different roles.

Although she had heard a little about Simone Milton’s reputation being cleared up recently, her overall impression of Simone Milton hadn’t changed much.

He believed that he was already very familiar with all the tactics used in that circle. Simone Milton’s “rehabilitation” of her reputation over the past period was nothing more than a common tactic used for publicity and image repair within that circle.

Although he disdained him in his heart, after all, the director was still the director, so he maintained a kind expression on his face.

It’s impossible to tell that he’s already planned to replace her immediately if Simone Milton doesn’t meet his requirements.

“Mr. Park, you’re being too polite. We’re also very interested in this collaboration. Hopefully, everyone can achieve the desired results!” said the director with a smile.

“Of course,” Georgia immediately nodded in agreement with the director.

Just at that moment, the staff member responsible for procuring props had arrived on site. This person went straight to the director and informed him of the news.

“Director, we’ve prepared all the rose petals you requested. Shall we start filming now?” asked the staff member to the director.

Upon hearing this, the director immediately nodded and then asked the makeup artist who was applying makeup to Simone Milton how the look was coming out.

After receiving a satisfactory response from the makeup artist, the director asked Simone Milton to come on stage, ready to begin the actual filming.

Since the theme of this series is seduction and elegance, the director envisioned that the actors would wear extremely sensual gowns, run across a carpet made of roses, and finally stop by the window to open it.

But when Simone Milton wore a black dress made of sheer lace, with her long hair slightly curled and falling loosely behind her, the director felt that it didn’t convey the atmosphere he wanted.

Everyone has already come out. If we have to change costumes and makeup again, it would be too inefficient.

The director thought to himself, “Never mind. Anyway, the current state isn’t that ugly either.”

Just pinch your nose and start filming.

However, on the first try, Simone Milton did a perfect job of bringing out the nuances of the script. Still, something seemed off.

“No, no, I need to make more changes!” the director said. He looked at Simone Milton carefully, thinking about how to alter her appearance so that she would better reflect the image he had in mind.

“Could you try a more lazy and seductive expression? Don’t look so lively on your face…” The director asked tentatively. But he was a little afraid after saying that. After all, he knew exactly how poor these popular stars’ acting skills were.

If nothing else works, he’ll have no choice but to scale back on his original plans.

Hearing this request, Simone Milton was momentarily stunned. Then, she looked around and carefully asked the director if it would be possible to use props to convey the idea.

The director didn’t refuse either. Hearing Simone Milton’s question, he nodded. He was actually curious to see what else Simone Milton could come up with.

Having received a reply, Simone Milton breathed a sigh of relief. She took a deep breath, then went to the props team and asked for a rose that hadn’t yet been broken into petals.

Next, it was her personal fashion show.

Simona Milton, who received the rose, first inhaled its scent. This ordinary rose, with its bright red color, made her already fair skin appear even fairer.

“It’s probably something like this: The human face and the peach blossoms complement each other beautifully.”

When the director saw this scene, his eyes lit up. However, this scene didn’t meet the standard he had in mind. It was merely passable, at best.

Immediately after, Simone Milton frowned slightly, as if something had disturbed her, showing a dissatisfied expression.

Such dissatisfaction doesn’t make her seem particularly annoying at all. Instead, it makes her appear delicate and charming.

She was straightforward: she took off her high heels. Her bare, white feet stepped onto the red rose-colored carpet, creating a stunning contrast of white against red. It was impossible not to follow the path traced by her feet.

Her expression also changed from dissatisfaction to enjoyment. The lazy look on her face, combined with her leisurely pace, created a kind of elegance and confidence that was quite unique.

“That’s exactly how it feels!” The director felt his spine going numb with each passing moment. Simone Milton’s casual glances made his heart tremble uncontrollably. He was willing to give everything for her.

This is truly amazing. The person standing before me is the one who brings miracles to him.

Originally, he had no hope for the overall effectiveness of this advertisement. But after Simone Milton performed like that, a fierce passion surged in his heart.

He knew that once this advertisement was released, it would be a huge success. He wanted to make this ad a classic that would truly surprise everyone.

He voluntarily stopped filming and stepped forward excitedly. First, he asked the makeup artist to redo Simone Milton’s makeup, creating an look that suited her lazy demeanor. The new makeup would further highlight her sharp features.

Simone Milton handled this makeup look wonderfully. In fact, because of it, she resembled stars in the night sky, constantly shining brightly. Just by standing there, she could draw everyone’s attention.

Immediately afterwards, the director instructed the prop man to hand Simone Milton a rose. He also tore the already somewhat revealing dress of Simone Milton into strips.

What was originally a somewhat dull-looking dress became much more lively and dynamic thanks to these changes, giving it a completely different aesthetic appeal.

With a director full of fresh ideas, even minor changes can be made to the existing advertisement concept. It’s not limited to simply walking along Rose Avenue.

Anyway, as long as Simone Milton can bring out her strengths and make herself appear charming without being vulgar, the director definitely won’t give her any pointless instructions.

It turns out that giving Simone Milton the freedom to express herself has indeed been very effective.

Looking at the woman in the camera, whose every move exuded deadly charm, the director couldn’t help but take a deep breath: I’ve really struck gold!

The most outrageous thing is that for the final shot, the director had no idea where they managed to find a whole box of exquisitely crafted jewelry.