Hearing this, the assistant craned her neck to peek outside.
It really was Owen Rhodes.
The assistant thought about the hardship Catherine Linden had endured for the past month because of an ill-advised comnt she’d made, and she rembered Henry Wright’s constant, stern warnings. After a mont of internal conflict, she still shrank back and reminded her boss in a low voice.
"Catherine, have you forgotten? Henry told you not to provoke President Rhodes..."
The assistant’s voice died away under Catherine Linden’s fierce glare.
The young assistant imdiately shut her mouth, lowering her head, not daring to look at her again.
Catherine Linden clicked her tongue in annoyance.
A month ago, during an interview, she had said that Owen Rhodes was her ideal type.
As a result, not long after, her career opportunities, as if by so coordinated agreent, began to disappear one by one.
First, several variety shows she was about to film were canceled at the last minute. Then, the lead role in an S-tier web drama and an endorsent deal she was about to sign were withdrawn by the partners.
Finally, even the lead role in a film by a renowned dostic director, which she had worked a year to secure, was almost given to soone else.
After this series of "accidents," how could she not know she was being targeted? Soone was deliberately sabotaging her career.
Thinking it over, she quickly guessed the person behind it was Owen Rhodes.
In the eyes of ordinary people, she was a glamorous star, but in the eyes of a truly wealthy and powerful family, she was nothing more than a re actress.
So even though she knew it was Owen Rhodes blocking her opportunities, there was nothing she could do.
Owen Rhodes was also famously upright and stayed out of the sleazy side of the business, never participating in those social dinners. She couldn’t even get a eting with him.
The result was that for the past month, she’d been spinning like a top, going from one drinking party to the next.
The big shots in the industry who held all the cards had long since developed insatiable appetites.
Every few days, she would be forced to drink until she blacked out at these parties.
The combination of constant hangovers and her daily diet caused her condition to deteriorate rapidly.
Right now, if not for costic procedures and the superb skill of her makeup artist, her complexion would probably be as pale as a ghost’s.
With everything going wrong, Catherine Linden’s already bad temper had beco even more explosive.
Not far away, Owen Rhodes was still speaking with his head lowered to the injured young woman in front of him.
Due to the angle, Catherine Linden couldn’t see Owen Rhodes’s face, but she could see how docile Stella Sterling looked in front of him.
Catherine Linden kicked her assistant.
"Tell , who’s better looking? or that woman with Owen Rhodes?"
The assistant didn’t even dare to glance over at Stella Sterling. After a two-second pause, she answered.
"Of course you’re better looking. Since your debut, you’ve gone viral for your beauty alone so many tis. How could an ordinary person compare to you?"
"Is that so?" Catherine Linden’s tone was cold. "Then why didn’t you answer imdiately? You were trying to figure out how to placate , weren’t you?"
The assistant was speechless.
’If I’d answered imdiately, you’d just accuse of placating you without even thinking about it.’
’Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.’
But out loud, the assistant could only say, "I couldn’t see the woman’s face clearly from here. After taking a look, I can tell she can’t hold a candle to you."
Catherine Linden snorted softly.
Clearly, she had only grudgingly accepted her assistant’s explanation.
"Who is that girl? Is she so newcor to the industry? I don’t recognize her. She can’t compare to , of course, but she’s passable."
The assistant, of course, hadn’t actually seen Stella Sterling’s face. If she had, she probably couldn’t have forced herself to utter such a disingenuous lie.
Catherine Linden hated being ignored, so her assistant quickly said, "Maybe she’s a new talent the company scouted? Here to sign a contract?"
Catherine Linden’s fingers tapped lightly on the car’s armrest.
She had been nearly blacklisted by Owen Rhodes over a single sentence before.
’If this woman is really about to be signed to the company, as my assistant suggested, and with Owen Rhodes backing her, then my status as Vantage’s top actress is in jeopardy.’
’Although the life of a celebrity isn’t sothing any normal person could tolerate, it has, after all, brought both fa and fortune, allowing to spend money like water.’
’If they suddenly gave all of my opportunities to soone else...’
The re thought made a fire of anger well up inside her.
Over there, Stella Sterling and Ken had already left.
Owen Rhodes got back into his car, but it didn’t drive away.
Catherine Linden thought for a mont, then imdiately took out her compact mirror to check for any flaws in her makeup.
’Good. Flawless.’
She curved her lips into a smile at her reflection, preparing to get out of the car.
The assistant beside her quickly grabbed her arm. "Catherine, where are you going?"
Catherine Linden slapped her assistant’s hand away. "Get your hands off ! You’re filthy! Haven’t I told you not to touch ?! You’re just my assistant, so shut your mouth or get the hell out!"
With that, Catherine Linden got out of the car herself and strode toward the Ghost parked not far away.
Seeing that she couldn’t be stopped, the assistant scrambled to call Henry Wright.
’This fucking job. I can’t do it for one more minute.’
’I’m quitting! I’m quitting right now!’
Owen Rhodes, who was in his car handling work emails, suddenly heard a light tap on his window.
At first, he thought Stella Sterling had forgotten sothing, but a glance revealed an unfamiliar face.
"President Rhodes?" Liam Hawthorne asked for instructions.
"Go see what she wants."
Owen Rhodes didn’t move. Instead, Liam Hawthorne, in the driver’s seat, got out and walked over to Catherine Linden.
"Ma’am, can I help you?"
Catherine Linden glanced at him with her chin held high and smiled politely. "Hello, I’m Catherine Linden. I’d like to have a few words with President Rhodes."
Liam Hawthorne saw the arrogance she was trying to hide.
With a formulaic smile, he said tactfully, "I’m sorry, but our president is working right now. Please leave."
Seeing the man’s completely unfazed expression as he looked at her, Catherine Linden felt a flicker of surprise.
’Doesn’t this person recognize ?’
’How can he have no reaction at all?’
But he was Owen Rhodes’s man, after all, so Catherine Linden didn’t dare let her feelings show too obviously.
She held out the tomato juice in her hand. "So of my previous comnts upset President Rhodes, and I haven’t had a chance to apologize. It’s a rare opportunity to run into him today, and I was hoping to apologize in person. Since he’s busy, I won’t disturb him. This is so tomato juice I made myself, if you don’t mind."
Liam Hawthorne didn’t take it, but Catherine Linden, acting as if she didn’t care at all, placed the cup on the roof of the car and turned to leave.
In the van across the way, the assistant, who had been watching furtively, finally breathed a sigh of relief as Catherine Linden walked away.
Liam Hawthorne, of course, knew who Catherine Linden was.
After all, Owen Rhodes himself had ordered him to block her opportunities.
As he was taking the cup of tomato juice off the roof, Owen Rhodes lowered the car window.
Liam Hawthorne handed the cup over. "Catherine Linden said she’s apologizing to you. This is tomato juice."
When Owen Rhodes heard Liam Hawthorne say the orange-red liquid was tomato juice, his brow furrowed suddenly.
Liam was confused.
’As far as I know, President Rhodes isn’t a picky eater.’
But within a second, Liam Hawthorne understood Owen Rhodes’s aning. He imdiately took the cup of tomato juice to a trash can outside the nearby elevator bank and threw it away.
Getting back in the car, Liam chose his words carefully. "President Rhodes, I don’t recall you disliking tomato juice in the past."
Owen Rhodes’s brow relaxed slightly, but a trace of disgust was still visible in his eyes.
"Stella Sterling doesn’t like tomatoes."
’Hate the giver, hate the gift,’ Liam thought.
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