Chapter 808
Brandon nodded in agreement. Natalie had put the call on speaker, so he too had heard the exchange. Suzanne’s unexpected show of solicitude and her well- intentioned warning raised his suspicions.
“What strikes me as odd about Suzanne is her excessive niceness,”
Natalie continued.
“On our first encounter, she projected an air of righteousness. Now, she reaches out to offer a genuine caution, seemingly without expecting anything in return.”
Her voice wavered slightly as she lowered her tone.
“But, is it really possible for someone to repeatedly extend kindness to a virtual stranger, without any ulterior motive or agenda?”
Having weathered numerous trials, she had grown instinctively wary of such gratuitous kindness and goodwill, especially given Suzanne’s repeated instances of unsolicited aid.
Often, such inexplicable benevolence and generosity mask deeper machinations.
Brandon drew Natalie into an embrace, patting her back soothingly.
“Don’t worry, regardless of what kind of persona Suzanne portrays, I’ll safeguard you from any harm. I’ve already had someone shadowing Suzanne. As soon as she makes a move, we’ll trace it back and unmask whoever’s pulling her strings,”
he assured her.
From the moment he began suspecting an overarching puppet master behind Vivi’s car crash, he had considered Suzanne as a possible player.
Although Suzanne presented herself as transparent and straightforward, he always sensed a peculiar discord around her. However, he struggled to pinpoint the source of this unease. Natalie nodded, reassured. With Brandon at her side, she was confident she had nothing to fear, even if the sky were to tumble down.
Following the turbulent night, Natalie soon sank into deep slumber. Brandon promptly instructed Sean to amass all available information on Suzanne.
Particularly, information pertaining to Suzanne’s life post her departure from the Duncan family and her subsequent entrepreneurial journey.
Sean indeed proved to be an efficient assistant, impressing with his quick turnaround. Upon waking, Brandon received all the personal data on Suzanne that Sean had compiled.
After perusing Suzanne’s information, Brandon’s brow furrowed in thought.
Suzanne’s Internet celebrity agency was indeed quite anomalous. Compared to other established agencies, hers was a late entrant, yet it had expanded at a staggering pace. In less than three years, it had already carved a formidable niche in the industry.
The influencers under her agency, both in terms of aesthetics and charisma, were exceptional, rivaling even A-list stars. However, these were not the most intriguing aspects of the company.
The most striking feature about the company was the transformation of their
Internet celebrities’ appearances. Initially, these celebrities were merely average-looking, with some even considered below average. However, upon joining Star Entertainment, their appearance underwent a drastic transformation, making them substantially more attractive. Sean’s meticulous work included photographs of the influencers at various phases. These photos clearly showed that they didn’t appear to be experiencing long post-operative recovery periods, as nearly all of them maintained an active social media presence throughout these transitions.
If they hadn’t undergone cosmetic surgery, then how did their appearance change so dramatically?
If they did have cosmetic surgery, who was the surgeon with such incredible skills that these Internet celebrities required no recovery time and were able to resume their activities immediately after surgery?
Brandon was entirely baffled, as his knowledge of cosmetic surgery was limited. As far as he was aware, regardless of the type of surgery, a post-operative recovery period was inevitable. As he turned to the last page, a beauty salon that had collaborated with Star Entertainment caught Brandon’s attention. This beauty salon operated on a strict confidentiality basis and adhered to a membership model, conducting business exclusively with regular clients. Brandon decided to commence his investigation from this beauty salon.
Unfortunately, his efforts proved fruitless. Sean had contacted the beauty salon, feigning interest in applying for a Unfortunately, his efforts membership, but the salon declined his application instantly, without any hesitation.
This brought their investigation to a standstill, leaving Brandon nursing a headache.
The dawn had shaken off the grip of night, but the shadows under Natalie’s eyes still clung on, remnants of a restless slumber. Her mind, a haunted house, had been infested with nightmares. Faceless figures prowled through her dreams, hungry for her peace, or Vivi-her face a crimson mask-cried out accusations of injustice from beyond the grave.
This spectral onslaught had left Natalie with a melancholy that clung to her like a second skin.
Yet, she rallied. Gathering her things, she steeled herself for the day’s work.
Her husband, Brandon, took in her pallid complexion with a furrowed brow. Genuine concern lacing his words, he suggested,
“Maybe you should consider taking the day off? I fear Vivi’s kin might stir up a storm at the studio and you could get caught in the crossfire.”
But Natalie was unyielding. Her voice, a whisper laced with iron, responded,
“The studio’s still in its infancy, and we’re already navigating such a cnisis. It’s crucial that I’m there, guiding it through. I can’t abandon my crew or show a hint of fear.”
Brandon found himself in the face of an immovable object. He conceded, a solemn nod to his white flag.
“At least promise to be cautious. If anything goes south, I want to hear from you immediately.”
Natalie reached up, pressing a reassuring kiss to Brandon’s cheek.
“Don’t worry,” she soothed.
“We’ll weather this storm.”
Just as she was about to step into her shoes, her phone rang. Lexi’s voice breezed through the phone line, her tone as unruffled as ever.
“Boss, when can I expect you? The studio’s electricity bill is overdue, and we need to settle it.”
Natalie stilled before replying calmly,
“I’m on my way. Just hold on.”
Without a word, Brandon bent to help Natalie with her shoes. Once the call ended, he asked, curiosity tugging at his brows,
“Is something amiss at the studio?”
Natalie’s fingers danced across her phone screen as she shared,
“Lexi footed the electricity bill-a grand, a few days ago. There’s no way we’re in arrears.”
His frown deepened, a portent of stormy weather.
“Something’s off.”
Her brow creased in worry, Natalie nodded.Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.
“Trouble might have already found its way to the studio, and Lexi could be in its crosshairs. Her call could have been a veiled plea for help. I need to get there as soon as possible.”
Brandon held out his hand, an unspoken offer of solidarity.