Chapter 250: What’s on Your Chest?

Chapter 250: Chapter 250: What’s on Your Chest?

"I didn’t think too much of it. Besides, they seemed to get along well at the company..."

They’d greet each other when they met, appeared on variety shows together, and never seemed to argue in private.

Now that she heard Yvonne Lowell couldn’t be reached, it somehow reminded her of that day.

"Did you forget about the last endorsement scandal? How could they possibly be on good enough terms to meet up privately?"

Especially since Roya Winters’s reputation plummeted after that incident. She lost endorsements and acting roles, and now she has no work. She might act friendly with Yvonne Lowell at the company, but who knows how much she resents her deep down!

And with President Rivers having cast her aside and ignoring her, Roya Winters would inevitably blame everything on Yvonne Lowell.

Sue Linton looked helpless. "Miss Lana, I didn’t do it on purpose."

Lana Chandler had no time to waste on her and took out her phone to call Roya Winters.

The call connected quickly.

"Miss Lana, what’s up?"

"Where are you?"

"I’m at home."

"Where’s Yvonne Lowell?"

"Miss Lana, you know we’re not on good terms. Are you sure you’re not asking the wrong person by calling me?"

"Someone saw you two drinking together two days ago. Don’t tell me you don’t know anything about it."

"We did have a drink, but as you said, that was two days ago."

"Roya Winters, you’d better not have done anything. Don’t do something foolish and ruin what’s left of your career."

Lana Chandler hung up and found Finn Summers.

Finn Summers knew nothing about this.

"We had a falling out a long time ago, and I’m not her agent anymore. How would I know what she’s up to?"

"You were her agent for so many years; you know her social circle and connections better than anyone. Do you think Yvonne Lowell’s disappearance has anything to do with her?"

Finn Summers shook her head. "I’m not sure."

"Think carefully before you answer. If you can provide any useful information, once we find Yvonne Lowell, I can put in a good word for you with President Rivers. I can get you back to Starlight as an agent, managing new talent. You’ve been in this business for so many years; I doubt you want to switch careers, right?"

"Really?"

Finn Summers’s eyes shot up, her heart pounding with temptation!

Ever since her falling out with Roya Winters, Roya had people suppress her, cutting off all her opportunities.

She had always wanted a chance to get back at Roya Winters, but she lacked the power.

People in the entertainment industry are experts at seeing which way the wind blows. When they saw she had fallen and been fired, they all kept their distance.

Although Roya Winters’s career had taken a hit, she was still a Starlight artist. It would be much easier for her to make a comeback. No one wanted to offend Roya Winters for her sake.

"Of course. You should know me; I’m a woman of my word and don’t make empty promises. But I can’t be sure what President Rivers will say. Even if I can’t get you into the Rivers Family, I guarantee you won’t be deliberately suppressed in this industry."

"With your assurance, I’m willing to provide some information."

...

Roya Winters casually tossed her phone onto the sofa.

She picked up a glass of red wine from the coffee table, swirled it gently, and took a sip, her eyes downcast.

She sidled up to the man, her body pliant as if she had no bones.

Her fingers playfully traced circles on his chest as she offered her red lips.

The man wrapped an arm around her waist, captured her lips, and pressed her into his embrace. Moments later, the kiss left her breathless.

"President Lloyd, Yvonne Lowell is missing. The company is already looking for her. They contacted me, so they probably suspect me. Are you sure they can’t find her?"

"Don’t worry. I’ve already given the orders. Even if they do find her, she can forget about ever working in the entertainment industry again."

"Then what about me getting a role in Director Crystal Reynolds’s film..."

"We’re already in talks. As long as you’re with me, I’ll find a way to get you whatever you want."

"You’re the best to me."

Roya Winters wrapped her arms around the man’s neck and offered her lips again.

’Zane Rivers doesn’t want her, but there are plenty of other men who desire her, who would go crazy for her!’

...

Although Finn Summers had provided details about Roya Winters’s private circle of contacts, revealing several bosses who were crazy about her, it still required time and investigation to determine if Yvonne Lowell’s disappearance was specifically related to her.

She personally made a trip to Grayson Corporation.

"President Grayson, according to the investigation, someone saw them two days ago... This is the surveillance footage from their meeting that day. The video shows that Yvonne Lowell was clear-headed when she went in and when she came out."

"This is the footage from her home. At two in the morning, she rushed out of her apartment in a panic and has been missing ever since, vanishing into the night."

She placed the iPad on the desk for Vesper Grayson to see.

Vesper Grayson gave it a cursory glance.

"Since when was she on such good private terms with Roya Winters?"

"Well..." Lana Chandler guessed, "a while ago, they appeared on a variety show together. It was to debunk the rumors that they didn’t get along, to make it easier for Roya Winters to resume her work."

’After all, the company has invested in Roya Winters for so many years. As a fairly well-known artist, they couldn’t just give up on her!’

"So, you’re saying the only person Yvonne Lowell saw before she disappeared was Roya Winters, but Roya claims to have no idea where she is?"

"Yes. After they parted ways, Yvonne Lowell went home by herself, and later she ran out on her own... Based on the surveillance footage, we can’t prove her disappearance is directly related to Roya."

"Did you check her phone records?"

"We did. Her last call was to the company."

Vesper’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly. "So what do you think?"

"What?" Lana Chandler was confused.

"Do you think Yvonne Lowell’s disappearance has anything to do with her?"

"Roya Winters’s career in the entertainment industry has been too smooth. She’s used to being adored. After taking such a huge hit, based on her past behavior, she’s definitely not happy and will do whatever it takes to get even!"

"Have someone keep a close eye on her. And find out who she’s been close to recently. A thorough investigation."

"I already checked. She’s been staying at President Lloyd’s villa recently."

"Which President Lloyd?"

"Terrence Lloyd, the president of Paragon Entertainment. Roya Winters’s most loyal pursuer," Lana Chandler said. "Roya probably realized she couldn’t win over President Rivers, and with her reputation damaged and work drying up, she settled for the next best thing and threw herself into Terrence Lloyd’s arms."

’She’s already moved into Terrence Lloyd’s villa, so they’ve probably done everything they should and shouldn’t have done.’

’Terrence Lloyd was also in the private room at the bar that day.’

She froze the iPad screen on a man in a well-tailored suit.

The man was average-looking with a medium build, though a bit on the short side, maybe five-foot-nine. But the way he looked at Roya Winters was with an unconcealable obsession.

Vesper Grayson raised an eyebrow. "Her situation doesn’t count as a breach of contract?"

"If she’s not officially in a relationship, it’s just her private life. The company doesn’t interfere with that."

’We can manage their relationships and marriages, but we can’t possibly control who they sleep with, can we?’

’Everyone has needs.’

Vesper Grayson pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, investigate as quickly as possible. I’ll have people look into it through other channels."

’She couldn’t believe it. A living person, who hadn’t left the country or the province, couldn’t just vanish from Northolme without a trace, right?’

When Shiloh Sloan came to see her, carrying dessert, she found Vesper with a furrowed brow, looking worried.

"What’s wrong? Did my godson make you unhappy again?"

She placed the dessert on the table, opened the bag, and handed over the blueberry mousse and a small fork.

"Eat something sweet. It’ll improve your mood."

Vesper Grayson took it and chuckled. "How did you know this was exactly what I was craving?"

"What else would you expect from best friends? Great minds think alike. I just had a feeling you were craving something!"

The mousse melted in her mouth, the flavor of blueberry jam spreading across her palate.

She closed her eyes in satisfaction, just as she heard Shiloh Sloan speak in a flat, emotionless tone.

"I moved them into the same room today."

Vesper knew who "they" were without needing clarification.

"And?"

"The moment my mother saw him, she threw herself into his arms, only to be met with fists and feet." Shiloh Sloan thought of her mother’s reaction back then and couldn’t help but let out a short, sharp laugh. "Ha!"

Vesper Grayson shot her a look. "Are you trying to make them torture each other?"

"Exactly. Didn’t she say Quentin Chandler loves her? That she can’t live without him? Then they can be locked together forever." A sarcastic smile touched Shiloh Sloan’s lips. "There’s that saying, ’Beating is affection, scolding is love; the harder the beating, the deeper the love.’ By that logic, Quentin Chandler must really love her."

"Shiloh..."

Meeting her friend’s worried gaze, Shiloh Sloan gave a relaxed smile.

"Don’t worry about me. The bond between me and her as mother and daughter was severed long ago."

’That pitiful little bond was worn away long ago.’

’From the moment she, in order to keep a man, sent her own daughter to his bed to be defiled.’

’Any mother-daughter affection ceased to exist then!’

’Didn’t she say she loves him?’

’Then they can be together forever, loving and hating each other, wasting away their lives until death do them part!’

Vesper Grayson took her hand. "You still have me. You don’t need to be sad over people who aren’t worth it."

"Mm, I know." Shiloh Sloan squeezed her hand back, touched. ’If Vesper hadn’t reached out and pulled her back, she might have fallen into an abyss, never to recover.’

"Oh, right. There’s something I have to tell you. I found my birth parents."

’It was such happy news, she wanted to share it with her first.’

Shiloh Sloan froze, completely astonished.

"Mr. Grayson isn’t your biological father?"

"No, I was surprised too. But he’ll always be my dad."

"Who are they? Are they in Northolme too?"

"Do you remember when I was taken to Veridia, and I accidentally saved someone, and with their help, I managed to escape a dangerous situation?"

"I remember. But what does that have to do with your biological father? Don’t tell me..." Shiloh Sloan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Vesper Grayson nodded. "Yep. They’re my parents."

"Well, I’ll be damned. You really were born lucky!" Shiloh Sloan rested her chin in her hand, envious. "Bonnie, tell me, are you the favored child of destiny, playing life on easy mode?"

’Pampered by Mr. Grayson since you were little, married into one of Northolme’s top wealthy families, and now you turn out to be the long-lost daughter of the richest man.’

’Heaven really can’t bear to let you suffer, can it?’

’Even short web dramas aren’t this cliché.’

’Unlike me, a poor little cabbage, yellowing in the field, unloved by my mother, father dead long ago, what a bitter fate.’

’But then again, thinking that this incredibly lucky person was her best friend, her own life didn’t seem so bitter anymore!’

Vesper Grayson’s lips curled into a smile as her gaze inadvertently swept over Shiloh’s collar.

"What’s that on your chest?"