Chapter 2020
Ivy sauntered over, a triumphant twinkle in her eye as she brandished the contract in her hand. âYep,
Giselle, just sealed the deal. I'll leave you two to chat about the role,â she said, her tone light but the
undercurrent of her words cutting through the tension in
the room.
Before she walked away, she turned to Colton with a genuine smile. âThanks, Colton, for allowing
me to be a part of âBallad of Valor." I promise I'll give it my all.â
"What?" Giselleâs shock echoed through the room, her composure crumbling like a house of cards.
âYou... You're the fresh talent Colton picked?â
Ivy simply nodded, her smile never wavering. âDidn't I tell you I was here job hunting, Giselle? Well,
this is the job!â
Seeing Giselleâs face contorted in disbelief gave Ivy an unexpected rush of satisfaction. Giselle had
always had a snide remark at the ready for Ivy, and now she was the one left speechless.
âColton, now that we've got the paperwork out of the way, I've got to run. Let's chat later,â Ivy said,
unable to suppress the smugness in her voice as she waved the contract and swiftly exited.
In the aftermath were three people, two of whom were lost in their thoughts. Giselleâs face was a
mask of envy and confusion. Balfour, a silent observer throughout this unfolding drama, wondered
what he had done to earn such treatment from Ivy.
Ivy had acted as if he was a stranger, ignoring him completely, even embarrassing him in front of
Colton. And now, she had not even spared him a glance on her way out.
Still rooted to the spot, Giselle struggled to process the turn of events. It was bad enough that a
newbie had snagged the role she'd coveted, but for that newbie to be Ivy? The same Ivy who had
apparently stolen her man and now her role? How could a complete acting novice like Ivy have
caught Coltonâs eye?
âThis can't be,â Giselle muttered, her gaze finally landing on Balfour. Suddenly, a lightbulb
brightened her dark thoughts. There was no way Ivy, with her lack of experience and clout, could
have charmed Colton or landed the role so easily.
It had to be Balfour. He must have pulled some strings for her!
Giselle had grown up alongside Balfour, watching him take over the Howard family empire, steering
it to greater heights. She had always thought they had a future together.
But then Ivy appeared.
Despite the years Giselle had spent in showbiz, though Balfour had smoothed out minor bumps in
the road for her, he had never directly intervened to get her a gig, let alone a role. And now Ivy was
breaking into the scene, and Balfour was pulling out all the stops, negotiating directly with Colton?
Balfour was undoubtedly playing the doting husband-to-be!
Jealousy, thick and bitter, began to coil within Giselle. Jealous of Ivy, who came from nowhere and
was nothing compared to her. âColton, what a coincidence that the new talent you've picked is an
acquaintance of mine,â Giselle managed to say, her years in the industry having perfected the art of
faking graciousness despite the storm of envy raging inside her.
âIs that so? Talk about a small world!â Colton replied with a casual chuckle, oblivious to the
undercurrents swirling between the two women.