Unaiza suddenly remembered something and mysteriously gathered everyone together.
"Do you guys know? A few days ago, Julia was on vacation, right? When she came back, I saw hickeys on her neck! And it looked like there were bruises on her arms too."
With that revelation, everyone seemed to realize something.
"Yeah, yeah, I saw her wearing a turtleneck and long sleeves. I even thought it was strange since it's almost summer, and she was all covered up!"
"No way, Julia must have slept with some high-up at Star Sovereign International during her break. That's how she got signed!"
"Who would've thought? With someone like Julia, someone actually went for it!"
Unaiza's words made everyone even more convinced that Julia had slept with a Star Sovereign International executive to get her contract.
But there wasn't much to envy; after all, Star Sovereign International was about to go bankrupt.
That night, Vivian finished work quite late. Although her popularity had declined, her schedule was still packed, and she was constantly rushing from one scene to another.
Just as she returned to her room, there was a knock on the door.
Jacqueline, feeling a bit tired and impatient, went to open the door and was startled by who she saw.
"Vivian, it's... Miss Avery here to see you," Jacqueline called out towards the bedroom.
"Oh, let her in," Vivian said, putting down the makeup remover wipes she had just taken out and walking out of the bedroom.
Julia had many scenes with Vivian, so they often finished work around the same time.
"Miss Avery, what brings you here so late?" Vivian asked with a slight smile.
Years of navigating the entertainment industry had taught her the importance of maintaining a delicate balance—never getting too close to anyone, yet never being too distant either.
She had mastered this art perfectly.
Compared to Vivian's subtle smile, Julia's grin was much brighter.
"Vivian, I can't thank you enough for helping me sign with Star Sovereign International! I don't have anything special to give you, so here's a little gift from the company. Consider it a token of my gratitude."
Julia was straightforward, immediately stating her purpose and handing over a velvet box to Vivian.
Jacqueline, standing nearby, looked at Vivian in surprise. Vivian had been focused on her filming these past few days and hadn't done anything to help Julia!
Vivian's face showed a hint of surprise as well, but she remained much calmer than Jacqueline.
"Miss Avery, you're too kind. It was just a small favor."
Jacqueline was even more astonished that Vivian didn't explain further.
"Vivian, please don't call me Miss Avery. It sounds so formal. I'm your junior, and now that we're in the same company, you can just call me Julia."
Julia took Vivian's hand and placed the velvet box in it.
"It's just a small gift, nothing much," Julia said, her smile still innocent and genuine.
Vivian looked at the box in her hand and smiled softly. "With your acting skills, you'll have plenty of opportunities to attend events and need to dress up. You should keep this jewelry for yourself."
As she spoke, Vivian prepared to hand the box back.
Julia clasped her hands behind her back. "This is my only project right now, and even if I get more opportunities in the future, that's still far off. Vivian, if you don't accept this, it's like you're looking down on me."
Vivian smiled faintly. "Alright, I'll accept it then."
Julia finally breathed a sigh of relief. "It's getting late, and we have an early shoot tomorrow. Get some rest. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Satisfied, Julia left, and Jacqueline saw her out before returning.
"Vivian, this..." Jacqueline was puzzled. Why didn't Vivian explain the situation?
"I know what you're thinking," Vivian said calmly. "But accepting this favor won't hurt. If she finds out later, we'll just say it was a misunderstanding. Julia has good acting skills and a lot of potential. She'll be a big star someday, which could benefit us."
Vivian opened the ornate box, revealing a ruby necklace lying quietly inside.
Jacqueline's eyes widened at the sight of the necklace. "This... When you signed with the company, they only gave you a pair of jade bracelets. This is..."
Realizing she had misspoken, Jacqueline quickly shut her mouth.
Having been with Vivian for a while, Jacqueline had seen her fair share of luxury items. But this ruby necklace was the finest she had ever seen.
Vivian also frowned slightly. Julia's gift was surprisingly extravagant.
It was customary for new artists to give a gift when signing with the company, but the value of the gift varied. Those with high potential or fame received more valuable gifts.
But Julia...
She had no background and no notable works to her name...
The key point was that right after Royce acquired Star Sovereign International, Julia signed a contract and even received such an extravagant welcome gift.
"Jacqueline, don't you think it's a bit of a coincidence that Julia signed the contract and got this gift right after Royce took over?" Vivian mused.
Jacqueline tilted her head in thought. "I don't think so. I did some digging. This Julia just graduated and doesn't come from a well-off family. How could she possibly have any connection with President Butler? It's probably just a coincidence."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Royce isn't the type to mingle with people. He knows very few," Vivian said, almost as if talking to herself.
"Oh, Vivian, you can relax. President Butler is such a proud man. You said a few words, and he went ahead and bought Star Sovereign International. If anyone has a connection with President Butler, it's you!" Jacqueline teased.
Vivian liked hearing such words. Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, smiling quietly.
"By the way, Jacqueline, Royce's acquisition of Star Sovereign International hasn't been made public. Don't mention that he bought it, and definitely don't bring me up, okay?"
"Got it, got it! Vivian, you're already protecting your husband!" Jacqueline giggled.
"He's not my husband, don't talk nonsense!" Vivian retorted, but she felt a deep sense of satisfaction at the title.
She hoped it would come true one day.
Meanwhile, Bailey was equally surprised and puzzled when she heard that Julia had signed with Star Sovereign International.
"What kind of dumb luck did Julia have to sign with Star Sovereign International?" Bailey grumbled as she brushed her hair.
Celeste brought her a cup of hot milk.
"According to Unaiza, she saw hickeys on Julia's neck. She said Julia must have slept with someone high up at Star Sovereign International."
"Really?" Bailey's eyes widened in disbelief.
"It must be real. You can't mistake a hickey."
"Your skills at seducing men are quite impressive!" Bailey glared at her reflection in the mirror.
"Don't worry, sister Bailey. Star Sovereign International is about to go bankrupt! So what if they signed a contract?"
"You're right."
Just as they were talking, Bailey's phone suddenly rang. Seeing the number on the screen, she excitedly shooed Celeste out of the room.