Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: No Matter How Big the Hole, I Can Fill It

Inside the banquet hall, wine flowed and glasses clinked.

The men were dressed in sharp suits, the women in elegant evening gowns.

Cecilia Sterling had never attended a reception like this, not even in her previous life, but she felt no intimidation whatsoever. After all, the event was specifically for investors, and today, she was here to invest.

Fortunately, the dress Estelle Goodman had lent her was presentable enough. While not as flashy as the other women’s attire, it didn’t look out of place.

"Honey, let me introduce you. This is the Miss Sterling I told you about."

Upon entering, James Lockwood’s first order of business was to introduce Cecilia Sterling to his wife.

"Miss Sterling, this is my wife, Amanda Shawcross."

Amanda Shawcross, decked out in jewels, looked particularly stately in her dark green gown. She enthusiastically extended her hand to greet Cecilia. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sterling. You’re every bit as young and beautiful as Lockwood said."

Cecilia Sterling naturally withdrew her hand from James Lockwood’s arm and shook Amanda’s with a smile. "Mrs. Lockwood, you flatter me. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"Miss Sterling, would you like me to introduce you to a few people?" James Lockwood offered at just the right time.

Most of the guests at these high-society receptions were prominent figures, and many used the opportunity to network and make new connections.

James Lockwood’s gesture was clearly well-intentioned.

But Cecilia had no interest in that. She smiled at James Lockwood. "That won’t be necessary, Mr. Lockwood. I came here today with a purpose. I imagine you’ve been waiting for my answer, so shall we discuss the investment?"

James Lockwood’s eyes lit up at her words, and he subconsciously exchanged a look with his wife, Amanda Shawcross.

"You’re a very direct woman, Miss Sterling," James Lockwood remarked.

Thrilled, Amanda Shawcross quickly motioned for her to follow. "Miss Sterling, let’s go somewhere quieter to talk."

Seated on a sofa in a corner of the banquet hall, Cecilia faced the couple and got straight to the point. "I finished *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix* in one sitting. The story is truly captivating, and I’m very interested in the screen adaptation."

Hearing he had a real shot, James Lockwood was overjoyed.

"So, Miss Sterling, you’re interested in investing?"

Cecilia nodded, not bothering to be coy. "I can invest, but I have one condition."

James Lockwood smiled, unsurprised. No investor would put up money for no reason; there were always strings attached.

"Please, Miss Sterling, go on."

Cecilia Sterling took out her phone, found a photo of her sister, and placed it in front of James Lockwood and Amanda Shawcross. "This is my sister. She’s a freshman at the Lorcain Film Academy this year, and she ranked in the top fifty in the national arts entrance exams."

"My condition is simple. My sister must get the role of Flora."

Using an investment as leverage to cast an actor was common practice in the entertainment industry, so James Lockwood wasn’t particularly surprised by Cecilia’s condition.

However, with filming about to start, the actors for the main roles had all been finalized and had signed contracts. It was unlikely they could make a last-minute replacement.

Amanda Shawcross looked at the photo of Lily Sterling on the phone and nodded, looking rather impressed. "Your sister is very striking, Miss Sterling. She has the bone structure of a classic Cathayan beauty."

Cecilia, too, recalled the actress Charlotte Travis. In her previous life, she was the one who played Flora. The role’s charm later earned her countless fans, causing her popularity to explode and launching her to top-tier starlet status.

It was just a shame that she later made a career-ending mistake and was blacklisted by state media, which led to the entire series *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix* being pulled from all platforms.

A single misstep had completely destroyed what was once a promising career.

"Stop haggling with them. The role has been filled."

As James Lockwood spoke, he tapped the table. Only then did Sam Fletcher notice the phone on the table displaying a photo of Lily Sterling.

"Huh? Isn’t that Lily Sterling from The Film Academy?" Sam Fletcher exclaimed, completely stunned.

"You’ve seen this young woman before?"

Sam Fletcher nodded and proceeded to tell James Lockwood about how he’d been forced to swap two newcomers’ roles because of a five-hundred-yuan investment.

Of course, James Lockwood knew about securing that investment, and he also knew that two students’ roles had been swapped. What he didn’t know was that the person who had her original role taken away was Miss Sterling’s own sister.

"Miss Sterling, I am so sorry. You see... I truly didn’t know the details. I had no idea this young woman was your sister."

James Lockwood was alarmed. After all, his major backer was sitting right across from him, and he had unknowingly allowed her sister to be so gravely wronged.

Cecilia gave a gentle smile, seemingly unconcerned. "There’s no need to apologize, Mr. Lockwood. You couldn’t have known. Besides, I wouldn’t have agreed to my sister playing a maidservant anyway."

With that, she put her phone away and looked at James Lockwood. "So, do we have an agreement?"