Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: I’m Here to Vent, Not to Be Reasonable

That final "Hmm?" sent Ray Warner and Tom Chase into a fit of frantic head-shaking.

They felt a cold chill run down their spines, and their whole bodies went numb.

"Miss Sterling, how could we possibly bear such a huge responsibility? You see..." Ray Warner forced an awkward smile. When he saw Cecilia Sterling staring at him without expression, he cast all other concerns aside, yanked Tom Chase in front of him, and snapped, "You! You tell her! Explain everything to Miss Sterling clearly."

’Right now, Tom Chase wished he could turn invisible. Or maybe transform into a speck of dust and drift into a crack in the floor. Anything, as long as it meant he didn’t have to stand here and face this.’

"S-S-Sorry," Tom Chase stammered. The moment the words left his mouth, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a glance at James Lockwood, the very picture of a thief with a guilty conscience.

James Lockwood’s brow furrowed. "Why do you keep looking at me? Is something written on my face? Just tell us what happened!"

"It wasn’t... President Lockwood, it was someone from our company who... who suggested it. Am I allowed to say?" Tom Chase asked, breaking out in a sweat. His armpits were already soaked through.

The moment James Lockwood heard it was someone from his own company, his heart sank.

Seeing Miss Sterling’s gaze turn to him, he decided to ask directly. "Who? Jessica Reynolds?"

He’d only thrown out a wild guess, not expecting to hit the mark. When Tom Chase nodded, James Lockwood’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"Jessica Reynolds?" he asked, completely taken aback. "Why on earth would she give Lily Sterling a hard time?"

’Jessica Reynolds is an A-list actress at the peak of her career. She has a solid filmography, a huge online fanbase, and a collection of awards. A newcomer could only dream of reaching her level. How could Lily possibly be a threat to her?’

"How should I know?" Tom Chase replied, looking like the unluckiest man alive.

’He was just doing a simple favor, something incredibly common in their circle. How did I end up kicking a steel plate? That Jessica Reynolds is a real jinx.’

Cecilia Sterling wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with Jessica Reynolds. Her roommate, Estelle Goodman, had recently been binge-watching a drama that featured the actress. Apparently, she specialized in playing villainesses and had taken on many similar roles.

From the very beginning, she had never believed it was a staff member’s oversight, nor had she bought the excuse that the stage was too small. For her sister to be barred from the stage for such a bizarre reason, it had to be a deliberate attack by someone with malicious intent.

"Miss Sterling, Jessica Reynolds is one of our company’s artists. The fact that she is involved in this shows a lack in our management. I will handle this matter with the utmost seriousness, I assure you."

James Lockwood made no attempt to protect one of his own—not that he had any standing to do so in front of Cecilia Sterling. He immediately adopted a serious and respectful attitude.

Cecilia Sterling looked at him and asked directly, "Mr. Lockwood, how do you plan to handle Jessica Reynolds?"

James Lockwood was at a loss for words for a moment. He hesitated before saying, "I haven’t quite figured that out yet. But please, rest assured, Miss Sterling. I will make sure the resolution is to your satisfaction."

"However, replacing her is likely impossible, and I must explain the situation to you upfront, Miss Sterling. First, while she is one of our artists, she signed a binding contract when she got the role. Second, the main cast was already announced at the press conference. If we were to suddenly replace her now, it would have a major impact on the show. We also have to consider the public reaction online. Wouldn’t you agree?"

Cecilia Sterling raised an eyebrow slightly at his words. What James Lockwood said was pragmatic. He wasn’t deliberately defending Jessica Reynolds but was considering the bigger picture.

Her goal was to get an explanation, not to target James Lockwood or his company. She knew he had sold his house for this project; he cared more than anyone about the show’s success.

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