The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 158

An invisible war is quietly brewing.

In the midst of the tension, talent manager Lina strides briskly into Alec's office. "Boss, I just heard from HR. Loretta terminated her contract." She knows the woman was Jade's vocal double, so it is a detail worth reporting.

"Ha. And who would dare sign her? Who has a death wish to go up against Dennis Media?" Alec scoffs, completely unbothered.

"Rumor has it she went to some new startup. Nobody has ever heard of it," Lina replies. "And it's not just her. Kent and Jim jumped ship too."

Lina can't shake the feeling that something is off. These three had zero leverage and zero prospects, yet they all walked out on the same day.

"They're a bunch of useless deadweight. Let them walk. Whoever poached them probably thinks anyone from our agency is a superstar," Alec sneers. He views the trio as entirely expendable. To him, getting three hefty buyout checks for deadweight is a massive win for Dennis Media.

Lina nods, silently agreeing. They are all washed-up nobodies anyway. Good riddance.

"Keep an eye on Loretta, though. She might be a nobody, but she knows too much about Jade's vocal tracks. Just monitor her," Alec orders lazily.

"Jade, you look absolutely stunning! You truly are the princess of this family. You can pull off any aesthetic effortlessly," Alec gushes, practically drooling over his own styling choices. Since he is Jade's exclusive stylist, he designed the entire look from head to toe.

"Really?" Jade blinks, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. Her large, innocent eyes sparkle with manufactured delight. She bites her lower lip, flashing a sweet, bashful smile, and hooks her arm through Alec's. "You are just so talented, Alec," she purrs in a syrupy voice. "Every time I wear one of your designs, I feel like a completely new person. I feel so much more confident."

Her calculated flattery strokes Alec's ego to perfection. It is no wonder he vastly prefers her over Tara.

For this highly anticipated competition, Alec has prepared three distinct aesthetics for Jade. The first is Noir Vintage Glamour, an homage to the classic jazz age. The second is the bold, commanding Femme Fatale Chic. The final look is Angelcore, her signature, soft-girl aesthetic.