"What?" The director's assistant had been caught in his excitement when he heard the director's instruction and thought, Am I hearing things?
"Did you say we should edit the footage?"
"I asked you to delete it." The director was in agony over this decision too and didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"But why?" The assistant's jaw dropped when he confirmed that was what the director wanted. "This is prime material and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Once this episode airs, I can guarantee that we'll have sponsors lining up to sponsor the show next year."
"Hah!" The director felt like smacking his assistant on the head. "If we air this, Mr. Alston and Foxy will work together to destroy us! There wouldn't even be a program anymore, so what's the use of getting sponsors?"
The director's assistant had a look of realization. He felt incredibly reluctant, but he had to force himself to delete the footage as instructed.
Later on, two new guests joined the show, and everything went smoothly, apart from Lilith's persistence in making snide remarks toward Amelie which made it clear she wasn't fond of the latter.
At last, the second recording peacefully came to an end.
Amelie went back home and spent two days with her father and daughter.
The show officially started airing in those two days.
No one brought up anything about Amelie and Leo, and all their interactions had been edited out.
Amelie was pleased to see this.
She didn't want to have anything to do with Leo in any way.
What with Elyse, Ellen, and her, there was no telling just how chaotic things could be.
Why didn't I realize sooner that Leo had such remarkable talent when it comes to creating chaos?
During the weekend, Amelie made a trip to Clouson City after Julia's constant wheedling and cajoling.
Clouson City was a flourishing city known for extravagance, and Julia insisted that Amelie accompanied her on a shopping trip.
Amelie couldn't refuse, and after lunch, they went to a luxury shopping mall in the city.
This was a newly built luxury shopping mall that housed all of the high-end and most premium brands.
Even the air smelled expensive as they walked in.
Two rows of tall, beautiful women greeted the customers at the entrance.
When Amelie and Julia came in, the women greeted them. "Welcome."
One of them came over with a warm smile and asked, "Do you need me to accompany you while you shop?"
Julia declined, and once the beautiful woman returned to her station, she snorted. "Leo looks reserved and aloof, but deep down inside, he's just the same as every other guy. Still, a service like this is well-received these days. Society is now full of people who're trying to look as if they're living their best lives, and it seems as if they're having a good time, but how much of it is true? Things like this feed into their desire to feel like they're the center of attention."
This was how Amelie found out that the shopping mall belonged to Leo. She stiffened ever so slightly.
She knew that Leo was a brilliant man with a lot of unique ideas. He knew how to capture the clientele's hearts and minds regardless of what the business was.
The increasing success of his businesses was credited to this aspect of him.
Although the two women didn't have a beautiful shopping assistant following them around, there were many AI robots throughout the mall who served as their guides.
The AI robots were able to figure out what Julia and Amelie wanted through analysis of their facial expressions, and a handsome AI robot came over. "Hello. Are you here to check out the fashion boutiques? The clothing department is on the fifth floor. Beautiful ladies like you deserve fine clothing that suits your styles and preferences."
Julia was amused by the male robot, so she fluttered her eyelashes and remarked, "Oh, my. You're so handsome. May I have a kiss?"
The AI robot immediately blushed. "I've written so many letters to you, but you keep getting involved with the messenger instead."
Julia nearly broke her back laughing as she dragged Amelie up to the fifth floor.
All types of fashion styles were found on the fifth floor. It was enough to mesmerize even the pickiest of dressers.
Julia's eyes started glowing.
Amelie knew full well what the look in Julia's eyes meant. She quickly let go of Julia's hand.
True enough, Julia began flying in and out of the various boutiques to shop to her heart's content.
Amelie couldn't resist wincing.
Everything here's expensive. Her bank account's going to be hurting soon.
Just then, she heard the sound of heels clacking on the floor.
A crisp, haughty voice rang out. "Is the S size for this available?"
"Yes, it is. I'll get it for you right away."
"Hurry up."
The voice sounded familiar, so Amelie looked over.
She immediately saw the long-haired, dazzlingly dressed woman sitting on the couch in one of the boutiques nearby. It was Elyse. She crossed her legs, and it revealed the pair of expensive heels she was wearing.
After sitting down, Elyse spotted Amelie as well and visibly froze.
However, she quickly turned away.
Trying to pretend as if she didn't see me, huh?
Amelie smirked at the sight of Elyse's cowardly display and she marched right over.
"Elyse, didn't I warn you not to try and use your schemes on me? Was the previous incident insufficient to clear your head?"
"What are you talking about? Don't try to slander me!" Elyse looked up and protested in innocence with an indignant expression as she uncrossed her legs.
Despite all of that, Amelie still saw a trace of panic in Elyse's eyes.
Her smirk grew colder. "You know very well whether or not it's slander. Ellen's mentally unstable, and yet, you still got her to participate in the program on purpose. Don't tell me you didn't have a motive."
"I do. I just want her to help me keep Leo. What's the matter? What's wrong with that?"
Elyse stood up. She no longer attempted to hide her sickening intentions. She had already figured out how she was going to deal with this.
Amelie smirked. She believed that Elyse was motivated by the reason she just gave. However, that was not her only goal.
"Elyse, I'm giving you three days to confess all the things you've done and the role you played in the foolish things that Ellen did. If you're willing to own up to everything, I might just let bygones be bygones, but otherwise…"
Her icy gaze swept over Elyse.
Even though there was no viciousness in her eyes, Elyse trembled violently in fright as if she had been hit by something.
Elyse had witnessed what Amelie was capable of. It was terrifying.
Amelie watched Elyse's reaction in silence and didn't miss a single detail.
Then, she leaned in and held Elyse's collar with her slender fingers before she calmly adjusted it.
It was as if she was interacting with her best friend.
Elyse didn't understand what Amelie was trying to do. Her eyes trembled but she dared not move.
Once Amelie was done, she yanked Elyse forward and looked right at her. "You know what I can do."
After that, Amelie let go.
Her domineering presence filled the air.
Elyse felt as if she had dipped inside an icy pool in winter. Her body was frozen and even her blood couldn't flow properly. Terror washed over her and she could barely breathe.
Even when Amelie had walked far, far away, Elyse was still in shock.
Julia's ability to shop was no joke. In just an hour, her arms were laden with shopping bags of all sizes.
Her arms weren't the only ones that were filled as Amelie was carrying quite many bags on her behalf too.
The mall was full of posters of handsome men and gorgeous women who were promoting various brands.
As Julia scanned through them, she commented, "Out of all these men, I think Blakey looks the best. Is he trying to steal the hearts of every single woman with his doe eyes and handsome yet shy expression?"
Amelie looked over as well.
True enough, Blake's poster was the most eye-catching one out of all the other posters.
He was handsome without even trying.
"Are you sure it's impossible between you two?" Julia couldn't help but think that it was a pity. "He's my idea of Mr. Perfect. I would steal him and keep him for myself if I wasn't taken already."
Amelie was speechless.
Steal him and keep him for yourself? What's she talking about? Does she see him as an oversized puppy?
Nevertheless, Amelie answered in all seriousness, "Yeah. It's impossible between us. We were like brother and sister back then, and it's the same now. Even in the future, we'll be nothing more than that."
Julia sighed again.
"Only someone in your position can say something like that. Don't you think the people who like Blakey would want to kill you if they heard what you just said?"
Amelie had no idea how to respond to that.
"By the way, what's with Leo? I saw your program and Leo's expression was a little strange. Did something happen between you two?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When I Was a Wallflower (Leo and Amelie)