Chapter 39: Chapter 39

“Angeline, just apologize to Mr. Golding.” Denise stalked over to Angeline right then on her sky-high stilettos. “I know you really wanted to win this competition, but how dare you get Mr. Golding’s daughter involved! Mr. Fuller, it’s against the rules for her to mess with the scripts. She should be disqualified!”

Gordon’s temple throbbed with frustration. “Mr. Golding, the competition is over. How should we proceed?” he asked Evander in a respectful tone.

“So, is it against the rules or not? Do you really need to bother me with such trivial matters?”

“Ah, I understand. Well, Angeline’s action did not meet the—”

“There’s nothing in the contract that states that I couldn’t change the script,” Angeline retorted sharply.

“Besides, even if it really is against the rules, it isn’t my fault!”

It seemed as if Angeline had something more to say. She glared meaningfully at Denise.

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Ms. Campbell, you’re accusing me of speaking nonsense, but I wouldn’t dare to make any false allegations in front of so many people. After all, I still want to be in this industry.” She turned to Evander and smiled lightly. “I have a friend who works in the publishing business. He sent me a video some time ago. I’d like to show it to you, Mr. Golding.”

Nancy handed Angeline’s phone to her. Angeline tapped a few buttons. Then she turned the screen to Evander.

It was a video of several screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation. It was evidence of Denise’s manager bribing several magazines to sabotage Angeline.

Evander gave the phone to Denise. “I need an explanation for this.”

“It’s not what it looks likes. Those screenshots are fake, Mr. Golding. Please don’t believe such lies,”

Denise countered in her own defense. However, her face had drained of color, and her palms were damp with cold sweat.

She had not expected Angeline to investigate her. Didn’t I hide my tracks well enough?

“I have a recording as well. Would you like to watch it, Ms. Campbell?” Angeline pressed on in a calm voice. She would not allow Denise to get away with her lies.

Denise pursed her lips.

“There will be no need for that.” Evander threw Denise a disgusted look. “Angeline will be the ambassador of Starlight Jewelry.”

His voice was low but authoritative.

Denise’s face turned pale. Her fists were clenched tightly by her side. She bit her lip, not daring to say a word.

Her manager approached her with his head hanging shamefully. He pulled her away to spare her the embarrassment.

“Thank you, Mr. Golding.” Angeline smiled softly. She raised her eyebrows, rejoicing in her victory, but not gloating at Denise’s defeat.

Evander grunted in reply. His face was an indecipherable mask devoid of any emotion as he turned to leave with Floretta.

Floretta, however, had other ideas. She tugged at her father’s arm coyly. “It’s already noon! I’m hungry!”

“Shall we have Jetroinian food?”

“Okay, okay!” Floretta clapped excitedly. She skipped toward Angeline and pulled her hand. Then, in a pleading voice, she said, “Let’s take Angel with us. She hasn’t had lunch yet either!”

Evander did not refuse his daughter’s request. He had a new respect for Angeline after what had just happened. It became clear to him that Angeline was not just beautiful, but also very clever.

“Floretta, I’ll go with you next time instead,” Angeline said gently, declining the invitation to save Evander from having to refuse his daughter. She did not want to irritate him any further.

“No, no, you must come with us!” Floretta pouted.

Angeline was torn. She did not want to disappoint the young girl. However, before she could speak, the man piped up, “The restaurant is not far from here. Let’s all go together.”

Angeline glanced at Evander in surprise.

She did not expect Evander to extend the invitation to her personally.

However, this was not a bad development for her.

Nancy explained the turn of events to Gordon. Then she nudged Angeline toward Evander’s car.

During the car ride, she pulled out her phone. The news of Angeline landing the public service announcement had attracted an insane amount of attention.

The public was not so easily fooled. Those who had spoken badly against her now changed their tune.

Their vile comments turned into praise and admiration.

The weight that had been sitting heavily on Angeline’s shoulders finally lifted. However, she owed her victory to a mysterious benefactor.

At that moment, her phone lit up.

It was a text message from the mysterious stranger who had sent her the video evidence of Denise’s wrongdoing.

The message read: Two o’clock tomorrow at Black Forest Cafe. Come alone.

Angeline’s face turned solemn after she read the message. Her assistant would often buy her coffee from Black Forest Café. For this unknown person to specifically suggest that café meant that he or she had been watching her movements.

“Angel, we’re here!” Floretta called out excitedly, pulling Angeline away from her thoughts.

She grabbed Angeline’s hand, and they both followed Evander into the restaurant.

This particular Jetroinian restaurant was not the most popular in the area. The ambiance of the place was very typical of a Jetroinian restaurant. What made it different was the attention to detail in its decoration and the children’s play area in one corner of the restaurant.

“This way, please.”

The waiter led them to a table by the window. It was a quiet corner from which they could watch the busy city through the window.

Angeline took a seat opposite Evander while Floretta sneakily climbed into the chair next to her.

“Floretta!” Evander narrowed his eyes threateningly at his daughter.

However, Floretta had no plans to go over to sit next to her father. She hugged Angeline’s arm tightly and stared at Evander petulantly. It was a battle that he would not win.

“It’s okay. Let her sit with me. You are right here anyway. You can still watch over her,” Angeline said, trying to defuse the situation.

Evander glared at his daughter, who was looking at him with puppy eyes. Angeline found the scene rather funny.

The CEO of Golding Group, who is usually so in control, is unable to handle his young daughter!

“There are not many patrons in this restaurant, and nobody saw us coming in,” Evander said, turning to Angeline. He had noticed her fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat.

“Ah, thank you.” Angeline visibly relaxed. She removed her sunglasses and the hat that she had been wearing.

It was risky for Angeline to enjoy a meal out in a public restaurant with her current popularity level.

However, she believed that Evander must have already thought of the issue and prepared for it since he had invited her to have lunch with them.

“Here, order whatever you like,” Evander said, pushing the menu toward her.

“I’ll have this one,” Angeline replied, pointing randomly at a meal set illustrated on the menu. She turned toward the little girl beside her and asked, “Floretta, what do you want to eat?”

Floretta’s eyes sparkled greedily as she scanned the menu. She pointed here and there as she demanded, “I want this… and this…”

Angeline’s eyebrows knitted together. “Can you really eat all of that? This is all already included in this set meal. Let’s not waste food.”

Floretta considered Angeline’s words, then nodded in agreement. She crossed out most of the items from her order, leaving only a meatball soup and a pudding for dessert.

“Excuse me! Waiter, please!” Evander snapped his fingers. He returned the menus to the waiter after placing their order and looked at Floretta in surprise.

His daughter had never before understood the concept of saving money. In truth, Evander had always indulged his daughter in order to make up for his lack of affection and attention to her.

Evander had not expected his willful daughter to be so receptive to Angeline’s advice.