The final "Hmm?" scared Peter and Jeff so much they shook their heads repeatedly.

  Both men felt a chill seep through their backs; their whole bodies went numb.

  "Miss Grace, how could we possibly bear such a huge responsibility? You're really..." Peter forced an awkward, placating smile. Seeing Grace's expressionless gaze fixed on him, he could no longer hesitate. He pulled Jeff in front of him and scolded, "You say it! Explain everything clearly to Miss Grace."

  Jeff wished he could turn invisible right now, or perhaps transform into a speck of dust drifting into a crack in the floor—anything to avoid standing here facing this.

  "S-s-sorry," Jeff stammered, unable to stop himself from stealing glances at Jones, looking utterly guilty.

  Jones frowned tightly. "Why do you keep looking at me? Are there words on my face? Explain the matter!"

  "It's not that, Mr. Jones... It was someone from our company who suggested it. C-can I say?" Jeff spoke while sweating profusely, his underarms soaked.

  Hearing it was someone from his own company, Jones's heart sank halfway.

  Seeing Grace look at him, he decided to ask himself: "Who? Veronica?"

  It was just a random guess, but it hit the mark. Seeing Jeff nod, Jones's eyes widened in disbelief.

  "Veronica?" He was shocked. "Why would she, for no good reason, target Chloe?"

  Veronica was a currently popular actress. She had a solid body of work, strong online popularity, and award recognition. Newcomers could only look up to her; how could she possibly feel threatened so easily?

  "How would I know?" Jeff said, looking like he'd drawn the short straw.

  He had just done a small favor—something all too common in the industry. How did he manage to kick an iron plate? This Veronica was really bringing him bad luck.

  Grace wasn't entirely unfamiliar with Veronica. She was an actress in a drama Scarlett had been watching in the dorm recently, known for playing villainous roles, having portrayed many similar characters.

  She never believed it was a matter of staff oversight or that the stage was too small from the outset. Preventing her sister from going on stage for no reason was undoubtedly a deliberate act by someone with an agenda.

  "Miss Grace, Veronica is a female artist under our company. Her involvement in this matter reflects shortcomings in our company's management of artists. I will handle this matter seriously, you can rest assured."

  Jones didn't shield his own employee. Of course, in front of Grace, he had no right to. He immediately adopted a proper stance.

  Grace looked at him and asked directly, "How does Mr. Jones plan to handle this, Veronica?"

  Jones was momentarily speechless, hesitating before saying, "I haven't considered the specifics yet, but rest assured, Miss Grace, the outcome will satisfy you."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "However, replacing her is quite impossible. I must clarify this with you in advance. Firstly, although she's an artist under my company, she signed a contract after getting the role. Secondly, the main cast has already been announced at the press conference. Replacing her suddenly would definitely impact the series. We also need to consider the public reaction online. What do you think?"

  Hearing this, Grace slightly raised an eyebrow. Jones's words were rather factual. He wasn't deliberately protecting Veronica but was considering the bigger picture.

  Her original intention was to get an explanation, not to target Jones or his company. For this project, Jones had even sold his house. Grace knew he cared more than anyone about the series proceeding smoothly.

  "Mr. Jones, I won't make things difficult for you. Since Veronica prevented my sister from appearing at the press conference, I'll give her a taste of her own medicine. From now on, all official accounts for 'Destined to be Queen' are forbidden from posting any material, news updates, or behind-the-scenes content related to Veronica. She is also barred from participating in all related promotional activities in the future!"

  "Huh?" Jeff couldn't help but blurt out, "Mr. Jones, Veronica is the second female lead. That's not reasonable, is it?"

  "Reason?" Grace looked at Jeff and asked, "Do you think I'm here to reason with you right now?"

  "I'm here to get justice for my sister, not to reason with you!"

  This one sentence scared Jeff into immediately falling silent. Peter behind him wished he could kick him!

  Jones quickly nodded in agreement. "No problem, Miss Grace. As long as you don't demand her replacement, I agree to all your requirements."

  Hearing Jones say this, Grace felt slightly better, but she wasn't finished yet. Turning to Jones, she continued, "What about my sister? How does Mr. Jones plan to console her? Surely you don't intend to let her suffer today's grievance for nothing?"

  "Of course not, Miss Grace. Here's the thing: our company currently has several projects in preparation for cooperation. For any roles not yet finalized, your sister gets first pick. Whichever role she wants to play, just say the word, and I'll guarantee her entry!" As he spoke, Jones took out his phone, ready to fulfill his promise on the spot. "I'll arrange for someone to compile the list immediately and send it directly to your sister later for her to choose."

  Grace was very satisfied with this solution. It was sincere and practical.

  For her sister, a newcomer, being able to choose her own role was something she wouldn't even dare to dream of. She would definitely be thrilled.

  Grace nodded, took a deep breath, and stood up. Jones also hurriedly stood up, carefully watching her expression.

  She paused briefly before saying, "Let this matter end here. And don't let my sister know about it."

  "I understand, Miss Grace. Rest assured," Jones quickly nodded in assurance.

  Having nothing more to say, Grace composed herself, politely declined Jones's offer to see her back, and left the venue on her own.

  Once Grace was gone, Jones felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He slumped back into the chair with a great sigh of relief.

  Peter, having made such a grave mistake, didn't dare breathe loudly. He just imprinted Grace's image firmly in his mind, vowing never to offend her in the future.

  Only Jeff secretly gnashed his teeth in anger—directed not at Grace but at Veronica, who had almost gotten him into serious trouble.

  "Jeff, right?" Jones, having recovered, suddenly looked at him, his expression icy. "Pack your things. Go to HR immediately to resign. Get out!"

  "M-Mr. Jones..." Jeff was dumbfounded, but Jones got up and left without looking back.

  After going downstairs, Grace wasn't in a hurry to return to school. Instead, she sat down in a nearby coffee shop. Just as she was about to scan the code to order, a text message suddenly arrived on her phone.

  She casually opened it, and her eyes instantly widened.

  *Card ending in 1069 received an inter-bank transfer of 7,480.00 at 15:00, Sep 20, at Aethelburg Branch. Current balance: 4,837,159.80. Payer: National Space Exploration and Research Department. Remarks: August Salary [Industrial Bank]*

  Grace stared at this unbelievable text message in shock. " National Space Exploration and Research Department" was the organization she had worked at for decades. The amount, 7,480 was her final month's salary before retirement. It had actually been deposited into her card on time on the 20th, the regular payday!