Chapter 68 She Wants to Withdraw
Finished
“I originally planned to have you two audition together last time, but since you didn’t show up and I ended up having something come up as well, I had to cancel it. Now that I’m free again, I figured I’d bring you both in today…”
Lacey sat stiffly on the couch, her chest tightening with a flood of agitation.
Why did Jean have to show up?
Was she too gentle last time?
While Taylor spoke, Jean casually observed Lacey’s expression.
At this point, she’d more or less pieced it all together.
There was a 99% chance Lacey was the one who poisoned her.
And the motive was laughably simple: keep Jean from auditioning for the variety show, so Lacey could swoop in and steal the spot
That look on her face when Jean said she was perfectly fine? That shock wasn’t faked.
Clearly, she never expected Jean to recover so quickly. It threw her whole plan into chaos.
Come to think of it, she owed her recovery to Samuel.
If not for him, she might still be stuck in a hospital bed, in agony, with no diagnosis in sight.
Lacey’s heart was even nastier than Jean expected.
No wonder the host eventually took matters into her own hands. Girls like this deserved it.
“Jean, are you ready to start the audition now?” Taylor’s warm voice brought her back to the present.
jean looked over at him and smiled. “Of course.”
Lacey stood as well.
This wasn’t going how she’d planned. She thought she’d already secured the gig.
But now Jean was here. And suddenly, the odds felt stacked again.
Still, Lacey wasn’t going down without a fight.
She had plenty of talents. She’d make Taylor see it.
Jean and Lacey stood side by side in the center of the office, leaving space between them.
Both expected they’d be asked to showcase their talents next-
But Taylor turned around and swiveled a monitor toward them instead.
Jean blinked.
It wasn’t a display screen. It was a video call.
And the person on the screen–Was Easton
He lounged casually in frame, his long, elegant hair falling near his eyes. When he spotted Jean on the other end, his sharp gaze wavered slightly.
Chapter 68 She Wants to Withdraw
contract–that’s up to Easton. He couldn’t make it in person, so we’re doing the audition over video.”
There really wasn’t any other way.
Taylor’s new show had managed to secure Easton thanks to some serious back–end wrangling by their investors
Finished
Truth be told, Taylor wasn’t a fan of using A–list celebrities in variety shows. Sure, the ratings were practically guaranteed, but in his eyes, the soul of a show had to come from the content–not the star power.
Still, if the investors wanted Easton, then Taylor had to make it work.
But then came the hard part
The show wasn’t a solo format–it was a duo concept. Each guest needed a partner.
Taylor had expected Easton to be picky, but not this picky.
Every single person Taylor suggested was rejected on the spot.
Don’t like
e them. Not a fit. Don’t bother.
Taylor eventually asked him outright what kind of partner he was looking for. Easton didn’t answer. He just kept vetoing everyone else.
It was maddening.
Then, during a casual meeting, Taylor happened to play back a recording from the Hope Cup finals–the Stellarford Academy stage play.
Easton had teased him at first, saying, “You really like watching high school kids play pretend, huh?”
But Taylor wasn’t embarrassed at all. He told him he thought the Tree in the performance was surprisingly moving. Really vivid. The soul of the whole show.
Easton raised an eyebrow but didn’t scoff. He paused for a long moment, then said three words:
“Not bad, I guess.
Coming from Easton, that was a glowing review.
Usually, he didn’t even bother being polite. Just “no” or “not interested.”
For him to say “not bad” meant he didn’t dislike it.
And that was huge.
Taylor immediately got his hopes up.
Maybe—just maybe that Tree could be the one Easton would actually say yes to.
So here they were.
All of this, just for Easton.
“All right,” Easton said lazily from the screen. “Let’s start. Show me what you’ve got. Who’s first?”
His head rested against one hand, expression cool and unreadable.
He looked like a painting–so polished he didn’t feel real.
“I’ll go first,” Lacey blurted out, forcing herself to sound confident.
L
Chapter 68 She Wants to Withdraw
She threw herself into the performance.
Dancing Instruments. Anything that might impress.
Jean stood off to the side, watching without much interest.
When Lacey finally finished, Easton’s expression didn’t change.
He was still smiling politely–but there was no indication he liked or disliked what he saw.
Lacey stood frozen, waiting for feedback.
But Easton didn’t say a word.
Instead, his eyes shifted toward Jean
He ulted his head slightly, lips curling
“Your turn, classmate.” he said, voice calm and smooth.
Jean had to admit, his voice was nice. Deep, mellow, with a subtle magnetic pull
But being stared at by this guy gave her goosebumps.
Screw this.
Plans were changing.
Finished
She let out a barely audible sigh, then plastered on an awkward smile. “Actually, I don’t really feel like being on a variety show anymore. I don’t think I’m the right tit
She paused “Would it be okay if I backed out?”
Send Gifts
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