She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 345

“The second candidate is Winnie,” Mr. Jefferson continued. “She isn’t a typical ‘trending’ celebrity, but she has outstanding professional credibility and a strong cultural reputation. Her roles are known for resilience, intelligence, and depth. Her image is understated and stable, and her fanbase skews older and very loyal.”

He clicked again.

“The third candidate isn’t signed with us. She’s a newly popular star under Hawna Corp—Yolene. She exploded in popularity after a hit period romance series, has extremely high name recognition, and is especially beloved by younger audiences. Her social media engagement is exceptional, and people even call her ‘the next Flavia.’”

After laying out the candidates’ strengths, Mr. Jefferson swallowed and looked toward Lucian on the screen.

“Admiral Shapiro—who would you prefer as the spokesperson?”

Lucian’s fingers tapped the desk once. “I’m not an expert. Based on your professional judgment, who’s best? I’ll hear your recommendation.”

Mr. Jefferson’s chest tightened. He gripped the clicker unconsciously and blurted his honest conclusion.

“Then I’ll speak frankly. This project is geared younger. I’ve reviewed the overall architectural concept—most of it is entertainment and business zones. Luxury retail is only about thirty percent. With that ratio, Winnie isn’t the best fit for broad appeal, and her visibility is limited. If it comes down to Flavia versus Yolene…”

He hesitated. Flavia was getting older, and the industry never ran out of fresh faces. Plus, Yolene had hinted she wanted to move to Jasyn Media—she could replace Flavia’s lane in the future and keep the high-end endorsements coming.

He made his call.

“This industry needs new blood. I believe a brighter, more youthful image better represents the district.”

His hand trembled slightly from nerves—and he hit the wrong button.

The projected screen behind him abruptly switched away from the presentation.

A personal social media page popped up—Mr. Jefferson’s private Twitter.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Right there, at the top of the feed, was a freshly posted concert photo from an account named **Fox**, captioned:

**[Look who I ran into? Suspected new companion of that man.]**

The room turned to ice.

Mr. Jefferson felt his soul leave his body.

On-screen, Lucian’s posture changed. The lazy, detached air evaporated as he stared at the image behind Mr. Jefferson—at the girl tilting her head up toward the stage, watching the performance.

Lucian leaned forward in his chair. His eyes narrowed, sharp with something cold.

Mr. Jefferson looked back, saw what was displayed, and went pale. In a meeting like this, a mistake like that could end his career.

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