Inside the RV.
Renee lounged gracefully in a plush leather captain's chair, positioned slightly higher than Loyce. She held an iPad, her sharp eyes thoroughly assessing the breathtaking, unapologetically striking woman in front of her. "This is the first time Lucian has ever asked me for a favor. Are you his girlfriend?"
Outside, Lucian's hand froze on the door handle. He paused, holding his breath to listen.
Loyce, sitting on a smaller stool, matched Renee's gaze while casually observing the luxurious interior of the motorhome. "Does he have another one?"
Renee raised an eyebrow. "A guy on death's door probably doesn't have the energy for multiples."
"Oh." Loyce gave a small nod. "He's not going to die."
Renee pushed. "So you really are his girlfriend?"
"Yes."
Renee stared at her for two solid seconds. Then she turned her head and slapped the wall of the RV. "Hey, you outside. How long were you planning on eavesdropping?"
Loyce glanced toward the entrance.
The door swung open, and Lucian stepped inside, carrying the takeout bags. He tried to press his lips into a neutral line, but the profound, smug joy radiating from his face was impossible to hide. He locked eyes with Loyce for a long moment before looking at Renee. "How did you know I was out there?"
Renee waved her iPad at him. "I have exterior security cameras, genius." She then peeked into the takeout bags and frowned. "Burgers and beers? You know I'm on a strict diet, right?"
"They aren't for you." Lucian dumped the entire haul in front of Loyce. "I bought them for my girlfriend."
Renee rolled her eyes so hard they almost got stuck. A second later, Lucian pulled a pristine, organic salad out of a separate compartment and tossed it to her. "I got this for you."
Mollified, Renee opened the container and immediately got down to business. "Look, I get it. You're older, you snagged a gorgeous younger girl, and you're thinking with your ego right now. I'm happy to do you a solid. But the Bloomberry brand is an absolute PR nightmare right now. If you want me to walk the runway at the Nexus Design showcase, fine, I'll do it. But asking me to be the face of the brand and do a massive promotional tour? Absolutely not."
Wearing an ugly dress for five minutes on a runway wouldn't destroy her career. But "Bloomberry" had become a national punchline—the ultimate symbol of a brainless, spoiled heiress burning money on a garbage brand while bullying her own team. Renee was incredibly protective of her pristine reputation and refused to let that kind of toxic sludge stick to her name.
"Why don't you look at this before you make your final decision?"
Loyce pulled Giselle Turner's design portfolio from her bag and slid it across the table.
Renee casually flipped open the first folder, titled *Spring's Awakening*. She froze. The bored, condescending look completely vanished from her face.
She wasn't just an actress; she was an artist and a musician. She considered herself a viciously harsh critic of aesthetics. But this collection...
VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: She Was the Treasure All Along