She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 530

News that Élégance had secured the opening slot for the runway spread rapidly through the entertainment industry. Desperate for the massive exposure the show would bring, numerous celebrities began secretly emailing Élégance, practically begging for a collaboration.

Alicia sifted through the inquiries for days before finally settling on Flavia Lattimore. Though slightly older, Flavia maintained a flawless, camera-ready appearance, had zero scandals to her name, and boasted a highly reliable fan base.

Flavia was ecstatic when she received the acceptance email. She nearly cried tears of joy. She had assumed that after Yolene's downfall, her own career would skyrocket, reclaiming its former glory. Instead, the exact opposite happened—several of her major scripts and endorsement deals had inexplicably been pulled.

Élégance's offer was quite literally a lifeline.

...

Just two days after Alicia sent Flavia the invitation and electronic contract, she received a mysterious phone call from an encrypted number with no caller ID.

When Alicia hung up, she was genuinely stunned.

Yolene had completely destroyed her own career by maliciously shading Loyce online with vague selfies and passive-aggressive captions. The internet tore her to shreds, and Jasyn Media terminated her contract instantly. She had essentially vanished from the industry.

But recently, any news Alicia dug up about Yolene was overwhelmingly positive. Yolene had abandoned her "bubbly sweetheart" persona, reinventing herself as a mature, compassionate philanthropist. Her relentless charity work in rural areas had effectively drowned out all past criticism.

More importantly, a massive, unseen force had methodically scrubbed the most damaging controversies from the internet.

Now, armed with this reformed, charitable image, Yolene was quietly winning back public sympathy.

Normally, Alicia wouldn't touch a disgraced celebrity with a ten-foot pole. But knowing who was pulling the strings behind Yolene's comeback, she had to tread carefully.

Using Yolene would cost her nothing and allow her to cash in a major favor with her mysterious backer. And if Yolene messed up again, that backer would be forced to clean up the mess anyway.

After weighing her options, Alicia finalized her decision.

Meanwhile, Flavia sat by her inbox, waiting anxiously for Élégance to counter-sign. Instead, she received a brief, unapologetic email claiming the original offer was sent "by mistake" and the contract was void. Because Élégance hadn't signed, she had absolutely no legal recourse. She had been strung along for nothing.

Flavia was hitting a brutal wall in her career. Ever since she separated from Hank, her status had been in a terrifying freefall. She desperately needed a high-profile commercial event to break out of her slump. Staring at the dismissive rejection email, she was furious but entirely powerless.

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