Arrange meeting

As the man finished speaking, the woman sitting next to me abruptly stood up.

"Ar...Arthur," she said in a shaky voice, as if she had something important to say but couldn't muster the courage.

So his name is Arthur. It suits him perfectly.

"I need to attend an important meeting," he said, his calm eyes fixed on the woman standing beside me. His gaze didn't even acknowledge my presence.

Oh man, that voice!

"How about you take her in your—" the woman began, but Arthur cut her off mid-sentence.

"No, Mom!"

The woman pressed her lips together, her gaze dropped to me. A sadness flickered on her face before she forced a smile. "Thank you for eating with us..."

Thank you? Why is she thanking me for a meal? Just as I opened my mouth to ask, the sound of wheels caught my attention.

Turning my head, I froze at the sight before me.

Arthur—the epitome of elegance and handsomeness—was seated in a wheelchair. His fingers moved on the chair's control panel as he gracefully maneuvered it.

The man who had previously argued with me threw a cold glare over his shoulder as they headed towards the main gate.

What the hell? Is he...crippled?

"Madam?" A voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.

Startled, I turned around quickly, wondering if it was me being addressed.

"Madam, we're late for the shoot," said a man with messy, curly hair, oversized glasses, and a suit far too big for his skinny frame.

I was about to respond when my eyes caught Arthur and the others exiting through the front door.

"Madam," the man repeated, his voice tinged with worry. Though his messy hair obscured his eyes, the sweat on his face screamed anxiety. Judging by his demeanor, it seemed this body had a history of tormenting the people around her.

"What's your name?" I asked, dragging the chair back and standing in front of him. He was taller than me, though he hunched as if trying to shrink himself.

Looking conflicted, he finally answered, "My...my name is Carl Dell," nervously adjusting his glasses with his knuckles.

"Carl," I said.

He straightened up like a soldier. "Yes, ma'am!"

If I wasn't mistaken, he had mentioned something about a shoot. My stoic smile twitched. "What were you just talking about?"

Please don't tell me that despite being ridiculously rich, this woman still works!

---

Sitting in the back seat of an absurdly luxurious black car, I was in shock. If Carl hadn't opened the door for me, I wouldn't even know how to operate it. He sat in the passenger seat, rambling about something I couldn't follow.

I sat stiffly, letting the world spin around me.

"Madam, do you have anything to say about it?" Carl half-turned to look at me, his voice growing worried.

Evil, invisible laughter brewed inside me. WHAT IS GOING ON? SOMEONE SAVE ME—I DON'T WANT TO WORK AGAIN!

I had no idea what expression I wore, but Carl's tense face said enough.

"Ahem… I wanted to ask, what exactly are we going to do?" I managed, trying to sound composed.

Carl blinked at me, momentarily speechless.

Looks like I'll need to fake it until I figure this out.

Crossing my legs elegantly, I placed a palm on my knee and smirked devilishly. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

Internally, I screamed at the evil act I was putting on, but Carl let out a relieved sigh.

Seriously? Has it been so rare for me to act normal that even silence freaks them out? How would they react if I suddenly started being kind?

"Mam, right now, we have two offers from TV shows. The first is from Okus Entertainment, whose latest show has gone viral, boosting their TRP."

He flipped through a file. "They've invited you to join a survival program where you'll spend three days in the mountains without food or water provided."

He smiled nervously. "The second is a reality dating show where you'll pair up with a partner to complete tasks. This one is luxurious, with all participants being A-list actors and actresses."

I sat frozen, my jaw practically on the floor. So… I'm an A-list actress now?

Trying to suppress my emotions, I managed to keep a cold voice. "The second one."

Carl beamed, his wide smile practically shouting his relief. "I knew it! I already declined their offer."

My lips twitched. "Wait… what?"

Carl scratched his chin awkwardly. "Well, there's a problem. The director of the dating show is Director Li."

"Director Li?"

Carl hesitated. "You… don't remember? Ah, well… last time, you slapped him because he suggested you change your wardrobe. You also declared you'd never act in anything he directs."

My soul left my body. This woman… she slapped a director? Is she addicted to digging her own grave?

"Let's forget about it then—"

"No, no, no, madam! This show is very important for you!" Carl practically yelled, flipping through his tablet. "The slap incident caused a media frenzy. While we managed to suppress the news, rumors about your bad behavior are spreading. Every day, you're losing fans, and at this rate, you won't be invited to major dramas anymore."

He looked at me desperately, fear shadowing his face.

"Hah…" I rubbed my temple in frustration. "Fine. Contact Director Li and arrange a meeting. Let him know I want to meet him alone."

I smirked internally. Six years working in customer service taught me one thing—how to please people when you desperately need a job. This time, I'll clean up this troublemaker's mess!