“Thanks for taking me as your plus one guest,” Lin Dong said as he climbed inside the car.
“No problem at all. We’re colleagues.” Tang Yiyi checked all of her sides before rejoining the traffic on the road. “And Iris and Jin Chonglin want you to come.”
“They want me to come but didn’t send me an invitation. I don’t even know what kind of event we’re attending today.”
“Me neither. Iris has become extremely secretive in these past few weeks and it’s almost driving me crazy. And speaking of driving me crazy, have you really made up your mind regarding their plan?”
Lin Dong clenched his hands, determination flashing in his eyes. “Yes. I’ll follow Chonglin wherever he goes. My letter of resignation is already prepared. I’ll hand it as soon as Iris and Chonglin iron out their departure from Bright Summit.” Then he glanced at her. “How about you? I heard that Iris also invited you to follow her.”
She sighed, her hands tightening around the steering wheel. “To be honest with you, I also want to follow her but I’m worried about the other artists that I’m managing. I can’t just abandon all of them.”
“The other talents that I’m managing, they’re also following us to the new company,” he revealed.
Her eyes widened. “Is that true?”
He nodded. “Chonglin invited them. Just one word from him and they were all won over. The new company will be paying for their termination fees. I heard that Iris already gave her approval. If you want to follow us to the new company, maybe you can talk to Iris and ask her to do the same thing for the other talents that you’re managing.”
She frowned. “But wouldn’t all those termination fees be too expensive?”
“Of course, they’re expensive,” he said in a dry voice. “But don’t forget that Chonglin is a Jin, not to mention that he’s a famous superstar and a top endorser. Iris isn’t poor either. She came from a wealthy family herself and now owns Orchidia Beauty. And let’s not forget that she’s also the fiancée of CEO Jin, one of the wealthiest men in the world. Those people are filthy rich.”
She paused for a few moments to think before replying, “Let’s say that Iris agrees. Do you think that Bright Summit will just let all of the talents go just like that? Letting go of Jin Chonglin alone would hurt Bright Summit. If Iris joins him with all the other talents that we’re managing, the higher-ups will probably go ballistic.”
“I was worried about that too, but Chonglin seems confident of Iris’ ability to negotiate with Bright Summit—”
“What?! Iris is the one negotiating?!”
“Look at the road!”
Tang Yiyi hurriedly returned her eyes on the road. When they calmed down again, she sighed. “I wish Iris tells me more about these things. You know more about their plans than I do. I feel like she doesn’t trust me.”
“I only know about these things from Chonglin. But even he doesn’t know all of Iris’ plans. He says that they have to be extra careful so as not to tip anyone especially the media.”
She sighed again. “Yeah. I’m just so worried about Iris. She’s basically turning into a social hermit and for an in-demand celebrity, that’s akin to a career suicide. I’m just glad that she’s at least still working on her music but the media interest in her has been declining ever since she started limiting her public appearances to a bare minimum. I’m worried about her showbiz career but more than that, I’m worried about her health.”
“Maybe you’ll get the answers that you need from her today since I’m sure that we’ll see her at her own party,” Lin Dong said in an encouraging tone. “Chonglin is already there since dawn, helping them prepare or something.”
“They’re all acting so mysterious about this party, huh?”
“Yeah. So annoying.”
They chuckled, lightening the atmosphere.
“Maybe we’ll get a chance to talk to both Chonglin and Iris at the party later about the details of their plan to leave Bright Summit and establish their own company,” Lin Dong said.
“I hope so. Well, Iris promised to tell me everything when the time is right. I just don’t know when is that.”
He nodded.
Silence fell in the car as they became absorbed in their own thoughts.
Then Lin Dong leaned forward and peered at the imposing sight of the exclusive village’s gated entrance in the distance. “Is that it?”
She smiled. “Yes, we’re almost at Dragon Palace.”
###
When the two managers finally passed through the massive gates of Dragon Palace Home #10, Lin Dong released a big sigh of relief.
“Wow, that was intense! This place is stricter than airport security. So many checkpoints! And those scary guards! CEO Jin truly lives in another world than the rest of us mortal beings!”
Tang Yiyi chuckled. “My thoughts exactly. And Iris is engaged to that kind of man. She’s amazing, too.”
“That’s true.” He continued looking around the magnificent property like a child experiencing an amus.e.m.e.nt park for the first time. “I sometimes forget that CEO Jin is Chonglin’s brother.”
“Well, I never forget that CEO Jin is Iris’ fiancé. That man is always calling her. And I bet that if he’s not busy running a multinational company, he’ll make it a point to hover around Iris 24/7. I honestly was so surprised and a little disillusioned when I witnessed their relationship for the first time with my own eyes. They’re too sticky with each other.”
They laughed while continuing to enjoy the beautiful view. [This novel is a contracted work with W e b n o v e l . c o m (remove spaces). If you’re not reading this chapter on W e b n o v e l, it has been stolen. It’s very discouraging to see thieves profitting from my hard work. Please support the original author, ArriaCross. Thank you! Also follow me on Instagram @arriacross]
Around twenty minutes later, they finally caught sight of the majestic palatial mansion. There was a short line of luxury vehicles dropping off passengers at the bottom of the grand front steps.
“Isn’t that Mr. JJ?” Lin Dong pointed at the attractive older man who got off a red sportscar and handed his keys to the attending valet.
“Yes, I think—”
“Holy smokes! That’s Enrique Valdez! He’s here?!” Lin Dong’s voice turned a few octaves higher in his excitement.
“This party looks like it’s a big deal,” she murmured.
