Lilah responded, slightly detached, “Think of time as water; every drop counts."

She didn't notice the pure admiration shining in her assistant's eyes.

Once back in her office, Lilah dialed Ruby's number without hesitation. In her mind, Ruby was the ideal choice for a brand ambassador. With her positive public image and an upcoming movie, Ruby could really spotlight the brand.

After several rings, Ruby finally answered, sounding slightly out of breath, "Hey, Lilah! Sorry, I was in the middle of a take. What can I do for you?"

Lilah replied, her voice soft but firm, "I won't keep you long. How would you feel about being the face of our brand? We can hash out the details later. Thoughts?"

Ruby hesitated for a moment. “I'd need to chat with my agent about it."

Lilah knew that most celebs needed to loop in their agents before making big decisions, so she responded, “Totally get it. I just wanted to inform you before I chat with your agent."

Ruby replied simply with a "Thanks."

After the call, Lilah promptly reached out to Ruby's agent.

However, the feedback she got wasn't what she expected. The agent said, “Look, Ms. Phillips, Aurora Jewelers is impressive, but Ruby's plate is full right now. She's swamped.”

A hint of disappointment flashed across Lilah's face. She knew that persistence wouldn't change the agent's mind. She started pondering other celebrities who might be a good fit. Effie did cross her mind, but Lilah immediately shook her head at the thought; after all, she was Gerard's sister. Lilah wasn't eager to deepen her ties to Gerard.

Trying to pick the perfect face for the brand was proving to be a challenge, so Lilah decided to table the discussion for now.

A couple of days passed, and while she was working, a news headline caught Lilah's eye: “Ruby Lynn Now the Face of Xavier Jewelers!"

Curious, Lilah clicked on it and saw Ruby shining in an opulent ad campaign for Xavier Jewelers. The promotional video was breathtaking, and the online chatter was overwhelmingly positive.

Lilah's grip tightened on her phone, her forehead creasing in confusion. She remembered the agent distinctly mentioning that Ruby was swamped with commitments. So what was she doing as the face of Xavier Jewelers? In Mirello, the two jewelry giants were neck and neck, but in Hualand, Aurora Jewelers was clearly the crowd's favorite.

Lilah skimmed the article, biting back a retort. After all, the final decision might not have been in Ruby's hands.

Later that day, not in the mood to head home, Lilah chose a hotel close by to have her dinner. As she strolled past a private dining room, a heated argument reached her ears.

"You really think you're on Ruby's level? Dream on!"

“Oh, Effie, and who exactly are you?"

That name made Lilah halt in her tracks. Without a second thought, she pushed open the door to the room.

Inside, she saw Effie, surrounded by two well-known actresses who had always presented themselves as elegant and poised on screen. Now, though, their expressions were anything but elegant, as they sneered and mocked Effie. To add insult to injury, one of them, holding a glass of wine, proceeded to drench Effie in it.

Effie, her outfit soaked, stared back with an unwavering fierceness in her eyes. “Both of you are just puppets for that woman. Funny thing though, I've heard that Ruby had to warm someone's bed to land her recent role. Maybe if you're so loyal, you should try her tactics."

“Shut your mouth!"

The anger on one of the star's face deepened, and without thinking, she lifted her hand to strike Effie. But before her hand could connect, it was caught in a firm grip, and with a swift move, she found herself sprawled on a couch, wincing from the impact.