Chapter 3

Samantha turned to look at Tiffany and let out a snort. Immediately, Tiffany acted as though she had been wronged. "Ray, I told you that Sammy wouldn't be friendly to me…" Her words instantly brought a disgusted and scornful look to Raymond's eyes, and he didn't even bother hiding it. However, Tiffany was still adding fuel to the fire. "Only you treat me well, Ray. If it weren't for you finding a way to buy me these heels, I wouldn't have known how to match my shoes to my dress today. "You must have spent a fortune on these, right? I'll put them away nicely in my shoe cabinet after today and won't wear them unless it's an important occasion." Raymond's expression swiftly turned gentle. "As long as you like them, Ms. Jensen. It wasn't much trouble for me." It wasn't much trouble? Those shoes had sold like hot cakes in the country and were completely out of stock. Even overseas purchasing agents couldn't get their hands on any. The only way someone could have gotten a pair was if they had deliberately sought out the brand and ordered it. "Then once I've gotten the role, I'll return the favor." Tiffany smiled widely and triumphantly. Raymond hastily waved his hand. "No need for that. I can't possibly ask you to spend money on me." "Sammy," Tiffany suddenly started provoking her, "I remember that you like this brand too. Why don't you have Ray buy you a pair as well? Oh… Do you not like them?" Samantha simply swept a cold glance over her. "I've never been interested in shoes. However, I am interested in seeing how you'll cry, throw a tantrum, and threaten to commit suicide when you fail to get the role. You've been dreaming about securing the lead actress role for this movie, haven't you? Well, I won't let you get your way!" She had only just finished speaking when Tiffany's personal assistant, Martha Shanks, shot Samantha an arrogant look from beside Tiffany. Martha said, "Ms. Norton, you don't have to worry about that. Your brother's already declared that he'll do whatever's necessary to ensure Ms. Tiffany joins the crew with funding." Tiffany purposely threw a challenging smile at Samantha. "Sammy, it seems you won't get to see me cry. After all, Hector is willing to spend a substantial amount of money to help me join the crew. You, on the other hand, don't have that much money, do you?" Hearing that, Samantha sneered. If this had been in the past, then she truly wouldn't have had that amount of money. Back then, to buy off the scandalous photos of her at the hotel, all the commissions she earned from taking on jobs ended up in Hector's hands. She would only receive ten thousand dollars each month as her salary. If it weren't for Raymond's help, she wouldn't have even had a decent piece of jewelry to wear while attending events. In contrast, Tiffany's room was practically overflowing with priceless jewelry. Nonetheless, it was different now, as Samantha would soon have one billion dollars. She fished out her phone and checked for a transaction record. "Mr. Lund, I'm willing to give you a deposit of ten million dollars to allow my junior the opportunity to audition for the lead actress role." The crowd instantly grew agitated. Simon was also taken aback and asked, "A-Are you sure?" "Of course," she replied with a light smile, radiating grace and charm. Turning to Tiffany, she added, "Tiffany, I'll ruin anything you wish to have. Even if I have to leave the industry, you still won't get what you want—I'll make sure of that." Tiffany went pale while her eyes reddened. She looked on the verge of crying as she turned to yell at Martha, "Hurry up and tell Hector to invest more money!" Martha hastily ran backstage to make the call. Meanwhile, Samantha calmly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, watching as Martha eventually returned, red-faced and looking panicked. All of Norton Group's working capital was now in her hands, so Hector wouldn't have any excess money to invest in the film. Just as everyone thought Samantha had won, a man in a business suit abruptly stood up and approached the stage with a folder. "On behalf of the Goodwin Foundation, I announce that we will invest 200 million dollars in Mr. Lund's new film." Those words instantly sent everyone present into an uproar. "200 million dollars?" "The Goodwin Foundation? Doesn't it belong to that prestigious family from Salthor, the Goodwins?" The representative spoke up once more. "However, we have one request." After sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he finally locked onto Tiffany. "We hope that you'll give priority consideration to Ms. Tiffany Jensen for the role of lead actress." Samantha froze, her heart clenching in her chest. Before the tears on Tiffany's face could dry, she was being surrounded by media reporters and other investors, who showered her with a litany of praise. "Just how charming must she be to have the Goodwin family specifically select her?" "Looks like Tiffany's caught the attention of a super-wealthy man…" "I've heard that Mr. Goodwin's identity is a mystery, but he's quite strict when it comes to people." As the crowd murmured in discussion around her, Tiffany felt her heart pounding like a drum, not because of shock, but because of excitement and delight. She thought Mr. Goodwin had to be another one of her admirers who was willing to dump money on her. Eyes red, she lowered her head and bit her lip. When she raised her head again, she wore her signature delicate and graceful smile. Yet, there was no hiding the smug arrogance in her eyes when she looked at Samantha. She had won once again. "Is Mr. Goodwin here right now? I would like to personally thank him," Tiffany asked softly, a flush on her cheeks. The representative answered respectfully, "It isn't convenient for Mr. Goodwin to make his appearance right now. Once the time is right, he'll personally drop by the set." Samantha stood in the crowd, her gaze frosty. "Raymond Holt, you sure are ruthless!" she thought. The chandelier overhead lit up the event hall in a majestic light, while the tinkling of champagne glasses and the sparkling of glimmering jewelry added to the atmosphere. Camera flashes, pretentious laughter, and gossip filled every corner of the room. Tiffany took to the crowd like a duck to water. Every now and then, her sweet voice would drift over. Meanwhile, a large and silent figure never left her side as Raymond shadowed her like a loyal bodyguard. The way he leaned down slightly to listen to her speak, his eyes locked onto her unwaveringly, only furthered that image. No one was aware of his real identity, that the generous "Mr. Goodwin" was none other than the top agent, Raymond Holt. No one except Samantha, that was. From this action alone, Samantha could tell Raymond's true feelings and finally understood where she stood in his heart. Suddenly finding the entire situation boring, she decided to leave. While passing by several reporters huddled together in a low-voiced discussion, she overheard her name being mentioned. "Nowadays, Samantha really isn't anything much. She's been completely overshadowed by Tiffany." "I'm beginning to wonder if that international title she received, 'the queen without a crown,' was nothing but a self-appointed title. I haven't seen anyone confirm it." "Wasn't Raymond originally her agent? Even he's been snatched away by Tiffany now…" "The investors have all realized that her time is over. She has no value anymore." Their words felt like a bucket of ice water being dumped over her head. Letting out a soft but self-mocking laugh, Samantha grabbed the champagne from the table and tossed it back. She honestly couldn't understand what was so attractive about Tiffany. Hector was an idiot, so she could forgive him for it, but even someone with such strong principles as Raymond had been willing to protect her in front of the crowd. Not just that, but he even used his status as an investor from the Goodwin Foundation to invest in her. All her hard work and efforts couldn't even compare to a demure smile from Tiffany. If it weren't for the one billion dollars she had serving as a safety net, she would've felt utterly abandoned and become the laughingstock of the entire city. Now, she no longer wanted a front-row seat to Raymond's passion and love for Tiffany, nor did she care to hear about how the investors had given up on her. She headed for the exit, needing to vent her emotions. Outside, the sky was a dusky pink, littered with streaks of orange. From the moment she confirmed that the one Raymond loved was Tiffany, Samantha had lost the will to continue fighting. Only the thrill of life-or-death speeds at the suburban racetrack could dispel the frustration churning inside her. A figure clad in red swiftly cut through the crowd. The red racing suit clung to Samantha's every curve, and when she stood before that new racecar, her back straightened proudly. She instantly drew the attention of everyone present like a burning flare. Several young racecar drivers surrounded her, all familiar faces in the racing world. "Samantha, are you really going to race today?"