My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Neither of them were sleepy at first, so Damien Vaughn turned on the TV to continue the show they had been watching.

After watching for some time, Cecelia Archer finally drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up again, the space beside her was empty. She assumed Damien Vaughn had gone downstairs early to wait for Ryan, so she quickly washed her face, brushed her teeth, and hurried down after him.

But the innkeeper told her that Damien Vaughn had left a while ago.

"He left the car keys for you. He said you should drive yourself back, as he had to leave early for something urgent."

Cecelia Archer took the car keys and went outside. A black Land Rover was parked by the door.

The drive back to Veridia was silent. Just as Cecelia Archer was about to call Ryan to arrange returning the car, a message from him came in.

"Just park the car on the side of the road. I can track its location and will have someone pick it up later."

’It seems Damien Vaughn wants to cut all ties with me,’ she thought. ’We don’t even have to meet to hand over the car.’

To be honest, Cecelia Archer breathed a sigh of relief.

’Is he finally going to leave me alone?’

After parking the car, she took a taxi back to the Grant family’s home. Cecelia Archer spent some time with her children, but she couldn’t stop worrying about the financing, so she called Mr. Grant again.

When he answered, Mr. Grant sounded hesitant and very embarrassed.

"Linden, it’s not that I wasn’t thinking about your proposal. I was just too embarrassed to call you; I didn’t know what to say... After careful consideration yesterday, everyone felt it would be better to sign with the Vaughn Group. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be of more help."

Even though she had prepared herself for failure, hearing Mr. Grant’s words still left Cecelia Archer feeling deeply saddened.

’I’ve completely ruined Shane Grant,’ she thought. ’I’ll never be able to make it up to him.’

Cecelia Archer sat in a daze in the playroom, watching her two children play. Just as she was pondering what her next move should be, her phone rang again.

She picked it up and saw it was Lena. She answered, her voice listless.

"Luna Linden." Lena’s voice was full of excitement.

"I’ve been waiting to hear from you! Why didn’t you call me back? Did you forget all about me? You’re heartless! You know, I’ve been thinking about you this whole time."

"The photos from the event the other night are out! I had no idea you arrived with Julian. The photographer got some gorgeous shots of you two, they have such an incredible vibe. I knew you’d be photogenic, but I had no idea you’d be *this* photogenic. You were born for this business, you know that?"

"I’ve shown your photos to several people, and everyone is incredibly impressed. It would be a crime against nature for you not to get into this business."

"I happen to have a reality show in the works right now. It’s the first one Julian has ever agreed to do in his entire career. If you sign on, I’ll put you on the show with him. You’ll be an overnight sensation."

"You know Han So-Hee, right? The ’Nation’s First Love’ who blew up last year? Her innocent, ’white lotus’ look is a rare commodity in the industry, which is why she snags all the best roles. Our company was looking to find someone with a similar appeal this year, and then we stumbled upon you. With Julian as your partner, and your resemblance to her, can you imagine the buzz? It’ll go through the roof! I’ve already got a whole marketing plan for you. Seriously, you need to come sign the contract now!"

Cecelia Archer knew nothing about the entertainment industry and had never once considered joining it. But now, desperate for money, Lena’s words sounded like a lifeline.

"Can you really make money in the entertainment industry?"

"Of course you can," Lena said.

"But before you get famous, as a newcomer to reality TV, you won’t get paid much. Three or four hundred thousand for this show, tops. But after this show, everything will change. Do you know how much Han So-Hee earned for her company last year? Over two billion. And her personal take-home was at least five or six hundred million. If you’re ambitious and cooperate with the company’s strategy, you can do just as well as her, if not better. And that’s just the beginning. In the future, with more shows, TV series, movies... with all those opportunities, money will just be a number to you."

Those words hit Cecelia Archer right where she was most vulnerable.

’Five or six hundred million a year? Isn’t that much faster and easier than running a company and managing all those projects?’

’As long as Shane Grant doesn’t give up, if I can earn money quickly to help his cash flow, the Grant Group still has a chance to make a comeback.’

"Lena, I really need the money. Please don’t lie to me."

"I run a legitimate company. I have plenty of artists on my roster, why would I lie to you? If you’re really worried, have a professional lawyer look over the contract for you. You can sign after you’re sure it’s all good."

Cecelia Archer’s heart pounded with excitement. She immediately asked Lena to send over the contract.

The contract was filled with clauses she couldn’t quite understand. She immediately went out to the biggest law firm in Veridia, paid a steep consultation fee of one thousand an hour, and hired a lawyer to review it for her.

There were no major issues. The terms of the contract were reasonably fair. She decided to go for it.

"Lena, I’ve made up my mind. Thank you for seeing my potential. I’ve decided to sign. When are you free?"

Lena was thrilled that she was on board.

"Let’s do it tomorrow. It’s too late today. I have a reception to attend tonight—a lot of major industry investors will be there."

"Actually, you should come too. If they see you, you might get scouted on the spot to be the female lead in a major film. It’s a great chance to get your face out there. This is a golden opportunity. Countless beautiful girls are desperate to break into this circle and can’t even get a foot in the door."

If it was good for her career, if it helped her make money, Cecelia Archer was willing to do it.

She hurried home to do her makeup and change, then headed out again.

She arrived at the hotel entrance right on time, where Lena was waiting for her.

Seeing Cecelia Archer in a pink strapless evening gown, her hair in a high updo and her makeup elegant and light, Lena couldn’t have been more pleased. She looked like a fresh water lily, exquisitely beautiful.

"Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Your beauty is so distinctive. It’s been ages since the entertainment world has seen someone with your unique aura! I’m telling you, the moment you walk in tonight, you’re going to cause a sensation. You’re going to be the next big star. Oh my god, I’m so excited. I can’t believe I found you first. What would I have done if another company had gotten to you? Luna Linden, when you get famous, you can’t get arrogant, okay? You can’t turn on me."

Cecelia Archer replied, "How could I? Without you, I’d just be a nobody. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me."

"Such a sweet talker. Beautiful and emotionally intelligent—it would be a cosmic injustice if you didn’t become a star. Come on, let’s go inside."

The two walked into the venue hand in hand. Cecelia Archer’s eyes immediately fell on the champagne tower in the center of the room, and she turned to Lena.

"Lena, I can’t really drink. Is it possible for me to avoid drinking tonight?"

"Not knowing how to drink is a problem. You’ll be at a disadvantage in this business if you can’t hold your liquor. But there’s no rush. You can practice and build up a tolerance later. For tonight, just stick to plain water. And whatever you do, don’t tell anyone you can’t drink."

Lena was truly looking out for her. She led Cecelia to the side, poured a bottle of mineral water into an empty decanter, and then filled a wine glass halfway for her.

"Hide this decanter. It’s exclusively for you. In a bit, I’ll take you to meet some important people. When your glass is empty, come back here to refill it. And make sure no one sees you."

Cecelia Archer was very grateful. "Thank you, Lena."

"Don’t mention it. If you do well, I do well, and everyone’s happy. Just work hard in the future to repay me."

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