Chapter 173 Caught on Tape
The car pulled up outside The Vintage Mirror. The place wasn't crowded, so Jasmine didn't bother with a private room, choosing instead to sit by a secluded window.
The bustling street view offered a different kind of charm.
Once the tea was served, Jasmine dutifully poured a cup for Luann Weaver.
Nicholas nudged his empty cup forward.
"Jasmine, pour me some too."
Jasmine set the teapot down with a thud in front of him without a hint of subtlety. "Pour your own tea! I'm your agent, not your assistant. It's not my job to coddle you."
Nicholas carefully removed his blue headphones and placed them on the chair next to him, appearing slightly sullen. "But you poured for Luann."
"Do you think you're on her level?"
Nicholas silently poured himself a cup of tea.
Luann's gaze shifted to the headphones, and she offered a light smile.
"You still cherish those after all these years?"
Following her gaze, Jasmine blurted out, "Oh, those headphones? Nicholas carries them everywhere. He's always so careful not to bump or scratch them—they're precious to him!"
"Just last week, a new assistant accidentally dropped them while cleaning up and got an earful. He fired her on the spot."
"Hey, Luann, do you think... maybe a precious ex-girlfriend gave him those headphones, is that why he's..."
A subtle cough from Nicholas interrupted Jasmine's gossip.
Luann Weaver couldn't help but chuckle.
"I gave those headphones to Nicholas."
Jasmine's eyes widened, flitting back and forth between the two as if she had stumbled upon some juicy secret.
"So, you guys... you guys..." she gasped before a teacup was abruptly pressed to her lips by Nicholas, who cut her off mid-sentence.
"What're you even thinking?" he chided.
"Luann and I are just good friends, nothing more. Don't go adding some weird romantic spin to it," Nicholas said, tapping his headphones. "Luann gave these to me when I first made it big. They kind of represent my humble beginnings, so I've always kept them safe."
Jasmine nodded in admiration, but her expression quickly turned to one of bemusement. "You know what I don't get? How on earth did you become so popular? It should be Luann; she's the one with the real talent for writing lyrics and composing music. She's leagues ahead of you."
Nicholas spread his hands in a gesture of helpless acceptance. "Some folks just get lucky, I guess."
Rolling her eyes, Jasmine pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag and placed it in front of Luann Weaver. "Here, some lyrics. Let's find a quiet spot later to practice, and then hit the studio to record. If it all goes well, we can upload it online."
Luann took the paper effortlessly – the words and melodies were her own creation, posing no challenge to her. She began to hum the tune softly, her voice ethereal and pure, performing vocal runs with an ease that even Nicholas struggled to master.
It was a brief sample, but it left both Nicholas and Jasmine spellbound. They weren't the only ones mesmerized. Nearby, just recently having entered the café and about to order, were Juliet Weaver and James. The sound of Luann's singing drew their heads up in unison, a flicker of recognition crossing their eyes.
"Who's singing?" murmured an onlooker, unable to contain their awe.
"Oh my God, Luann! I'm in awe of you!" gushed Jasmine. "Why am I even hyping up Nicholas when I should be rallying behind you?"
The excitement in Jasmine's eyes was indescribable, as if she had just discovered a hidden gem with immense potential lying underneath the music industry.
Luann? Luann Weaver? Juliet's gaze sharpened, and she half-rose from her seat, curiosity piqued.
James placed a restraining hand on her shoulder, his voice low: "Hold on, not yet."
Juliet nodded, though envy flashed fiercely in her eyes. She could hardly believe that it was really Luann Weaver singing.
'How could this be possible?' she thought incredulously.
"Thanks, Jasmine, I actually hit a couple of off-notes just now."
"Did you?" Jasmine grabbed Luann Weaver's hands with great enthusiasm. "Why don't you sing a little more? Let me have a careful listen again."
Just as Luann was about to decline, Nicholas chimed in, "Come on, give her another taste of your voice."
Luann cleared her throat and hummed the tune once more.
Meanwhile, James had already turned on his smartphone, switched to video mode, and began recording Juliet Weaver's form.
Only after Luann finished singing did James stop the video.
Juliet whispered, "What are you doing?"
James stood up and pulled her away.
Once outside The Vintage Mirror, Juliet couldn't help but ask, "Mr. James, what were you doing back there?"
James squinted his eyes slightly, a touch of ruthlessness and determination in his voice.
"Juliet Weaver, looks like you're about to hit the big time."
"Huh?" Juliet replied, puzzled.
James waved his phone, displaying the screen to her.
"You've just sung such a beautiful song. Imagine the buzz online if I posted this."
Juliet's eyes widened, round as saucers.
"You mean..." she began.
James raised his hand to cut her off. "Enough talk. Let's skip dinner and go straight back to the office for your makeup session."
"Okay!"
Juliet had a hunch about what James was planning.
Entering the company, James led Juliet to his office.
Through the bustling twenty-story building, everyone who saw James greeted him respectfully, "Mr. James."
Even the usually aloof first- and second-tier stars, whose names Juliet could reel off, did the same.
Talent Management Agency was among the top in the industry, known for turning out top-tier stars each year – a force to be reckoned with.
In the makeup room, James had Juliet sit down and showed the makeup artist a photo on his phone.
"Make her look like the woman in this picture."
The makeup artist frowned slightly as she looked at Luann Weaver's photo on the phone.
"Mr. James, this woman has such a distinctive aura; it's not something makeup can easily fake."
James replied, "Just get the look close enough. Aura is irrelevant."
The makeup artist nodded, "Alright, then."
She picked up the makeup brush and conscientiously started working on Juliet Weaver's face.
"Mr. James, she's ready," she announced once finished.
James looked up from his phone to Juliet Weaver and froze, his gaze intense. Enhanced by the intentional makeup design, the dolled-up Juliet now bore a striking resemblance to Luann Weaver.
"Not bad, very impressive," James said, his lips curling into a satisfied smile.
Staring at her reflection, which now seemed somewhat foreign, Juliet clenched her fists in silent fury.
What does this mean?
