Chapter 514
Any imperfection or injury to a model's body can be pivotal to their prospects and collaborations in the future.
Many industry insiders who had been enthusiastic about Natalie now awaited her response.
Natalie instantly felt the weight of dozens of eyes upon her, their unmasked scrutiny making her skin crawl.
"What's all the commotion about? Who's trying to hound Natalie while I'm not around?"
Emily Reed, having heard the whispers, hurried over and maneuvered through the crowd to Natalie's side. She discreetly took Natalie's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Miss Reed, you misunderstand," said a brand director with a smile, "We've just heard that Miss Watson might have a leg issue, and we're seeking clarity. You know our brand has just signed a deal for Natalie to headline our next major show.
"Should there be a real problem with her leg, our brand needs to make alternative arrangements. After all, we can't afford to shoulder such a risk."
"Indeed, our company was also finalizing a deal with Natalie for future projects," someone piped up.
"We get that you're protective, Miss Reed, but we can't just turn a blind eye to the facts, can we?"
"It should be easy for Miss Watson to prove there's nothing wrong with her leg if there isn't, right? Unless you have something to hide?"
The crowd's collective gaze, sharpened with accusation, aimed at Natalie. Without validation from her, every accusation became a potential indictment, leading to contract terminations and, should her injury be due to negligence, possible hefty cancellation fees would be filed against the company.
Emily Reed's mind raced for a solution.
She was acutely aware that Natalie's leg wasn't fully healed, and how these people stumbled upon that knowledge or what made them suspect, she had no time to sort out. To speak rashly might only backfire.
"How would you like me to prove it?" Natalie's voice cut through the stalemate, positioning the target firmly on Sharon, the instigator of this controversy. "Sharon, since you claim there's an issue, why don't you enlighten us? How does a normal person prove they're normal?"
Sharon's face turned sour in an instant. She hadn't discerned what was off before, but somehow, she just knew there was something wrong with Natalie's leg.
How could someone who took so long to recover from a broken bone bounce back to normalcy that swiftly?
‘Impossible!’
"Miss Sharon, if you can't even specify what's wrong with Natalie, how can you assert that there's an issue? Or is it that you're deliberately causing trouble?" Emily Reed snapped back without skipping a beat.
The savvy crowd quickly caught on to the undercurrent of tension.
It was nothing more than professional jealousy. Natalie's meteoric rise was blocking others' paths. It seemed these female models were keen on dethroning Natalie to carve up the spoils of her resources.
"Miss Reed, I didn't! I was just..." Sharon denied flatly.
Public relations were Emily Reed's realm of expertise, and she left no room for Sharon to explain: "Miss Sharon, you and Natalie were classmates, and during the 'Bazaar Challenge', Natalie went out of her way to defend you in front of Lily. And here you are, trying to pull a fast one at such an event."
Lily had been caught playing dirty in the 'Bazaar Challenge,' and afterward, her reputation went downhill from there on. Many designers scorned her character, refusing to hire her. She went from a first-rate model to second, and even third with no sign of a comeback.
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