CHAPTER 249
Rochelle rubbed her temples, feeling the pressure building.
After mulling it over for a moment, she decided to call John directly.
Usually, John would answer her calls within seconds, but this time, she was met with an automated voice message from the service provider:
“The number you have dialled is unavailable.”
Rochelle laughed bitterly and slammed the phone onto the table in frustration.
John would rather take two daggers to his gut to protect his friends than answer his own wife’s call.
It seemed like Xander was close to Harmony!
…
Arianna had been spending most of her time at the villa, focused on studying and practising for the upcoming competition.
Meanwhile, Xander hadn’t returned home since leaving that morning. The two had barely communicated, save for a few brief messages exchanged over WhatsApp.
That day, Arianna headed to the television station for a promotional photoshoot, which also allowed her to meet some of the other contestants.
Earlier that morning, Grandma King had made a point to watch as Arianna dressed up in the clothes that Xander had once bought her. The elderly lady ensured that Arianna looked her best before letting her leave the house.
As Arianna climbed into the car, she couldn’t help but smile when she saw Grandma King and Aunt Julia standing at the door, waving and cheering her on.
As the car drove off, Arianna instinctively pulled out her phone but saw no messages or calls from Xander.
He had always been attentive to anything involving the competition, so he should have known she was starting that day. Yet, there was nothing from him at all.
Was Xander’s workload becoming too much for him?
An hour later, the car pulled up in front of Starlight TV's headquarters. Arianna stepped out, her eyes immediately drawn to the enormous logo displayed prominently at the entrance.
This was the dream destination for anyone who had studied communications.
As a child, she had always been fascinated by news anchors. Whenever the news was on, she would sit quietly on the sofa, her eyes glued to the screen. It was a career she had dreamed of pursuing for as long as she could remember.
Finally, she was about to take her first steps toward achieving that lifelong ambition!
A mix of emotions welled up inside her as she stood there.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Arianna began her walk toward the entrance. She climbed the steps and entered the building, finding herself in Starlight TV’s grand hallway.
The walls were adorned with portraits of renowned Starlight TV anchors, each of them a symbol of talent, integrity, and professionalism—individuals who paved the way in the industry and set high standards for others to follow.
Arianna’s gaze moved across the portraits until it finally settled on one female anchor in particular. She couldn’t help but pause, admiration evident in her expression.
The woman in the portrait was Elizabeth Goldman, one of the country’s top anchors. Known for her poise, intelligence, and exceptional professionalism, Elizabeth’s career was nothing short of legendary. She had won the hearts of audiences nationwide and commanded great respect in the media world.
Arianna had grown up watching Elizabeth’s broadcasts and had idolized her ever since. Throughout her years of study, she often aspired to follow in Elizabeth’s footsteps, hoping to one day become as remarkable and accomplished an anchor as her role model.
A major reason Arianna wanted to join Starlight TV was because of Elizabeth’s presence there.
She knew that veteran anchors often took newcomers under their wing, choosing their protégés from the latest batch of recruits.
Arianna was certainly hoping to be selected!
“Are you a fan of Ms. Goldman too?” A soft voice sounded beside her, breaking her thoughts.
Arianna immediately recognized the voice as Harmony’s. Turning to face her, Arianna smiled and replied,
“Is she your inspiration as well?”
It didn’t surprise Arianna to see Harmony there—she had seen Harmony’s name on the list of those who passed the interview.
“Yes, she’s my idol too.” Harmony gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her delicate features catching the light.
“It seems we have quite a lot in common. We both have a passion for the news, and we both look up to Ms. Goldman.”
Arianna was about to respond when a familiar scent hit her unexpectedly.
She paused, inhaling deeply to confirm what she was smelling. The fragrance that lingered on Xander's clothes—the one she couldn’t quite place before—suddenly clicked into place. It was the same scent that Harmony was wearing.
Was it possible that they used the same fragrance? That seemed like too much of a coincidence.
Noticing the slight furrow in Arianna's brow, Harmony tilted her head, a hint of concern in her voice.
“What’s wrong, Arianna? Are you feeling okay?”
Harmony's words snapped Arianna back to reality. After a brief pause, she pressed her lips together before deciding to go ahead and ask,
“I’m fine. I just couldn’t help but notice your perfume. It has a distinctive scent. What brand is it?”
“Really?” Harmony raised her wrist, allowing the fragrance to waft into the air again. She smiled softly.
“Oh, this perfume? I made it myself. It’s not from any popular brand—it’s unique. I could make some for you if you’d like.”
A custom-made perfume.
In other words, it wasn’t something you could simply pick up at any store.
So why had Arianna caught that same scent on Xander’s clothes?
Though her face remained calm, her thoughts were racing beneath the surface.
Taking a quiet, steadying breath, she managed a smile.
“That’s very generous of you, but there’s no need. I don’t wear perfume often. I was just curious.”
Harmony didn’t push the matter further and gracefully changed the subject.
“Looks like it’s almost time. Shall we head up together?”
“Sure,” Arianna agreed, falling into step beside her, even as her mind continued to swirl with unspoken questions.
