CHAPTER 289
Harmony had a clever reason for suggesting the photo. If Arianna went along with it, she could show off her "generosity" and pretend they were friends, making it seem like she had moved past their rivalry.
But if Arianna said no, it would make her look small and bitter. Either way, gossip would spread fast around the station, influencing how everyone viewed them both.
To Harmony's surprise, Arianna agreed right away. Even though she was taken aback, Harmony maintained her smile, hiding the slight annoyance bubbling inside her.
She was sure she could still come out ahead; she always had a talent for shining in pictures while making others fade into the background. If Arianna wanted to set herself up for this, Harmony was more than happy to let her.
Harmony gestured to an area near the windows.
“Let’s take it here, Arianna. The lighting’s just right.”
Arianna walked over, calm and unbothered.
Claire, relieved by their apparent willingness to cooperate, offered,
“I’ll take it for you with my phone.”
Standing in the middle, Claire held up her phone with Harmony and Arianna on either side, capturing a few quick shots.
“Alright, I’ll send them to you both.”
As the pictures appeared in her messages, Harmony felt her smile freeze.
Arianna looked so at ease and glowing, almost making Harmony feel overshadowed, which was unexpected. Did Arianna tilt her body a bit to seem smaller and younger?
Harmony's grip on her phone tightened as she tried to hold back her annoyance. She had been the one to propose the photo, and now it felt like it had backfired on her.
When she glanced over, she caught Arianna's slight smirk, which showed that she had picked up on Harmony's unease.
After years of being friends with Rochelle, Arianna had mastered the art of group photos—making sure everyone shone without one person stealing the spotlight. Harmony had underestimated her.
Sensing the subtle tension between the two women, Claire cleared her throat and cheerily interrupted,
“Alright, let’s start our tour of the station.”
Grateful to move things along, Claire led the way out of the office, with Harmony and Arianna trailing close behind.
They took the elevator down and began moving floor to floor, as Claire provided introductions to each department.
All the while, Harmony’s quiet dislike for Arianna simmered just beneath her polished exterior, unnoticed by those around her—except, perhaps, for Arianna herself.
After nearly an hour of being introduced to every corner of Starlight TV, Claire’s tour wrapped up. She gave a polite farewell, leaving Arianna and Harmony standing alone in the hallway.
Harmony glanced at Arianna, her eyes gleaming with a quiet intensity. With a graceful movement, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing delicate, porcelain earlobes.
“Surprised to see me here, Arianna?” she asked, her voice smooth yet tinged with a biting edge.
“What belongs to me will always be mine.”
Arianna simply turned and started to walk away, choosing not to engage. There was no point in wasting words on Harmony’s self-centred notions.
Watching Arianna’s back, Harmony’s smile soured slightly, but she quickly masked it, her tone shifting to one of feigned disappointment.
“I wanted to give you a chance, Arianna,” she continued, voice trailing after her.
“I even thought we could be friends. But it seems you’ve turned your back on that. So….”
She let the silence linger for a beat before finishing, more firmly, “…I guess we’re meant to be rivals.”
Arianna paused for a moment, trying to process Harmony’s twisted version of events.
*Friends?*
She couldn’t help but feel a rush of incredulity. Harmony’s actions so far had been anything but friendly. Arianna had rarely encountered anyone with such a selective memory or such a skewed sense of entitlement.
Turning slowly, Arianna met Harmony’s gaze with a cool smile.
“Sorry, but I’ll pass on a ‘friendship’ that thrives on taking credit for others’ efforts.”
She looked Harmony squarely in the eye, her smile fading as she added, “And as for being rivals… you’ll have to be a lot better to deserve that.”
The words hit Harmony hard, and her smile faltered, her eyes flashing with resentment she could barely hide. For Harmony, who had always sought admiration and control, Arianna’s calm confidence felt like a slap.
But Arianna didn’t give her a chance to respond. She turned and walked off, leaving Harmony standing in silence, her bitterness settling like a weight.
As an anchor, Arianna’s new office was located on the third floor. Since Claire had already shown her the way during the earlier tour, she headed there directly.
Upon entering the main office area, she noticed several of her colleagues turning to greet her warmly. Arianna returned each greeting with a friendly smile, appreciating their welcome.
A cheerful girl with a round face and pigtails approached her, grinning. “Hello, Mrs. King! I’m the office secretary, here to assist all our anchors. My name is Annabelle Furlough, but feel free to call me Anna or Belle.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Belle,” Arianna replied kindly.
“If you ever need any help with anything around here, just let me know,” Annabelle offered enthusiastically.
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Arianna said.
Annabelle nodded and gestured down the hall. “Let me show you to your desk. I had it cleaned up for you and made sure all your supplies were set up.”
“Thanks so much,” Arianna replied, following her to the workstation.
When they arrived at the workstation, Annabelle gestured to the desk on the left.
“This is your spot. The desk to your right belongs to another new hire, and since you both started at the same time, they’ve put you together. Unfortunately, there weren’t any other available spots.”
She glanced at Arianna, lowering her voice slightly. “I hope that arrangement works for you, Mrs King?”
Arianna understood what Annabelle was hinting at—most people knew about the tension between her and Harmony. But Arianna had nothing to hide and felt comfortable with the arrangement. She nodded calmly.
“It’s fine, no problem at all.”
Annabelle sighed with relief, then gave her a playful grin. “You’re so easygoing, Mrs. King! People say all kinds of things, but it’s obvious you’re not at all the way those rumours make you sound.”
Realizing she’d said too much, Annabelle quickly covered her mouth, looking embarrassed. “Oh, I’m sorry, Mrs King!”
Arianna smiled, dismissing her worries with a quick shake of her head. She wasn’t bothered; she knew that unkind comments and gossip had been circulating about her online. But she believed that her actions would eventually show everyone her real character.
Annabelle’s smile returned as she said, “Well if you need anything, I’m just a call away.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
After Annabelle left, Arianna settled into her chair, taking in her new workspace.
Everything she might need was already set up, including a sleek Eppla desktop computer with a nameplate bearing her name. Sitting in that chair, it hit her—she was finally an anchor, working in the very place she had once dreamed of.
She took out her phone, snapped a picture of her desk, and posted it to her WeTalk Moments with the caption:
*First day on the job. Here’s to new beginnings!*
Within seconds, the first like appeared.
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