Chapter 582 The Script
"I think so too. I'll hit up the company right now." Pearl had just pulled out her phone when Oscar stopped her, leaving her all puzzled.
Oscar sat at the desk for a sec and said, "You should text Cadence and set up a meet for tomorrow at noon. Let's see how she rolls then."
Not getting why he set it up like that, Pearl texted Cadence with a confused look.
The meetup spot was a coffee shop. When Pearl got there, Cadence was already chilling.
Cadence had the talent agency's boss's assistant, Amara Jacobsen, with her.
As soon as Cadence saw Pearl, she stood up and greeted, "Pearl, here."
"Take a seat." Pearl called the waiter and ordered a mocha. "I thought about yesterday's mess all night and I'm still freaked out. I'm thinking of ditching your company's agent for now," she stated.
Their faces went pale, especially Cadence, who quickly pulled out a prepped gift. "Pearl, these are the latest DS earrings. Please take them. Yesterday was totally my bad, but I didn't mean to hurt Christopher. You gotta believe me."
Pearl didn't take the gift box, just nodded slightly, signaling her to take it back.
Cadence and Amara exchanged worried looks.
Amara had already texted the boss when Pearl made her request and was now waiting for the go-ahead.
Seeing Amara staying quiet, Cadence awkwardly smiled and took the lead. "Pearl, our company is super professional. You can't judge everyone based on my screw-up. That's kinda unfair."
"No. I didn't say I was switching agencies. Cheryl's abroad right now, right? We'll wait for her to come back and keep managing Christopher." Pearl's tone was firm, echoing Oscar's plan.
Since they couldn't trust Cadence and switching agencies was a hassle, they decided to wait for Cheryl to return.
Plus, the variety show only needed one person to tag along, so this wouldn't mess with Christopher's work.
Cadence bit her lip, wanting to say something, but Amara stopped her.
Amara had gotten the boss's instructions and smiled as she picked up her coffee cup, saying, "Pearl, the company gets your concerns and is cool with your suggestion. But we hope you can keep in touch with Cheryl about work stuff."
"Thanks." Pearl clinked glasses with her. "The director wants us in the countryside before lunch. Time's tight, so I gotta head back and take Christopher there. See you."
Amara nodded and politely saw Pearl off, then sat down with a serious look.
Cadence cautiously asked, "What did the boss say?"
Amara replied, "I already told you, didn't I? Christopher's got star potential. The boss doesn't wanna lose him. And can't you see? Pearl's vibe and style don't scream 'ordinary housewife.' I'm guessing she's loaded."
Cadence snorted, "Would a rich person be so eager to have their kid make money?"
"Anyway, the boss is firm. You're not allowed to mess with Christopher anymore. And stop trying to find a buddy for your son. If it happens again, I won't let it slide." Amara finished, grabbed her bag, and left, leaving Cadence sitting alone on the couch.
After a long time, Cadence smiled faintly, her eyes clouded as she muttered, "Since none of you will help me, I'll have to do it myself."
In the afternoon, a sudden downpour forced a switch from outdoor chores after lunch to indoor activities.
The program material was running low, so the director had to switch things up and whip up a game: Pictionary.
Since Christopher was just a kid, they kept it simple.
The game kicked off, but there was a snag with team formation 'cause they were short on people. One guest had a flight the next morning, so they had to find a fill-in on the spot.
The director scanned the room and finally picked Pearl to join in. This would help Christopher chill out and spice up the show.
They drew lots for the order, and Christopher's team was last. The first three teams of adults did pretty well. Each team had five questions; one team nailed four, and the other two got three.
When it was Christopher and Pearl's turn, Christopher drew first, and Pearl guessed.
The word was: Coffee.
Christopher quickly sketched a cup.
Pearl stared at it for a bit and guessed, "A cup?"
The other three teams cracked up and shook their heads.
The director, worried they might give hints to Pearl, reminded them, "Any team that gives hints will lose a point."
Everyone booed and called the director stingy.
"Mom, Dad drinks it a lot," Christopher uttered.
Pearl grinned, saying, "Coffee, right?"
"Correct." The host gave them a point.
With that warm-up, they got more in sync with the next questions. They guessed all five right, but the material was still lacking.
The director was in a bind, and someone suggested another game: Truth or Dare.
This idea sparked the director's creativity, and he thought of hyping up Pearl and Christopher.
While everyone was getting ready, the director pulled Pearl aside and pitched his idea. "I want to create an image of a money-grabbing mom and a working son for you two. The audience loves that kind of drama. It'll boost our ratings."
"I'm not a money-grabbing mom, and Christopher isn't working because we need the cash. He's in the entertainment biz 'cause he wants to be," Pearl shot back, refusing flat out.
The director's face darkened, but before he could argue, a phone call interrupted him. He stepped aside to take it and came back looking serious.
Everyone was ready, and it was almost dinner time. They had to start recording ASAP to keep on schedule.
The director told everyone to play freely without any specific setup.
Pearl thought he had changed his mind and didn't stress it.
The game started, and the bottle first pointed to Christopher, making everyone cheer. They eagerly asked whom Christopher would pick if his parents were to split.
Pearl was not having it, saying, "I refuse to let Christopher answer that. His dad and I aren't divorcing, so don't mess with the kid."
"It's just a game. No need to get all worked up. Plus, this way, you can see who Christopher likes more. Don't you wanna know?" Someone chimed in, and everyone urged Pearl to chill.
Christopher smiled slightly, holding Pearl's hand, and said, "I'd choose Mom 'cause she's super gentle, and I love living with her. But I know that no matter who I pick, Dad or Mom would make the same choice as me, which means they won't divorce. They love each other a lot and love me too."
These words brought tears to Pearl's eyes. She had been worried that Christopher might overthink, but he got it all and was willing to play along.