Chapter 819
“Why would you think I joined the entertainment industry?”
Claire was genuinely taken aback.
Nothing about her screamed Hollywood starlet, did it?
She had zero interest in fame and had never even entertained the thought of stepping in front of a camera.
If she wanted to, her viral fame from winning the IMO would have been an instant golden ticket.
Back when she was trending online, top-tier talent agents had practically banged her door down, and she had rejected every single one without a second thought.
The frenzy flared up again when she was named the top valedictorian of the college entrance exams.
It wasn’t just traditional talent scouts; massive influencer networks had swarmed her too.
But none of their multimillion-dollar promises had tempted her in the slightest.
“Well, seeing you chat up Jenny, some people assumed you were angling to be the new face of SUNNY,” Julia explained.
Claire blinked in surprise. “That’s a complete misunderstanding.”
Jenny had actually pitched the ambassador idea to her recently.
But Claire had firmly vetoed it.
She was happy to casually wear SUNNY’s pieces to events to drum up hype, but she firmly believed the official campaigns should be handled by professionals. “Jenny and I are just personal friends. It has nothing to do with endorsements.”
Julia threw a smug smirk in Whitney’s direction. “Hear that? Claire says she’s not an actress, and she’s not the face of the brand.”
Whitney scoffed loudly. “Good. Because I’d hate to see SUNNY ruin their prestige by hiring some local nobody to represent them.”
Claire immediately caught on that “some people” referred entirely to the blonde girl glaring at them.
“I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed then. SUNNY is highly likely to choose a Solenian star for their new campaign.”
Claire wasn’t just saying it to antagonize Whitney. The SUNNY executive team had spent hours strategizing this exact pivot.
Jenny had pushed aggressively to conquer the Solenian market by leveraging local celebrity influence.
While Solenia was generally welcoming of international talent, trying to dominate the local fashion scene using a foreign face-even a Hollywood A-lister just wouldn’t convert to massive sales.
Furthermore, this season’s
collection was meticulously tailored to complement local demographics, meaning a Solenian ambassador would showcase the brand’s
aesthetic perfectly.
Frankly, the entire new line leaned heavily into classic elegance, incorporating far
more local cultural motifs than previous collections.
“How would you even know that?” Whitney demanded, furious at the thought of a local ambassador.
“Jenny told me, obviously. Like I said, she’s going to be my aunt.”
Claire offered a sickeningly sweet smile.
Whitney’s face darkened furiously,
but before she could snap back, Julia cut in with a triumphant laugh. “Weren’t you just saying you’d
boycott SUNNY if they used a local star?”
Julia was absolutely living for the drama. Anything that ruined Whitney’s night made hers infinitely better.
She didn’t harbor any xenophobic prejudices.
In fact, she had massive respect for brilliant peers like Claire.
But her pride meant she’d never admit that out loud.
Whitney’s aggressive elitism was well-known, and to anyone watching, it looked like Julia was simply poking the bear for fun.
“What does it matter to you?” Whitney spat, glaring daggers at Julia.
The two heiresses were constantly at each other’s throats, a spectacle everyone was used to by now.
“It matters because if you boycott them, my chances just skyrocketed.”
“I flew all the way here because I want the exclusive autumn piece. Better yet, I want the chief designer to personally draft a bespoke gown for me.”
“If you walk out, my odds of winning the lucky draw go up.”
“Oh, actually, just hand over your invitation. That way, I’m practically guaranteed to win.”
Whitney looked like she was about to explode. “Why the hell would I give it to you? It’s mine!”
Julia flashed a wicked grin. “I thought you didn’t want it anymore? Holding onto the ticket is just hypocritical now.”