Chapter 144

Debra decided to visit Macloria, bringing gifts for Bryce and Ramona. Stacey wanted to join, but Debra stopped her. "You deserve a break, honey. Stay home and relax." Patrick echoed this, suggesting local outings for the kids. Stacey, sensing their reluctance, agreed to stay. Relief washed over Debra and Patrick.

At two o'clock, after Patrick left for work, Stacey took the kids to see Debra off. A wave of anxiety passed between them until Debra boarded the plane. Stacey reluctantly returned home to an empty house.

To occupy the children, Stacey suggested fishing in their pond. Adrian had promised good catches. The kids played near the large shade trees, while Stacey relaxed in the lounge chair. Soon, however, Lillian and Kevin's excited chatter threatened to scare away the fish. "Shh!" Stacey whispered, holding a finger to her lips. The children, eyes wide, mimicked her, their tiny hands covering their mouths.

Life at Carter Villa remained peaceful until Janet's new drama, "Her Majesty," exploded onto the scene. Social media buzzed with praise.

Online comments erupted: "Our Janet is stunning!" "Her Majesty is incredible!" "How does she maintain her figure after having a baby?"

The sudden, intense hype hinted at a professional marketing campaign. Malcolm, noticing the frenzy, immediately contacted Stacey. "Becky, have you seen 'Her Majesty'? It looks suspiciously like 'The Empress'!"

Stacey, initially dismissing the news, found herself watching "Her Majesty." The more she watched, the clearer the plagiarism became. These were "The Empress" plots! A sneer played on her lips.

Her anger quickly subsided. "Her Majesty," despite its popularity, lacked "The Empress's" polish and detail. "The Empress" had the original author's backing. It would win.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Lynn. "Becky, have you seen 'Her Majesty'?"

"Yes," Stacey replied. "The characters and plot are very similar to 'The Empress.'"

"It's definitely plagiarism, but they copied 'The Empress' novel, not our script," Lynn explained. "We'll contact the author for legal action. Don't worry; you don't need to get involved."

"Okay," Stacey said.

Lynn hesitated. "Becky, would you consider a few more projects? Your popularity is high."

"What kind of scripts?" Stacey asked.

"Several good ones. I'll send them if you're interested," Lynn offered.

Stacey eagerly agreed. Lynn continued, "A friend wants you to endorse their product—robots."

Stacey stared, surprised.

Lynn chuckled. "House cleaning and cooking robots. Standard functions."

Stacey, after a moment, smiled and agreed. Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Becky. You rarely do endorsements."

"You're welcome, Lynn," Stacey replied.

"Mm," Lynn murmured.