Chapter 39
After her confrontation with Yvonne about the role, Daphne realized she needed to resolve her contract with Hugo quickly, or her future work would be impossible. However, Hugo acted even faster than she anticipated.
Early the next morning, Daphne received a summons from the courthouse. Ava angrily threw the summons on the floor, stomped on it, and cursed, "That bastard, Hugo, is actually demanding compensation for the Turner Group endorsement breach!"
She continued, "That opportunistic snake! The Turner Group deal happened after we clearly stated we were terminating our contract with Starstruck Entertainment. They have absolutely nothing to do with it, so how dare he demand ten times the penalty fee?"
Daphne massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "It's my fault for being too hasty. I was so focused on getting ahead of Yvonne that I forgot about the Hugo problem."
She added wearily, "Hugo's sudden move is too coincidental. I suspect Wilson pressured him. He's definitely retaliating for how I treated Yvonne yesterday."
Daphne deeply regretted her carelessness. She should have known better than to sign any commercial contracts before completely resolving her existing agreement. The tenfold penalty was an enormous sum.
Ava sighed sympathetically. "How can you blame yourself? This is all because of those two jerks, Yvonne and Wilson. Back then, you had to prove your meetings with Sebastian were about work, or the public would have destroyed your reputation with rumors."
Ava continued, "And honestly, what kind of bad karma did you rack up to end up married to such a complete jerk?"
Daphne couldn't help but wonder the same thing. After calling her lawyer to prepare for a full-scale legal battle, she gathered Ava and her team and headed straight to Starstruck Entertainment. If Hugo had the guts to sue her, she would make sure Starstruck Entertainment regretted it.
When Daphne arrived at Starstruck Entertainment, Wilson was already there. He wore a sharp black suit, his handsome but cold face showing impatience, while Hugo groveled obsequiously before him.
Daphne pushed open the door and locked eyes with Wilson's dark, piercing gaze. She froze for a moment, her chest tightening. Sure enough, this was all his doing.
Swallowing the rising discomfort, she composed herself and strode confidently into Hugo's office. "What a coincidence," she said. "Everyone's here. Perfect—saves me a trip."
Chapter 3(?) (Needs a chapter number)
She tossed the summons onto the coffee table, its surface now marked with Ava's shoeprints. Her expression was confident as she challenged, "Hugo, what's the meaning of this? You're suing me?"
Hugo glanced at Wilson. Seeing that Wilson showed no intention of intervening, Hugo straightened his back. "You took business deals behind the company's back. Of course, we're suing you!"
Daphne chuckled, her natural beauty enhanced by her smile. "Hugo, I've made you a lot of money over the years. Are you really willing to destroy everything just to please Wilson? Aren't you afraid I'll take you down with me?"
"You signed with Turner Group behind my back. As long as your contract is valid, all your income should be shared with the company," Hugo replied greedily.
However, Daphne knew this wasn't really about the endorsement fees—it was about Wilson. She countered, "Yes, I signed with Turner Group, but that was after I started the contract termination process."
"Any decent boss would consider our years of partnership and not pursue this so aggressively. Tell me the truth—did Wilson force you to do this?"
Daphne deliberately fixed her gaze on Wilson, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Wilson remained cold, fidgeting with his worry stones without responding.
"Your silence speaks volumes," Daphne pressed.