Chapter 97
When Daphne finished work and arrived home, she encountered Sebastian at the entrance. He stood tall, dressed in a camel-colored coat, the faint scent of jasmine lingering from his car air freshener. It was clean and refreshing.
Euphie greeted him as she pressed the elevator button. "What a coincidence! What's kept you busy until this hour?"
"I've taken on a big project recently and had to travel to Frondale for the past two days. I just got off the plane," Sebastian said.
Leaning against the elevator wall, he looked exhausted, as if he might fall asleep at any moment. His voice hoarse, he asked, "What about you? What have you been up to?"
Biting her lip, Daphne hesitated before admitting, "I've been busy competing with Yvonne for an endorsement."
Sebastian was stunned, his drowsiness vanishing instantly. "What? You're competing with her for an endorsement? I must have misheard. You two aren't even on the same…"
"Exactly. We're not on the same level, but somehow, we still got tied together. It's unbelievable," Daphne said, adding, "All thanks to that scumbag, Wilson."
Daphne briefly explained the situation to Sebastian: "So, here's what happened. Sherry Group and I were already in talks for an endorsement deal, but then Yvonne suddenly charged in out of nowhere."
Understanding, Sebastian rubbed his temples. "Oh, it's Sherry Group's perfume brand. I think I can help. I could ask Serena to talk to her father." Daphne interrupted, "There's no need for that. After watching her performance tonight, I'm even more confident that I can beat her. As a senior in the entertainment industry, I feel obliged to give her a lesson and show her that even the strongest supporter is useless if one is incapable."
Daphne disliked relying on others for her career, so she politely declined Sebastian's offer.
Returning home, she completed her skincare routine and slept well, determined to be at her best for the livestream the next day.
The next afternoon, Ava arrived with a styling team.
Daphne suggested a high ponytail. "The hairstyle should be simple and neat. Nothing over-the-top, like a red-carpet look. Keep the makeup clean, too."
The styling team followed her suggestions. Her outfit, a high-end custom design by Gails, gave her a mature and professional corporate vibe.
After Yvonne's disastrous livestream, Daphne felt responsible for mitigating Garry's losses. She wanted to use her livestream to boost their exposure and offset the negative impact of the previous incident.
Jeremy readily agreed to her plans.
Daphne arrived at Sherry Group's building an hour before the livestream.
Jon, who had seemed infuriated earlier, smiled upon seeing her. "Why are you here so early? You're so much more professional."
They were well-acquainted, so pleasantries were unnecessary.
Noticing the dark circles under Jon's eyes, Daphne asked with concern, "What happened? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Jon sighed deeply. "Don't even mention it. Ms. Yeager, did you watch the livestream yesterday?"
She nodded. "I did. I watched it from start to finish. To be fair, yesterday's fiasco was, at most, a minor incident in the livestream world. Although Yvonne went viral, the post was quickly taken down. Normally, something like this blows over after a few days. Most artists' PR teams would ignore it. If neither side comments, the issue is forgotten. It might come up occasionally during arguments between fans as something to ridicule." However, Jon looked extremely upset.
"Some of Yvonne's crazy fans have been flooding our official account, demanding that we apologize. They're blaming our host, Blake, claiming our lack of preparation caused Yvonne's mistakes. They're even saying our team is unprofessional! Can you believe it? They've shifted all the blame onto us!"