Chapter 93
Leon couldn't make sense of it. He asked his assistant, “Why was Gwen chosen as a guest star? Did she sign with a major company?” He wondered if Remy had acted impulsively, signing Gwen to deliberately undermine him. But that didn't seem like Remy's usual style. After all, Gwen was in such poor shape that she seemed beyond saving.
His assistant replied, “It’s not a big company. I found out she signed with a newly opened studio. Oh, right. Brian also moved his team to that studio.” Leon had instructed him to keep an eye on Brian’s movements, which led him to discover that Gwen had also signed with the same studio.
Leon paused for a moment. “He moved to a newly opened studio?” Suddenly, he recalled what Zick had said earlier. With a serious expression, Leon instructed, “Look into which studio is so bold as to go against us.”
The assistant nodded. “Understood. I’ll check right away.”
Meanwhile, Brian had arrived at the studio with his team. They found that, although it was just a studio, it occupied an entire floor and was quite spacious. The office furniture was all new and very comfortable. Each person not only received a new desktop computer but also a high-end laptop. There was a dedicated lounge, dining area, and even a gym. The lounge was stocked with coffee, various juices, snacks, and fresh fruits. The working environment and comfort level were much better than what they had at Jenkins Entertainment.
Gwen and her two colleagues arrived at the studio. They discovered that each of them had an individual office suite, furnished according to their personal tastes. Brenda even paid for their favorite decorations, which warmed their hearts. Previously at Jenkins Entertainment, they had never had private workspaces and had shared rooms with several others. Phoebe arranged for cake and drinks to be delivered to the lounge and called everyone over for a welcoming party. She also discussed the studio and the general plans moving forward. Everyone felt relaxed and comfortable, filled with enthusiasm and expectations for their new jobs.
After addressing work matters, Phoebe engaged in casual conversations with the team to build rapport. At that moment, Gwen’s phone rang, and she saw that her former agent was calling. She paused for a second before moving to a quiet spot to take the call. Two minutes later, she returned and sat in an empty seat next to Phoebe. Leaning in slightly, she whispered, “Ms. Yan, my agent just called to ask about who the owner of my current studio is. It seems that the executives at Jenkins Entertainment have found out that Brian and I jumped to this studio.”
Phoebe chuckled nonchalantly. “That’s fine; if she asks you again, just tell her the truth. The studio is mine, and Brenda is the major shareholder.” She then looked at the others present. “You all should do the same. There’s no need to hide anything. We’re openly going against Jenkins Entertainment, so we don’t need to be secretive.”
With Brian’s team switching studios, Gwen securing the guest star spot would certainly draw the attention of the Jenkins family and other entertainment companies, prompting inquiries into the studio. Once actions were taken, it would be impossible to conceal, and exposure would come quickly.
Brian smiled. “What Ms. Jenkins said is true. It will be revealed eventually. Everyone just needs to be ready.”
Phoebe felt relieved after resolving family issues and, fueled by a sense of injustice, Brian wanted to retaliate. Brian’s whole demeanor shifted; he was now filled with determination and spirit. Phoebe looked at Brian and said, “I predict that starting today, or by tomorrow at the latest, Jenkins Entertainment will take action. There’s an eighty to ninety percent chance they’ll make an issue out of me opening this studio while signing Gwen, who has a tarnished reputation.”
“Make sure you handle the public relations well, and keep Gwen’s remaining fans firmly convinced of her innocence,” she added. “There will definitely be attempts to guide the public’s criticism toward me. Just manage the reviews.” She continued, “There’s no need to engage directly with them, as that will leave a bad impression on bystanders. The biggest wave of public relations will happen in five days during Gwen’s live variety show.”
Brian nodded. “Don’t worry, Ms. Jenkins. We’re already prepared.
This battle would determine whether they could establish a foothold in the industry. If they won, they could showcase their strength. If they lost, it wouldn’t just be Phoebe making a fool of herself. The Jenkins family would find it amusing, and they could even consider resigning and changing careers. They simply couldn’t afford to lose. They had to win.
The others listening to their conversation showed expressions of excitement and anticipation. Having all been bullied and sidelined at Jenkins Entertainment, they were eager to vent their frustrations. Because they shared a common “enemy,” the studio was united and determined to win.
As they continued chatting, Jenkins Entertainment and two other major entertainment companies had already figured out who had opened the studio. Remy was the first to receive the news. At that moment, he and Maddox were playing games in the office. When he heard his assistant’s report, he couldn’t help but be astonished. “Phoebe is that impressive? She actually poached Jenkins Entertainment’s best operations team.”
As major competitors, the three big entertainment companies constantly kept an eye on each other. So, Remy knew about Brian’s team resigning. Their operations team was quite capable, and Remy didn’t plan on changing it. Otherwise, he would have considered recruiting them. The same thought likely crossed the minds of other major companies. Other entertainment firms might want to poach, but they feared offending the Jenkins brothers, so they wouldn’t dare make a move. After all, those two had publicly stated that anyone who hired Brian’s team would be going against them.
Remy had been curious about how Brian and the others had suddenly decided to resign. It felt off because Ollie hadn’t seemed to have released them yet. Realizing something was amiss, Remy had instructed his people to pay more attention to Brian’s movements. He hadn’t expected this outcome. While he knew Phoebe intended to undermine Jenkins Entertainment, he hadn’t anticipated her starting off with such a bold move. Brian and his team had top-tier operations and public relations skills in the industry. Although they had previously been sidelined, they had done considerable work, cleaning up after Jenkins Group’s new team. Now that they had been poached, the next developments would be entertaining.
Maddox casually said, “Pheebs is very amazing. It’s just poaching an operations team. Why are you so surprised?”
Remy was momentarily taken aback. ‘Is he truly seeing Phoebe through rose-colored glasses?’ he wondered. From Maddox’s tone, it sounded like no matter what Phoebe did, it was perfectly normal.
“I just don’t understand why Brian, who has been so loyal to Jenkins Group and is quite talented, would jump to a studio opened by Phoebe,” Remy said. There had to be something they didn’t know about.
Maddox focused on his game. “Of course, it’s because of Pheebs’ charm and capability! If you can’t see that, Remy, you’re a bit off!”
Remy shot him a disapproving glance. “You’re the one who’s off! Although I will admit Phoebe is impressive. She not only poached Jenkins Group’s established operations team but also got Gwen to appear as a guest star on Adriana’s variety show.”
“No one can guess how she managed to pull that off,” he added, “I’m also curious how she’s going to handle Gwen, who has such a bad reputation. ‘If we tried to manage it now, we wouldn’t succeed. So, how could Phoebe do it?’ Remy wondered.
Maddox smirked. “This is just the beginning; don’t be so dramatic. As for how she’ll manage it, results will come soon, and you’ll be even more surprised.”
Hearing this, Remy was even more intrigued. “Alright, I’ll wait and see.”