Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

Joanna Kennedy wasn’t against doing variety shows; she was against doing *scripted* variety shows.

Acting was already exhausting. Having to study a script just to appear on a variety show was too much. If she wore a mask for too long, she would eventually lose sight of who she really was.

This particular show was an escape room challenge with non-celebrities. The writer-director was a high-ranking member of The Criterion Society whose mystery novels were bestsellers at home and abroad. With someone like that at the helm, she figured there wouldn’t be a rigid script.

Once Joanna confirmed her interest, Mindy Morgan went to contact the production team to discuss the contract. As she reached the door, she remembered something and turned to Joanna. ”Oh, right. The boss said not to leave yet. He’ll be at the office shortly.”

Joanna Kennedy: ”?”

”The boss didn’t say what it was about, but I’m guessing it’s about the Sinclair Group endorsement.” Mindy’s expression was sympathetic. ”You’d better figure out how you’re going to explain yourself.”

To dare reject an endorsement from the Sinclair Group... Joanna Kennedy was probably the first in the entire industry to do so.

Joanna sighed. ”Mindy, you sure report back to him quickly.”

She had been with Mindy the entire time but had no idea when her manager had contacted Howard Thorne. It couldn’t have been more than thirty minutes ago.

Joanna knew Mindy wanted Howard to talk her out of it. Mindy said, full of self-righteousness, ”It had to be reported, sooner or later. This endorsement is a big deal. I can’t be the one to make the final call.”

One moment, Mindy was canceling her other appointments without asking, and the next, she was claiming she couldn’t make a decision on her own. The hypocrisy was so blatant that Joanna felt a pang of second-hand embarrassment.

But Mindy was just doing her job. Although Joanna felt a bit helpless, there was nothing she could say. She just smiled. ”Alright, I’ll wait for the boss.”

Howard Thorne arrived quickly. He must have rushed over from some gathering, because he carried the faint scent of alcohol. The moment he stepped into the lounge, Joanna instinctively distanced herself with a look of distaste.

Howard Thorne rolled his eyes. ”I haven’t been drinking, so I’m not going to go crazy on you. Someone just accidentally spilled their drink on me.”

At these kinds of functions, it was common for some young, pretty girl to ”accidentally” spill a drink on someone. Joanna knew the type.

Her indifferent attitude left Howard speechless. He was about to explain further but forced the words back down. His expression turned serious. ”You rejected the Sinclair Group endorsement?”

”Yeah, I did.” Joanna didn’t hide it. ”I don’t want to get involved with the Sinclair Group.”

The disgust in Joanna’s tone was unmistakable. Howard couldn’t help but ask, ”Is it because of that illegitimate Sinclair son who just came back?”

A careful listener could detect the jealousy Howard was failing to hide, but Joanna paid it no mind. She just frowned. ”You investigated him?”

”He’s the one who gave you this endorsement, isn’t he?”

They spoke at the same time. Joanna didn’t answer, and the smile vanished from her face. Howard clenched his fists and looked away before admitting, ”Yes, I did. He was surprisingly easy to look into.”

After their encounter at the company entrance, Howard had put his people on it. The results came back faster than he’d expected.

Someone with Simon Lockwood’s looks and bearing couldn’t possibly be from an ordinary family. Even though he tried to downplay it, Howard could sense the oppressive aura of someone in a position of power. And then there was that distinctive hearing aid.

He just had his people ask around their circle, and they quickly confirmed Simon Lockwood’s identity: the illegitimate son of the Sinclair family.

’Once the Sinclair name was attached, even an illegitimate son seemed more distinguished than the legitimate heirs of other families.’

”Jojo, be honest with me. Did he use the Sinclair family name to threaten you?” Howard asked, his face tense.

Simon Lockwood’s identity, combined with Joanna’s rejection of the Sinclair endorsement, made his theory seem perfectly plausible.

Seeing the fury on Howard’s face, Joanna replied wearily, ”No, it has nothing to do with him.”

”He... his relationship with the Sinclair family isn’t very good, I think. What you’re worried about won’t happen,” Joanna answered after a moment of thought.

Hearing this, Howard was confused. ”Then why reject the endorsement?”

Joanna was silent for a moment. When she finally spoke, she didn’t answer his question. Instead, she asked, ”Will this have a negative impact on you?”

Howard blurted out, ”It won’t.”

’The Sinclairs may be a prestigious and powerful family, but the Thornes are no pushovers. Besides, this is just one endorsement. It’s hardly a major incident.’

Come together for profit, part ways without it.

Joanna was relieved. ”That’s good.”

”I just don’t want to take an endorsement from the Sinclair Group. There’s no other reason,” Joanna said.

Her answer stunned Howard into a long silence.

’In my mind, Joanna has always been a smart woman, someone who carefully weighs the pros and cons. Even if she doesn’t say much, she always knows exactly what she’s doing. This is the first time I’ve ever seen her act so... impulsively.’

”Alright, as long as you’ve thought it through.” Howard took a deep breath and joked, trying to sound casual. ”You’re our company’s cash cow, after all. We have to make sure you’re well taken care of, don’t we?”

Joanna smiled, not bothering with false modesty. She was, in fact, the company’s biggest cash cow.

”I was so busy schmoozing with those bastards I didn’t even get a chance to eat. There’s a new restaurant that opened on the west side. Come on, my treat.”

As if anticipating her refusal, Howard quickly added, ”Don’t worry, it’s owned by a childhood friend of mine. The privacy is excellent. No paparazzi will be able to get in. And if we do get photographed, I’ll buy the pictures. I guarantee you won’t end up trending online.”

”Or,” he added, ”would you rather go home and cook for yourself?”

Anyone who knew Joanna was well aware of her... ”impressive” cooking skills. Howard’s jab hit a sore spot.

Joanna sighed. The thought of the mountain of instant noodles and dried pasta at home was enough. She finally caved to the temptation of a good meal and agreed.

Sitting in the private dining room, listening to the soothing music and watching Howard chat with his childhood friend, Joanna sighed. ’You really shouldn’t tell lies, even little ones.’

’I only said I was going out to eat to piss off Simon Lockwood. I can’t believe it actually came true.’ Joanna shook her head, finding the situation slightly amusing.

A smile played on Joanna’s lips, her alluring eyes glistening like they held tiny stars. The soft restaurant lighting lent her a gentle, almost docile air, making her look exceptionally charming and beautiful.

When Howard turned back, the sight made him freeze. His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

A hand clapped him on the shoulder. Still in a daze, Howard turned to see Raphael Crowe wearing a wicked grin. ”Got you mesmerized?”

”Not bad, Howard. Bagging your company’s leading lady, are you? I never realized you were such a predator.”

Raphael Crowe’s grin was utterly shameless, and he hadn’t bothered to lower his voice. A flush of heat rose in Howard’s cheeks, and he quickly cut him off. ”What are you talking about? Just bring the food.”

As he spoke, he shot a nervous glance across the table. When he saw that Joanna hadn’t reacted, he breathed a sigh of relief, yet he also felt a pang of inexplicable disappointment.

”Alright, alright, First Young Master Thorne, the food is on its way.” Raphael rolled his eyes. He turned to Joanna, his expression instantly shifting to a warm smile. ”Miss Kennedy, I run an entertainment company myself. If you ever feel like jumping ship, you know who to call~”