Chapter 2
“Congratulations.”
Holly tucked the signed contract into her briefcase, smiling so wide the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out.
“One million, exclusive annual contract.
You’re worth it.”
I didn’t respond.
My phone screen was still lit.
Ethan’s message hung in the notification bar—“It’s just one commercial.
It wouldn’t hurt to help her.”
Sarah’s voice messages were stacked above it.
Three of them.
The last one was seventeen seconds long.
I didn’t play them.
I long-pressed the conversation.
Deleted.
Blocked.
Then I opened Ethan’s chat.
Same operation.
Two people.
Two seconds.
Holly’s hand froze mid-air, coffee cup in hand.
“You just—”
“Cleaning up my contacts.”
She didn’t ask further questions.
She made a call: “Yes, contract confirmed.
Million-dollar endorsement deal, North American exclusive—”
The door pushed open.
Jessica from the company’s PR department walked in holding a printout, her expression twisted.
“Wanda, you need to see this first.”
I took it.
A media press release template.
The headline read—“Brand Announces Spokesperson Wanda Sullivan, Grateful for Family Support Throughout Her Journey.”
The third paragraph stated boldly: “According to sources, Wanda Sullivan’s supermodel career wouldn’t have been possible without Sarah’s strong support.
Sarah not only introduced Wanda to a renowned talent scout in her early stages but also accompanied Wanda through every critical milestone.”
I stared at those lines for three seconds.
“Who wrote this?”
Jessica swallowed.
“Someone from Sarah’s team contacted our PR department last month.
Said it was an agreed-upon press release framework between both parties.”
“She said you approved it.”
Holly leaned over to look.
Her expression changed.
“Last month?”
Holly’s voice rose half an octave.
“She contacted our PR department—who authorized this?”
“She dealt directly with a new intern on the team.
They went back and forth through three versions.”
Jessica scrolled through her phone records.
“She even sent over her own bio and headshots, saying the press release needed to include her information for future resource coordination.”
I put the press release back on the table.
Last month.
Last month, Sarah sent me voice messages, her voice all soft and sweet, saying “Wanda, could you let me have this one?”
But the press release had started coordination last month.
In other words, she never planned to wait for me to give it up.
She was just going through the motions.
“Has the brand seen this draft?”
Jessica nodded.
“Sarah copied the brand’s marketing department directly.
The brand was pretty happy about it.
Said the sisters-supporting-each-other angle was a good hook, very marketable for promotion.”
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I hesitated, then answered.
“Wanda, it’s me.”
Sarah’s voice.
She’d called from a different number.
Her tone was steady.
None of that pitiful, clingy quality from the voice messages.
“You blocked me.”
“Yeah.”
“Did you sign?”
“Yes.”
Silence for a moment on the other end.
Then she laughed.
Softly, like she was talking about something trivial.
“Then you’ve seen about the press release too.”
I didn’t say anything.
“Wanda, the brand already approved that draft.
It goes out Monday.
If you insist on pulling it, the brand will think you can’t even manage your own team.”
“Whether this endorsement deal stays intact or not, you should think about that.”
Her pace was slow.
So slow that every word felt carefully weighed.
“Ethan’s right.
You really should thank me.
Without the narrative I built for you, why would the brand choose you?
Some 180-pound girl who ran off the weight?”
“A supermodel’s resume needs to look good.
You understand that better than anyone.”
Holly heard the voice on speakerphone.
Her face turned pale.
She opened her mouth to speak.
I pressed down on her hand.
“Are you done?”
“Wanda, I’m helping you.”
“Helping me?
By fabricating events that never happened?”
“I’m helping you package—”
“Pull the press release.
Before Monday.
Otherwise my lawyer will contact you.”
I hung up.
Holly stared at me.
Silent for a long while.
“Wanda, what she said… about introducing you to the scout, is that true?”
I put my phone in my bag.
“Holly, the scout who discovered me is named Liam.
He found me by the half-marathon route outside Central Park.
I weighed 160 pounds then.”
“Sarah was vacationing in Miami that day.”
Holly took a deep breath.
“Then why would she—”
“Because that’s how she’s always been.”
I picked up my bag and headed out.
“She doesn’t need to do anything.
She just has to say ‘I helped,’ and everyone believes it.”
Holly followed me out.
“What about the brand?
The press release already got approved.”
“I said it.
Pull it.”
“What if the brand thinks you’re difficult—”
“Holly.”
I stopped at the elevator.
“When I weighed 180 pounds and people avoided me, I survived.
When I was 130 and people said ‘not bad,’ I survived that too.”
“I won’t let a fake press release define me.”
The elevator doors opened.
Holly’s voice came from behind me, very soft.
“Okay.
I’ll negotiate with the brand.”