Chapter 140
Chapter 140:
Helena barely had a second to catch her breath with how packed her schedule had become.
During the general staff meeting, management made their final decisions. Every new news anchor who had made it through the interview round was officially assigned their roles.
Helena, ranked near the top, landed the highly-coveted anchor position for the Nine O’Clock News.
That wasn’t just any show. It was the crown jewel of Nexus TV’s lineup. Clearly, Lucas trusted her to carry it.
Once the meeting wrapped up, staff began filing out of the room.
Carrying a bundle of files in her arms, Betsey shuffled over to Helena with a sharp edge in her tone. “You must be real pleased with yourself, hosting the Nine O’Clock News already p>
Helena continued down the hallway without so much as acknowledging her.
Behind her, Betsey snorted and kept going. “Don’t celebrate just yet. Those Nine O’Clock News ads? They only showed up because of Neville. Now, you’re just a nobody, and your co-anchor, Dario Warren, is even more inexperienced than you. The sponsors have backed out. Get ready to hit the air with zero ad support p>
Though Neville carried a messy reputation, even his critics couldn’t deny his charm and skill. Advertisers had lined up for his screen time. With him out of the picture, the dip in ad revenue came as no shock—and Helena knew it all too well.
Even so, she believed she could rebuild what had been lost and draw viewers back in.
“Whether my show has sponsors or not isn’t your business. If you’ve got energy for gossip, maybe use it to fix your delivery skills.” Helena turned her head slightly, smiling just enough to sting. “Word is, you were fined a whopping 800 dollars last week for a slip of the tongue during the broadcast. Keep going at that rate, and you’ll be the one paying to stay on air p>
“You—!” Betsey’s cheeks turned bright red. She spun on her heel and stormed away, jaw clenched tight.
Later in the day, Helena finally came face-to-face with her new co-anchor, Dario.
𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖊: ⳑ𝗮𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧼ⅽ𝗈𝗺
Before this, he’d been stationed abroad as a field reporter.
He was a year younger than her and had never worked at a local station desk before. True to what Betsey had said, he carried that unmistakable rookie vibe—bright-eyed and eager.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt, Dario stood tall, still exuding that fresh-out-of-school look.
Beneath his large glasses, his face blended softness with a hint of easy charm.
Taking her time, Helena guided him through the layout of Nexus TV’s headquarters and gave him a thorough breakdown of what the Nine O’clock News would entail. Once everything was covered, she reached out her hand, her smile warm and genuine.
“Really appreciate this, Helena!” Dario said with a bright grin as he shook her hand. “Coming back to HQ had me on edge, but teaming up with someone so competent and easy to get along with makes it feel a whole lot better p>
Helena smiled back, and the two clicked instantly.
Their chat didn’t last long. Shortly after, Dario headed to the logistics department to collect his staff ID and office essentials.
Instead of heading back immediately, he ducked into a quiet hallway. The innocent glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by something far more cunning.
Pulling out his phone, he made a quick call. The voice on the other end asked right away, “Did you see Helena yet p>
“Yes, I did,” Dario replied, his expression unreadable. “No problems so far. Everything’s falling into place p>
Once he finished the onboarding process, Dario was promptly sent out on a field reporting assignment.
He and Helena were assigned to cover the Wilson Group’s redevelopment project. Their task included on-site reporting and conducting live interviews.
As soon as Helena saw the assignment sheet, she froze. It only lasted a moment before she gathered her gear and climbed into the news van without hesitation.
Throughout the drive, she buried herself in research, scanning every report and update she could find on the project.
With each headline, her chest tightened. The weight of worry for Alden pressed heavier.
When she arrived at the scene, the first thing that caught her attention was a wall of workers holding protest banners.
They had formed a blockade at the main entrance, their voices ringing out in frustration as they demanded answers for the stalled construction.
A few in the crowd, unable to contain their anger, kicked off their shoes and hurled them at the building’s windows with startling force. Helena listened closely as the yelling grew louder, directed squarely at the project’s management. Her stomach churned.
“Helena, you okay? You’re looking a little pale,” Dario said, concern creeping into his voice.
The question pulled her back to the present. She quickly shook her head. “I’m good p>
Worrying about Alden wouldn’t change anything now. She had a job to do, and she wasn’t about to falter.
Keeping things strictly professional, she ensured the crew captured every detail as it unfolded. After double-checking her gear, she walked over to the workers’ leader to begin the interview.