Chapter 143
Chapter 143:
Everyone was stunned, and Betsey blurted out in disbelief, “What… there’s no way this is actually happening, right p>
Lucas gave her a sharp look, his silence cutting through the tension. Tessa immediately responded, “What do you mean by that, Betsey? This is good news. A major investor backing one of our shows on Nexus TV—how is that not something to celebrate p>
“I just—” Caught off guard, Betsey fumbled for a reply but came up empty.
With a flick of his wrist, Lucas brushed aside the tension. “Let’s not ruin the moment. This is a win, not something to argue about.” Then, he turned his full attention to Helena, a bright smile forming. “Helena, Star Wish Investments is hosting a charity gala. They’ve sent Nexus TV an invite. Since they chose to sponsor your show, why don’t you attend on our behalf p>
With a firm but friendly pat on Helena’s shoulder, he added, “Use this opportunity wisely. Talk to their CEO. Try to build connections. If you can bring in more funds, that would be great p>
Social events like that weren’t Helena’s thing, but with the network’s future in mind, she nodded her agreement without hesitation.
Lucas seemed pleased. Betsey, on the other hand, was quick to object. “Mr. Wright, let’s be honest. Helena’s not exactly the best at making conversation. I’ve always been the one to represent the station at events like this p>
Lucas’s tone lost any trace of patience. “That was before. The sponsor chose Helena’s show, not yours. Isn’t it obvious she’s the one who should go p>
“But p>
“You’re missing the point, Betsey. This isn’t about you. This is about what’s best for Nexus TV p>
Lucas shot Betsey a firm look, making it clear the decision was final, and Betsey fell silent.
She tightened her fists, already set on making sure Helena learned her place.
Helena walked through the rest of the workday as if she were half-dreaming.
It made no sense—how had Star Wish Investments even noticed her show?
𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝓂:
When she got home, the first thing she did was share the news with Alden, her excitement bubbling over.
Alden lounged comfortably on the sofa, looking relaxed and in good spirits.
His voice was light when he asked, “So, did it make you happy p>
“Absolutely! I’m very happy,” Helena said, her eyes shining with excitement. “We’ve been running the show without a single sponsor, so all we got was our basic paycheck. I still have some bonuses left over from when I did weather, but Dario? He just got back to the country. That base salary is barely enough for groceries p>
“Dario?” The smile vanished from Alden’s face the moment that name passed her lips.
Swept up in her own excitement, Helena missed the slight change in Alden’s expression. Beaming, she answered with a cheerful nod, “Yes, the same young guy you asked about yesterday. We’re co-anchoring the Nine O’clock News.” It wasn’t until the words had left her lips that she noticed something wasn’t quite right. Her brows lifted slightly as she asked, “Did I say something wrong p>
Watching her tread carefully like that tugged at something inside Alden. Letting out a quiet breath, Alden softened his voice. “No p>
Helena took his word for it and dove right back into excited chatter about the unexpected sponsorship deal. Determined not to dampen her mood, Alden forced a smile that never reached his eyes and let her talk. As soon as she disappeared into her room, his face grew grim. He wasted no time in calling Xavier.
“I asked you to support Helena’s show. At what point did I say that meant letting some other man share the spotlight with her?” The accusation caught Xavier completely off guard. All Alden mentioned was his interest in sponsoring the Nine O’clock News. There was no way for Xavier to guess Alden would get jealous over a male anchor just sitting beside his wife…
Three days had passed since the redevelopment project was halted. Delays on a project this big were costing massive amounts of money with each passing day. Chadwick had assumed Alden would act fast. But the silence coming from him had been unsettling. Was it possible Alden truly meant to abandon it?
The idea didn’t sit right with Chadwick. He paced his living room, convinced there was more to this quiet than met the eye.
Just then, Rylan burst in, grinning from ear to ear.
“Dad, I’ve got great news! Star Wish Investments—the firm that just entered our country—is stepping in. They’re picking up the Simpson family’s mess and taking over Alden’s stalled redevelopment project p>
“Are you serious?” Chadwick looked doubtful. “That mess the Simpsons left behind? It’s a sinking ship. Anyone who steps in is bound to come out worse. And Alden’s project? It’s turned into a disaster no one wants to deal with since work stopped and everything went downhill. You really believe the head of Star Wish is going to dive in and save both? That’s not bold. It’s reckless p>
Worried and unconvinced, he decided to attend Star Wish Investments’ charity gala himself. Before making any decisions, he wanted to look the company’s CEO in the eye.