Part 51：Did you secretly reach out

Song's unexpected phone call had left Zoe in a much better mood.

What she didn't expect, however, was that three days later, Lan called her into the office, her face dark as a storm cloud.

"Did you secretly reach out to an outside platform?" Lan demanded, her tone sharp and unyielding.

Zoe was taken aback. "What? Of course not. What are you talking about?"

Lan glared at her, clearly livid. "Don't play dumb! Did you or did you not get involved with Yuehai Media's project?"

That jogged Zoe's memory—was Lan talking about the project Song had mentioned? Could it be that Yuehai Media had approached the company already?

"Are you referring to the drama Song mentioned to me?" Zoe asked cautiously. "He said he wanted to invite me, but I haven't agreed to anything, let alone signed a contract."

Lan's anger didn't abate. "Zoe, do you realize that taking on roles outside the company's approval disrupts our carefully laid plans for you?"

Zoe furrowed her brows, her own patience thinning. "What plans? I haven't agreed to anything yet!"

Lan crossed her arms tightly, her rare display of fury making Zoe feel like she was speaking to a stranger.

"Lan, what's really going on here? Song's invitation was informal at best—no agreements, no contracts. Why are you so worked up over this?"

Lan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Do you even know who the producer of Questioning the Heart is? Liang Zhongjie! He's Liu Pinran's arch-rival. And somehow, Liu Pinran got wind of this. He called Mr. He directly, accusing us of being two-faced. Do you know what offending Liu Pinran will mean for your career?"

Zoe blinked in confusion. "Two-faced? When did we ever agree to take on Liu Pinran's romantic comedy?"

Lan's expression froze. There was a beat of silence before she finally admitted, "The company already committed to it. It's a done deal."

"What?" Zoe was stunned. She stared at Lan in disbelief.

Lan's voice was flat as she continued. "Now do you understand how serious this situation is? The industry hates it when actors hedge their bets. If word spreads that you're negotiating two projects simultaneously, no producer will want to work with you in the future."

Zoe's gaze turned icy, her tone sharp. "Lan, are you blaming me for this? I didn't even know the company had accepted that project! When did I ever agree to star in that fluffy rom-com?"

Lan replied, "This was the company's decision. And because of it, you can't take Song's project."

Zoe let out a cold laugh, disbelief flashing across her face. "So you're not just accusing me today, you're also here to tell me I have no choice in the matter? That I'm forbidden from taking Song's offer?"

Lan hesitated, her anger giving way to a fleeting trace of guilt. But she still hardened her tone. "The company has made its decision."

Zoe's voice trembled with incredulity. "Do you even realize what Song's project means for my career? And you want me to throw that away for some clichéd rom-com?"

Lan's face softened, her anger dissipating into something more sorrowful. Her gaze dropped, and she let out a weary sigh. "I know this feels unfair. But the company already promised Liu Pinran you'd do his drama."

"When did that happen?" Zoe demanded. "And how dare you make decisions about my career without consulting me first?"

Lan looked away, unable to meet Zoe's burning stare. "A few days ago. I... I didn't know how to bring it up since you've been so resistant to taking that project."

Zoe let out a bitter laugh. "So your solution was just to hide it from me?"