She didn’t know if Eric could help, but it felt right to let him know.

“I understand,” Eric replied, then hung up.

He immediately dialed Phillips. “Get in touch with the Srixby branch of that brand,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

Phillips left to take care of it. It didn’t take long for him to report back. “Mr. Scott, I spoke with the brand. They confirmed it—Hadley’s piece came from the designer’s new collection. Only two exist in all of Srixby,” said Phillips.

It was clear now—Elvin had managed to pull excellent resources for her. Losing one of them like this wasn’t just a slip-up. It was a serious setback.

“Alright,” Eric said after a pause. “Reach out to the branch executives. Let them know I’d like to invite them to dinner.”

“Understood.” Phillips caught on immediately.

For anyone else, this would have turned into a crisis. But with Eric stepping in, all it would take was a quiet meeting and a few words exchanged over a meal.

Truthfully, if Hadley ever wanted anything in the industry—whether it was a role or a high-profile endorsement—Eric could make it happen with a snap of his fingers. But even with all that power, he had his own limits. He was willing to give her everything; he just couldn’t.

Phillips handled the arrangements, then called Tamara. “Just a heads-up. You can also let Elvin know we’re working on it, in case he gets worried.”

“I understand,” Tamara replied.

She got the call while they were en route to the venue.

As the car rolled to a stop, Hadley glanced over. “Tamara, who were you talking to?”

“A friend.” Tamara slipped her phone into her pocket, her face calm.

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“Let’s go, then.” Hadley didn’t push.

Still, she noticed something.

The way Tamara spoke earlier—that tone? It wasn’t casual. It was the tone someone used with a superior.

So, was it Eric? Or Phillips?

At the venue, Hadley went straight to the dressing room.

Elvin was already there. He had heard everything and looked rattled. But the event wasn’t going to wait. He still had no idea how to explain the situation to the brand.

“Mr. Webster,” Tamara called out as she approached.

He turned. “What is it?” He had gotten used to her presence by now.

“Well…” She leaned in and quietly passed along Phillips’ message.

“Really?”

His shoulders loosened at once. The tension in his face faded. “That’s great news. Thank you. Please tell Mr. Scott I’m grateful.”

In this business, it always came back to one thing—backing.

Inside the dressing room, Hadley sat at the mirror as her stylist worked on her makeup. Then her phone buzzed with a video call from Zane.

“Hadley!”

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