Chapter 178
Griffin jabbed a finger at Cameron’s nose, his frustration etched deep into his features. “Look at you! A far cry from your former self. Where’s all that pride you used to flaunt? You were so sure of your success, but here you are, losing deals with both the McCoy and Rowland families.”
Cameron hung his head, his voice barely a whisper. “Dad, it’s Nathan–he’s been sabotaging me.”
After a lot of reflection, Cameron had decided that Nathan was a much tougher rival than Nathalie. Losing to Nathan felt like less of a blow to his ego than losing to Nathalie.
But Griffin wasn’t buying it. He jabbed a finger at Cameron’s temple, his voice booming. “Nathan? It was Nathalie! Mr. McCoy himself called me, saying your proposal couldn’t hold a candle to hers.”
Cameron protested, “Dad, Theo’s biased towards Nathalie…”
“That’s nonsense! If it were just Theo, maybe. But even Mason said your company’s proposal was way below Nathalie’s. If they’re both saying it, then your designer’s clearly not cutting it.
A sense of despair washed over Cameron. There was a time when his word was law, and everyone catered to him. But now, with his fortunes declining, he was left standing alone.
“Your designer’s cost you these deals. You need to let her go, Griffin ordered firmly.
Cameron’s face went pale. “Dad, she’s one of the best young talents. Letting her go would be a huge waste.”
Seeing his son’s reluctance, Griffin’s anger flared. “Are you ignoring what Mason and Theo said? I said fire her, and that’s final. Otherwise, you can forget about running your fashion company.”
Under the weight of his father’s demands, Cameron had no choice but to give in. “Alright, I’ll find a new designer.”
Griffin continued, “I’ve lined up a spot for you on a reality show to boost your fashion company’s profile. Get ready. You’ll start filming soon.”
Cameron was taken aback. He had once backed many top stars, and now he had to appear on a reality show.
“Dad, we can hire a celebrity spokesperson for my company.”
“Do you still have the budget for a big–name star?” Griffin shot back.
Cameron fell silent.
Griffin pressed on. “If you can’t afford a top–tier celebrity, then be your own spokesperson.
10:04.
You’re good–looking and sharp. I bet you’ll gain a lot of fans. If you do, your brand will surely take off.”
Cameron resisted the idea, feeling that being on a reality show was like baring his soul for all to see, completely undignified.
Griffin delivered the final blow. “I won’t be putting any more money into your company. Whether it rises again or not is all on you.”
Cameron was left without words. Having lived a life of luxury and admiration, the reality of his situation was tough to accept.
After Griffin left, a defeated Cameron headed to a bar to drink away his troubles. When Nathalie got a call from an unknown number, she accidentally answered it.
The voice on the other end was a generic, polite greeting. “Is this Miss Nellie?”
Nathalie, slightly annoyed, replied, “I’ve changed my name to Nathalie. Please call me Nathalie from now on.”
“Ms. Nathalie, I’m a bartender. There’s a customer here who’s drunk and keeps calling your name. I think you know him. Could you come pick him up?”
