Actually, she had already predicted things to turn out this way. She was hoping that they'd be able to hold on until filming was completed, but obviously, Cate was too hard to control. She had absolutely no self awareness. So, it only seemed right to abandon this chess piece.
Cate actually insulted Tiffany. How dare she insult Tiffany?
Didn't she consider what would happen if Taeyeon found out?
"No, I want to continue. You were the ones that invited me here. You have no right to send me away."
However, Taeyeon turned around and left without glancing back.
"I will send you a contract cancellation agreement soon..." Qiao Sen notified. He knew that Taeyeon had been tolerating Cate for a long time. Fortunately for her, she had only done a few physical tricks up until this point. But this time, she was stupid enough to insult Tiffany...
She was obviously digging her own grave. President Kim was the kind of person that could tolerate anything directed at him because he was tough on himself. But, it was impossible for him to see Tiffany suffer in any way. Especially when he caught someone insulting her.
Cate cried and screamed as she questioned Qiao Sen.
But, her manager completely abandoned her as she went off to pack her things and call their agency to report that Cate had screwed up and was being dismissed.
"Is this the way you bully actresses from overseas? I am going to sue you..."
She was welcome to give it a try. But, did she really think that Taeyeon was a pushover?
Cate had been testing Taeyeon's bottom line for a while. She thought that Taeyeon would continue to tolerate her. But of course, that would have been the case if she didn't insult Tiffany.
"Director, the female lead has been dismissed. Should we continue filming?"
Qiao Sen let out a sigh, "Of course not. Go home and wait for my notification instead."
After everyone packed and left, Cate finally thought of chasing after her manager. However, her manager boarded her car with no intention of letting Cate on.
"Cate, I've endured you for many years. Now, I can finally be free. You can go ahead and book your own flight back to France," the manager said before she left.
"B*tch! Come back!"
Cate chased after the car, but her manager did not turn back.
...
Afterwards, Qiao Sen reported the entire incident to Tiffany over the phone, "President Kim overheard Cate insulting you, so this was the result."
"OK," Tiffany replied.
"Although Cate doesn't have many scenes, replacing her means that we will need to start again. The biggest problem is, we don't have anyone suitable for the role."
Qiao Sen's biggest worry was the fact that they hadn't found a suitable actress.
However, at this time, Tiffany smiled and asked, "Since we have to find a new actress, why don't we take this opportunity to change the script a little?"
"What are you suggesting?" Qiao Sen asked.
"I have an idea."
It was impossible for Tiffany to act in the film because she was pregnant. But, it also didn't seem right to hire another actress. At this rate, the film was to be stuck at a standstill. So, Tiffany had another idea.
But, while Tiffany and Qiao Sen were discussing the matter and figuring out how to deal with it, Cate stormed into the French embassy and completely blew the incident out of proportion.
Of course, the French embassy simply ignored her because she was obviously being unreasonable.
But...the issue got leaked out in the end. Although people within the industry had previously doubted Tiffany and Qiao Sen, they couldn't believe that they still went ahead and decided to create a sci-fi film.
So, now that the female lead was causing a commotion, was Tiffany's sci-fi dream still possible?
More and more people watched on in curiosity.
-"Tiffany actually gave up being an actress to pursue an unrealistic dream. Has she been bewitched in some way?"
-"Although I support Tiffany, the domestic sci-fi market is so bad that I don't think it can be saved."
-"Just wait and see. They're going to start off with the intention to film something completely produced by the domestic market, but they will end up using resources from Hollywood instead."
-"I hope Tiffany doesn't go down a dishonest path like that..."
In the eyes of observers, Tiffany was likely using dishonest methods.
So, with Cate's matter on top, no one was willing to believe in Tiffany's sci-fi film. They thought she was crazy.
But, if Tiffany actually cared what others thought, she wouldn't have started with the film and she wouldn't have invested all her efforts into it.
So, while everyone was expressing their doubts, Tiffany met up with Qiao Sen.
"Crown Empire will handle Cate's matter. Meanwhile, I'm going to tell you my idea."
"I think the backstory of 'The Ant Queen' can be changed..." Tiffany showed Qiao Sen a diagram that she sketched out. "Sci-fi films in recent years have long abandoned the need for a hero and a damsel. It's such an outdated plot. I don't think the film needs a woman."
"Huh?" Qiao Sen didn't quite understand. "Are you saying..."
"We can abandon the need for a woman, but we can add in a girl. We can tell the story of a father and daughter instead. It will give the film an extra degree of depth. Plus, films like this have already been successful overseas."
"Moreover, this is a sci-fi film. If we throw a helpless little girl into the mix, the film will have more suspense and it will trigger the protective instincts of the audience and make the scenes appear more dangerous. I don't think that having a girl in the film will be any less appealing than having a woman."
"Most importantly, I've already selected someone suitable for this role," Tiffany placed some information in front of Qiao Sen, "This little girl is called Coco Lee 1 . Because her father is Canadian, this little seven-year-old has beautifully mixed features. However, this is not the main point, the main point is that she is a true acting talent."
Qiao Sen didn't know how to react to Tiffany's words. But, as business partners, Tiffany's suggestion was indeed the best option for them.
So, after taking a moment to compose himself, Qiao Sen finally asked Tiffany, "How did you think of this idea?"
Tiffany had to thank Jong-hyun, the little rascal.
A one year old child watching television actually helped his mother solve a difficult problem.
"This is like killing multiple birds with one stone. Most importantly, I don't need to live in fear while selecting a female lead to play alongside President Kim," Qiao Sen was still cautious around Taeyeon.
"By the way, have you discussed this matter with President Kim yet?"
Tiffany nodded her head. On the night that she discovered this little girl, she had already mentioned her idea to Taeyeon, "Did you think I was capable of doing all this on my own? Even if I did, it would have taken me a few days. But, for Taeyeon, it only took one night."
Taeyeon wasn't just powerful because he was smart. Most importantly, he was great at devising strategies.
There were many things that he didn't need to do on his own. As long as he made proper arrangements, then everything would fall into place.
"So, are you saying that President Kim deliberately blew up the matter with Cate?"
In regards to this matter, Taeyeon was truly angered.
The little girl was indeed a true acting talent. From a young age, she already started appearing on television to help her father make money. But, this was, in essence, very different to acting in a film.
Even though Coco was born into a mixed culture family, in reality, she only had her father. Because her mother viewed her father as weak and useless, she ended up leaving him and marrying a rich businessman as his second wife.
But, little Coco was very mature. As soon as her father realized that she had acting talent, she decided to help lighten her father's burdens by working. As a result, she was now quite famous within the industry.
Tiffany was, after all, a mother. So, when she heard that Coco Lee was so mature, she couldn't help but sympathize with the little girl. Hence, when they finally met, Tiffany subconsciously patted her on the head.
Tiffany would perhaps never forget the first time she met the little girl. Her eyes were especially big and clear and she had a certain determination to her.
"Although I'm thankful that Miss Hwang has offered my Coco such a great opportunity, I've read through the synopsis of the film and don't feel like she can handle it," Father Lee patted his daughter on the head.
"I am her father. I've already lost her mother, so I can't lose her as well. That's why I need to protect my daughter."
"Coco, what do you think? Do you want to give it a try?" Tiffany looked down and questioned the seated little girl.
The little girl had a head of long black hair and an intelligent aura to her. After careful thought, she tilted her head and said to her father, "Daddy, I want to give it a try."
"But, what if you get scared..."
"Daddy, you're being silly. There are so many people on set. As long as there are people around, I won't be scared," Coco replied confidently. "Plus, I trust that auntie will protect me."
Father Lee actually knew that his daughter was scared, but he was aware that she was trying to help him.
Because, in the past, he had been too naive. While running his own business, he was tricked by his friends and ended up with a huge debt.
"Fine then."
"Don't worry, I'll protect her well," Tiffany said as she handed Father Lee a contract. "You can ask a lawyer to analyze this contract for you."
Father Lee had looked through plenty of contracts in the past because of his daughter, so he could tell that Tiffany was trying her best to take care of them.
"No need, I'll sign it."
Tiffany really liked Coco; it was hard not to like her.
So, before Father Lee took the little girl away, Tiffany said sincerely to him, "Mr. Lee, there are a few words that I'd like to say to you."
"Please go ahead, Miss Hwang."
"Coco is currently seven-years-old, but in the future, she will eventually gain more and more attention. So, you need to toughen up. Otherwise, you won't be able to protect your daughter."
"I'm sorry, we investigated your current situation and are aware that you are in debt. We also know that you shouldn't be held liable for this sum of money, so why did you accept the responsibly?"
"To be honest, it's because I'm not good at playing tricks," Father Lee replied helplessly. "As soon as someone threatens me with Coco, there's nothing I can do."
"It's because of this that Coco tries so hard to toughen up and protect her father," Tiffany replied. She then turned and looked at Coco, "If you have money, what would you do with it?"
"I would hire a bodyguard for daddy so no one can hurt him ever again. After that, I would hire a lawyer, so I can teach the people that bullied daddy a lesson."
"Look, even Coco knows what to do. Of course, these are all external factors. The most important thing is how you can toughen up on the inside."
Father Lee thought for a second and appeared like he had been enlightened. A moment later, he quickly thanked Tiffany and led Coco out.
As she watched the father and daughter leave, Tiffany felt her heart ache.
So, after she returned home later that night, she recalled what happened to Taeyeon.
After hearing what happened, Taeyeon furrowed his brows and asked, "Are you heartbroken because of them?"
Tiffany knew what Taeyeon was thinking, so she immediately hit him on the chest, "Where has your mind wandered off to? This is a natural protective response towards the weak."
Taeyeon reached out his arm and pulled Tiffany onto his lap. He understood that even though his wife had been hurt by Han Yufan in the past and appeared cold on the outside, she was still warm-hearted on the inside. Especially after becoming a mother, she had become more sensitive towards human relationships.
"You will definitely like this little girl."
Taeyeon did not say a word as he focused on his work and coaxed Tiffany to sleep in his arms.
3 days later, Qiao Sen scheduled for Coco Lee to undertake an audition. Even though the little girl had strong acting skills, President Kim simply said, "Trainable," before he confirmed her role as the female protagonist in 'The Ant Queen'.
To be exact, she was a mini-protagonist.
Afterwards, Taeyeon sat to the side and read his script. Under normal circumstances, Taeyeon didn't usually allow others to disturb him. But, when Coco saw him, she walked over and asked, "Uncle, can I sit here?"
Taeyeon lifted his head and looked at the little girl, but he did not respond. His silence symbolized consent.
Coco sat down not too far from Taeyeon as her two little hands pressed against the chair and her eyes peered at the script in Taeyeon's hands.
"I heard from the big brothers that uncle is really good at acting. Can you teach me?"
Taeyeon slightly shifted his script to the left so the little girl could see it. He needed practice interacting with little girls. After all, his daughter was on her way.
As soon as the staff saw this, they were quite surprised. Barely anyone ever had the guts to directly approach Taeyeon.
But little Coco wasn't afraid.
A member of staff even snapped a photo. This was a huge contrast from the usual Taeyeon. They were completely shocked.
"Tiffany has good taste."
Later on, someone questioned Coco, "Don't you think that uncle is scary?"
The little girl shook her head, "No. I haven't done anything wrong, so there's no reason for uncle to do anything to me, right?""
This little creature was much too loveable. In an instant, everyone on set felt they couldn't compare to this little seven-year-old.
...
Looking back at the film, now that the main characters changed from lovers to father and daughter, it was actually easier to jump straight into the main plot because they no longer had to create an awkward encounter between the characters.
In the end, the film was about a father saving his abducted daughter by entering into an unknown land. Whilst fighting with the kidnappers, someone accidentally woke up a mysterious creature – a giant white ant!
The first scene was of the daughter being abducted. Coco was inexperienced with films, so during the first scene, she fell over and scratched off some skin.
As everyone watched the injured little child, their heart's ached. But, Coco did not cry, even though her eyes were already welling up with tears.
"Qiao Yeye 1 , I'm not hurt. Let's try again."
"Aiyo, how could Qiao Yeye bear to see you try again," Qiao Sen leaned over and picked the little girl up in his arms.
Meanwhile, everyone placed their gaze upon Taeyeon. But, he stood around helplessly as he waited for backup to arrive.
Soon, Tiffany arrived. As soon as she saw that Coco was hurt, she immediately ran over to comfort her. Afterwards, she smiled and offered, "I'll teach you how to do the scene."
Tiffany could already imagine how badly President Kim would dote on their daughter because he would be completely helpless around her.
In the end, even though Tiffany couldn't personally act in the film, she did some great demonstrations for Coco. Coco's scenes weren't that dangerous because Taeyeon took on the majority of the action scenes , so, the demonstrations posed no danger for Tiffany.
"They look like a family of three..."
"Yes. Tiffany's daughter will definitely be just as beautiful."
One of the members of staff ended up posting the photo they took of Taeyeon with Coco. Originally, they simply wanted to admire the image, but, the photo unexpectedly went viral.
After all, the image was so contrasting that it was perfect.
_"WTF, what's this? When did President Kim take this photo?"
_"Who's this little girl? She's so cute! They look like a loving father and daughter."
_"It's so contrasting that it pulls at my heartstrings. When was this photo taken?"
_"Isn't that Coco Lee? Why is she in a photo with President Kim?"
Soon, someone brought up Cate's incident and speculated,
_"This may be from the set of Tiffany's sci-fi film. Didn't Cate say that the male lead is President Kim?"
_"Previously, when I heard that she was filming a sci-fi film, I didn't really put much thought into it. But after seeing this photo, I suddenly feel a bit of anticipation."
_"I love the contrast. President Kim looks like a cool father."
Actually, the leaking of this photo didn't end up affecting 'The Ant Queen'. After all, the public were simply speculating and the photo wasn't from the actual shoot. However, the photo did catch the attention of a particular person.
Coco Lee's mother!
This woman who had run off to marry a rich businessman wasn't someone to be taken lightly. After her husband died, she didn't receive any monetary inheritance as it all went to his children. So all she was left with was a house. Previously, when she saw that Father Lee was deep in debt, she had no intention to look for the father and daughter. But, now that she saw her daughter had connections with Taeyeon, she finally felt it was time to fight for her custody.
After all, Coco's appearance fees looked promising and Father Lee was too weak to hold up against her.
To create the image of a loving mother, Mother Lee ended up giving her ex-husband a phone call.
"Sam, I miss my daughter, I want to see her."
Father Lee was a little taken aback. He hadn't seen this woman in five years, yet the first thing she said to him was that she wanted to see her daughter.
So, he hung up the phone without hesitation. But, in the end Mother Lee directly showed up at his doorstep.
"Seriously, after so many years, you're still living in the same place?" the woman complained as soon as she stepped into the home.
In the past, she had endured many tough years in this place. So she couldn't imagine that this man still lived here.
Had he perhaps spent all the money that Coco made from her jobs?
"Why are you here?"
"Do I need a reason to see my daughter?" the woman said as she spread her palms questioningly.
"Coco's not at home. You should come back another time," Father Lee began to send her away.
"I want to know if Coco is partaking in a film. I heard that she has a good relationship with the richest man in the entertainment industry..."
"There's no such thing," Father Lee said as he pushed the woman out.
He was certain that this woman was here because of greed.
So, after he kicked her out, he immediately gave Tiffany a phone call, "Miss Hwang, Coco's mother came looking for me claiming that she wanted to see her daughter. I don't think she has pure intentions. What should I do?"
After hearing this, Tiffany was quite surprised by how quickly the woman acted.
She actually went directly to Father Lee's home?
"Firstly, the two of you need to move houses. I will arrange for you to stay at a hotel near the studio."
"But, she's Coco's mother. I have no reason not to let her see her child. Even legally, I have no right," Father Lee said anxiously. "I've been cautious all along because I was afraid she'd try and snatch Coco away from me. If she honestly wanted to be a good mother, I would not be so resistant. But, she's definitely not a good mother..."
"Mr. Lee, don't panic. We can discuss this in detail when we meet tomorrow."
With Tiffany's help, Father Lee immediately calmed down. However, the woman continued to knock on his door, "Sam Lee, if you don't let me see Coco, I will find lawyers to sue you. You must know that your finances aren't stable at the moment. So, under these circumstances, the judge will definitely give custody to me."
This was exactly what Father Lee was worried about.
But of course, when Tiffany first approached the father and daughter, she was already prepared to help them handle their family issues.
She wasn't about to let someone ruin an actress with so much potential.
Plus, she hated people that abandoned their children and only returned for benefits.
"Leave this disgusting matter for me to handle. In the meantime, you can mentor the little girl."
"I feel a little awkward around her," Taeyeon replied honestly.
After hearing this response, Tiffany let out a laugh, "So you're actually aware of that. When you're around little girls, you look completely helpless. At this rate, how badly are you going to dote our daughter once she's born? President Kim, you deal with a host of problems every day, yet you can't even handle a little girl?"
"It's different, I can carry and teach my own daughter."
"Then just treat Coco like your own daughter," Tiffany smiled as she left.
However, she couldn't help but sigh – producing a film was hard work!
She had previously heard about how people had to start afresh. But now that it happened to her, she finally realized how difficult it was to be a producer.
But, even if it wasn't for the sake of her own film and she came across a situation like Coco's, she would still offer assistance to the best of her ability.
So, she was going to deal with the b*tch.
But of course, Father Lee played an important role. So, Tiffany decided to meet with him. However, the first thing he did when he saw her was sigh, "I feel like Coco will be taken away from me."
"With me around, she won't be able to take her," Tiffany said confidently. "Firstly, your debts have already been cleared and your savings are in the 6-figures. So, there is nothing wrong with your finances."
"Secondly, she has a history of abandoning Coco."
"Thirdly, she's actually the one that is facing financial difficulties at the moment."
After hearing Tiffany's words Father Lee finally calmed down. Whenever he thought about the possibility of Coco leaving his side, he felt like he'd lose all meaning in life.
Tiffany looked at Father Lee. This man was much too kind-hearted. To be exact, he was too soft. It was because of this that he couldn't protect the most important person in his life. Things in life weren't going to sort themselves out if he kept retreating.
In reality, Tiffany actually had a much more complex plan. But, after seeing Father Lee, she realized he wouldn't be able to do anything. So, she held back her plan and decided to ask Sunny to execute it instead. However, growing up in a broken family and seeing the disagreement between her parents wasn't good for a child's mental health. So, Tiffany could only hope that Coco remained as strong as she was now.
"Should I take Coco to see her?"
"Why not? You can't stop a mother from seeing her daughter. But, bring a few extra people with you when the time comes," Tiffany replied.
"OK, I understand," Father Lee nodded.
Meanwhile, Coco was on set filming 'The Ant Queen'. As a child actress with no experience, she was extremely hard-working and determined. This made the adults on set feel a little ashamed in comparison.
Whenever Tiffany wasn't present, Coco loved to follow Taeyeon around.
She liked to look at his script and tail him around the set. In fact, her gaze barely left Taeyeon. This was because she felt extremely safe around him.
It was normal for Coco to seek protection from Taeyeon. After all, he was the Big Boss of Entertainment. But, the fact that Taeyeon let the little girl follow him around was what made everyone shocked.
"Coco, lower your hips a little..."
Seeing the strict expectations from Qiao Sen, Taeyeon couldn't help but warn, "Be reasonable."
Qiao Sen chuckled and replied, "Don't worry, this child is born for the entertainment industry. It's enough that Tiffany cares so much since she's cold on the outside and warm on the inside, but what about you President Kim..."
"I am training my future daughter-in-law."
Qiao Sen's eyes grew wide. Was this true? Weren't the twins only a little over one? Was Taeyeon looking for a daughter-in-law already? And wasn't she at least five years older than them?
Of course, Taeyeon was just joking, but Qiao Sen actually took him seriously.
"Uncle, I heard from daddy last night that 'that woman' wants to take me away from him."
"As long as you don't want to, no one can force you to do something that you don't want to do," Taeyeon replied.
...
A couple of days later, a piece of gossip started spreading around the variety industry. The son of a particular Station Manager lost his left arm because he was caught cheating with another man's girlfriend. It was a much deserved result.
That night, while Xia Hanmo was filming her program, Seohyun headed to the parking lot to fetch her a jacket. But, she happened to overhear someone talking on the phone.
"Let's see if he tries to provoke me again. The entire nation now knows that I made his show famous and he simply picked up after me. Did he think that I didn't fight back because I was afraid of him? You guys handled this matter beautifully."
"He simply lost an arm. It's not even enough to cure my hatred yet."
After hearing these last few words, Seohyun was stunned.
The voice was too familiar. So familiar that she couldn't quite accept it.
Afraid that she'd be discovered, Seohyun quickly returned to the studio. But, the man that was on the phone noticed her leaving. Fortunately, he couldn't confirm her identity.
As soon as Seohyun returned to Xia Hanmo's side, she quickly removed her black jacket.
A moment later, Zhou Qing returned to the studio and saw Seohyun. But, she did not arouse his suspicions.
Because Seohyun was now wearing a white shirt.
"Seo Seo, where's my jacket? I thought you went to the parking lot to fetch it for me."
As soon as Zhou Qing heard Xia Hanmo's question, his expression slightly changed. However, Seohyun remained as calm as ever as she replied, "I didn't go to the parking lot, I went to ask the stylist for your earrings instead."
After hearing this, Zhou Qing let go of his suspicions and stepped back in front of the cameras. They were filming a new promotional trailer.
Seohyun did not make a fuss. While everyone was busy filming, she quietly snuck to the back and made a phone call to Tiffany.
She couldn't believe that there was actually someone in this world that was so good at disguising themself. This experience completely ruined Seohyun's impression of Zhou Qing. It turned out, a person could completely fool everyone with a high EQ and gentle exterior.
Afraid that Xia Hanmo couldn't accept the truth, Seohyun decided not to tell her about it for now and instead told Tiffany.
After Tiffany heard what had happened, she immediately told Seohyun, "Don't let anyone know about this for now. If Zhou Qing is actually like that, then we need to have a proper plan of attack. Especially for Hanmo, we need to help her withdraw safely."
"OK," Seohyun forced herself to calm down, but she was still afraid for her own safety, so she decided to give Yoong a phone call.
Afterwards, Seohyun returned to the studio. But, at this time, Zhou Qing happened to look her way.
Seohyun couldn't avoid his gaze, so she looked directly at him.
Why hadn't she noticed that this man was so good at hiding his true self?
After filming was completed, Seohyun went to the parking lot to fetch her car. At this time, Zhou Qing approached Xia Hanmo and said to her, "Hanmo, I think Seohyun lied to you. I'm certain she was in the parking lot earlier. She may have heard me talking on the phone."
"Why would Seohyun lie?"
"I think she may have misunderstood me. The Station Manager's son has been causing me a whole heap of trouble, so my friends offered to stick up for me."
"She may have thought that I did something to him."
"Since it's a misunderstanding, then just explain yourself to her," Xia Hanmo didn't seem to care. After all, overhearing something incorrectly was a normal occurrence.
"If Seohyun actually misunderstood, can you explain to her on my behalf?"
"Don't worry, Zhou Ge."
Xia Hanmo had no idea that this was all a trick. So after she boarded the car, she asked Seohyun, "Seo Seo, Zhou Ge said he saw you going to the parking lot. Did you actually go there?"
Seohyun did not reply. She could already guess that Zhou Qing had tried to explain himself to Xia Hanmo, but the content of his explanation would only be known between the two of them.
For the sake of her own safety, Seohyun shook her head, "I honestly didn't go to the parking lot. I went to the makeup room. Zhou Ge must have confused me for someone else."
"Really?"
"Really," Seohyun nodded.
"OK."
From that moment onwards, Xia Hanmo simply felt that Seohyun and Zhou Qing were a bit weird.
Seohyun suspected Zhou Qing, but if she had no evidence and tried to point him out, she would simply end up exposing herself. Worst of all, Xia Hanmo would lose her trust in her.
Soon, Yoong arrived to take Seohyun home. After listening to Seohyun recall what happened, he patted her on the back with praise, "You did well."
"But I'm worried about Hanmo and my current situation," Seohyun said. "For some reason, uncovering another person's secret isn't really that great. When I think about how cold and heartless Zhou Qing sounded on the phone, I can't help feeling scared."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Yoong comforted. "Since you refuse to move in with me, why don't you move over to my parents' house. My mom really likes you."
"What are you talking about?" Seohyun glared.
But, Yoong wasn't joking. He was seriously considering this option.
...
After receiving Seohyun's phone call, Tiffany had no choice but to reevaluate Zhou Qing as a person.
Looking at his information, he appeared perfect: he was publicly acknowledged as the best host, he had a high EQ, he was talented and he had practically no flaws. But, no one imagined that he was hiding so much.
After returning home, Taeyeon noticed that Tiffany was looking through Zhou Qing's information. So, he approached her and asked, "What's wrong?"
Tiffany took some time to explain what Seohyun had discovered. After hearing everything, Taeyeon fell silent for a few seconds before his gaze darkened, "It's not easy to deal with someone that's so good at acting. Zhou Qing has a high IQ and EQ and knows how to judge a situation. I'm afraid he even used you for his own gain."
Taeyeon was referring to how Tiffany helped him transfer to an enemy television station, even though Tiffany actually did it for Xia Hanmo's sake.
But, Tiffany did not view Zhou Qing lightly. She didn't like to underestimate her enemies.
"Tae...if what Seohyun saw was true and Zhou Qing has been putting on an act. Do you think we should be cautious of him from now on?"
"He will definitely fight for Xia Hanmo," Taeyeon replied. "Originally, he was going to slowly get close to Xia Hanmo and use her and Superstar Media to confirm his status. But now that Seohyun has discovered his secret, he will definitely try to drive a wedge between the two women. If Xia Hanmo trusts him, he would assume that you also trust him."
"After all, Seohyun's partner is in the military and military families are strict. As soon as she gets married, she will have to focus on family. So, he probably thinks that a smart person like you would give up on Seohyun and choose to side with Xia Hanmo."
Tiffany agreed with Taeyeon's analysis.
"He's wrong. I'm not giving up on anyone."
"If he actually plans to play his tricks on Superstar Media...I won't let him off easily."
"Let's keep observing."
Luckily, Seohyun reacted fast enough to deny that she knew anything. Tiffany was currently dealing with Coco's matter.
If she had found out any later, the results would have been unimaginable. But, not exposing him didn't mean that nothing would happen. Zhou Qing was too skilled at hiding his true self. All of a sudden, he had completely ruined his image as a good man.
But, was this powerful opponent going to be easy to deal with?
...
That night, Zhou Qing pretended to worry about his reputation and tried to get information about Seohyun from Xia Hanmo. He also went to her apartment and invited her out for dinner.
Xia Hanmo had always been grateful towards Zhou Qing. So, all he had to do was make a simple kind gesture and her impression of him would quickly increase.
"Hanmo, you're honestly very talented. With someone as capable as Seohyun assisting you, you have unlimited potential."
"You've actually helped me a lot," Xia Hanmo responded, "Thank you, Zhou Ge."
"It's nothing, you don't need to keep thanking me," Zhou Ge said before he brought Xia Hanmo to a quiet place for a stroll. "I've been to the hospital and visited your brother. I know things weren't easy for you. Silly girl, you've suffered over the years."
Xia Hanmo was a little surprised. She never expected that Zhou Qing would go and visit her brother.
Most surprising of all, Zhou Qing gently leaned in and hugged her when no one was around.
"Zhou Ge..."
"Hanmo..."
Zhou Qing knew how to play hard to get. He did not take things further, nor did he confess any feelings. He simply triggered Hanmo's beating heart. He even whispered in her ear, "Although Seohyun may misunderstand us, I still want to hug you."
Zhou Qing said this because he expected Xia Hanmo to consider the 'misunderstanding' in the parking lot and not tell Seohyun about what happened tonight.
As expected, Xia Hanmo did not mention a word to Seohyun.
And for her own safety, Seohyun did not reveal what she knew. However, she hated this feeling: she hated feeling like her and Xia Hanmo were drifting apart. But, to allow Tiffany to investigate Zhou Qing, Seohyun had to wait patiently.
Meanwhile, Tiffany had to quickly settle the matter with Coco so she could focus on Zhou Qing.
So, during Mother Lee's meeting with Coco, she instructed Father Lee to bring bodyguards and lawyers with him.
Of course, Coco did not want to see this mother of hers, so her gaze was filled with hatred. In fact, when Mother Lee went to hug her, she ended up bursting into tears. Tiffany had taught her that if she didn't want this woman to disturb her and her father again, then this was the best thing to do.
"You're a bad woman! For the sake of money, you abandoned daddy and I. Yet, you suddenly want to take me back. You aren't human!"
"You simply want to swindle daddy's money, you're horrible."
Mother Lee did not expect Coco to give such a big response, attracting the gaze of everyone around them.
"Coco, Mommy loves you..."
"You only love money. When I was just two-years-old, you abandoned me in the snow. Luckily, daddy saved me. You aren't human!"
"Just because I have money now, you suddenly want to take me back. I'm going to take you to court and sue you!"
Regardless of everything else, Coco had to first hold the moral high ground.
She had to first let everyone know that this woman abandoned her daughter before she could do anything.
The little actress did well as everyone began to point and gossip about Mother Lee.
"How could a mother be like this? She must be crazy."
"Isn't this the little girl that appeared in a photo with Taeyeon? This woman must have seen that her daughter has money now, so she wants to take control. There's no one else like her."
"Let's take a photo of her and expose her."
All of a sudden, everyone was scolding this ruthless woman. Meanwhile, Coco returned to her father's side and let out a sigh of relief.
Soon, some lawyers approached Mother Lee and said to her, "We are the legal representatives for Mr. Lee and his daughter. Madam, I think we need to have a proper chat."
"In regards to the custody of Miss Coco Lee, we would like you to know that you have absolutely no right. Do you understand?"