Chapter 696

Natalie laughed coldly as she reminded Adrian. "When I signed you, you were just another struggling model."

"Without my recommendation, do you honestly believe you'd ever walk a VOGUE runway?" She laid bare the industry's harsh realities.

She could build him up just as easily as she could tear him down. "Talent matters, but for someone like you who's talented yet still floundering, I was your only ticket out."

"Adrian, you were the first new face I personally signed to Horizon Media." Natalie's smile turned icy. "I promised to give you everything, and I delivered."

"Starting today, you're on your own—"

She couldn't even bother saying "we're through." The dismissal was complete. Turning to Evelyn with renewed cheer, she said, "Let's go shopping. My treat for dragging you here!"

Evelyn rose with an admiring smile. Classic Natalie—ruthlessly efficient. No wonder she'd climbed so high in this cutthroat industry.

Adrian tried to follow, but Lucas blocked him, flashing his phone. "I've got some interesting photos. Approach her again, and the whole world sees your bedroom escapades." Adrian paled.

With a contemptuous sneer, Lucas turned away.

Too terrified to pursue them, Adrian could only watch as the trio disappeared into the luxury boutiques. Lucas happily carried their growing pile of designer bags while Evelyn studied Natalie's composed expression.

"Natalie, I don't get it," Evelyn finally asked. "Adrian owed everything to you. Why would he risk this? Was he always this disloyal?"

Natalie ran her fingers over an alligator skin handbag before telling the sales associate, "We'll take this."

Turning back to Evelyn, she explained, "I made some calls at the hotel. He's been sleeping with a KEY executive these past few days." Her lips curled. "Only dared betray me because he found a bigger backer."

Evelyn's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that twist.

"He wouldn't have been this reckless if he were clean," Natalie continued. "Remember when I offered him to you? He didn't refuse—you just weren't interested." Evelyn arched a brow, recalling that awkward auction introduction shortly after her divorce.

"But terminating his contract seems too lenient," Evelyn pointed out. With his KEY connection, his career might survive.

Natalie chuckled. "You don't understand, darling. Horizon and KEY have been partners for years—our interests are too entangled for one executive's whim to override." She adjusted her sunglasses. "That woman was just playing with him. She won't burn bridges with me over some disposable toy."

Evelyn nodded, impressed by the intricate power plays. Her own solution would've been simpler: hire thugs to beat Adrian senseless and leak compromising photos.

But Natalie's approach was more elegant—systematically dismantling his safety nets and ambitions. For a social climber like Adrian, this slow ruin would be far more devastating than any physical punishment.