"This isn't a misunderstanding. That's exactly what they said."
"I haven't even asked you why the shoot was postponed to noon, or why Lilian wasn't informed beforehand."
I was speechless.
So I remained silent.
Here I was, worrying about the endorsement shoot and asking him about the problem, while all he cared about was Lilian.
Before Lilian came back, I had always thought of Alexander as someone serious, rational, and meticulous with his work.
Just like when I made mistakes at the company—he never spared me or showed me any leniency.
When I first joined, he publicly criticized me during a meeting. I lost all my dignity and could barely stand there.
But ever since Lilian returned, everything seemed to have changed.
It turned out that Alexander could also be biased in work matters.
And the person he favored was not me—
but Lilian Summer.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Alicia. Lilian was worried that you were angry with her. She even said she'd apologize to you. Yet here you are, trying to make her look bad in front of me."
A sharp pain pierced through my heart.
For so long, I had looked up to Alexander that I never imagined there would come a day when I would feel disappointed in him.
Since the first day I arrived at the Blackwood mansion, Alexander had always been indifferent toward me. Still, I tried everything I could to impress him.
I studied tirelessly because Alexander had been the top student in his year. Even though he had already graduated by the time I enrolled, I still wanted to make the best impression possible.
I even chose a course similar to his.
In the end, all that hard work paid off—I graduated as the best student of my year.
But Alexander never truly acknowledged me.
And now, seeing how biased he was being, I couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed.
For the past two years that I've worked in this company, I pushed myself relentlessly.
All because of Alexander.
Yet in the end, this was what I got.
Before he could say anything else, I hung up the call.
My hands were trembling so badly that my phone slipped from my grasp and fell to the floor.
I simply stood there, staring down at it in silence."Director Alicia, they are all waiting for you."
My assistant's voice pulled me out of my trance.
"I'll be right there," I said, looking up at her.
I bent down to pick up my phone and quickly checked it before composing myself. Then I made my way back inside.
"So, what did CEO Blackwood say?" Sophie immediately asked the moment I entered, her voice full of curiosity.
Sandra was also looking at me, her expression filled with anticipation.
I simply shook my head and said nothing more.
Sandra sighed. "So, what now?"
"I'll go talk to them and see if we can make some minor adjustments—maybe add some props. Sandra, you'll need to pay extra attention during post-production. I have a clearer idea now, and I'll send you some sample images later tonight."
"Alright." Sandra nodded.
I returned to the makeup room and resumed communicating with Lilian's team, fine-tuning the makeup and styling.
To be honest, I was starting to feel a little impatient.
But as the head of Éclat Beauty, I knew that success and failure were shared, and I had to take responsibility for my work.
If the brand endorsement didn't go well, I, as the leader, would definitely be affected.
Last time, when Lilian and Alexander were photographed together, everything looked harmonious on the surface, but there were clear undercurrents of tension beneath it.
After a lot of effort, we finally resolved the makeup issues and were ready to begin the official shoot.