Chapter 177 You Will Not Leave
The photographer lowered his dignity and implored, “Please work with me here. I’ll do everything else. Let’s try another set?”
Although there were two days‘ worth of photographs, none were remotely usable. Furthermore, shots that were overly edited looked awkward.
The greatest taboo of fashion photography was inauthenticity.
“It’s too late for you to start taking things seriously. I don’t care. I’m leaving.” Emilia said coldly.
She changed back into her own dress, flung the apparel aside, and prepared to leave.
The crew looked angry yet did not dare say a word.
Christina stopped her. “Before the day’s work is done, Emilia, you will not leave.”
It’s because of her that we are behind schedule.
Emilia sneered, “I insist on leaving. What are you going to do about it?”
I’ve signed the contract and received the endorsement fee. What can she do about that?
Christina’s gaze remained steady, “I’ll replace you if you leave.”
“Do as you wish.”
With a contemptuous scoff, Emilia turned and left without a backward glance.
The studio fell silent. In the aftermath of the confrontation, the crew was left uncertain.
The photographer returned to his workstation and turned on his laptop to search for any satisfactory photographs, but every single one failed to achieve the desired effect.
The entire department felt utterly deflated.
“What do we do, Ms. Steele? Tonight is the last night to send the photographs to the printing house, or we won’t be able to meet the deadline.”
“Even if we renegotiate everything, we won’t be able to start work quickly enough.”
“That’s right. We might not have the time even if we looked for somebody else.”
At a complete loss, the female colleagues took turns to offer their thoughts on their predicament.
They turned their pleading gazes at Christina as they awaited her verdict.
Christing bit her lip as she tried to think of something.
An instant later, she ordered, “Set everything up here. I’m going to make a phone call.”
As if receiving a jolt of energy, the crew leaped into action at her command.
Christina gave Coco a call. She thought the person most embodying the youthful spirit they were looking
for was Coco.
As soon as Coco heard about the job, she immediately had her a*sistant check her schedule.
“I’m still on set, but we’re finishing up soon. I can spare two hours for your shoot before I rush back here.”
Despite her packed schedule, Coco still made time for Christina at her
request.
“Thank you so much, I have everything prepared here. We can start shooting as soon as you arrive.”
After ending the call, Christina had the photographer set up a new backdrop–a pink wall–and put out some accessories in the style of young trendy women.
The makeup artist was stunned when Coco arrived. “A–Aren’t you Coco Lynch, who recently starred in some television series?”
Upon hearing that, the crowd flocked over for a glimpse at the famous face.
Coco was dressed simply. She removed her cap to reveal a pixie–like face. “I’m in a hurry. Thank you all for the trouble.”
“No trouble at all. This way, please.”
The makeup artists and stylists were starstruck and giggly.
Christina was about to lend a helping hand but knew she had nothing to worry about upon seeing how welcoming they were.
Soon. Coco’s shoot officially began.
There was practically no need for the photographer’s instruction, as she grasped the concept quickly.
Possibly due to the charisma she exuded, in addition to the accentuation of her accessories, she instantly became the subject on everybody’s lips.
The shoot went so smoothly that it was even completed half an hour ahead of schedule.
Taking advantage of the window of opportunity, the crew stood in line to take pictures with Coco
As she had to rush back to continue shooting her series, she departed after changing and bidding Christina a hasty farewell.
After Coco left, Christina’s crew surrounded her. “What a lovely person Coco is. She was smiling and chatty the whole time,” they said with sly smiles, hoping to unearth further information.
“She’s better than Emilia, yet even more polite.”
“How are you so close with Coco, Ms. Steele?”
They huddled around Christina so tightly that she could not move. “It’s a long story. We go way back.”
She remembered when Coco was a relative unknown, with a gig only as a second female lead, and when she was still fresh in the industry. They had begun their careers together, which was why they treasured their friendship.
“You got Coco to come over really quickly, Ms. Steele. Didn’t you discuss the endorsement fees?” a female colleague asked curiously.
Christina had not thought that far. She had been more preoccupied with solving the problem.
“Leave that to me. Enough chitchat. Let’s finish up here.”
Judging by her response, her crew surmised that their relationship must be close for them to come to agreements so candidly.
Thus, they headed off to handle their respective tasks instead of asking further.
Coco’s shots debuted at the malls the following week and on Radiant Corporation’s blog.
Sweet and ebullient, Coco was undoubtedly the idol of many young women. In a few short days, almost all her fans had made her their screensaver.
Due to the excellent promotional shots, the products under Coco’s endorsement sold like hot cakes.
Sales of the other series were not too bad, either. It was a new record for the company.
During a morning meeting. Zachary praised Christina for her decisiveness.
After the shoot, an agreement was negotiated with Coco’s manager, resulting in an endorsement fee surpa*sing the initial estimated amount.
As for the agreement with Emilia, Radiant Corporation was planning on asking for eighty percent of their expenditures back.
Before they could issue the letter to do so, Emilia’s lawsuit arrived.
It claimed a violation of their agreement by not using her photographs.
Zachary dismissed the executives of the other departments with the exception of Gina and Christina to discuss the matter.
“Emilia’s lawsuit is giving me a headache. They actually want us to pay them for damages! This is a hell of an endorsement fee.” He ma*saged his brow.
Christina felt puzzled by the extent of his dilemma.
He looked as if he was afraid of something and did not wish to displease Emilia.
If we were to further investigate this. Emilia would undoubtedly be found at fault.
After a moment’s silence, Christina asked, “May I ask how you arrived at having Emilia be the spokesperson. Mr. Sacchetti?”
“She was recommended by a good friend of mine, Madison Taggert. I thought she was a good fit, so I went with it. I never expected something like this to happen! It’s tough to be stuck in the middle.”
Unaware of the matter between them, Zachary told the full story.
At that moment, he was worried about burning that bridge by being too demanding, as Madison’s recommendations were mostly powerful, well–connected people.
Frowning, Christina fell deep in thought.
How did Madison get involved with Emilia?
