Third Person's POV
As Cliff reached to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, Vanya turned her head away, leaving his hand suspended mid-air.
Vanya stood up and asked, "I have a question for you."
"Sure," Cliff said.
"Is Melinda an orphan?" Vanya asked.
"Yes," Cliff replied.
"Was she a student at the girls' school?" Vanya continued.
"Yes," Cliff nodded.
"Then why choose her?" Vanya pressed.
Without hesitation, Cliff answered, "Her academic performance at the private girls' school was exceptional. The Todd family aims to support promising students. We don't pick them randomly. We evaluate their qualifications, character, and image before deciding to assist them."
"But among the many students the Todd Group has helped, you've treated Melinda specially," Vanya said.
Seeing Vanya's expression, Cliff thought she was jealous and took her hand, saying, "I saw her in the private school uniform giving water to stray cats. I felt a pang of sympathy. Upon inquiry, I found out she was one of the students sponsored by the Todd family. So, I paid more attention to her."
Vanya lowered her eyelids; this reason was the same as in her previous life.
"I merely thought she had potential. If she could work for the Todd family in the future, it would be a good addition to our ranks. But I didn't expect her to become so scheming as she grew up. I've now cut off all support to her. Rest assured, I won't have any further dealings with her," Cliff added earnestly.
Vanya, looking into Cliff's sincere eyes, felt no ripple of emotion.
However, she had gleaned useful information from him: good qualifications, modest family background, excellent character, and pleasant image.
On the surface, Melinda seemed to fit all four criteria.
But according to Barbara and Calvert's descriptions, Melinda was far from simple.
That afternoon, upon returning to Dalton Media, Vanya found a folder of investigated materials on her desk.
She glanced at the file and said, "This is Melinda's personal file from Cumran High School."
Vanya opened the folder and saw a photo of a fresh-faced girl—a stark contrast to the Melinda she knew.
"Where's Calvert?" Vanya asked.
"Calvert is at the company. Due to the public opinion impact, he's been granted a few days off," Stewart replied.
"Have him come here," Vanya instructed.
"Sure," Stewart said.
Vanya studied the girl in the photo and compared it to Melinda's private school records.
The file indicated that this Melinda had a mother and her parents were divorced.
Vanya also retrieved Melinda's records from the private girls' school. To her surprise, both Melindas had graduated from the same elementary and junior high schools.
"Could it be that Melinda back then was an imposter?" Vanya wondered.
Calvert, examining the two sets of documents Vanya provided—one from Cumran High School matching his description, the only difference being the ID photo—said, "I can't be wrong. The only explanation is someone switched their photos."
Vanya pondered over the materials, considering how to contact the girl in the photo.
"Vanya, are you still concerned about Melinda's identity at a time like this?" Calvert asked suddenly.
Vanya snapped back to reality, realizing they were embroiled in a scandal, yet Calvert remained unfazed.
"Shouldn't I be rushing to hold a PR meeting right now?" Vanya retorted, flipping through the documents. "It's just a rumor—a fabrication out of thin air. Besides, don't you need rumors to boost your fame? Consider this my way of helping you."
Calvert was taken aback, then let out a wry chuckle. "So you think I need rumors to gain popularity."
"Isn't that the case?" Vanya looked up at him.
"Fine, let's say it is," Calvert smiled.
"Cliff has already agreed to handle this rumor. Once it's resolved, your fame will rise, and you won't be affected by this scandal. Your fan base will grow, and by the end of the year, I might just have to call you an award-winning actor," Vanya said with a grin.
Calvert also smiled. "Thanks for the good wishes, but…"
"What?" Vanya asked.
"I heard that Todd Media is currently promoting Neville heavily," Calvert remarked.
Vanya's hand froze as she sifted through the documents.
Calvert continued, "Neville's popularity has surged recently, gaining millions of fans. He's on the brink of becoming a top-tier star and the pillar of Todd Media."
Vanya looked up at Calvert. "Do you think this is a good thing?"
"Not necessarily," Calvert said meaningfully. "After all, it was you who sent him to the Todd family. Now, it seems your move has backfired."
Vanya fell silent.
She hadn't anticipated that Neville would be propelled to stardom by the Todd family so quickly—in just a few months, he was on the verge of becoming a top-tier star.
But the faster the Todd family's rise, the swifter their downfall.