Marigold slowly sipped her coffee on a bright morning. She had a photo shoot with the media scheduled for later that afternoon, so she was using her free time to relax for a while. The croissant she'd prepared for breakfast remained untouched. Once again, Marigold found herself thinking about Marcello's offer to marry her.
Marcello was exactly the kind of man Marigold should marry. He was rich and still young. Marigold had also been able to clearly appreciate Marcello's good looks when they sat across from each other at the café that night. But should she marry Marcello just because of Devan's taunt that she couldn't land a rich, young man?
"I think that's reason enough for me to marry Marcello." Marigold shrugged indifferently.
A moment later, Marigold remembered how she'd rejected Marcello's proposal. She hadn't even taken the business card he'd given her. How was she supposed to contact Marcello now? And if she managed to get in touch with him, wouldn't she feel embarrassed about accepting his proposal in the end?
"I don't know!" Marigold cried, confused by her own thoughts.
As the day went on, Marigold went to her agency, Big Artist, that afternoon for the media photo shoot according to the schedule they'd set. The photos would later appear on a magazine cover featuring her as an actress at the peak of her career. Marigold had even worn an outfit designed by a renowned designer for the shoot.
"Okay, good job!" the photographer called out, signaling the end of the photo shoot.
The photographer and the entire team applauded, praising Marigold's beauty and skill as she posed for the shoot. Marigold clapped and smiled too, relieved that it was over. Just look at how everyone praised her beauty and talent as a superstar. How could Evan have insulted her?
"Do you think thirty is too old for a woman to land a rich, young man?" Marigold asked Kate, her assistant, after the shoot.
"What do you mean?" Kate asked without looking up, busy packing Marigold's belongings into a bag.
"Was my question unclear?" Marigold sneered, then opened the cap of the bottled water in her hand and took a drink.
Kate sighed. "I'm busy, and you're asking me weird questions. Besides, which thirty-year-old woman are you talking about? Yourself?"
Marigold pressed her index finger to her lips, telling Kate to lower her voice. She glanced to the right and left, hoping the photo-shoot crew, who were busy putting away the equipment and props, hadn't heard their conversation. For some reason, the subject made Marigold feel embarrassed.
"I don't think thirty is old. Especially if you're talking about yourself. A superstar like you could easily land a rich, young man." Kate tried to keep her voice low.
"Really?" Marigold asked for confirmation.
"Of course. Who said you were old?"
Kate's question made several crew members turn to look at them. Apparently, they really had heard her. Marigold gave the crew an awkward smile, which they returned with equally awkward smiles. She then pinched Kate's arm because her assistant couldn't seem to keep her voice down.
"Ow, sorry. My voice is just naturally loud. You know I can't really speak quietly," Kate said with a grimace of pain from Marigold's pinch.
Marigold released her with an annoyed look. She straightened in her seat and didn't continue the conversation with Kate. They had actually been planning to go home after the shoot. However, Marigold had received a call from Big Artist's marketing manager saying that she had a new job offer. So she was waiting.
"Hi, Marry. Sorry to keep you waiting," Hana, Big Artist's marketing manager, greeted her.
"Oh, it hasn't been long." Marigold smiled as she rose from her seat.
"Let's talk in my office."
Marigold nodded and followed Hana to her office. Once they arrived, Hana immediately told her about the new job offer: modeling in an advertisement for a real estate company. Marigold was surprised because this was the first time she'd ever received a collaboration offer from a real estate company.
"This real estate company is a subsidiary of Chandra Grand Corp, which belongs to Alberto Chandra," Hana explained.
Marigold's eyes widened at the name Alberto Chandra. Wasn't he a famous businessman and Marcello's father? Did that mean she might get to see Marcello again? Marigold was intensely curious. She couldn't wait to hear Hana's further explanation about the job offer.