Chapter 386

Estella didn't expect John's call to come so soon. She knew what it was about but decided to play dumb.

"Actually, I've got plenty of time. I was supposed to have dinner with Zoey, but she canceled. I was just gonna grab something on my own," Estella said with a smile.

On the other end, John's eyes lit up as he glanced at Bianca.

"Estella, how about this? My girlfriend and I want to invite you to dinner and chat about something," John said.

Estella agreed, changed her clothes, and drove to the spot John mentioned.

Outside the restaurant, she saw John standing with Bianca from a distance.

Bianca waved. "Estella, over here."

Estella walked over, smiling, and Bianca led her inside.

To keep things private, John had booked a room where they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Estella, the food here is amazing. I ordered their specialty dish. See if you want anything else," John said, handing her the menu.

Estella glanced at it, unfamiliar with most of the dishes. To hide her embarrassment, she handed the menu back to John.

"It's fine, I'm not picky. Just order whatever you guys like," she said, smiling.

A flicker of disdain crossed John's eyes. He didn't think much of Estella's career and saw her marrying Michael as the luckiest break she'd ever get. 'We celebrities might seem glamorous, but to big families, we're just regular folks,' Estella thought, picking up on his vibe.

John thought he was being subtle, but Estella noticed something was off.

While waiting for the food, Estella asked with a smile, "Didn't you say you had something to discuss with me? What's up?"

John glanced at Bianca.

Bianca, sitting next to Estella, poured her a drink and smiled. "Actually, I recently started a clothing company and would love for you to endorse it."

Using her acting skills, Estella feigned surprise. "You want me to endorse it? You could get more famous celebrities."

She looked curiously at Bianca and John.

Bianca, ready with her pitch, smiled. "John and I see great potential in you. We want to sign you for an endorsement while you're still early in your career. Otherwise, when you get more popular, your fee will definitely go up."

Bianca's words sounded sweet and reassuring to Estella. Maybe Bianca wasn't as useless as people said.

If Michael hadn't given her a heads-up, Estella might have agreed. But with a plan in mind, she wasn't going to say yes so easily.

Estella put on a look of embarrassment, and Bianca noticed right away.

"What's wrong, Estella? Are you having any trouble? You can tell us, John and I will help you," Bianca said, holding Estella's hand.

Estella sighed softly. "Well, Mason told me today that Isabella wants me to endorse her brand. She hasn't paid yet, but the offer of 80 million dollars is really tempting."

During a call with Michael, Estella had already learned about Isabella's plan and the 80 million dollars.

Bianca's expression shifted slightly when she heard the amount.

"Estella, you can't agree to Isabella's plan. She's just using you," Bianca speculated, thinking Isabella might be using Estella to boost her overseas influence.

Estella acted shocked. 'Wow, am I really that important? Bianca's analysis isn't wrong. Paxton might have kept Zoey in touch with me for this reason. It's a pity none of you know I'm fake,' Estella thought to herself.

"So that's how it is. If she could just give me the 80 million dollars directly, maybe I would have agreed right away," Estella sighed, looking conflicted.

Bianca's eyes lit up with excitement. From Estella's tone, it seemed like if she paid the 80 million dollars, Estella would endorse her company.

"Estella, Isabella's company is just starting out and definitely can't come up with 80 million dollars. She can only rely on Mason's reputation for now, but we can come up with the money immediately," Bianca said proudly.

Estella's eyes showed a hint of surprise, but then she sighed softly. "Let's forget about it. Mason already mentioned this to me. If I agree to you directly, wouldn't that offend him?"

Bianca frowned slightly, but John saw an opportunity.

"Estella, do you need money badly?" John asked curiously.

Bianca also looked at Estella doubtfully. As Michael's wife, she shouldn't be short of money, right?

Estella nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. "I recently found a great script. I really want to play the lead role. But because it's a sci-fi film, the requirements for special effects and props are very high, which means it requires a lot of money. I'm still short of 100 million dollars now, and because I can't be sure of the box office, I don't want my husband to pay for me."

Estella explained why she needed the money. In fact, she did have such a script and was short of funds.

Who says lying always requires false words? With true words and real events, the same purpose can be achieved.