Chapter 80

"Just two hundred thousand?!" Yvonne couldn't keep the shock from her voice, her eyebrows climbing as she echoed the number. "You're serious about this, Morton?"

Her glare could have frozen him where he sat, as if his answer would seal his fate.

Morton looked utterly troubled, clearly wishing he were anywhere else. "Please, Mrs. Powell... don't vent your anger on me. The figure came straight from Mr.Powell."

When he'd first heard the budget, even Morton could hardly believe it. He'd double-checked with Julian more than once, but the answer never changed.

Deep down, Morton suspected Julian was deliberately setting a trap for Yvonne. He had never wanted to be the bearer of such news, but when the secretarial staff caught wind of the budget, they vanished one by one, leaving him cornered. Flimsy excuses and nervous flattery had pushed the job into his reluctant hands.

That thought made him grit his teeth. Everyone else just ran for cover!

"What am I supposed to film with that? Two hundred thousand wouldn't even cover a weekend shoot! ls Julian playing some kind of joke on me?" Yvonne exploded, slamming her hand on the table as she leapt to her feet, fury radiating from her.

The outburst jolted Morton upright as well, trembling under her wrath.

"Mr. Powell said-he hopes you'll treat this as a learning experience..." he stammered, voice barely above a whisper,repeating Julian's excuse word for word.

Of course, he knew what Julian was really after. That five-million-dollar wager loomed large, and Julian was ensuring she couldn't reach her goal too quickly, let alone walk away with a divorce settlement. But instead of speaking the truth, Julian played games, leaving him stuck with the dirty work.

To Morton, his boss was impossible to deal with sometimes. Morton kept his frustration buried, fully aware that meddling in his boss's private life was forbidden territory.As a seasoned assistant, he wasn't stupid enough to cross that line.

Masking his thoughts, he slipped on a courteous smile. "Mrs. Powell, even if the funds are tight, Powefl Group can offer every other kind of support. I'll help you find the most affordable sites-anything you need,just let me know."

Rage burned through Yvonne as she forced the words out between clenched teeth. "Thank you for this 'generous' offer!"

Morton's head dropped instantly, shame coloring his face. "You... you don't have to." His mind scrambled,desperate for a way to soothe her temper.

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't help but feel he'd drawn the short straw. Delivering bad news made him an easy target, and he knew Yvonne would always link him to this pitiful budget. Offending her was the last thing he wanted.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the table, slicing through the tension. One look at the screen made her scowl deepen. She answered, though clearly not happy about it.

Brock's grating tone buzzed from the other end. "Yvonne, word is you stirred up trouble on set today.I expect an explanation, or else-"

The line went dead before he could finish. Yvonne ended the call without hesitation, her eyes hardening as she turned back to Morton. "I want out of TR Entertainment. Can that be arranged?"

A bead of sweat rolled down Morton's temple. Deep inside, he was amnazed that Julian had already guessed she would say this.

From his file bag, he drew out another folder, a sleek key, and a plain black card.

"Mr.Powell thought you might feel that way," Morton said, voice respectful."If you don't want to work under Brock, he's arranged for you to head your own department. This has the details about your new office."

Yvonne took the documents, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. The office was in the same building as TR, right in the bustling heart of the city where property prices scraped the sky. The office wasn't a corner suite though-it spanned the entire top floor.

She almost laughed at the irony. Stingy with the film budget, yet extravagant everywhere else-that was Julian all over.

"So, Mrs. Powell, are you going to sign the contract?" Morton hesitated, sliding the contract across the table.

Yvonne pressed her lips together, snatched a pen from her bag, and scribbled her signature with a force that left an impression on the paper.

Julian might throw obstacles in her path, but she would never bow to them.