Mr. CEO, You're Just A Substitute novel Chapter 12

Lucia sneered and said, "But what? Josh Clarke is not some bonehead. What good would it do to him if I'm involved in it? Just stop reaching them."

"Well, OK, then."

Lucia's good mood had been ruined by the time she hung up the phone.

After Starry had made a statement to deny the rumor about her extramarital relationship, along with the photo of the divorce certificate days before, Lucia had someone spread the rumor about her seeing Filip again.

But Lucia wasn't so stupid as not to anticipate Filip's investigation.

So she had asked Hudson to approach Edward's rival Josh Clarke to make them start the rumor.

As long as Josh didn't turn her in, no matter how they close they looked into it, Filip's team could only find out that Josh had been trying to smear Edward's image.

Lucia appeared to be confident, but Josh was an actor who's good at acting, so if Filip made a tempting offer, they would probably turn her in.

The thought worried her so much that she soon gave Josh a call.

Meanwhile, at the CEO office of the Eternal Group.

Austin knocked on the door of Filip's office with the information he had got. The man looked up from the desk and said, "Come in."

After that, the door was pushed open as Austin came in with a file, which she put on Filip's desk. "Mr. Pearson, we have found out who's behind the rumor about you and Miss Lucia Scott."

Filip frowned, loosening the hold of the pen in his hand and his tie, and took over the file. "Who was it?"

"It's Josh Clarke."

Filip raised his head slowly and asked with coldness in his tone, "Who's Josh Clarke?"

"He is Edward Willis' rival in the show business."

Filip's stiff face twitched as he heard the familiar name. "What's the relationship between Edward and Starry?" He asked with an impassive face.

But Austin could sense his boss' repressed anger.

After all, the relationship between that Edward and Mrs. Pearson, no, Ms. Bradley now, still remained unclear.

The statement made by the two only said that they were old friends, but what kind of friend would buy a villa for the other friend with the first fortune earned?

That's very interesting.

Without Filip's order to look into it, Austin had never ventured to make the check on Starry.

So Austin was stumped when asked about it.

Just when he was to say something, Filip suddenly said, "You don't have to tell me. It's none of my business anymore."

Austin said no more.

Filip looked down on his desk, riffling through the file before him. "What does Josh and Edward's history have anything to do with me?"

Why would that make Josh start that rumor against him?

Filip was very fumed, with his index finger paused on that paper. He looked up with a sharp and harsh look in his eyes.

Austin felt a chill down his back. "Maybe it's because it can maintain the heated discussion about Edward and Ms. Bradley, by which it will tarnish Edward's image."

Filip sneered, "That doesn't make much sense."

Austin actually thought it did. In the show business, it's common for the rivals to attack the other with things that appeared to be irrelevant at all.

But Filip didn't have anything to do with the show business, so Austin couldn't explain that to him.

However, as a qualified secretary, he wouldn't leave any question from Filip unanswered.

He hesitated for a while, he decided to mention another thing. "I also found that Miss Scott has reached Josh before."

Filip then threw the file away. "Make it disappear and put this thing to an end."

Lucia was a Scott after, so he couldn't just confront her.

Austin was shocked before he figured it out with a little surprise. He then took the file back and said, "Yes, Mr. Pearson."

So Lucia was behind the whole thing?

When Starry returned to her little villa, Edward handed a file to her angrily. "Your ex-husband's first love was so nasty. She made all the effort to put on this self-directed show!"

Starry took over the file and glanced at Edward before throwing it on the coffee table. "You just called him my ex-husband. Then they are no longer relevant to me."

Edward was startled and said, "This Lucia had it spread on the social media that she's getting back together with Filip. That is such a slap in the face. Aren't you mad?

Starry poured herself a glass of water. "What is it to be mad about?"

What you couldn't get make you frenzied.

The fact that Lucia was so desperate just proved that Filip didn't look at her that way at all, and she would embarrass herself sooner or later.

As his ex-wife, it's better not to meddle.

"This really doesn't bother you? This Lucia, she is such a scheming bitch! I--"

Edward halted his speech as he saw a glance from Catherine and slouched.

After finishing half of the water, Starry rubbed her temples. "I'm tired. I'm going upstairs to take a nap. Help yourself."

With that, she got up and went upstairs.

Edward was to say something else to her but was stopped by Catherine. "Stop upsetting her! Give her a break."

Edward felt aggrieved. "I'm trying to upset her. I just want to take revenge for her. That bitch is so disgusting, Catherine. Have you seen what she made people say about Starry? First love comes back and the bit on the side steps out! I can't stand watching them say something like that to Starry!"

Catherine browsed the file and said madly, "I have never even seen anyone so scheming in the show business!"

But she felt helpless too. "Today when we finished the talk about the contract, we ran into Lucia, who said some mean things to Little Starry, but she just ignored her. On our way home, when I asked her why, she said she didn't want anything to do with Filip anymore. So she only sees Lucia as a stranger."

"But she doesn't deserve the bashing!"

Catherine nodded. "I know, but it seems that Little Starry just stops caring about anything since her divorce. I don't know if I'm wrong, but I just got this feeling that one of these days, she'll leave here, leave us."

Edward's face paled. "She still hasn't got over it."

About the history between Starry and Edward, Catherine only knew some of it, and she had no idea of the most significant part of it.

"Edward, what has happened to her before?"

Edward hung his head with an implicit look on his face. "Nothing. Don't overthink it, Catherine. She's probably just too concentrated on her new novel to think about these things."

Catherine had never expected he'd be honest. "You have relaxed yourself enough. There will be a commercial shoot in a couple of days. Adjust your routine ASAP."

Sill drooping his head, Edward answered, "Yes, Catherine."

There was suddenly a sense of depression in the air. Catherine said no more and got upstairs.