Without warning, a week flew by. Ariana was innocently waiting for the minor procedure Theodore had mentioned. She started noticing changes in her body. Fatigue hit her more frequently, she found herself dozing off for longer than usual, and nosebleeds became a regular occurrence.

Ariana chalked it up to the medication Jasper had registered in her system and assumed things would stabilize after the procedure.

Drawing a silent breath, Ariana reached for her phone, only to be met with a piece of news that took her breath away.

Blinking, Ariana scanned the message on her phone once more. A myriad of emotions played across her face, from shock to amusement, as she realized Donna was frenziedly hunting for employment among their acquaintances.

Her group chat was abuzz, awash with a flood of messages. It seemed Betsy found the whole scenario uproariously funny, evidenced by her cascade of laughing emojis. The news was just too juicy to keep under wraps!

Sarah added her two cents, "Hey, you'll never guess what happened? A pile of resumes Landed at the studio today, and guess who they're from? The same folks who opposed us tooth and nail back in SJ Entertainment."

Betsy couldn't help herself, "The tables have turned, haven't they?

Those who reveled in making our lives miserable are now tasting their own medicine. It's deliciously ironic! They pranced around the company like they owned the place, thinking they were untouchable because they were in Jasper's good graces. Now they're running around like headless chickens trying to secure employment."

Ariana felt a sense of satisfaction, reading her friends' unleashed feelings on the chat. She opted to keep her thoughts to herself, however.

In showbiz, choosing your allies wisely was crucial. Donna had backed the wrong contender, and those who had been in Jasper's inner circle were now reaping what they had sowed.

But that's the world for you — some rise, others fall.

Suddenly, Sarah steered the conversation towards Ariana.

"By the way, the premiere of Tyler's movie is tomorrow. Fancy going together? Mr. Spears sent a handful of invites to the studio. Betsy and the rest of the gang are gearing up to attend."

Ariana was torn for a moment, her health issues and potential to be a nuisance weighing on her. Yet, her eagerness to witness the result of Jayson and Tyler's endeavors tipped the scales, and she decided to accompany them.

Sarah dropped another message into the chat, “We've kept a seat for Theodore at your end. Feel free to bring him along."

Ariana paused at this, considering Theodore's character. She doubted he would relish the event. With her uncertainties in mind, her answer was ambiguous, “I can‘t say for sure. We'll see."

When Lunch rolled around, Theodore showed up at Ariana's hospital room like clockwork.

As Ariana relished her meal, she nonchalantly proposed, "The premiere of The Missing Body is tomorrow. Sarah snagged us some tickets. Fancy joining me?"

Ariana was taken aback when Theodore agreed so readily to her invitation.

"Sure," he responded casually.