If that were the case, she had nothing to worry about.

After all, Theodore was still the CEO of the Anderson Group, and even though he wasn't present at the company, he had the power to pull strings behind the scenes.

Ariana mulled over the decision in her head. She realized that Theodore was merely using her as a chess piece to outmaneuver Jasper.

She resigned herself to being obedient to Theodore's plan. After all, winning the bet meant she could retrieve her mother's belongings and put Jasper in his place.

Convinced, Ariana relented and said, “Alright, I'll give it a try." After reaching an agreement, Ariana said her goodbyes to Theodore and went back to her room.

As she walked away, Theodore's demeanor changed from warm and welcoming to icy and calculating, a sinister glint in his eye.

Horace, who had been lurking in the shadows, finally emerged and voiced his concerns.

"Boss, are you really going to let them run amok like this? Aren't you afraid they'll wreck the Anderson Group?"

Theodore sneered, “The more chaos, the better. I want to see these two former Lovebirds go head-to-head."

“But Ms. Edwards is young and alone in the company. She won't stand a chance against Jasper," Horace pointed out.

Theodore's lips curled into a smirk as he thought back to Ariana's interview.

"You never know. Let's just sit back and watch. It could turn out to be quite a spectacle."

The next day, Ariana marched into SJ Entertainment with confidence brimming inside of her. She envisioned herself making a grand entrance into the company, with the hope of a fresh start.

However, as soon as she stepped inside the establishment, her optimism quickly turned to pessimism.

The woman responsible for her check-in appraised Ariana with disdain, her gaze feeling like ice-cold water being dumped on Ariana's enthusiasm.

"You must be Ariana Edwards, the new employee Mr. Anderson arranged, right?" said the woman.

“I'm Donna Scott, the department manager and also your supervisor. I'll be arranging your work from now on."

"Ms. Scott." Ariana tried to put on a brave face and forced a smile, but Donna's hostility was obvious.

Donna turned her back to Ariana with a contemptuous snort, leaving Ariana to contemplate how she would be able to survive under such unwelcoming circumstances.

Ariana followed Donna nervously, but to her surprise, Donna took her to the storage room.