Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Lori Yates was silently fuming as Jasmine dragged her out of the party. She had just spotted a particularly charming guy and hadn't even had a chance to start her drink. Talk about a buzzkill.

"Can we at least talk about this? It's kind of rude to just haul me away like this," Lori quipped with a playful smirk. "I know you're my boss, but we aren't that tight, especially in situations like this."

"Just hush," Jasmine snapped, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Why hadn't she noticed Lori's chatty nature when she signed her? But even if she had, she would've signed her anyway. Lori was a knockout, her acting skills were off the charts, and her debut show had been a massive hit, leading to a deluge of ads and endorsements.

"You're not getting along with the Larkin family's new darling?" Fiona asked, closing her folder. She turned to Lori, unable to hide her smile at the actress's striking looks. "Romance is a big no-no in showbiz, especially for someone like you who's still finding her footing. Plenty of folks would love to see you stumble."

Lori's eyes widened for a split second, but she quickly masked it with her usual cheerful grin.

"You're kidding, right? If I started dating, my fans would dig up my entire family tree."

Fiona chuckled but didn't say more, as Jasmine drove them to Bayview Villas. "You still haven't told me why you dragged me here."

"I heard the film festival is around the corner. Before that, you've got two red carpets to walk: one for your new show's premiere and the other as a judge for the designer competition finals," Fiona explained, amused. "But the Larkin family's starlet is also a judge. In the end, one of you will be picked as the spokesperson for the winning designer."

Lori's challenge was to outshine thenoveldrama

Larkin family's starlet at the

premiere, Only the one with the best

This

results would get to wear the winning designer's creation was Fiona's plan for Lori to outdo

Zoe's protégé and wear her design, setting the stage to upstage Zoe at the year-end film festival.

Jackson had been having a tough time with the Woods family but hadn't breathed

a word about it. If not for the documents Jasmine showed her earlier, Lori

would've been clueless.

Zoe really knew how to pull strings.

Zoe aimed to pave the way for the Larkin family at the film festival, but Lori was

determined to thwart her plans.

"You don't seriously think I can't

outshine that useless vase, do you?"

Lori's temper flared as she

straightened up, giving Fiona a

sharp look. "I might have a thing for pretty faces, but that vase can't beat me." Śwnovel

"That's the spirit," Fiona replied with a smile.

As they pulled into Bayview Villas, Lori, who had seen her fair share of places, couldn't help but admire the view. Owning a house here would be a dream come true.

...

Meanwhile, as Jackson left the bar, Zoe quickly caught up with him, smoothly linking her arm through his with a beaming smile.

"Jackson, what brings you here so late? I just saw you chatting with a young girl. What were you two talking about?"

Since Zoe had used their

engagement as leverage over

Jackson, she'd been flaunting her status as the future lady of the. Woods family. Initially, no one bought it, but the more she repeated it, the more people started to believe it.