CHAPTER 71: BRAND DEAL

Alisha arrived at Megan’s office the moment she was called over. With the Veila campaign approaching fast, the entire agency was buzzing. The girls spent most of their time rehearsing on stage, their numbers already cut down to nearly half of what they were when the campaign began.

"You called for me?" Alisha asked as she stepped inside. Allison stood at Megan’s side as usual, arms folded, looking like a self-appointed gatekeeper. Alisha often wondered if she didn’t have her own seat or if she simply enjoyed hovering beside Megan like a shadow.

"I’m glad you could make it," Megan said warmly, flashing a practiced smile. "How are you doing? I haven’t seen you since the incident last week."

Alisha mirrored the smile, though her nerves prickled. "I’m doing fine." She slid into a chair, Maxine sitting beside her.

There was this tension in the air she sensed, and it made her uncomfortable.

"I have a special brand deal for you," said Megan. "BestKream needs a model for their product and I think you’re the best one for the job."

Alisha and Maxine gave each other a look, thinking about whether they were hearing what they thought they were hearing.

Everyone in the industry had heard of the brand, but not for flattering reasons. BestKream was infamous for the storm of complaints it had attracted, products that irritated skin, questionable formulas, rumors of unsafe ingredients. The name itself left a sour taste in people’s mouths.

"I’m sorry...what?" Alisha asked innocently. She couldn’t believe Megan was asking her for such a thing so she needed to be sure she was hearing what she thought she was hearing.

"I know BestKream isn’t the best brand, but you have to do this for Veila. We’re losing several brand deals so we need this to climb back up the charts after those scandals," Megan explained.

Maxine frowned deeply at this. She was more than shocked to hear what Megan was saying.

"Alisha’s popularity recently skyrocketed especially after Nix’s photoshoot. If she partners with a brand such as BestKream, it’s only going to tarnish her image," Maxine explained.

She couldn’t believe that she even had to say this.

"I completely understand where you’re coming from, but Alisha is a model to Veila. Honestly, I wouldn’t have asked her to do this if other models had a flexible schedule but since she’s the only one who can at the moment, I want her to do it."

Alisha was speechless.

She’d been a model at Veila back when she was still Eva, and Megan wasn’t like this. She never partnered with brands that didn’t have a good reputation no matter how popular it was.

And now, she was asking her to model for a brand with a terrible reputation.

"I’m sorry but I won’t be able to do that," Alisha finally spoke. "It’s best if you have one of your artists do the partnership with BestKream."

Alisha stood up to leave. She’s had enough of the conversation.

Her mood had been elevated after the bashing Bethany was receiving on social media, but now, it had turned sour.

Right when Alisha was about to leave, Megan stopped her.

"I’m not asking you, Alisha. I’m telling you."

This got Alisha turning back and glaring at Megan.

The woman in that seat didn’t look like the Megan she knew at all. She looked like the woman who would do anything just to get her company flourishing again, and she didn’t care who she used as bait.

"It’s written in the contract that you have to do whatever the company tells you to do," Allison seconded, a grin on her lips.

This was not what she’d been expecting Megan to do. In fact, she didn’t expect Megan to do something like this from the beginning, but looking at things now, they needed to do all they could.

Indeed, partnering with BestKream would give them a bad name. It was something they could live with. Besides, which entertainment industry didn’t partner with a terrible brand for once in their entire history?

Megan planned to use Alisha to get all the brand deals, both good and bad. As long as they were on the top charts.

"I don’t think it’s written anywhere on the contract that Alisha has to do everything you tell her to do," Maxine interjected, glaring at Allison with rage evident in her gaze.

The latter shrank back.

"How about this? I’ll give you till the end of today to make a decision," said Megan.

Alisha cocked an eyebrow at the woman. What was the point of giving her the rest of the day to think when she’d already made it clear she didn’t have a choice?

Without saying anything else, Alisha left with Maxine.

"I can’t believe that woman. To think I believed she was as nice as she posed herself to be," Maxine raged.

Meanwhile, Alisha was thinking about her contract. Modeling for BestKream wasn’t her problem. If she were a popular model, sure her image would receive a huge blow but everyone would forget about it easily. But she was only a rising star.

If she modeled for a brand that wasn’t as legit as it posed itself to be, it could ruin her career.

She’d never thought Megan would try to force her to do such a thing. If only she were popular enough, she could just go to Eleoquise.

"I heard that BestKream is trying to improve their product, although the latest reviews were from consumers who complained about how their sunscreen made their face swollen and gave them a skin reaction," said Maxine, and Alisha nodded. "You should do it. But if it turns out badly, we can release a statement that Veila forced you to do this."

Alisha looked at Maxine with a questionable look.

"Everyone on social media now pities you especially after what Katherine did. They’d painted you to be bullied by everyone in Veila. So if this doesn’t work out, I’m sure Veila would be attacked directly," Maxine explained.

Alisha was silent. If Megan wanted to create trouble for her, then she was solely mistaken. Alisha liked Megan, and she would hate to have to get rid of the woman.