Accidentally, Met My Fated Billionaire

5 His Identity

"Does Gina want to interview Shawn? You wish! Is there anyone here who knows him better than me?" Rena scoffed.

Rena didn't want to contribute to the discussion, she logged out of f*******: and set about writing a report for her interview earlier this afternoon. After Rena added photos and posted the article on the company's website, her workday was over.

Before she left, she looked over at Tara."Tara, I heard that our magazine is going to secure an exclusive interview with Shawn Whitmore?"

Tara looked up from what she was doing and nodded. "It's true, and it is big news."

"If an interviewer hasn't been chosen yet, I would like to apply for the job," Rena hinted.

A few colleagues overheard her request and threw a glance at her way in curiosity. They wondered if Rena wanted to start a feud with Gina.

Before Tara could respond, one of the women, who had previously gossiped about Rena in the washrooms, butted in.

"And what does it have to do with you? Gina has connections, but what do you have?" she said sarcastically. 

Her friend, who was also part of the gossiping incident, added her two cents as well.

"Yes. How can you possibly compare with Gina?"

Rena stared at the two women, and also at the people who looked on.

Tara thought for a while. It didn't matter if it was Gina or Rena who took this job, as she was the one who would be in control of the whole thing. At the end of the day, her name would be put on the article. "Rena, the managing editor has already decided to let Gina interview Shawn," she said, her tone impartial.

Rena peeked at Gina and received a look of contempt, and she cleared her throat. "I don't want to compete with anyone. I simply just want to do my job well, which includes interviewing people from all kinds of industries."

There were a few looks of skepticism that came from those who heard Rena's statement, with the two gossiping women appearing to be the most doubtful. 

"You need connections to interview big shots, and you don't have that," the first woman shot back. 

"That's right. Don't overestimate yourself, and don't ask for jobs that you don't have the ability to accomplish," the other added.

After they successfully brought Rena down a peg, the two women looked to Gina for a reward.

"Gina, don't forget to get Shawn Whitmore's autograph for you and me."

"Maybe one day you will get to guest star on Crossroads and even kiss him! You are talented enough."

Gina smiled as she accepted the flattery and the request as if she was Shawn's agent, who was in control of what the fans received. 

Meanwhile, Rena was trembling with indignation. She clenched her teeth as her hands turned into fists, and she noticed her white knuckles.

Rena had no clue how such catty and rude women were hired to work for Weekender Magazine. All they set out to do was to worship the ground that celebrities walked on.

She steeled her gaze as she turned her attention to the two women. "It is true that the managing editor gave Gina the task, but I'm not forbidden from interviewing him either." Rena said slowly, her voice laced with ice.

As soon as the words were heard, those within earshot, including Tara, were stunned. 

Rena took a deep breath to calm herself down and realized that it was time to leave when she saw Tara stand up. She watched her superior gather her belongings before taking her hand and leading her outside.

Outside on the street, Tara pointed at a restaurant across the road "Let's go have dinner, okay?"

The restaurant wasn't high-end, but it had elegant decorations with moderately priced food.

After herself and Rena ordered their food, Tara asked, "Seriously, what is the deal between you and Gina?"

Rena pressed her lips together before telling her the whole story of her first encounter with Leo and his date's cousin.

"What is this man all about?" Tara inquired.

"I don't know. I've never heard of him before, but I know he is rich, moody and cold and unreasonable... I'm not exaggerating," she said when Tara chuckled.

"What's his name?"

"Leo Caswell," Rena replied, sneering a little as the name left her lips.

Tara blinked. Isn't Leo Caswell the CEO of Caswell Industries? She thought. A man of that caliber could make several large companies go bankrupt overnight if he wished. 

The businesses that were a part of Caswell Industries were all over Washington state and overseas as well. They dealt in real estate, electronics, retail, and entertainment ventures.

"Rena, I'll fill you in on what you don't know," Tara said as she brought up a list of his accomplishments on her phone. 

Rena's eyes got widen as she read everything that Leo had done.

"Leo Caswell was trained by his grandfather to be a businessman from a very young age. He came back from being abroad two years ago to take over Caswell Industries, but he always kept a low profile. Even the general media couldn't find a picture of him for a long time," Tara read from a different article.

As she learned about Leo, Rena also realized how powerful Gina's background truly was. Her cousin, Lucy Carter, was Leo's parents' first choice to be his girlfriend. Her uncle was the managing editor of Weekender Magazine, and she herself was the daughter of the Fuller family. 

Any of these titles would outmatch Rena in a heartbeat. 

Tara leaned back in her seat. "Rena, I haven't been unfair. The reason why I took Gina with me and let you work alone is not because of her background, but because you are capable enough to complete the task yourself."

Rena nodded in understanding. Through their time together, she knew that Tara wasn't someone to make a big fuss over famous people and didn't consider them worth worshiping. This was a value that they both shared.

"Hey, are you okay, Rena?" Tara asked when she saw a strange expression cross Rena's features.

"I'm fine. I just need to use the restroom for a minute, if you will excuse me," Rena responded. 

In the washroom, Rena splashed her face with water before looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Since what happened at her home four years ago, Rena learned that many things in life are things you have to cope with yourself. The fire destroyed her home and almost took her life. She knew it wasn't an accident, but she had no evidence to prove it, so justice was never served. 

This brought her to today, where she was in her fourth year of university and secured a prominent internship. Even with all of her accomplishments, she still had to step aside for people who came from a better background. And when it came to her relationship with Shawn, even that couldn't be made public knowledge.

Rena rewashed her face to wipe the tears.

At the table, the main course had already been served. Rena dug into her parmesan-crusted halibut while Tara enjoyed her roasted chicken dish. Just then, Rena glanced at a notification on her phone from the intern group chat.

"I'm sorry, but something interesting has happened," Rena explained as she picked up her phone. When she looked at the photo the group was gushing over, she froze. "It appears to be a picture of a signed photograph of Shawn Whitmore, courtesy of Gina. Did she already conduct the interview?"