Chapter 412 Pursuing A Venture
Chapter 412 Pursuing A Venture
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The client had requested a modern urban style, optChapter 411 The Banquet
Lenora glanced up to look at the two people beside her
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Upon seeing the two women with Clusian features and the fact that they recognized Clusian words, it was clear that they were part of the local Clusian community.
Lenora didn’t pay them any mind and continued to chat with Sophia.
Indeed, she had never seen anything like this vast estate before.
When the two women noticed Lenora looking their way, their conversation came to a halt. Upon Lenora turning away, they subtly shifted their topic of discussion.
“Bella.”
Within a few minutes, the Clusian woman beside Lenora suddenly shouted and stood up with her companion.
Lenora looked up, only to see Bella approaching with a ball gown in hand.
Bella halted then asked, “Alice, Anya, why are you sitting over here?”
Alice and Anya exchanged a glance, somewhat nervous as they said, “It’s a bit noisy over there, but we should be asking you the same question.considering how busy you are. You don’t have to come over here by yourself; we were just about to head over.”
“In that case, you guys should rest here.”
Bella then bypassed the two individuals and approached Lenora. “Fay.”
A glimmer of admiration flashed in Lenora’s eyes as she put away her phone and stood up. “Bella, you look absolutely stunning today!”
Bella chuckled, taking Lenora’s hand. “You too. Come on now. Since the banquet hasn’t started yet, let me introduce you to my friends.”
Alice and Anya’s faces changed simultaneously as they exchanged a glance.
Bella approached the two of them, introducing Lenora with a smile, “Fay, this is Alice, and this is Anya. Alice, Anya, this is my friend, Fay. You’re all Clusian, so get to know each other. Who knows, you might become good friends in the future.”
“Hello, everyone,” Lenora greeted with a smile.
Alice had long since shed her awkward expression, revealing a warm smile. “Hello,” she greeted.
“Hello,” Anya responded, her lips forcing a smile.
Once Bella had left with Lenora, Anya’s expression darkened. With a dismissive smirk, she said, “This explains it. She has been cozying up to Bella.”
“Keep it down. If someone overhears us and tells Bella, she might just kick us out given her temper,” Alice
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Chapter 411 The Banquet
reminded in a mocking tone,
Once they were at a safe distance, Bella whispered to Lenora, “Their fathers are business partners with my dad. That’s the only reason they are invited. That said, I don’t really yet along with the two of them?
The reason was they got along better with Bella’s mortal enemy
Lenora nodded in acknowledgment.
In another corner of the hall, a few young men and women were seated, including both foreigners and Clusians, Jermaine was among them.
Seeing Bella approach, they group began to greet her smilingly.
The atmosphere was light–hearted, and one could tell that these people were good friends with Bella
Bella introduced Lenora to her friends, “This is my university mate, Fay. She recently moved to Fairlake for work. She’s a photographer. I hope you guys can get to know her and support her work”
As soon as the words were spoken, a foreigner chuckled. “So, the picture you posted on Instagram a couple of days ago was taken by Ms. Fay?”
“Yes, it was.”
The man gave Lenora a warm smile. “You have a good eye. If an opportunity comes up, I’ll recomm you to those who need your services.
“Thank you,” Lenora replied with a polite smile.
Bella briefly introduced Lenora to the others, who were Bella’s childhood friends, classmates, and other friends.
They were quite friendly and polite toward Lenora.
During their conversation, they would also subtly include the latter, so she wouldn’t feel left out.
At eight in the evening, the lights in the hall suddenly dimmed. The spotlights then shone on the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Mr. Saltzman’s sixtieth birthday party…”
The birthday party had officially begun.
Ralph Saltzman, Bella’s father, delivered a brief speech on stage.
Following that, the waiter rolled out an extraordinarily large cake.
Bella helped Ralph down the stage, and everyone naturally formed a circle around them. They all extended their wishes to Ralph, who then proceeded to cut the cake.
The place was packed with people, so crowded that it was impossible to move through.
This made for a lively scene, but Lenora couldn’t see anything.
She casually glanced elsewhere, unintentionally catching sight of a familiar figure.
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Chapter 411 The Banquet
Zephyr?
Just as she was about to take a closer look, the figure had already disappeared.
Was I mistaken, or has Zephyr returned to Fairlake?
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Given that Zephyr was a friend of Ezekiel, it was certain that he was originally in Fairlake as well. So, his return was not at all surprising.
Who knows…
Lenora shifted her gaze away.
After cutting the cake, Ralph was to unwrap some gifts on the spot, all of which were presents from his old friends.
After the presents were unwrapped, someone took to the stage to perform.
Meanwhile, Ralph went off to mingle with the guests.
Originally, the intention was to bring Bella along, but Bella had sneakily left his side.
She led Lenora and a group of friends up to the third–floor arcade.
Upon arriving, Lenora realized that the entire third floor was a leisure and entertainment area. It was equipped with all sorts of facilities including poker tables, pool tables, arcade games, and much more. Everything one could possibly need for recreation was there.
As for the second floor, it was a space for singing and dancing, with quite a few guests enjoying themselves there.
Moreover, there was a movie room on the fourth floor.
In other words, the entire castle was built for the sole purpose of entertaining guests and leisure.
As for Bella and Ralph, their residence was situated in the two smaller buildings at the back.
Beyond this, the estate also boasted a basketball court, a bowling alley, a swimming pool, a greenhouse, a spa, and even a helicopter pad.
These were clear testaments to just how vast the estate was.
At eleven in the evening, Bella had someone send Lenora home.
Originally, Bella had intended to have Lenora stay over for the night, and the manor had plenty of guest
rooms.
However, it was Sunday, and the next day was Monday, which was Lenora’s first day at work, so it would be best for her to return home early and rest,
On a Monday morning, Lenora, dressed in a suit and armed with her camera, arrived at the studio.
She arrived rather early, finding the office sparsely populated.
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Chapter 411 The Banquet
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Lilliane had already arrived. She first showed Lenora around the office, then arranged a seat for her, set up her computer, and handed her a new notebook and employee handbook. “Take a look at this first, and let me know if you need anything,” she said.
“Alright, thank you.”
When it was time to start work, there was only one other person around other than Lenora.
Most other photographers essentially had a shooting schedule in place. They would either head straight to an outdoor location or photography studio instead of dropping by their work desks.
Lilliane briefly introduced Lenora to her colleague and handed her some documents.
During the first two days of work, Lenora had no shooting assignments. she spent his time reviewing documents and observing in the photography studio.
By the third day, Lilliane had finally handed Lenora a job. The client’s package was the lowest priced tier within the studio.
The client was a local woman in her mid–twenties. She had scheduled her makeup appointment for eight in the morning. However, due to the lengthy makeup process, Lenora didn’t arrive that early. By the time she reached the makeup studio upstairs at half past eight, the client had just had her base makeup applied. The day before, Lilliane had given Lenora’s contact details to the client. The client briefly expressed their needs over chat messages, and Lenora followed up with them to further confirm the details.
Upon seeing Lenora, the client realized that their photographer was Clusian. They were momentarily surprised but quickly regained composure and earnestly answered Lenora’s questions.
With a rough idea forming in Lenora’s mind, she set off to arrange the shooting set.
The studio provided her with a photography assistant, who would help her set up scenes and adjust the lights, among other things.
Around ten o’clock, after the client had their makeup and hair done, they arrived at the set for shooting.
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ing for sleek and fashionable attire. Despite some imperfections on their face, their striking and distinctive features carried a sense of depth. They exuded a cool and sophisticated beauty.
Lenora had become increasingly skilled at photographing people.
She had a keen eye for observing her clients‘ facial features and bone structure, using these observations to determine the most flattering styles and angles. She then blended these elements with her clients‘ preferences and personalities, helping them realize their full potential.
When the client arrived, Lenora asked her to stand in front of the backdrop for a test shot to check the lighting and camera settings.
Suddenly, the client pulled out her phone and swiped through a few images. “Could we change the background? I wanted something like this but forgot to show you yesterday.”
She held out her phone, showing Lenora the images she had saved.
Lenora leaned in to examine the image. It depicted a beautifully intricate cityscape at night, with neatly arranged skyscrapers and specks of light showcasing urban prosperity.
While reviewing the photo, Lenora considered that such a backdrop could be simulated using el
screens.
ronic
However, she also knew that while the image was stunning on its own, it might lose its visual impact when combined with a subject. Moreover, it didn’t complement the client’s attire.
She smiled at the client and said, “I’ve asked my assistant to adjust the settings. Let’s take a few shots here first to test the lighting and angles, shall we?”
Appreciating Lenora’s cooperative approach, the client agreed and positioned herself in front of the arranged backdrop. Following Lenora’s guidance, she struck a few poses.
Lenora took a shot, zoomed in to examine it closely, adjusted the fill light, and continued shooting.
Initially, progress was slow as they experimented with different poses and settings, but the client remained patient and cooperative.
After capturing a variety of angles, Lenora gained a clear understanding of the client’s strengths, which made the process much smoother from then on.
She paused to review the photos she had just taken and invited the client to step closer for a look.
The client glanced absently at the images displayed on the camera and commented, “They look decent. When will the backdrop on the other side be ready?”
“Don’t worry,” Lenora reassured her with a calm smile. Once the assistant finishes setting it up, she’ll let us know. In the meantime, let’s take a few more shots with this backdrop to get a better feel for it.”
“All right then,” the client agreed with a slight nod.
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Chapter 412 Pursuing A Venture
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After capturing several more shots, the assistant jogged over to inform Lenora that the alternate backdrop was ready.
Lenora carefully packed away her camera, signaled her assistant to grab the equipment bag, and walked over with the client to the new setup.
With the switch in the background, the camera and fill lights needed readjustment. Lenora, however, already had a clear idea of the perfect lighting to enhance the client’s features–achieving a soft, radiant glow without any obvious signs of artificial illumination. She quickly made the necessary adjustments and began the next stage of the shoot.
Time passed swiftly, and before they realized it, the clock struck half past noon.
Lenora lowered her camera and turned to the client. “All right, let’s break for lunch. We’ll meet at the entrance at half past one sharp for the outdoor shoot.”
“Sounds good,” the client responded, nodding in agreement.
Since the client had opted for a basic package, the total number of photos was limited. The outdoor shoot wrapped up around four in the afternoon.
Rushing back to her studio, Lenora transferred all the photos onto her computer and began editing.
As a photographer in a boutique studio, Lenora was responsible for every step of the process, from the initial shoot to post–production.
On Thursday afternoon, the client arrived at the studio to select her pictures as scheduled.
She carefully reviewed all the photos displayed on Lenora’s computer. In the end, most of her chosen shots featured the backdrop that Lenora had arranged. From the backdrop she had personally requested, only two photos made the cut.
When the client left, smiles lit up her face, reflecting her excitement for the final products.
Once the edited photos were ready, the client was overjoyed. As she filled out the review form, she didn’t hesitate to give Lenora the highest rating.
She felt the money was well spent as the quality of the photos surpassed even some professional works she had seen from renowned photographers.
This positive outcome, however, came after an unexpected incident.
While Lenora was hard at work editing, Bella arrived at Saleel Photography.
At that moment, a man stood at the reception desk, engaged in conversation with two receptionists.
When Bella walked in, the man gave her a brief glance and paused for a while.
One of the receptionists promptly guided Bella to the waiting area, while the man resumed his conversation with the other receptionist.
The receptionist attending to Bella explained the studio’s operations and available packages in great detail, even showing samples from the studio’s top photographers.
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Chapter 412 Pursuing A Venture
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Without hesitation, Bella decided to have her photos taken in the finest traditional Clusian attire and immediately paid the deposit.
As the receptionist entered Bella’s details into the system, she added, “Our top photographers are fully booked until the twentieth of June. The earliest appointment available is on the twenty–first. Would that work for you?”
Bella asked, “Can I choose the photographer?”
The receptionist hesitated briefly before responding, “Of course.”
However, all the studio’s expert photographers had been booked solid in recent weeks.
Even if she wanted to request a specific photographer, Bella understood she couldn’t cut in line and would need to wait her turn.
She then voiced her preference. “I’d like Ms. Fay to take my photos.”
“Fay?”
The receptionist hesitated for a moment, the name not immediately ringing a bell. After a brief pause, it clicked. Fay was the studio’s recently hired photographer.
Understanding the request, the receptionist nodded. Fay was new to Saleel Photography but not necessarily inexperienced. Fay was in her mid–twenties, and it was likely she had years of experien in the industry, possibly with her regular clientele. It wasn’t uncommon for people to seek her out specitly.
“All right, shall I book an appointment with Ms. Fay for you? She has an opening next Monday,” the receptionist said.
“That works.” Bella nodded.
“I’ll make a note of it for you,” the receptionist replied, quickly entering the details into the system before smiling. “Is there anything else I can assist you with?”
“No, that’s all.” Bella stood and left the studio.
In truth, she had hoped to see Lenora, but aware of how busy she might be, Bella opted to send her a message instead after leaving. She quickly informed Lenora about what had transpired.
After Bella had gone, the young receptionist returned to the front desk, where the man she had been chatting with earlier was still standing. He turned to her interrupting their prior conversation.
“What did that lady come here for?”
The receptionist glanced at him. “She’s planning a photoshoot in traditional Clusian attire.”
“Has she chosen a package?”
“Yes, she’s already paid the deposit. Why? Do you know her, Ivan?”
Ivan ignored the question and continued, “Did she pick the premium package?”
“That’s correct,” the receptionist confirmed.
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Chapter 412 Pursuing A Venture
Ivan chuckled. I knew it.
He had crossed paths with the woman before and instantly recognized her as Bella, the daughter of Ralph, the affluent tycoon from Fairlake.
At the time, one of his clients was a friend of Bella’s and had arranged, with her consent, to film at Rovelton Manor.
On the way to the estate, his assistant realized they had forgotten a set of clothes and had to turn back to retrieve it.
Meanwhile, the client had already entered the manor.
When he and his assistant returned, the security at the gatehouse stopped them and conducted a thorough questioning.
Just as tensions rose, a sleek car pulled up, and Bella emerged, lowering the window to reveal her strikingly beautiful face.
“Good day, Miss,” the guard greeted her immediately, raising the barrier without hesitation and granting her entry.
From that brief encounter, Bella’s image had been imprinted in Ivan’s memory.
Considering her wealth, Ivan was certain she would opt for the most exclusive package.
All the top photographers were fully booked until the twentieth, leaving him as the only one available on the twenty–first.
He was confident that he would be assigned to handle her case.
