Ex-Wife Returns with Babies: The CEO Regrets Everything

"Who the hell are you?" Michael Turner asked, his face pale as a sheet.

Maria smiled, all calm and collected. "Just the new stylist."

Charlie Cruz scoffed. "Don't fall for her talk. She's a newbie throwing around a few names like she's got real connections. What a joke."

Michael was just as doubtful at first, but something about Maria's vibe made him hesitate. She wasn't just confident-she had the kind of energy that made it hard not to believe her. Still, he'd been around long enough in this industry to know a thing or two, and Maria? He'd never even heard of her.

Just as he was second-guessing everything, his phone rang. One look at the caller ID, and his eyes instinctively darted to Maria, filled with disbelief.

Maria didn't say a word but gave him a tilt of the chin and a smirk, like she already knew what was up.

"Hello? Mr. Adams? How can I help you today?" Michael's tone flipped instantly, all fake smiles and low posture.

"Ah, yes. We didn't realize who we were dealing with."

"Absolutely understood. It won't happen again."

The voice on the other end kept going, and Michael's forced smile froze. His face drained of color even more before he hung up the call.

Still stunned, Michael didn't notice Maria's phone lighting up. The message just said, "Done." Her smirk deepened, eyes narrowing slightly as she typed back a quick "Got it."

That Mr. Adams? Yeah, he used to be the top agent in the game. Half the current A-listers owe their careers to him. Two years ago, he stepped back from managing talent directly, started his own firm, and built a network that could shake the whole industry. One word from him and even a superstar could disappear overnight-let alone a manager.

Michael had made his own journey, grinding from the lowest roles on set to where he was now, a respected agent with real pull. He and the Bennett family had practically built Charlie Cruz's career together.

While Bennett's team put up the cash, Michael handled everything else-from connections to picking the right scripts to shaping Charlie's public image. Truth be told, without Michael, Charlie's abrasive personality would've burned through his fame the moment he blew up.

"Hey! Are you just gonna stand there? Who was that on the phone?" Charlie huffed.

Michael turned to him, all the warmth gone. "Just sit down and get your makeup done. Don't make any trouble."

Charlie widened his eyes like he couldn't believe what he was hearing and slammed his hand on the table. "What the hell kind of attitude is that?"

But Michael slammed his hand down even harder. "If you keep acting out, I'll air all your dirty laundry. I made you famous, and I can make someone else famous too. I'm your agent. You do what I say."

He'd never spoken to Charlie like that before. Charlie looked stunned and shut up instantly.

Then Michael walked over to Maria and forced a smile. "Really sorry about earlier. We totally misjudged you. We'll follow your lead from here on."

Maria had gotten what she wanted, so she didn't push it further. "So, can I start Charlie's makeup now?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course." Michael Turner hooked Charlie Cruz's chair over with his foot and shot him a warning look. "You better behave."

He still had no clue who Maria really was, but anyone that could get Mr. Adams on the line like that was clearly not someone to mess with.

Now, he even felt like having Maria do Charlie's makeup was a blessing. If Charlie played it right and impressed her, maybe she'd say a few words and he'd get another big break.

Maria got to work, with Grace assisting by the side. Every now and then, Maria would glance at Grace, asking for her take.

It was her first time working on Charlie, and she hadn't seen that late-night interview show, so she had to rely on some input.

Together, the two of them finally finished the look.

When Michael came over, he'd already told himself to compliment it no matter what. But the moment he saw the result, he actually froze for a second, totally surprised. Some genuine respect welled up in him.

Sure, Charlie had good features, but his skin had always been a problem. Michael had tried everything under the sun to fix it-with no success.

But after Maria worked her magic, Charlie's skin looked flawless, like he was naturally blessed with it.

This look was definitely gonna go viral.

"Charlie-quick, snap a few pics for your Twitter," Michael said, handing over his phone without missing a beat.

Let's be real though-Charlie's Twitter was basically run by Michael. He wrote the posts, picked and edited the photos, even replied to fans. All Charlie had to do was take the actual photos.

An assistant came over and reminded them-twenty minutes until he had to go on stage, ten until he needed to be lined up backstage.

Michael pulled out a sheet of A4 paper stacked with carefully selected Q&A notes-questions and answers for Charlie to memorize.

Charlie had them down pat already, but Michael still insisted he run through it once more to be safe.

Truth be told, Charlie really could act.

He dropped his eyes for a second, then looked up again, and his whole vibe changed. He slipped right into the role of that innocent, sunny boy-next-door type.

In front of the camera, he was a perfectly packaged product ready to sell. And fans just couldn't resist that kind of polished charm.

Maria didn't find any of this surprising. It was just how the industry worked, and she didn't see anything wrong with it. With Grace, she packed up the makeup kit and the two of them headed out.

Stylists had their own office area, and Maria had her own desk there too. Since it was her first day and there wasn't anything urgent, she figured she might as well let Grace show her around and get to know the place.

Word had already spread through the stylist office that the new girl managed to transform Charlie. Everyone was shocked, including Tina.

Tina's mind was running a mile a minute, trying to figure out what she'd say if Amelia ever asked her about Maria.

The moment Maria stepped into the office, some stylists sneaked a glance, while others looked openly unimpressed. The ones giving her side-eye were Amelia's people-they'd already been told to keep their attitude chilly.

Maria could tell something was off. There was a flicker of confusion in her eyes before she quickly masked it and smiled. With a calm and friendly tone, she greeted them: "Hi everyone, I'm Maria-the new styling director."