Chapter 96
“Mr. Blair, Miss Moore is outside.” As the driver entered the villa compound, he paused the car.
The downpour grew heavier by the minute as Joanna, completely drenched and shivering uncontrollably, approached the car—a pitiful sight. The driver couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“Byron…” Joanna tapped on the car window, her voice quivering as the rain streaked down her face.
“Drive,” Byron ordered coldly.
The driver hesitated, then ventured cautiously, “But sir, she’s still standing out there…” Joanna had always treated him decently, and he’d assumed she was going to be Byron’s wife. That was why he’d tried to stay on her good side from the start.
Byron’s expression darkened. His fingers danced across his phone, sending out quick commands. In a flash, a sharply dressed man dashed from the villa, umbrella in hand. Without hesitation, he yanked open the driver’s door and hauled the driver out.
Caught completely off guard, the driver tumbled heavily into the rain–soaked ground.
“You’re fired,” said the man in the suit–the head of the Blair family’s driver team–his face impassive as he delivered Byron’s order.
driver froze in shock. After years of working for the Blair family with the highest salary in the industry, he never imagined he’d lose his job over just a
few words.
The man in the suit turned and got behind the wheel himself, pulling the car up to the front of the estate. Byron’s face was icy cold, not even sparing
Joanna a glance.
Joanna stood in the pouring rain, her eyes wide with disbelief. After all she’d done, Byron still wouldn’t forgive her.
It was just a few sips of drink I gave Sylvia. So what if she ended up in the hospital? How is that my fault?‘ Joanna thought resentfully. She bit down on her lip, refusing to leave the villa entrance even as her whole body trembled from the cold.
She thought, ‘There’s no way Byron could be that heartless. I came all the way here to apologize. What else does he want me to do?‘
Before long, Louis, the Blair family’s longtime butler, came out with an umbrella.
“Louis, where’s Byron? Is he letting me in?” Joanna asked.
Joanna was secretly thrilled. Even though she was starting to run a fever, she thought to herself, ‘As long as I can get Byron’s forgiveness, this little bit of suffering is nothing.‘
“Miss Moore, Mr. Blair asked me to pass along a message–The one you owe isn’t him. If you’re really sorry, maybe think about apologizing to the who actually deserves it.” With that, Louis strolled back toward the villa.
person
Joanna stood rooted to the spot, her vision darkening as she nearly fainted. ‘What does Byron mean?‘ Joanna thought in disbelief. ‘Is he seriously telling
me to apologize to Sylvia?‘
She staggered back to her car. As she lifted her head, a wild, dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. ‘Absolutely apologize to Sylvia and let her trample all over my dignity like this. She doesn’t deserve it.‘
Joanna thought fiercely. ‘I’ll never
Joanna drove home. That very night, her fever spiked and wouldn’t break, so her family rushed her to the hospital. Feverish and delirious, she kept unconsciously murmuring Byron’s name. Joanna’s mother called Byron, pleading with him to visit Joanna at the hospital.
However, when Byron learned Joanna never went to see Sylvia, he was clearly disappointed, and he had no intention of visiting Joanna in the hospital.
Filming had officially begun on the movie Sylvia invested in. That morning, Sylvia drove out to Century Town to check on the film set. The once–quiet
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Chapter 96
little town sprang to life with the arrival of the film crew.
The movie’s male lead, Zander, was currently shooting his first scene with the female lead, Angel. Sylvia stood quietly on the sidelines, observing the
filming.
Angel’s acting was still a bit raw, but this very quality made her performance feel less rehearsed, coming across as more authentic and natural. The scene took a solid two–plus hours before it was finally approved.
“Sylvia, you’re here.” Zander smiled as he strode over to Sylvia with confident, eager steps.
Angel noticed Sylvia too, but she hesitated to go over–her earlier performance hadn’t gone well, and the thought made her cringe.
Just as Angel was about to retreat to study her script, Sylvia called out, “Angel, come here.”
Angel had always looked up to Sylvia. So the moment she heard her idol say her name, she lit up and rushed over.
“Next time you’re filming, try to relax a little more…” Sylvia gave her a few quick pointers.
Then she turned to Zander and added, “Zander, I’d appreciate it if you could look out for Angel on set. If she has any questions about acting, please help her cut.”
dem,” Zander replied cheerfully, his heart racing every time he looked at Sylvia, his eyes brimming with unmistakable affection.
Zander smiled at Angel and said, “Why don’t you go review your script for a bit? If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.” He wanted to excuse her
so he could talk to Sylvia alone.
“Zander, could you give us a minute? I need to talk to Angel about something. I’ll come find you in a bit,” Sylvia said with a smile.
A wry smile touched Zander’s lips. He had assumed Sylvia was there to see him–but clearly, it was all about Angel.
“Alright, Sylvia. When you’re done talking with her, don’t forget to come see me, okay?” Zander took a few steps away, then turned back with a faint
blush, reminding her earnestly.
Sylvia nodded, then motioned for Angel to join her on the paved path outside.
Angel glanced at Sylvia, who had been silent for a while, and couldn’t help but ask, “Sylvia, is there something you wanted to talk about?”
Sylvia was silent for a moment. “I need to ask you for a favor.”
“Absolutely. Just tell me what you need.” Angel agreed without hesitation.
A sly glint flashed in Sylvia’s eyes as she grinned and asked, “So, you’d help me with anything?”
“Of course.” Angel meant every word. Sylvia wasn’t just her idol–she was the legendary Master Cameron, the reason she even got into showbiz in the first place. She was beyond grateful.
“Alright then, but don’t go back on your word,” Sylvia said, her expression turning serious. “I need you to testify in court that Byron has been too harsh on Zack. I want to gain full custody of him.”
Angel froze. She immediately wished she could rewind time and smack herself across the face. ‘Why do I always say yes so fast?‘ she thought. ‘I didn’t even ask what the favor was! Now what? If Byron finds out, he’s going to kill me.’
“You’re not thinking of backing out, are you?” Sylvia asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Then she softened her tone and added, “You know what, forget it. If you’re not up for it, just pretend I never brought it up. I just… I just want what’s best for Zack.” She turned slightly, like she was about to walk away.
“Wait, no. I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it.” Angel blurted out, her face flushing crimson as she stammered, “Um… maybe just give me a moment to think
about it…”
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