Chapter 87
Sylvía hadn’t seen Zack in days. So when Angel invited her to dinner, she jumpert at the chance to see her son.
Angel had picked a high–end fusion restaurant and was already waiting at their table.
Dressed in a smart little blazer, Zack stood by the entrance, his eyes glued to the street.
“Mom!” The second he saw Sylvia get out of the car, Zack took off, his little legs pumping as he ran to wrap his arms around her thighs.
“Where’s your aunt?” Sylvia asked, taki
Zack’s hand in one of hers and Ruby’s in the other as her daughter climbed out of the car.
Zack chirped.
“Auntie Angel’s already inside waiting for
The two kids immediately started chattering away together.
Sylvia shot them a look. “Inside voices, you two. We don’t want to disturb the other diners.”
They clamped their mouths shut. Since they couldn’t talk, they started making faces and miming at each other, trying hard to stifle their giggles.
“Sylvia! Over here!”
Angel called, waving enthusiastically from their table.
As Sylvia approached, Angel felt a flash of disbelief. It was hard to reconcile the confident, poised woman walking toward her with the timid person she used to be.
Sylvia settled the children into their chairs.
Angel immediately flagged down a waiter and, in a generous mood, ordered enough food to cover the entire table.
A small smile touched Sylvia’s lips as she watched the kids putting food on each other’s plates.
After a few bites, Sylvia looked across the table at Angel.
“Has your brother hired any new tutors for Zack lately?”
Angel looked confused. “Of course. He’s the heir to the Blair fortune, after all. Why? Is there a problem?”
Sylvia’s expression soured.
‘All they care about is him being the heir,‘ she thought bitterly. ‘They don’t stop to think that he’s just a little boy. How is he supposed to handle that kin of pressure?‘
“Don’t you think Byron is being a little too strict?” Sylvia asked, probing for Angel’s opinion.
Angel just shook her head, completely unfazed. “Strict? It’s nothing Byron and I didn’t go through growing up.”
Angel just shook her head, completely unfazed. “Strict? It’s nothing Byron and I didn’t go through growing up.”
Sylvia sighed internally. So much for getting Angel to testify that Byron was too harsh on his son. That was clearly a dead end.
Just then, Sylvia’s phone rang. She answered it, had a brief conversation, and then turned to Angel. “Can you watch Ruby and Zack for a minute? I have to take care of something.”
Her tone was cool and distant. She couldn’t just forget how Angel had constantly criticized her back when she was married to Byron.
Even though she needed Angel’s help now, she couldn’t bring herself to be friendly.
1/3
Chapter 87
Sylvia slipped into a private lounge where her assistant, Ryan Cho, was waiting “Bost,” he said, handing her a detailed financial projection: Mare’s the
estimated total investment for the new film.”
Sylvia sat down and began to scan the report. “We need to keep a tight rein on actor salaries,” she instructed “Funnel more of the budget into set design, costumes, and post production.”
Ryan stood by respectfully, his expression serious and focused.
Whenever Sylvia asked for a detail, he answered immediately.
Outside the door, Angel stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.
Her mind was racing, unable to process what she was seeing.
She knew Ryan Cho. He was the assistant to the legendary film investor, Master Cameron. But here he was, standing deferentially beside Sylvia, calling.
her his boss.
An impossible thought struck her.
‘Could it be…?‘
She shook her head fiercely. ‘No. It couldn’t be.‘
How could the unsophisticated woman she’d always looked down on possibly be the internationally renowned Master Cameron?
But there was no other explanation.
“Boss,” Ryan was saying, “we still haven’t cast the female lead. Should we consider some of the big–name international actresses? The second they hear a Master Cameron production is casting, they’ll be lining up.”
His words caused Angel’s breath to catch in her throat. She stared, disbelieving, at Sylvia.
Ryan had just confirmed it. Sylvia was Master Cameron.
A wave of complex emotions washed over her–shock, awe, and something else entirely.
She idolized Master Cameron. She had always pictured some brilliant, mysterious man, not… not Sylvia!
Suddenly, it all made sense–how Sylvia had gotten her hands on that sold–out, signed book.
Trying to calm her racing heart, Angel slowly walked back to the table.
‘Sylvia obviously wants to keep her identity a secret,‘ Angel realized. ‘I won’t say a word.‘
“I only want to cast local talent for this film. No big international names for now,” Sylvia said, wrapping up her meeting with Ryan. Her goal was to boost the domestic film industry.
With a final word, Sylvia headed back to the restaurant.
“You were gone for a while! The food’s getting cold. Should I order something fresh for you?” Angel asked. Her voice held a barely concealed excitement. She was still struggling to connect the two identities, but a voice in her head kept repeating, ‘That’s her. That’s the person you’ve admired for so long!
Sylvia noticed Angel’s sudden, effusive kindness and frowned. “No, thank you.”
“How about something to drink then? A soda? Tea? Juice?” Angel pressed, practically beaming.
10:38 Sat, 21 Jun
Chapter 87
Sylvia stared at her, baffled. ‘Is she running a fever?‘ she wondered.
“No,” she said again, her tone sharp.
The friendlier Angel acted, the inore suspicious Sylvia became, ‘Is this Joanna’s doing? Is this some kind of trap?
Meanwhile, a sleek black sedan had pulled up to the curb outside. Inside, a man sat wa
the restaurant, his expression unreadable.
it was Byron Blair, the “Tyrant” of Silverton, à man at the apex of the city’s power.
He had wanted to come with Angel, but Sylvia had shut that down.
Did she really think he was that desperate to have dinner with her?
And yet, against his better judgment, he had followed Angel’s car here anyway.
Byron sat impassively in the dark car, pulled out his phone, and sent Angel a short text: I’m outside.
His plan was simple–get Angel to invite him in.
When Angel saw the message, her first instinct was to do exactly that. She started to push her chair back.
But then she stopped. She hesitated, glancing at Sylvia before asking cautiously, “Sylvia… my brother’s outside. Should I… should I ask him to come in?”
Sylvia was her idol now. The last thing she wanted to do was upset her.
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