Everyone thought they must have misheard. Charlie was expected to dismiss the final script and criticize the writers for wasting his time. Why would he suddenly declare he wanted to take on the role?Sophie, still in shock, stared at the script in his hand. Compared to the others, this script was only half as thick. She could not help but wonder, 'Did he choose it just because it is shorter?'Clearing her throat, she tentatively asked, "Are you sure you want to take this role?""Of course. If you want me to pick a script, it’ll be this one. Otherwise, I’m not interested in any of those I just saw."Seeing Charlie’s domineering attitude, she quickly grabbed the script to skim through its contents. There must be something special about it for him not to have dismissed it outright.Florence also flipped through a few pages and then promptly dismissed it from a professional standpoint. "This script won’t work. It has a small budget and a limited audience. It’s too much of an art film!
Sophie needed an artist who could reach the heights expected of an actor while also generating substantial revenue.Charlie's smirk widened as he met her gaze, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "Then find me a new agent to negotiate this film and tell the director my fee doesn’t matter. Save the money to ensure the serious work gets done properly."He delivered his statement with arrogance and began to walk away, only to be stopped by an irritated Florence. "Charlie, what do you mean by this?""It means our ambitions don't align. Continuing to work together might land you in the hospital in a few days. We're better off parting ways now." With a dismissive glance, Charlie strutted off, leaving the scene with a swagger.Florence turned to Sophie, her eyes full of indignation. "Ms. Luxford, does he have any of the virtues an artist should have?"Sophie felt somewhat helpless. She had dealt with many arrogant stars before, but few were as blatantly indifferent as Charlie. Caught between
"Why are you here?" Charlie could not hide his delight upon seeing her, but his brows soon furrowed. 'When did she return? I hadn't heard anything about it.'"Take a guess?" Her laughter grew sweeter, a playful charm in her tone. The brim of her large hat shadowed her eyes, tempting him to lift it and see her face fully."Did you come back because of that matter?" He knew she was not there just to see him, yet he found himself enchanted by her smile, unable to look away."I'm not telling you." Her smile was sweet, the dimple on her cheek making it hard to look away.-At Carlson Group, Austin sat at his desk, his expression composed yet tinged with a subtle coolness. He reviewed the information his assistant had gathered, his eyes narrowing slightly.At first, he only thought the Charlie that Sophie had signed was somewhat extraordinary, but he had not expected the investigation to reveal so much. It was beyond his expectations.The assistant entered, lowering his voice. "Mr. Ca
Sophie wanted to shake off the indescribable feeling, but Cedric’s strong hand on her shoulder tightened its hold."Don't you have an appointment? It's not good to be late." Cedric's voice was low, his breath warm on her face.Sophie instinctively glared at him but followed his lead toward the parked Bentley. First, they needed to escape the annoying journalists.Once the car door closed, shutting out the noise of the press, Cedric's domineering presence intensified the sudden quiet that enveloped them."How did you know I had an appointment?" Having dealt with the incident involving Charlie before, she felt a bit sensitive, her frown deepening slightly. 'Was he investigating me again?'"I just said that to the journalists offhand. Sophie, I've already made a mistake with Charlie's situation once. I promise it won't happen again." The apology was hard for him to say and even harder to articulate. He uttered it now as if awaiting a verdict, sneaking glances at her.Initially, he c
After work, Sophie exited the Luxford Group building to find Cedric routinely waiting at the parking lot entrance. Despite being a taken man and their CEO's boyfriend, his presence still made employees swoon, unable to suppress their daydreams.One female employee sighed dreamily. "Mr. Carlson is so handsome. If I had a man like him waiting for me after work, I'd be so happy." Another chimed in. "If I were that lucky, I wouldn't bother working anymore. I'd quit slaving away for a measly salary. But if the boss were someone like Mr. Carlson, I wouldn't mind working hard like a mule for him," The women giggled over their fantasies, their remarks earning eye rolls from Jeanna."I think the company should enroll them in a moral and ethics course, or maybe send them on a year-long retreat to a monastery to clear their minds," Jeanna suggested."That can only happen when your designs sell all the way to the monasteries in the mountains," Sophie said with a helpless shake of her head,
As Sophie stepped into the villa, she scanned around the living room as usual. Noticing the absence of Cherry, she immediately frowned with concern. "Grandpa, haven’t Cherry and Tristan returned yet?"'It's already past 5:00 p.m. School should have ended by now.'"They’re back, but Cherry seemed a bit upset today.""Is that so? Then I'll go check on her."Glancing upstairs, she quickly headed for the staircase. Since moving there, Cherry had been showered with the best by Jeff. Her usually cheerful nature meant she almost went to sleep smiling. 'What could possibly upset her?'She paused at the closed bedroom door and listened for any sounds but heard nothing, deepening her worry. An upset Cherry was never that quiet. Something serious must have happened."Cherry, can Mommy come in?"After knocking and hearing no response, she waited a few seconds before turning the doorknob and entering.On the pink princess bed, Cherry lay motionless, seemingly asleep. However, the uneven ris
Cedric felt a mix of satisfaction and concern. His gaze shifted to Tristan, who was quietly eating his dinner, a look of confusion in his eyes.'When Soph went upstairs earlier, I had already questioned the driver about the school incident. Did Tristan know something all along?'Tristan was seemingly unaffected by the conversation, quickly finished his food, and stood up. "Great-grandfather, Dad, I’m done eating. I'll go do my homework now."While watching him go upstairs, Cedric’s frown deepened. The issue with Vivienne might seem resolved, but he had a feeling it was far from over."Tristan seems very unusual today," Matthew remarked, unable to help himself.Tristan was usually quiet but never this withdrawn.Jeff chuckled, his wise eyes twinkling. "Kids have their moods. He’ll be better after a good night's sleep."'For now, the priority is to deal with Cedric and Soph's situation.'After dinner, as usual, Sophie spent time chatting with Jeff. Since learning of his illness,
Jeff's smile was warm as he handed a few raspberries to Sophie. She felt a sharp pain in her heart, battling back the tears. The day she dreaded most had finally arrived—Jeff was beginning to show signs of forgetfulness due to his illness."Grandpa…" Cedric's voice was strained, pain clear in his eyes. He wanted to find a reason to take the raspberries from Sophie, but she stopped him with a look.She smiled and popped one into her mouth. The familiar sweet-sour taste now carried a hint of bitterness. She chewed lightly, expertly spitting out the seed."Is it sweet?""Very sweet.""Eat more then. I had Mrs. Carrie buy a lot for you."Seeing Jeff's joy from her approval, Sophie forced a smile and continued eating.Cedric sat beside her, his whole body tense. He knew he needed to keep up the act so as not to upset Jeff.Jeff had bought a lot of raspberries. As Sophie finished those on her plate, Mrs. Carrie immediately brought another. But her skin was already itching, forcing he