Hector Donovan knew the director was all bark and no bite when it came to his sister, so he didn't blindly step in to defend her.
More importantly, after today's little scene, there was no guarantee that someone, just for the novelty of it, wouldn't actually come looking for Arabella Donovan for a character reading.
Now, with the director's verbal warning, his sister's image as a mysterious, otherworldly master was at least preserved.
Once Grant and Ken Young had left, leaving only Hector Donovan and his sister, Arabella Donovan finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"That scared me to death. I had a feeling Young was about to hit me just now."
"...You can drop the 'had a feeling.' He definitely wanted to hit you."
"So if he had tried to hit me, would you have saved me?"
"...I'd have held him back so he wouldn't beat you to death."
Arabella Donovan's gaze toward Hector Donovan immediately filled with resentment. 'I thought you had my back, but you just threw me under the bus. How could you do me dirty like that?'
Hector Donovan chuckled. "I'm just kidding. Don't worry, Young isn't that petty. And I would never let anyone harm a single hair on your head."
"That's more like it. But... how did you know I could tell fortunes like that?" Arabella Donovan shot him a suspicious look. "Don't tell me you..."
Hector Donovan nearly broke out in a cold sweat. "What are you thinking? After you came home that day, Mom couldn't wait to tell everyone in the family all about your heroic feat of standing up for Eloise at the restaurant. She told the story with such flair and made it sound so incredible that the rest of us were just stunned."
"When I heard Young talking about his situation just now, I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly remembered what she said..."
At this point, Hector Donovan put on a timely expression of curiosity. "Was what you said just now all true? Is Young really in danger?"
It had to be said, for someone who'd won so many Best Actor awards, Hector Donovan's acting skills were truly impeccable.
Arabella Donovan, who had just managed to completely bamboozle Ken Young, now found herself unable to see the slightest crack in her brother's performance.
'Looks like I really was overthinking it. It's a huge coincidence, but maybe heaven itself couldn't stand by and watch, and decided to give a little nudge from behind the scenes? Oh well, it's a good thing in the end.'
Having figured that out, Arabella Donovan stopped dwelling on it and once again trotted out the same stock phrase she'd used to fool Mrs. Donovan and Eloise.
"The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. The course of the world is fixed. It is so if you believe, and not if you don't. Amitabha, good, good."
Hector Donovan was speechless.
'She sounds more and more like a charlatan,' he thought. 'And why is someone from a Sacred Temple reciting a Buddhist mantra so smoothly? My head is starting to itch. I think I'm about to grow a brain!'
Just as Hector Donovan had predicted, because of the morning's little interlude, many people on set now looked at Arabella Donovan with a mix of curiosity and an eagerness to act. However, mindful of the director's earlier warning, no one dared to actually approach her for a reading.
But even setting that aside, as Hector Donovan's sister, Arabella Donovan was already a target for actors of all levels on set who wanted to curry favor. Add to that her endearing appearance, her constant smile for anyone who greeted her, and her sweet-talking nature.
She had several actresses, who had originally approached her with ulterior motives, absolutely delighted. In no time at all, they were treating her like a close friend and had begun showering her with snacks like she was their beloved little sister.
And so, on her first day on set, Arabella Donovan did absolutely nothing. She just sat with her feet up under the small tent and umbrella set up for her brother, munching on snacks and fruit, sipping juice and milk tea. When she got bored or sleepy, she could even take a little nap. It was an incredibly comfortable life.
After wrapping up his scenes for the day without a break, Hector Donovan was greeted by this sight, and he felt both exasperated and amused.
Hector Donovan's manager, Sheldon Webb, was a handsome man in his early thirties. He wore a crisp, striped suit and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, giving off the distinct vibe of a dapper scoundrel.
He had been standing watch beside Arabella Donovan while she slept. When he saw Hector Donovan walk over, his expression was rather complicated.
"And you asked me to look after her. From what I can see, she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Is she really your sister?"
Hector Donovan shot him a look. "Same father, same mother, raised in the same house. What do you think?"
Sheldon Webb heaved a long sigh. "How can two kids from the same womb be so different? If you'd been as sharp as she is back in the day, think of all the trouble the two of us could have avoided."
As Sheldon Webb spoke, his eyes glinted with professional greed. "Is your sister really not planning to get into showbiz? Her type—that pure, innocent flower—is exactly what the industry is lacking right now. With a little management, she'd be a huge hit. We should keep such a prize in the family..."
"Don't even think about it. She's not interested in any of that."
"Then what is she interested in? Telling fortunes?"
Hector Donovan suddenly recalled Arabella Donovan saying she wanted to go back and inherit the Sacred Temple, and his eye twitched violently.
Just then, the sound of their voices woke Arabella Donovan.
"Brother, are you done filming?" Arabella Donovan groggily glanced around, realizing most people were already gone. "Where's Young?"
"He lives in the city, not far from here, so he already went home."
"Oh. Then are we..."
"Hector." Before Arabella Donovan could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the director, who had hurried over.
"Perfect, you haven't left yet. Come, let me introduce you. This is our show's biggest investor, Mr. Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes, this is Hector Donovan, Mr. Donovan."
Caspian Rhodes, trailing behind the director, finally saw his chance to get closer to Arabella Donovan. He stepped forward to shake Hector Donovan's hand, saying, "It's an honor to meet you," while his eyes instinctively flickered toward Arabella a few times.
Caspian Rhodes thought his little glances were discreet, but Hector Donovan caught them all. He immediately took a step forward, completely shielding his sister behind him.
Arabella Donovan, however, failed to appreciate her brother's protective gesture. She peeked out from behind him, staring at Caspian Rhodes thoughtfully.
'This handsome guy looks a little familiar. I feel like I've seen him somewhere before.'
Hearing her thought, Hector Donovan grew even more wary. Caspian Rhodes, on the other hand, was a bit disappointed. 'It's only been a few days, and all I am is 'a little familiar'!'
"I've long been an admirer of Best Actor Donovan. I'd like to host dinner tonight. I was wondering if I might have the honor of inviting you and Director Grant for a casual meal?"
Hector Donovan's eyes flickered. "I'm not sure that's appropriate. I'm only here for a cameo."
The subtext was clear: If you want to invite someone to dinner, you should be asking the star of the show, not a special guest who's only here for a few days.
"Today, I came specifically to meet you. This has little to do with the production."
In other words, he had come today specifically for Hector Donovan. The rookie lead of such a low-budget series didn't even register on his radar.
Edward Pierce, who had rushed over upon hearing the show's biggest financial backer was on set, happened to overhear this. His handsome, refined face instantly twisted with jealousy, and his eyes, when they fell on Hector Donovan, were filled with hatred.
Hiding behind Hector Donovan, Arabella Donovan peeked at one man and then the other, her expression growing increasingly solemn.
'Don't tell me this Mr. Rhodes is...'
Both Hector Donovan and Caspian Rhodes abruptly stopped talking. As if on cue, they both pricked up their ears, eager to hear what Arabella Donovan was thinking now.
'He wants to proposition my brother, doesn't he?! Good heavens, does your entertainment industry really not care about gender at all?'