"I'm not very familiar with Mr. Jennings. We've only met a few times before, at... at my cousin's company."
'Cousin?' The keyword immediately got Arabella Donovan's attention.
['Ah, that's right. Melody Lynch is Mr. Rhodes's cousin, so Mr. Rhodes's other cousin must be Melody Lynch's brother, right? I remember the plot mentioned that Fourth Sister's cousin runs an agency. It's pretty famous in the industry, called...']
"My cousin's name is Zane Lynch. Best Actor Donovan might not know him, but you've probably heard of his company, Radiant Entertainment."
['Radiant Entertainment.']
Arabella Donovan's and Caspian Rhodes's voices completely overlapped on the last two words.
An eerie silence fell over the car, broken a moment later by someone's frantic inner shout.
['It all adds up!']
The corners of Caspian Rhodes's mouth lifted uncontrollably. "Mr. Jennings's company was discussing a potential partnership with my cousin's company. I happened to run into him when I went to see my cousin, and we just exchanged a few words. We're not close."
Hector Donovan's expression clearly said, 'You say you're not close and I'm supposed to believe that? I don't buy it.' Arabella Donovan, on the other hand, was focused on something else entirely.
['He wasn't interested in a partnership with your cousin's company, he was interested in all the handsome men and beautiful women at your cousin's company! Ah, I remember now! That bit-part actor who looks a little like Second Brother, I think he's signed with Radiant Entertainment.']
['So that old hag had already found a stand-in for my Second Brother by then? Damn, this is the first time I've ever seen someone rush to find a replacement while the original Lover is still around. I suspect you guys are trying out a new genre of "Lover and stand-in" fiction.']
In the back seat, Hector Donovan and Caspian Rhodes both frowned in unison.
Hector Donovan was purely disgusted. Caspian Rhodes, however, was thinking more deeply.
'A guy who could coax someone like Jacqueline Jennings into spending countless resources to turn him from a bit-part actor into an international superstar, and then even step on Jacqueline Jennings to seize power... you don't even have to think about it to know he's no simple character.'
'Would a person like that be content to stay subordinate to others? Signing someone like him... I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse for Zane Lynch.'
Unaware of the two men's inner turmoil, Arabella Donovan began plotting how to get her fourth sister, who was far away in Stroven City, to Zane Lynch's company to meet him.
['Radiant Entertainment... He must have named it with them in mind. Cassandra Lynch and Melody Lynch. Their cousin really does love his two younger "sisters." Too bad Cassandra Lynch doesn't deserve his love. From the moment she found out her true identity, she began to show the same selfishness and insatiable greed as her biological parents.']
['She gradually grew dissatisfied with the fortune she had stolen and started eyeing the assets of the main branch of the family. To get her hands on those assets, she later went so far as to team up with her pack of devoted suitors to set traps for her cousins and steal company secrets.']
['No, they're Fourth Sister's blood relatives, after all. I can't just stand by and watch them get taken advantage of. The family reunion needs to happen as soon as possible.']
Caspian Rhodes's expression instantly darkened. He didn't care who the long-lost Lynch daughter was, but if this person dared to harm his relatives...
Hector Donovan was also stunned by Cassandra Lynch's shamelessness. He had lived under the same roof with Eloise Donovan for over a decade, and they had always been very close.
Out of love for Eloise, it was hard for him to stand by and watch her family be harmed.
In that moment, everyone in the car was lost in their own thoughts, yet their ultimate goals surprisingly aligned.
Unexpectedly, the fastest to act among the three was Caspian Rhodes.
To subtly increase Arabella Donovan's favorability toward him, Caspian Rhodes had a large afternoon tea spread sent to the film set the very next day, ostensibly as an apology for the previous night's events.
The masterstroke was that his afternoon tea wasn't just for Arabella Donovan and her friends, but for the entire film crew, making it difficult for Hector Donovan and the others to refuse.
Hector Donovan watched Arabella Donovan huddle with a few actresses from the crew, gossiping about how handsome, rich, gentle, considerate, polite, and generous Caspian Rhodes was. He felt as if his heart was soaking in lemon juice, so sour that the entire set could probably smell it.
The moment the actresses left, Hector Donovan impatiently pulled his sister aside, his face stern. "Serena, you're not an adult yet."
Arabella Donovan was completely baffled. "I know that."
"You've lived on a mountain for over a decade. You've met too few people. You don't know that many people in this world are two-faced. They say one thing to your face and another behind your back, one thing with their mouth and another in their heart. They're like chameleons. What you see isn't always what you get."
"Like... like some people look handsome and rich, but are actually stingy and cheap."
Arabella Donovan: ?
"They look gentle and considerate, but are actually hot-tempered and irritable."
Arabella Donovan: ??
"They look polite and generous, but are actually arrogant and materialistic."
Arabella Donovan: ???
"Second Brother, what on earth are you trying to say?"
"...You're still young. Don't rush into a relationship."
"A relationship? With who? Mr. Rhodes?"
Hector Donovan was so agitated he almost jumped. "Serena!"
"Second Brother, don't worry. There's no way I'd ever date him."
Only then did Hector Donovan calm down a little. "Why?"
"Is there a reason needed? Of course it's because I don't want to be in a relationship right now."
['Of course, it's because I still have to become a Daoist and inherit the Sacred Temple. A relationship would only slow down the speed at which I can swindle believers.']
Hector Donovan: "..." 'Ah, well, that's... not exactly necessary.'
In contrast to Hector Donovan's awkwardness and wariness in accepting the afternoon tea, Director Grant was the happiest and least burdened of them all.
Holding a cup of milk tea, he trotted over to Hector Donovan with a grin, trying to poach his sister. "Serena, my dear, are you sure you don't want to make a cameo in your uncle's show? With your talent, we could even save on wirework and special effects."
Hector Donovan hadn't forgotten how unreliable these two useless fools were last night. He sneered and retorted mercilessly, "Did Mr. Rhodes pull his funding? You're trying to save even this little bit of money."
Director Grant's face paled in fright. "PAH, PAH, PAH! Knock on wood, knock on wood! Don't you jinx me."
"Hah..."
"Uncle, I'm really just here to be my brother's assistant. I don't have any intention of developing a career in the entertainment industry right now. You should find someone else."
Director Grant looked Arabella Donovan up and down. Seeing her resolute will, he could only sigh and walk away, his face full of regret.
Director Grant's reminder finally made Hector Donovan remember to ask about last night.
"Your strength..."
Arabella Donovan didn't seem to expect Hector Donovan to ask about this. Her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of melancholy and nostalgia in her expression.
"There aren't many people on the mountain, so you have to do a lot of things yourself—fetching water, chopping firewood, washing clothes, cooking. I wasn't used to it at first when I was little, but it got better as I grew up. The more I did, the stronger I got."
For example, she went from being able to carry three buckets of water at once to four, and from chopping down a tree in a dozen swings to just seven or eight. It was very simple.
Hearing his sister talk about her life on the mountain for the first time, the oblivious Hector Donovan was instantly overwhelmed by guilt and heartache.
'Why on earth did I have to ask about that? AAAAAH, I'm such an idiot!'