In the elegant, quiet visitor's area of StarCrest Entertainment's headquarters, Dexter had just bid farewell to a guest when a handsome man appeared before him."Dexter, long time no see.""Mr. Silva? What brings you here all of a sudden?"Rio, a good friend of Hayden and Jake, was a frequent visitor during Hayden's sickness."I'm here to call in a favor." Rio beamed, his cheerfulness palpable.'A favor?' Dexter thought, perplexed, 'Since when does Mr. Hamilton owe Rio a favor?'"Where's Hayden?" Rio asked, his eyes already spotting Hayden lounging on a couch inside. With long strides, Rio quickly made his way in.Curious about what favor Rio might need, Dexter decided to stick around.Hayden drained the remaining coffee from his cup. As he glanced up, he saw Rio making himself comfortable on the couch and reaching for the untouched snacks on the table. Given their years of friendship, Hayden was no stranger to Rio's casual demeanor."What brings you here?"Rio smirked, his g
As Rio rose to leave, he threw a flirtatious glance Hayden's way. "Thanks, man."Once he had left, Hayden discreetly pulled out his phone to search for Farm Face-off. After perusing some information, he understood what this Farm Face-off was all about. It was a small variety show that had a few seasons under its belt but had always been just another show. Its popularity, however, had recently spiked due to the involvement of top-tier singer, Finn. The list of other participants had not been officially released yet; they were likely waiting until after filming was completed to reveal the lineup gradually.'Wasn't she filming Le Palais? Why did she join this variety show?' Ever since he had bought that protective charm and had it delivered to her, Hayden had not heard a peep from her. Their interaction had been calm and collected yet left them with nothing more to say. 'I wonder if she feels any better after receiving the charm?'On their way to find the person in charge, Dexter could
At the variety show, Derek's team had hustled all morning, the trio managing to wrap up their tasks ahead of schedule. As they emerged from the fields, they were all disheveled, covered in sweat and dirt. Despite wearing hats, Wyneth's fair cheeks were sunburned to a rosy hue, and droplets of perspiration traced glistening paths down her temples.Seeing this, Derek fumbled in his pocket to offer her a tissue. Unfortunately, when he pulled it out, it was sodden and grimy.Wyneth's lips twitched at the sight. "You better keep that for yourself."After a silent moment, Derek tucked the grubby tissue back into his pocket. "We've finished our task. Let's head back."During their return, the two men walked in silence, flanking Wyneth on either side. Though inwardly full of reflections, Wyneth waved at the camera. The cameraman quickly stepped forward, shifting to the solo shooting mode they had used earlier. Wyneth showed the camera her dirty hands and pointed out the traces of the day's
His lips curled into a smile. 'This variety show trip has been quite worthwhile.'They returned to their resting place in good spirits. But as soon as they stepped inside, a pungent and offensive smell of something burned assaulted their nostrils. Wyneth's face turned a shade paler. Finn crinkled his nose instinctively, asking, "What's that smell? Is the place on fire?" Derek was speechless. 'Seems like our lunch is off the table today.' While he was contemplating, a sudden clamor erupted from the direction of the kitchen. Quickly, they rushed over, only to encounter Giada screaming and rushing out of the kitchen, almost crashing into Finn's open arms. Finn managed to sidestep just in time."Y-You're back." Giada's face reddened upon seeing the trio. "Lunch isn't ready yet. You might have to wait a little longer."They all turned to look at the kitchen. Or rather, what was left of it. The ingredients and crockery the production team had prepared were largely wasted; burned, chopped
Finn stepped in to start the clean-up, with Wyneth following suit to get a cloth, only to have Derek snatch it up before she could lay a hand on it. The two men wasted no time diving into the kitchen's disarray.Giada stood off to the side, a shocked look plastered across her face. 'Is it my imagination or are these two guys competing to do Wyneth's chores?' she grumbled silently, resentment building. 'Why, though?'Despite the kitchen being attended to, Wyneth was not just standing around idle. She waited until Finn cleared a bit of space, then ventured in to assess the surviving ingredients. 'Due to the weather, we don't store much food, and fresh ingredients are usually just enough for the day. Giada has wasted so much... What's left...' Wyneth mulled over it for a moment before turning to the others. "Ever had aglio e olio? How about we have that for lunch?" The remaining ingredients were hardly enough for a full meal. If they attempted to cook, the resulting portions would be pi
Finn and Derek had already gone outside, and she did not want to stay here anymore."Fine, go ahead."After Giada had left, Wyneth set to work, neatly dicing up the pancetta. She was about to heat up some oil and commence cooking when she noticed some garlic cloves set aside had not been peeled or minced. Closer examination revealed some still ensconced in its papery shell, not at all ready for the pan. A silent sigh passed through her. She collected the garlic without uttering a complaint, dutifully beginning the task of peeling and mincing. It was no issue in her mind; these culinary skills were not innately acquired. They were learned, honed over time. No one springs forth from birth with a chef's knife in hand.Outside, Derek and Finn were chatting. Even though Derek had lost the previous game, he had the audacity to pull out his phone and propose to Finn, "Hey Finn, how about we follow each other on Facebook?"Hearing this, Finn cast him a contemptuous glance."If I remember
By the time the aromatic scent hit, Giada could not help but feel her stomach rumble, and her cheeks heated up in response. But both Finn and Derek seemed to be unconcerned. Neither of them even looked her way. As a result, she felt an unexpected sense of being ignored.When Wyneth brought out the aglio e olio, Giada had to force herself to swallow the saliva that had formed at the smell. 'How could it smell this amazing? It must be an illusion! Why else would I find the aroma of such a common dish so tantalizing?' she thought, as she had always looked down on it before. 'Wyneth must've sneaked in some secret seasoning. It probably won't even taste good.'For hygiene's sake, Wyneth brought the food outside to serve it. The ingredients were scarce, but the spaghetti was abundant. Giada saw the amount Wyneth was serving her and immediately protested, "I-I don't want that much, a little will be enough." At her words, all three of them turned to look at her. Giada laughed awkwardly. "I d
At least, her beauty was less infuriating now."I'll take care of the clean-up today." Derek began gathering the dishes. It was not a lot, and Wyneth seemed exhausted, so she simply nodded in agreement.Seeing Wyneth's worn-out state, Finn decided to check in on her. "Tired, huh? Want to take a nap?"Wyneth did feel a wave of fatigue wash over her. But as she glanced around, she could not spot any suitable spots for her to rest."There is..." Giada pointed at a room nearby. "When I lost my way earlier, I stumbled upon it. There's a little bed and a blanket inside, should be good for a rest. Not the cleanest, though."Wyneth looked at Giada with a touch of surprise. 'An illusion? She doesn't seem as hostile now?' She replied, "I'll take a look." Wyneth got up and walked toward the room Giada had pointed out. Upon opening the door, she found a small bed and blanket, likely a resting spot for the workers. It was more than just unclean; it was downright filthy. But then again, she was