"Sorry, Young Master. I've been audacious to—""Ssh! Don't speak too loud. Do you want to disturb my son's peaceful sleep?" Samuel warned the servant and then asked, "Now tell me, what happened? Why did you take Stelio out?""Well, actually, it was at the request of the Young Madam to take the Young Master out. She was worried that the Young Master was uncomfortable sleeping on the floor. Young Master, maybe the Madam actually cares for you," the servant said.Samuel maintained his usual poker face. The servant found it puzzling. Wasn't this what the Young Master wanted? Then why was there no happiness on his face?"Give Stelio to me; I'll take him to his room.""Young Master, will I be punished?" The servant spoke with fear. "Actually, the Madam said that she would take the punishment if I was punished for taking the Young Master out.""Maya said that?" The man, now holding a child, stared sharply at the servant."I'm off the hook for not being punished?" The servant looked surprised
Samuel gazed at Maya Lin. "Is this what you're telling me? Something that will help you get out of here?""Oh, has the moment finally arrived? Turns out it's much sooner than I expected." Maya smiled with delight. "So, you're going to do it, right?""I haven't made a decision yet," Samuel replied firmly."Um... Papa, why is Papa here?" The innocent voice diverted Samuel's attention, softening his expression."Stelio, you're awake. Did you sleep well?""Yes, I slept well, thanks to Mama caring for me."Samuel glanced at Maya, who remained unresponsive. Seeing the can she had brought, he spontaneously asked, "Stelio, did you bring that drink?"Stelio looked at the canned drink that Samuel pointed to."Yes, Papa. I brought it.""Did Maya ask you to do it?" Samuel inquired of Stelio but cast a suspicious glance in Maya's direction.Maya chose to avert her gaze, avoiding baseless suspicion from her despised husband."No, I brought it myself. Why are you asking, Papa?"Upon hearing this res
"No such thing, Manager Chen," Samuel countered. "Wait here; I'll call Maya.""Why don't you let a servant call her and bring her here?""Manager Chen, who are you to dictate to me? I can just have you kicked out. Not only will you not be able to meet Maya, but I'll ensure you can't return to city S.""I apologize for my rudeness, Mr. Ren," Manager Chen finally apologized. As the man walked away, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Confronting Samuel's cold and suffocating aura had been torturous.She could imagine that Maya wouldn't be comfortable in this place. Manager Chen had considered saving Maya from this man.***Samuel opened the room where he had confined the woman. Maya sat, reading a book, not realizing someone had entered."Maya Lin!" the call made Maya look up and lock eyes with Samuel."What do you want?" Maya responded with a flat expression.You may want to get out of here and meet your Manager. But I have conditions you need to fulfil.""What if I don't want t
Samuel shifted his gaze towards the photo that Maya was looking at. "If you don't like it, I can replace it with a new one of us together. We could take a three-person picture with Stelio.""No need; this photo is good enough to remind us of our relationship."Maya vividly remembered when this photo was taken. It was a picture of the three of them. Even though only their clothing was visible, Maya recalled an image with Mathilda. "Why don't you enlarge this photo so we can see all of it? Wouldn't that be more comfortable?""Mama, you look beautiful in that photo," Stelio complimented."Really? But there's another beautiful woman in this photo, too. Do you want to see it? I'll fetch and enlarge the photo."Maya reached for the photo when Samuel quickly touched her hand and handed her a stack of scripts. "Here's the new script from our company."Maya furrowed her brow. "What's up with this guy? It's like he's hiding something from his child. Is Samuel deliberately concealing Mathilda's
BAM!"Samuel, are you out of your mind? Why did you barge in?" Maya yelled angrily, her eyes blazing as she saw the man who had somehow broken in. "Turn around right now, don't you dare look at me like that!""Maya Lin, so you've been spending your time in a bath? Why would you shower at this hour? I thought you might have ended your life to escape from me," Samuel said sarcastically."I won't waste my precious life just for you. Get out now and close the door!" Maya snapped.Maya drove Samuel away by splashing water in his direction. "Don't you need my help? I can massage—""I said get out!" Maya cut off Samuel's words that were leading to something ambiguous.Samuel covered his ears and immediately stepped out, closing the door. A grin played on his lips. Maya's flushed face revealed anger and embarrassment, making her look beautiful. It had been long since he'd seen such an intriguing expression on her face. Usually, Maya just had a cold, angry, or fearful look."Papa, are you and M
"I want--""Papa, the doctor's here!" Stelio suddenly entered.Samuel whispered something to Maya. "Get your task done first. We'll discuss compensation later. If you can't do it well, you'll face the consequences!"The doctor observes their intimate conversation."Sorry, did I arrive at an inconvenient time? You can continue being affectionate. I'll wait."Samuel distanced himself from Maya, his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay; you can check her leg. Please be gentle; I don't want my dear wife in pain."The female doctor quickly approached and started examining her leg. "Does this hurt?""A little.""Could you bring me some ice, Mr. Ren?" The doctor asked Samuel."Let me do it." Stelio offered. He knew his father wouldn't want to be ordered around."Stelio, you can sit next to your mom. I'll handle it," Samuel said, moving from his seat."Mr. Ren is very attentive to you, Ma'am. I've never seen him do all this for a woman, not even accompanying a woman during treatment. How did you m
"Samuel, what do you want from me?" Maya Lin trembled as she looked at the man, his hand gripping hers, his gaze intense."Maya, if you let me hug you, I'll help you pass the audition and get that role.""You said Director Wang doesn't accept the back door approach," Maya stared at him, disbelief in her eyes."I have my own ways. So, are you letting me?""No. It's your job to help me. You're going to be my agent, right?" Maya Lin firmly refused."Don't use that as a reason to refuse. If I'm just acting as a manager, I might as well send one of my artists who's guaranteed to be accepted by Director Wang." Samuel looked at her with a condescending gaze. "Maya Lin, do you know how many women throw themselves at me for more help? I just want to hug you, nothing more.""Don't lump me in with those people. Why should I sell myself just to be considered by someone else? You want to hug me to channel your longing for Mathilda, don't you? Why don't you go to her grave and hug—"Samuel gripped
"No. I disagree. I just want my wife." Samuel rejected the CEO's suggestion."Mr. Samuel, think about it again. If you invest in this company, I'll provide excellent resources for Maya Lin. It's also beneficial for you. We have our up-and-coming actors and actresses. They show more promise than just bringing Maya Lin, who might not be as profitable."Samuel stared sharply at the CEO. "Are you mocking my wife? Do you think my wife is worse than your other artists?""Mr. Samuel Ren, even though she's your wife, you should assess objectively. Have you not considered the public's reaction if Maya Lin moves to Jinyue Production?" The CEO fearlessly expressed his low opinion of Maya Lin."Of course, my wife is the most deserving. Didn't she receive awards? Her name is even on the rise compared to your favorite artists." Samuel, now, returned the CEO's gaze with a condescending look. "My wife doesn't fit in your company, providing poor resources that don't match Maya. Do you think I would in
"Do you know where Maya Lin is?" Samuel asked upon receiving a call from Manager Chen about Maya's sudden departure."No, Young Master, I think something has happened. Especially since that number is not registered. It's my fault; I should have blocked it.""Do you remember the number?" Samuel persisted, staying calm."Yes, the number..." Manager Chen mentioned the number. Samuel's face began to harden."Assistant Jung, have someone trace the location of this number. I'm sure that person is behind all this. Ask them to do it quickly," Samuel instructed his assistant.Assistant Jung began contacting someone. "Young Master, we have found its location!""Let's go there right away!" Samuel said.Assistant Jung informed the driver of the address they were heading to. "Drive fast. We need to get there quickly," Samuel ordered coldly.***Maya stared at the small bottle. She was sure it contained poison."Mama, don't drink! I beg you!" Stelio tried to rebel, but he was too small to break free
"Maya, if something important happens, I will request permission for someone to replace you," Manager Chen said, sensing Maya's anxiety.Maya shook her head. "It's okay, it's not something important."Maya was confident that without her interference, Samuel would find Stelio. As usual, she handed her phone to Manager Chen, letting him keep it during her shoot.Maya tried to remain cheerful during the shoot and socialize with other reality show members, but her mood was off. Many thoughts raced through her mind. "Has Samuel found him? How is the child? What made him leave suddenly?""We'll take a short break, be ready for the next session."Maya immediately went to her manager. She was informed, "Maya, there's a call from an unknown number. He's been calling repeatedly.""Let me check it!"With the phone in her hand, Maya received a call from the intended person."Maya, I'm leaving for a moment!" Manager Chen said, leaving Maya.Maya nodded, bracing herself to answer it. "Hello.""Oh,
Stelio's mouth dropped open wide as he read the name on the tombstone. Marion Lin Ren. "This person has a middle name that's Mama's surname and also Ren. Could there be a connection to the Ren family?"Things were becoming clearer for Stelio, especially after Maya's statement earlier. However, a part of him found it hard to believe. Numerous questions filled Stelio's mind.The small man looked at a photo of a baby repeatedly touched by Maya. Unconsciously, he felt a twinge of envy. Stelio turned around, his mind filled with complexity and headed home.Someone suddenly tapped his shoulder. Stelio's body jerked in surprise. He turned hesitantly, fearing it might be Mama."Little Master Stelio, it's time to go home," Stelio felt relieved as the chauffeur approached.***"Papa, do you have another child?" Stelio couldn't bear not to know. Samuel, focused on typing something shifted his gaze to Stelio. "No. Don't you know you're my only son?""Is Papa sure there's no other child with the l
"Why can't I open it? Did Samuel take the child home?" Maya said. This morning, she mustered the courage to meet Stelio after the heated argument."Excuse me, Madam. Is there anything I can help you with?" A neatly uniformed hotel employee approached Maya."Do you know the guest staying in this room?""The guest in this room checked out last night. Is there anything else?" the woman asked politely."No." Maya felt a bit relieved. Stelio must be getting better care in S city now.***A few days later, Maya had resolved her drama. She decided to return to S city. "Manager Chen, is there any schedule after this?""No. Even the schedules for this month, including both advertisements and dramas, have all been canceled," Manager Chen replied."What? Why suddenly? Isn't my popularity rising now? Has the company not assigned any projects to me?""No. I also don't know what happened. Maya, did you perhaps offend CEO Ren?"Maya didn't answer. Manager Chen quickly interpreted her silence. "Didn't
Stelio faced numerous negative comments, and even haters began resorting to cruel actions like throwing rotten eggs at him when he met fans. Maya couldn't stop it in time. She could see Stelio's displeasure, but a professional smile remained on his lips as fans expressed concern. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just need to clean up."However, it wasn't as simple as that because Stelio's skin turned red. It seemed the eggs were laced with something causing skin irritation. Luckily, Stelio had completed his part. Maya couldn't bear to see this anymore."Stelio, you better quit after this!" Maya said sternly when they were in the room."No, Mama, I--""I can't take it anymore. You're always getting into trouble, and now your image is tarnished in the public eye. Plus, you have a lot of anti-fans; this will only reflect badly on me!""Mama, don't worry about it. Papa can handle all the internet news and annoying people--"Maya frustratedly cut Stelio off. "Enough! I don't want to hear it. How
Maya initially ran the shoot smoothly, but in a few days, everything changed. When the child suddenly arrived."Director, what's this? Why did the plot in the script change so drastically? Moreover, you've added a child character?" Maya protested about what was happening. She intentionally spoke privately with the Director."Maya, this isn't a drastic change. The writer just added it. Some scenes support it. Besides, we can capitalize on your popularity for this drama when it airs."Maya still suspected something. "Director, did my husband meet you and provide a significant investment with the condition that the story is altered to include a child?""Nothing like that happened. I chose to include it myself. Maya Lin, you don't need to worry about this. Just focus on acting. It should be easy for you to interact since he's your son, right? Don't complain too much; just do what's been determined."Maya left feeling disappointed. She was very sure that Samuel was behind all of this."Mam
Samuel gave flowers to Maya and Stelio. "Congratulations on completing this drama shoot!""Thank you, Papa." Stelio smiled happily.The crew and actors involved began celebrating with group photos."As a celebration, I'll treat all of you to a restaurant," Samuel announced, a statement that both actors and crew eagerly anticipated. "Come on, let's head to the restaurant I've booked right away."Everyone started getting ready. Samuel stopped Stelio, who was about to follow Maya and Manager Chen. "Stelio, you'll be in my car. There's something I want to talk to you about."Stelio looked at Samuel with confusion but still got into the car. During the journey, Samuel immediately posed a question."Are you close to Mike? What kind of relationship do you two have?" Samuel asked."Papa, didn't you want me to separate them? I don't have any relationship with him other than this," Stelio calmly replied."Are you sure that's all? Mike hasn't done anything wrong to you, right?"Stelio hesitated
"Stop looking for excuses. I know you're just talking nonsense to leave this place," Samuel said, not intending to let go of Maya."Samuel, can't you use your eyes properly? It's so obvious, but you didn't see it. Come on, we need to go to the eye doctor!" Maya said irritably.Stelio observed his parents arguing. He then shifted his gaze towards the door, his brow furrowed as if contemplating something.***Days passed, and Stelio's body slowly began to recover. He insisted on resuming shooting. Samuel was still concerned about his condition. "Are you sure you're feeling better?""Yes.""Alright. If that's what you want. Stelio, starting tomorrow, you'll have a guard to watch over you," Samuel informed his son.Stelio disagreed with Samuel's decision. "Why do I need a guard? Wouldn't it be safer if I'm with Mama? Dad, those guards could be one of the bad people like what happened at the party.""This time, I've chosen more carefully. Being with Maya is not too safe; look at yourself n
"Did Boss instruct you to do this? If anything happens to him, you'll know what we can do. Be aware, never touch the child recklessly," the person on the phone warned.The call ended, leaving Mike feeling anxious. Now, he had to ensure the child was okay to save himself. Mike immediately contacted someone he trusted to handle the situation.***"What the kid ate, I also had the same menu. If something's wrong, I would have experienced it too," Maya insisted."No, that's not necessarily true. Maya, you've always been careless about these things. Someone must have tampered with Stelio's food to harm him. Who's the lunatic daring enough to hurt a child?" Samuel felt frustrated."What about his condition now?""Lucky that the doctors could handle it, but Stelio hasn't woken up yet.""Samuel, you better reconsider your decision. Now you know the outside world is too harsh for a child. It's better for him to focus on school and play rather than pursuing a career as an artist like this!""I