As he stood in the living room with Rhodes, the rest of the Carnell’s family sat on the couches, and for a while, no one said a word. Then Mr. Carnell darted his gaze off Noah and eyed Rhodes, asking, “And you are?”“He’s my father. Unfortunately, my mother could not be here. She is back at home, in the countryside.” Noah cut in, and the fact that he did cuased Mr. Carnell’s face scrunch into a grimace in disapproval.The fact that Noah was forcing this lie on him made Rhodes' chest tighten uncomfortably. The truth was, he hated lying to others, especially compelling people. But his job was to help Noah, and if that meant playing along with this charade, so be it.“So you are Mr. Curtis?” Mr. Carnell asked, trying to keep his tone calm despite his annoyance.“Yes, sir,” Rhodes answered, knowing that the less he said, the easier it would be to avoid looking suspicious.“Hmm, so what do you do for a living?”“I am... was a butler. But I am retired now.”“And your wife is living in the
The courthouse looked so empty and plain as Genevieve, Rhodes, Leo, and Noah walked in, and Genevieve held her tears back, thoroughly disheartened that she was even getting married for the second time.On the other hand, Noah, who had never thought about a wedding for himself, felt a little guilty that this dull room with pale walls and wooden benches was what Genevieve was becoming somewhat his wife in.Then Carnell came in afterward, and the judge presiding over the wedding looked annoyed to be there, seeing that it was Genevieve and some unknown guy he was about to officiate.After Rhodes had escorted Leo to sit with him, Noah and Genevieve moved to the front while the members of the Carnell family took their seat.The judge tried to be professional and snapped himself out of it quickly, addressing the couple in a low voice, asking them if they were prepared for the marriage, and then proceeding to recite some very boring oaths of commitment.Afterward, he told them to exchange rin
The penthouse was quiet, and the echo of his shoes hitting the tile was the only sound Noah heard as he walked further down the hallway.When he finally turned down the corridor, he moved for a substantial dark wooden door and pressed a finger to the sensor pad on the wall next to it. After recognizing his fingerprint, the door slid open with a small click, revealing a large living room, and seated on the couch were his parents.Their faces were stiff and expressions unreadable when they turned towards him, and Noah stood there for a silent second, and then eventually said, “Good afternoon, mother... Father.”Giving him the cold shoulder, Mrs. Stark refused to speak until she noticed the band on her son's ring finger.“Do you hate us that much?” Mrs. Stark cried in a strangled voice. “We trusted you, son.”“And I need your to trust me on this too.” Noah calmly said as he approached a dark green chair and sat down, crossing his legs relaxedly. “Trust you? Son, you just married a wom
With a heavy heart, knowing that he was about to live a life of lies, Noah looked directly into his father's eyes and said, “Until I figured out how not to hurt Genevieve and Leo with my real identity, yes. I plan to be Jack for now.”The living room felt like a graveyard, cold and silent for a couple of minutes, and then Mr. Stark said, “You have a year. I hope you don't regret this, son.”With a nod, Noah stood from his seat and paused as he stared at his parents before saying, “I should get going.”After his words got silent as a response, he turned away from them and began walking out of the door, not looking back, even though his heart ached.A moment later, he arrived at the blue house, parked his rental 2004 Toyota Corolla in the yard, and stepped out.The area was quieter than he had expected since there was now a kid living there, but when he got into the living room a couple of minutes later, he realized what it was. Both Genevieve and Leo were sleeping on the couch.His fac
Eyes wild open, Noah lay stiffly, unable to turn or shake on the bed, feeling exhausted, and his body ached.Just then, Genevieve moved her foot upward on his waist, and Noah drew a breath, looking to his right to see her sleeping with her mouth slightly open, and he mumbled, “How can you sleep so soundly in such a awkward position?”The only answer he got was a soft snort from her, and when he tried to shift his body slightly, she moved, hugging him closer, burying herself in him like a child, and murmuring something about ‘Why is the pillow so hard,’ which made Noah chuckle softly.His laugh echoed in Genevieve's ear, and she thought she had such a mad dream where her pillows talked, and then Genevieve realized that she was holding onto something firm and warm.Then Her palm subconsciously started feeling Noah's body as she blinked, trying to clear her mind.When her hand reached his face and almost poked his eyes, he grabbed her wrist gently, causing her senses to awaken immediatel
After following Genevieve's directions for a while, Rhode stopped in front of a massive building with big glass windows when he heard her say, “This is the area.”Once the car got parked, Genevieve looked at Noah and Leo sitting quietly by her, looking as though they could do no wrong, and felt a bit relaxed, saying, “Okay, guys. I am going to go in, and you three can wait out here.” “Bye, mommy!” Leo cheered, waving at her. “Love you!”“I love you too, Bambino.” Genevieve smiled, leaning down to give Leo one last quick kiss, causing him to squeal, before stepping out of the car.As soon as Genevieve closed the door, Noah and Leo locked eyes, and both grinned before Noah said, “We should get breakfast.”“Can we get some for mommy?” Leo asked, tilting his head slightly.“Yeah, let's do that, Buddy.” “Yay!” When Genevieve walked into the building, she saw that the place was crowded and noisy. People were bustling everywhere, yelling orders, moving cameras, lighting, and background pr
“3, 2, 1... Action.” Director Henson stated, looking through the camera as Genevieve approached the bar counter, pretending to clean it and not paying attention to the customers coming in.Then the male lead, Alex, walked over to the table, and Genevieve raised her gaze, giving a faint smile, and said, “Sorry, I will be done soon with cleaning this. But you can take another table if you want.”“No. I prefer this one since I know that it’s clean enough.” Alex replied calmly.Hearing that, the corners of Genevieve's mouth twitched a little, and she pretended to focus on wiping the chair for a little while before pulling back and saying, “Well, then it’s all. ““Mommy,” Genevieve heard Leo's voice, causing her to freeze mid-sentence and start looking around.“Cut!!” Director Henson suddenly yelled, making Genevieve jump slightly as he took his hands off the camera. Then he looked at her unimpressed, “What the hell is wrong with you?! You were supposed to act normally, and you were suppo
When Manager Josh tried to yank his hand out of Noah's grip, and it wouldn't budge, he attempted to throw his fist at Noah’s face, but Noah was quicker than him and dodged it easily.Then Noah twisted his wrist, making Manager Josh yell out in pain, pushing his head downward, and said coldly, “Apologize now,” Struggling to break free, Manager Josh gritted out, “Get your hands off of me.”Instead of letting go, Noah tightened his grip and yanked his arm upward, causing a grunt to erupt from his lips. “Apologize to him.” Noah threatened again, twisting his wrist harder until Manager Josh screamed in pain, “Alright, alright!! Stop hurting me already!”Looking up at Noah with pouted lips and watery eyes, Leo sniffed, and Manager Josh frowned at the sight of the kid, but his arm felt like it was about to get ripped from its joint, and the force had become enough to cause tears to well up in his eyes. “I am sorry! I apologize, kid!” Manager Josh yelled, his chest rising and falling rapid
Max's eyes widened at Noah's command, but he nodded without hesitation. “Understood, sir,” he replied, already mentally preparing the necessary security measures. Noah's expression softened briefly. “Thanks, Max. Your discretion is appreciated as always.”Max offered a small, respectful nod before hurrying off to carry out his orders. Noah watched him go, a wave of hesitation washing over him.With one last glance towards the guest suite, Noah headed out of the mansion. He climbed into his car and drove towards the airport. As he navigated through the city streets, his mind raced with thoughts of the confrontation ahead.The airport was bustling with the usual activity when Noah arrived. He parked his car in a strategic location, ensuring he had a clear view of the terminal entrance. He checked his watch, noting that Hunter’s flight was due to land any minute.Noah’s phone buzzed with an incoming message. It was from one of his men, confirming that Hunter had landed and was making hi
Noah’s heart hammered in his chest as he turned back to Genevieve, her words echoing in his mind. "Hunter... why do I feel like I’ve heard that name before?" “What do you mean, Genevieve?” Noah asked, his voice low but urgent. He took a step closer, his eyes searching hers for any hint of recognition. “Have you heard about Hunter before? Do you know something?”Genevieve’s gaze flickered away, a shadow of something unreadable passing over her face. She shook her head slightly, biting her lower lip. “It’s nothing, Noah. Just... a feeling. I can’t explain it.”Noah wanted to press her, to demand answers, but he saw the resolute set of her jaw and knew she wouldn’t budge. He let out a frustrated sigh but didn’t push further. “Alright,” he said softly, his tone gentler now. “But if you remember anything, anything at all, promise me you’ll tell me. This guy has been tailing you from since I can remember, and his coming here can not be a coincident.”She nodded, her eyes meeting his with a
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city, Noah made his way through the bustling streets toward Genevieve's hotel. He had donned a simple disguise—a pair of dark glasses, a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead, and a scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face—enough to conceal his identity from casual observers.Arriving at the hotel, Noah hesitated for a moment before steeling himself and striding purposefully toward the entrance. The lobby was dimly lit, the soft murmur of conversation blending with the gentle hum of the air conditioning. Noah kept his head down, avoiding eye contact as he made his way to the elevator.Pressing the button for Genevieve's floor, Noah felt a surge of nervous energy coursing through him. When he reached her floor, Noah stepped out into the hallway and made his way to her door. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the handle before finally summoning the courage to knock.The sound echoed through t
Hunter’s heart pounded in his chest as he dashed out of the office, the echo of his boss's enraged voice still ringing in his ears. He fumbled with his phone, nearly dropping it as he opened the travel app to book a flight. His fingers moved frantically across the screen, selecting the earliest available departure."Please, please, please..." he muttered under his breath, watching the spinning wheel of the app processing his request. Finally, the confirmation screen appeared. "Yes!" he whispered, relief flooding through him as he saw the details: a flight to the city where Genevieve's production was taking place, leaving in two hours.Hunter grabbed his coat and briefcase, racing down the hall toward the exit. He pushed through the revolving doors and into the bustling street, hailing a cab with a frantic wave. A yellow taxi screeched to a halt beside him, and he jumped in."To the airport, please! As fast as you can!" he instructed the driver, his voice breathless.The driver nodded
Glenn reluctantly reached for her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialed Mrs. Stark's number. Each ring felt like an eternity, the weight of her mother's expectations bearing down on her with every passing second."Hello, Glenn. What can I do for you?" Mrs. Stark's voice was calm and professional, but there was an underlying tension that Glenn couldn't ignore."Mrs. Stark, it's me, Glenn. I... I wanted to talk to you about the situation with FoxZ and... and the role," Glenn stammered, her words faltering as she struggled to find the right way to phrase her request.There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Mrs. Stark responded, her tone cautious. "I understand, Glenn. Believe me, I wish there was more I could do to help. But given the circumstances..."Glenn's heart sank at Mrs. Stark's words, the reality of her situation crashing down on her with brutal force. "So, there's no chance of me getting back on the cast? Not even in a different production or wi
The plane ride back home felt like an eternity for Glenn. She sat in her seat, staring out the window, lost in thought. She couldn't shake off the events of the past few days—the confrontation with Noah, and the humiliation at the resort.As the plane landed and the passengers began to disembark, Glenn gathered her belongings and made her way through the airport. She hailed a cab and settled in for the ride home. The familiar sights of her town passing by felt both comforting and suffocating. She couldn't wait to be back in her own space, away from prying eyes and judgmental whispers.When she arrived home, she was relieved to find the house empty except for the maid."Young Miss, you are here?" the maid asked, her voice filled with surprise and concern.Glenn's mood, already sour from her encounter with her mother, turned even darker. She snapped at the maid, her words sharp and biting. "Of course, I'm here. Where else would I be?"The maid flinched at Glenn's tone, taken aback by her
As Noah and Rhodes sauntered away from the pool area, the tension hung thick around them, akin to the lingering resonance of an unresolved chord in a somber melody. Each step seemed weighed down by the weight of the confrontation they had just left behind.Rhodes's phone vibrated in his pocket, disrupting the heavy silence. Hastily retrieving it, he checked the caller ID before answering, his voice pitched low, betraying the gravity of the situation."Hello?" Rhodes's response was clipped, betraying a sense of urgency."Rhodes, it's Smith. We've got the footage," came the voice on the other end, crisp and professional.Rhodes's brows shot up in surprise. "Everything?""Yeah, our guy was in the right place at the right time. We've got everything, clear as day," Smith replied confidently.Rhodes nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "Alright, send it over."Ending the call, Rhodes turned towards Noah, a mix of curiosity and caution etched across his features. "Boss, what's the pla
For the longest, Rhodes stood outside Noah's hotel room, his knuckles hovering over the door, hesitating for a moment before he finally knocked. The door opened, revealing Noah, who was dressed in a simple white wrinkled t-shirt and faded jeans, a stark contrast to his usual sharp suits. With a faint smile, Rhodes raised an eyebrow, surprised by Noah's attire. "Boss, you're looking... casual," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Noah chuckled, stepping aside to let Rhodes in. "I figured we're going incognito today. Can't have anyone recognizing us," he said, closing the door behind Rhodes. "Is everything ready?" Noah asked, getting straight to the point. Locking eyes with his sudden dark ones, Rhodes nodded, his expression serious. "Yes, boss. The arrangements have been made. We're all set." Noah leaned back, a thoughtful look on his face. "Good. I want everything to go smoothly today." Rhodes nodded again, understanding the importance of the task at hand. "Don't wo
The morning sun filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow over Glenn's room. She wakes up to the insistent ringing of her phone.Groaning, she reaches over and sees her mother's name flashing on the screen. She debates letting it go to voicemail but knows her mother won't give up easily.Reluctantly, Glenn answers. "Hello?""Glenn, finally!" Mrs. Carrell's voice is sharp, cutting through the early morning calm. "I've been calling and calling. Why haven't you been answering?"Glenn rubs her eyes, trying to wake up fully. "Sorry, Mom. I was sleeping. What's up?""What's up? What's up is that I just saw the news. Genevieve is still leading the production, and you're nowhere to be seen. What have you been doing all this time?"Glenn sighs, already feeling the weight of her mother's disappointment. "I'm handling it, Mom. Don't worry.""Handling it? For three months, Glenn! You keep saying the same thing, but nothing changes. I'm starting to think you don't know what you're doing."