Seeing them, Faye Jennings breathed a quiet sigh of relief. ’So Seth Quinn is still here.’ She hadn’t seen them over at the hotel for so long, she’d thought he had already left.
Her gaze pretended to casually sweep over Seth Quinn’s face before landing on Poppy Vance. She smiled faintly and said, "Poppy, I saw you hadn’t made it to the hotel, so I brought the autographed photos over. I had so that were already signed, and I just did a few more. See if this is enough. If not, I can go sign so more."
As she spoke, she held out the bag she was carrying.
Poppy Vance had caught the look Faye Jennings just gave Seth Quinn. She understood perfectly. ’The only reason Faye Jennings would personally run all the way over here to deliver photos is to get a chance to see Brother Quinn, isn’t it?’
’His actual wife is standing right here, yet she’s brazenly lusting after her husband.’ A sudden urge to tease her ca over Poppy Vance.
So, she lightly tapped her forehead as if she’d just rembered sothing. Without even glancing at the proffered bag, she said, "Oh my, Miss Jennings, I accidentally posted a few of Clara’s stills to my social dia,
and as a result, when my classmates saw them, they all started clamoring that they don’t want your autographs anymore. They want to get them Clara’s instead. I’m so sorry to have made you co all this way in person."
Though she spoke apologetic words, her face and tone held not a trace of actual apology.
Faye Jennings’s hand, holding out the bag, froze awkwardly in midair, unsure whether to pull it back or leave it there.
She was, after all, an A-list celebrity, the top actress at Aegis Films. No one had ever treated her this way.
Faye Jennings was furious. She desperately wanted to chew out Poppy Vance for posting the stills so carelessly. But since the three executives present hadn’t said a word, what right did she have?
Besides, Poppy Vance was Linden Jennings’s girlfriend. She was in no position to tell her off.
’Ultimately, this is all because I’m not Seth Quinn’s girlfriend! And when you get right down to it, it’s because Clara Grant is standing in my way, preventing from becoming Seth Quinn’s girlfriend!’
And so, in the end, Faye Jennings laid all the bla squarely on Clara Grant.
No one spoke. The atmosphere grew tense. Clara Grant thought Poppy’s words had been a bit too blunt. Besides, even if Poppy was just being thoughtless, didn’t her comnts just make Faye Jennings resent Clara?
"Poppy, your classmates must have poor judgnt. How could I compare to Faye?" Clara Grant said, trying to diffuse the tension. She reached out, took the bag from Faye Jennings’s hand, and pressed it into Poppy’s.
"Take Faye’s photos with you. Once they see them, your classmates will know who they really should admire."
Poppy Vance was rendered speechless, seeing Clara stick up for her own love rival. But since she couldn’t say anything outright, she reluctantly took the bag. "Alright then. Thank you, Miss Jennings, for delivering them yourself."
Faye Jennings smiled and shook her head. "It was no trouble."
She was smiling, but inwardly she was cursing Clara Grant a million tis over.
"Let’s all go eat, then. I haven’t eaten yet," Faye Jennings said, glancing at Seth Quinn again. "I need to hurry; I have several scenes this afternoon, and I’m up first. Poppy, you should co by and watch if you’re interested."
Though her words were addressed to Poppy, they were actually ant for Seth Quinn.
"Sure," Poppy Vance replied with a tepid smile.
When they reached the hotel, Clara Grant suddenly stopped. Looking at Poppy Vance, she said, "You all go ahead and eat. I want to go up to my room and take this makeup off first. It’s really uncomfortable wearing it."
For one, she rarely wore makeup and felt strange with it on. For another, every ti she looked at Seth Quinn, she rembered what had happened in the car, and she couldn’t stop herself from blushing. She was afraid soone would notice.
"Then I’ll wait too. I’ll eat with Clara," Poppy Vance said firmly.
Since Poppy wasn’t eating, Linden Jennings said he’d wait for her. River Sterling said he’d wait too. And though Seth Quinn remained silent, his intention was clear: he would also wait with the group.
Faye Jennings...
She wanted to wait with them too, but her schedule wouldn’t permit it.
"Miss Jennings, why don’t you go eat first? Weren’t you in a hurry to get to the shoot this afternoon?" Poppy Vance said, turning to Faye Jennings.
Faye thought for a mont. They’d all still be here this afternoon anyway, so she didn’t fuss over it. Smiling, she nodded at the group. "Alright, I’ll go on ahead. Clara, be quick. Don’t keep everyone waiting too long."
After Faye Jennings left, Poppy Vance silently pouted at her back before following Clara Grant upstairs to her room to remove her makeup.
The three n sat in the lobby to wait.
Clara Grant removed her makeup quickly, not wanting to keep Poppy waiting.
But when she ca back downstairs with her makeup off, the three n unanimously announced they weren’t going to eat here after all; they would eat back in the city.
Poppy Vance didn’t object, and Clara Grant nodded in agreent. ’It’s good that Seth is leaving,’ she thought. ’Then I won’t have to be tornted by his presence.’
At Poppy Vance’s insistence, Clara Grant couldn’t say no and walked them to the parking lot.
Poppy Vance got into Linden Jennings’s car, and River Sterling got into his. The two cars drove away, one after the other.
Clara Grant was still waving, about to smile and say goodbye to Seth Quinn.
But before Seth Quinn got in, he unceremoniously shoved her into the car as well. What was happening?
"Seth Quinn, what are you doing?" Clara Grant asked, feeling a pang of guilt as she glanced at Chase Childs in the driver’s seat.
"You’re coming back to the city with ," Seth Quinn replied, sweeping his eyes over her.
The mory of the exquisite pleasure she’d given him made him want to take her back to the city right then and there.
"No! I still have scenes to shoot."
"I checked. You don’t have any scenes tomorrow. I’ll bring you back the day after."
"Even if I don’t have scenes, I need to stay and learn from the others."
"Missing one day won’t matter."
"...I’m just not going!" She was out of excuses but refused to back down.
"Be good," Seth Quinn said, his voice softening as he played his trump card. "Don’t you miss Cherie? I’ll take you back to see her."
Clara Grant went quiet. ’Why does he keep talking to in that indulgent tone today?’
But the thought of Cherie made it impossible to refuse. She really did want to see her. They had spoken on the phone, but that felt like so long ago. She wanted to see with her own eyes if Cherie was recovering as well as she’d claid.
"Then... alright. But you don’t need to drive back. I’ll take a cab."
"Suit yourself." He didn’t need to argue the point. ’When the ti cos, I’ll be the one deciding if she gets a ride back or not.’
The car started up and headed toward the city.
Maybe it was her imagination, but Clara Grant felt the sweet, musky scent from earlier still lingered in the car. There was a third person here, after all. She wondered if Chase Childs could sll it.
He was a man; if he slled it, he would know exactly what had happened between her and Seth Quinn in this very car.
The more she dwelled on it, the more exposed and judged she felt, as if she were on naked display. Suddenly, she deeply regretted her decision to return to the city with Seth Quinn.
But she was already trapped in the car, with no way out.
So, she just leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. ’Out of sight, out of mind,’ she figured.
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