Celeste asked, waiting to hear the na.
The person on the other end didn’t make her wait.
"It’s so new artist from ZX dia," he said, his voice lacking any interest.
Clara frowned when she heard that.
"ZX dia?" she repeated. Her mind imdiately began searching for soone —anyone —whom Liam could possibly favor from that company.
However, no matter how much she thought—
No face.
No na ... felt right.
And suddenly, that lack of connection made her feel a little better.
It only ant Liam wasn’t lying to her.
He wasn’t hiding anyone.
He couldn’t help her secure the role because he truly didn’t—
"Yes, soone from ZX dia," the man repeated from the other end, cutting her thoughts short.
Clara found herself losing interest in the identity of the artist.
She had wanted the role in Director Rhodes’s movie. But if it had truly been difficult for Liam to help her, then she wouldn’t force him.
"There’s no need—"
Before she could refuse to hear further—
The man spoke again, giving her exactly what she had originally asked him to find out.
"Adelyn Grace."
Clara paused.
Her brows slowly knitted together in confusion.
"Wh—what?" she asked, her voice faltering.
The man repeated without hesitation,
"Adelyn Grace," he said. "That’s the na of the actress who was selected."
Clara froze completely.
It was her.
Liam ... wasn’t just lying to her.
He was protecting her.
... over her.
Her fingers tightened around the phone —so tightly that her knuckles turned pale —before she suddenly hurled it onto the floor with force.
The sharp sound echoed through the room.
Maria flinched, startled, her body going rigid for a mont.
She stared at Clara in complete confusion.
In the five years she had worked by her side, she had never seen Clara behave like this.
To everyone —including her —Clara had always been flawless.
Elegant. Gentle. Untouchable.
A goddess in every sense.
But right now—
That image cracked.
Seeing her like this ... unrestrained, shaken —it left Maria completely disoriented.
"Ms. Scott," she called cautiously, her voice lowering instinctively, "is everything alright?"
Clara didn’t respond.
She simply stood there —her entire deanor altered, her usual composure nowhere to be seen.
Maria couldn’t understand what had just happened.
"Ms. Scott—"
She tried again, stepping forward slightly, but before she could continue—
Clara cut her off sharply.
"You can leave first."
Maria wanted to refuse. However, when Clara’s eyes t hers —she didn’t dare.
Nodding quickly, she said, "I’ll leave and stay outside. Let know if you need anything."
Clara didn’t respond.
And seeing her like that, Maria could no longer stay. She quickly turned and left, closing the apartnt door behind her.
Outside—
As she waited, she paced back and forth, clearly worried. She didn’t know what she should do.
Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
Her steps paused as she stared at the door, questioning herself ...
"Should I call and inform CEO Scott about this?"
anwhile, inside—
Clara lost all her restraint.
The mask she had worn so effortlessly all these years now felt suffocating—
As though it were pricking into her skin.
She couldn’t keep it on any longer ...
"Liam ... why?" she gritted out, her fingers curling into tight fists. "Why do you have to choose her over ? I am your sister. I’m the one related to you by blood. Why do you have to care for her when you should be looking after ?"
With that, she grabbed whatever ca to hand and hurled it to the floor.
"Why?!"
—————
Back in Sanctuary Heights—
The black Rolls-Royce glided in smoothly before coming to a stop in front of the house.
Dylan stepped out, about to head inside, when Jasper’s voice made him pause.
"Big Brother!"
He turned to look —spotting Jasper approaching with a file in his hand.
"I brought a docunt that needs your signature," Jasper said, waving the file slightly.
Dylan gave a curt nod before turning and continuing inside.
Jasper understood the cue imdiately and followed him in.
In the living room—
Eira was sitting on the sofa, drawing on her tablet.
Hearing the footsteps, she looked up.
The mont she saw Dylan, she hopped down and ran toward him, the tablet still clutched in her small hands.
Jasper noticed her, and smiled.
"Little Eira, were you waiting for your Dada?" he asked, quite amused by her excitent.
However, what he didn’t realize was—
Her excitent wasn’t for her father.
Eira stopped in front of him and looked up before greeting softly,
"Second Uncle."
Jasper’s smile widened at her sweet voice, and he reached out to gently pat her head.
"There’s a new amusent park," he said warmly. "Uncle will take you there soday."
Eira nodded politely before turning back to Dylan.
Dylan looked at her.
It took him just one glance to understand—
She wasn’t excited to see him.
Not really.
His gaze shifted briefly to the tablet in her hand before he asked,
"Did she text you?"
Eira’s lips instantly curved into a bright, satisfied smile as she nodded eagerly.
Jasper froze slightly at that.
This was the first ti he had seen her smile like that—
So open, so genuinely happy.
Like a normal child.
Curiosity stirred within him.
He turned to Dylan and asked softly,
"She? Who is she, Brother?"
Dylan didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at Eira as she handed the tablet over to him.
He tapped on the screen, unlocking it instantly to look.
Taking that as his cue, Jasper stepped closer to take a look as well.
And the mont his eyes landed on the contact na—
He froze.
His brows furrowed as confusion etched across his face ...
At that exact mont, Eira spoke again, her voice filled with excitent—
"Mama said she wants to have lunch with Eira. Can Eira go with her?"
Jasper turned to look at his niece.
The more naturally the word Mama rolled off her tongue—
The more unsettled he felt.
Mama?
Who exactly was Eira calling Mama?
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