Once Evelyn Grant started working, she automatically tuned out all the gossip.
An hour later, when the makeup was done, the actress examined herself in the mirror from every angle, beaming with satisfaction.
“I love your work the most, Ms.
Grant.
You always manage to create such perfect looks with different makeup and styles.”
She smiled and offered a few polite words in return.
Evelyn Grant’s job was more or less done.
The investment conference didn’t allocate much time to each project, leaving the lead actors only five or six minutes for on-stage promotion.
Still, her workday wouldn’t officially end until the actress’s segment was complete.
Leo Lawrence was probably busy as well, so she didn’t bother him.
Besides, his agent already disliked her, thinking Evelyn Grant was a femme fatale who was distracting Leo Lawrence from his work.
Not that Evelyn Grant thought his agent’s approval was anything special.
But at an event like this, work was more important.
She pushed the door open and went to the restroom.
As she was quietly washing her hands, two staff members hurried past her.
Even though they had lowered their voices, their excited tones were still audible.
“Nina went to Leo Lawrence’s dressing room!
My ship is resurrected!”
“They must be dating!
Nina’s been in there for a long time and still hasn’t come out.”
“After all, they went from being nobodies to a hit pairing.
And their chemistry in the behind-the-scenes footage?
I refuse to believe there’s nothing going on.”
“They’re not even trying to hide it!
And they’ve had all these subtle little moments over the past five years.
I bet this is going to be a trending topic.
Maybe they’re about to make it official.”
The voices faded until they were gone.
Evelyn Grant paused.
She turned off the water and slowly picked up her phone.
Its faint glow cast her features in a cold, distant light.
A knot of chaotic emotions tightened around her, as if she were caught in an invisible grip.
Nothing from Leo Lawrence.
Not a single message.
She pressed her lips together, her fingers tapping lightly on the screen.
“Can I come see you?”
No reply.
“You’re with Nina, aren’t you.”
The phone remained silent, and a heavy, suffocating gloom seemed to settle over her heart.
Just as she was about to call him, a WeChat message arrived from Yara Summers, followed by a string of shocked exclamation points.
“I found out!”
“The VIP tonight is the Chairman of the Board of Apex Veridia, Preston Keaton!”
“Ahhh, I can finally see the legendary powerhouse with a hundred-billion-dollar fortune in person!”
“Your boss is here!”
Evelyn Grant was stunned, finding it hard to believe.
She hurried to the entrance of the main hall, which was already blocked by a large group of bodyguards checking credentials.
Vaguely, she could see a man sitting in the very center of a row.
Even surrounded by people, he exuded an air of refined, gentlemanly grace.
Dressed in a sharp suit, his every movement was poised and elegant.
Even without seeing his face, she could sense his restrained, profound presence, which made him stand out conspicuously in the crowd.
When she turned around, Wyatt Walsh was standing behind her.
He gave a slight nod.
“Miss Grant, Mr.
Keaton requests that you accompany him back to Veridia tonight.”
Evelyn Grant’s breath caught.
For a moment, she almost thought that Preston Keaton had come here tonight just for her.
She learned from Wyatt Walsh that Preston Keaton’s private jet was scheduled to depart at eight in the evening.
She had just returned from Solara and hadn’t even unpacked her suitcase, and now she had to go to Veridia.
It would be a waste of time to go back home now, so she gave Wyatt Walsh her home’s security code and asked him to send someone to pick up her things and take them directly to the airport.
“Is Sophie Sullivan coming back tomorrow?”
That was two days earlier than planned.
Wyatt Walsh nodded.
“The young lady is coming back early, but she is only expected to stay in Veridia for three days.”
For the man she liked, she didn’t hesitate to fly back and forth between Veridia and Corvin every month, even though sometimes she’d return and not even get to see him.
‘With that kind of perseverance,’ Evelyn couldn’t help but marvel, ‘she could succeed at anything.’
Evelyn Grant thought for a moment.
“When will Mr.
Keaton be finished here?”
“Soon.”
She started walking toward the dressing room.
“I’ll go pack my things then, and get June Jacobs.”
But Preston Keaton’s arrival had been too sudden.
June Jacobs hadn’t had time to pack her luggage, so they could only buy her a flight for tomorrow.
After taking care of the immediate arrangements, Evelyn Grant finally received a call from Leo Lawrence.
His voice came through the receiver, soft and steady, accompanied by the sound of footsteps.
He must be looking for her.
“Nina didn’t come to see me alone.
The staff were all there.”
He knew who Evelyn Grant was doing makeup for today, so a quick question told him where to find her.
He found her without much trouble.
He was right in front of her, yet it felt as if a deep chasm separated them.
An unspeakable unease spread through him, a sliver of panic rising in his chest, as if she were slipping from his grasp.
He approached her slowly, his tone as gentle and calm as he could manage.
“She came to me to talk about future collaborations.”
“I turned her down.”
Evelyn Grant frowned but said nothing.
She really did care.
A lot.
She had heard a lot about Leo Lawrence and Nina.
They had connected on the set of a drama, developing a mutual admiration.
Publicly, they were friends, but no one knew what their relationship was like in private.
They had a huge fanbase as a couple, right up until a year ago when rumors spread that their friendship had fractured and they had gone their separate ways for good.
Six months later, Leo Lawrence started pursuing her.
She wasn’t interested at first, but she gradually fell for him.
During that time, there were no new rumors linking him to Nina.
Evelyn had asked him about it once, and Leo Lawrence had casually brushed it off, saying they were just friends.
But now, six months later, just as she was about to say yes to him, Nina’s reappearance forced her to second-guess everything.
Evelyn Grant closed her eyes, her mind a tangled mess.
She pressed her lips together.
Knowing Wyatt Walsh was right behind her, she didn’t want to expose too much of her personal love life in front of someone she barely knew.
She managed to keep her composure and decided to trust Leo Lawrence for the time being.
“There are too many people here.
Can we talk later tonight?”
Suddenly, a deep, indifferent voice sounded from behind her.
“Evelyn Grant.”
She flinched, a shiver running through her.
It felt as though her nerves were being gently tugged by the sound of his voice.
Turning around, she saw Preston Keaton standing in front of Wyatt Walsh.
His tall, imposing figure seemed to press in on her.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression cold and severe, sharp with an undercurrent of pressure.
His tone was utterly nonchalant.
“It’s time for us to go.”
Leo Lawrence knew who the man opposite him was.
He clenched his hands into fists, trying to restrain himself.
The two men’s gazes collided silently in the air.
A strange tension began to build, tight and suffocating, like the air before a battle.
It was suffocating.
Evelyn Grant said softly, “Wait for my call.”
A luxurious private jet sat on the tarmac at Kryllos International Airport.
It was divided into forward, middle, and rear cabins.
The forward cabin was like a living room, followed by three separate living quarters.
There was even an onboard chef.
A flight attendant with a radiant smile brought Evelyn Grant a glass of juice, which helped ease her exhaustion.
Although it was her first time on a private jet, she was in no mood to look around.
The seats were blessedly comfortable, but she had no appetite.
She only managed three or four bites of the steak the flight attendant served before she felt full.
Preston Keaton rested his temple against one hand.
He glanced over at her, his voice calm.
“Upset over that man?”