Basil's attentiveness made her suspicious. She immediately thought, this wasn't the man's style at all!
As smart as she was, she quickly guessed that this trip to the restaurant must have a purpose. Her interest was piqued. She sat down, picked up the menu to cover her mouth, and spoke in a voice only the person across from her could hear, "Mr. Logan, are there paparazzi here?"
Basil raised his handsome brows, his appreciative gaze undisguised. "Smart. Order whatever you want. After all, a newcomer needs some newsworthiness to debut. I don't do anything pointless. We can gain media attention, debut you with some scandal, and complete the assignment all at once. Perfect."
Cierra nodded. She had already guessed some of this from Darnell's hints. The director was also a businessman. To reach his current position, Basil had to be among the best. Calculating in his actions was normal. Saying he just wanted to take a woman he had met twice for such an expensive lunch wasn't impossible, but it was a fantasy.
"I can order anything?" Cierra's eyes sparkled as she looked at the menu.
"Yes, feel free."
Seeing the unintentional greed in the woman's eyes, Basil unexpectedly felt a rare softness in his otherwise hardened heart. But he quickly brushed the feeling aside.
Cierra waved to the waiter, pointing at the menu item after item. Her delicate features and smile made her even more enchanting. Wow! she thought. The uncle man be unapproachable, but he was quite considerate. She eagerly ordered dish after dish, feeling a slight twinge of guilt. But she quickly decided to put in extra effort in her performance later.
"And you? What are you ordering?"
"Nothing for me. What you ordered should be enough. I usually don't eat much for lunch," Basil coldly refused. He never spent much effort on eating.
Cierra felt extremely embarrassed. She hadn't expected to order so much in a moment of madness.
"That's perfect. We'll eat together," she said, scratching her head. She thought that even if paparazzi were here to take pictures, they wouldn't want shots of a famous director and a woman politely dining together. By ordering so much, they could share, making it seem like the director was doting on a romantic interest. This headline would be spot-on. She cheerfully thought she might have a knack for editing.
"What are you thinking about?"
Basil carefully observed the woman sitting opposite, her expressions changing from one moment to the next—sometimes pretending, sometimes genuinely innocent. Even without acting for the paparazzi or preparing for the task, he thought it would be a waste if she didn't enter the entertainment industry.
Cierra shrugged. "Thinking about how to help you, Mr. Logan. Are we about to perform the scene of a famous director dating a new starlet? I need to know the plan so I can act accordingly."
"Just as you said. The paparazzo should be to our left. Just do what you think is right, no need to be too deliberate." The man's voice was low and rich, sounding quite pleasant—if one ignored his cold expression.
How deliberate is "not too deliberate"? Cierra sighed. Oh well, she'd figure it out once the food arrived.
Not long after, the first dish arrived—Oysters Rockefeller with Foie Gras. Cierra thought it was her cue to start acting. She was about to roll up her sleeves when she asked attentively, "Mr. Logan, would you like me to serve you?"
Basil gave her a cold, sidelong glance, then quickly composed himself. He placed a piece of foie gras on her plate and said gently. "Eat slowly, don't choke."
Cierra was stunned, thinking the director's serving skills were too good. But she quickly realized he was showing affection for the paparazzi.
Not wanting to waste the director's efforts, she tilted her head and gave a shallow smile, her eyes sparkling like a starry sky. "Thank you, Mr. Logan."
This smile made her already exquisite appearance even more radiant, but the next second she felt a faintly uncomfortable sensation of being watched. She held her breath, trying to figure out where the feeling was coming from.
"Here, coffee." Basil's lips curved in a deliberate smile as he slowly poured her a cup of tea.
Cierra shivered again. The unsettling feeling of being watched by the paparazzi vanished, and she focused entirely on the man in front of her. Wait a minute! She still wasn't used to this kind and gentle Basil, even though she knew it was all an act.
She wondered if directors had to undergo actor training first because Mr. Logan's acting skills were so good. His stern face could turn into a soft smile in an instant.
"Thank you." She lowered her eyes and looked at the other foie gras duck on the plate. It seemed the only way to calm her nerves was to enjoy the feast.
"Be careful." Basil suddenly leaned across the table, startling her. The next second, he gently and gentlemanly helped her roll up her sleeves, folding them neatly. Cierra suddenly felt the foie gras in her hand almost slip, just like her heart that was pounding wildly.
"Thank you." She blushed and thanked him again, fortunately not biting her tongue along with the foie gras.
Unbeknownst to her, this scene fell into the sharp eyes of the paparazzi, full of gossip potential.
New Director Falls for Rising Star?
The enigmatic filmmaker finds himself smitten by his newly contracted artist？
Indeed, enigmatic filmmaker Basil's portrayal of a director madly in love hit the headlines the next day. The scandal was reported in bold headlines in major newspapers, and Cierra's killer smile even topped the online trending searches.
