The next day, the gossip entertainment headlines were all dominated by "Rising Director and top Girl Star Meet Privately." A large close-up photo of Lettie leaning on Basil's chest was featured. Although the image was a bit grainy, it was unmistakably these two high-profile figures.
"Basil, what exactly are you thinking right now?" Darnell spread the tabloid in front of him.
"Three days in a row on the entertainment headlines, people who don't know might think you're crossing over to become an actor."
"Last night's photos were not part of my plan." Basil frowned lazily and closed his eyes to rest.
"We agreed the first artist to sign was Cierra, and the rumors were to create buzz for her debut. What about Lettie? How long has she been in the industry? And not to mention, she was just recently with Mr. Haley—"
Darnell's words cut off because he saw Basil's icy gaze directed at him. He wisely shut his mouth.
"I have my own plans for Lettie."
Only Basil knew that Cierra was his love manager. He hadn't even told Darnell. Darnell always thought Cierra was just a talented newcomer Basil had discovered.
"I know you always have your own opinions, but remember not to play with fire. Your senior might not be the same person you knew. You're very popular right now; any random person would want to latch on."
"I know, thank you." Basil watched the pale-faced Darnell leave, holding his phone in a daze as long-forgotten memories flashed quickly through his mind.
His high school years were almost entirely filled with Lettie. He racked his brains trying to find memories without her, but to no avail.
However, these old memories were now being magnified and scrutinized in public. The report even dug into his and Lettie's high school interactions, directly suggesting they had been ambiguous since then.
He unconsciously tapped his long fingers on the table. The rhythm of the tapping caused a rare trace of panic to seep into his heart.
Had he been set up? Could it be that he, who should have been the hunter, had fallen into the trap Lettie had laid for him?
Otherwise, he couldn't explain how the paparazzi could infiltrate such a highly private club restaurant, even in the private basement driveway where he sent Lettie off. It should have been impossible for paparazzi to sneak in.
The angle of the photo was precisely towards Lettie's nanny car. One coincidence might be just that, but two or three made him consider if someone had cunningly set this up.
With a snap, he placed his phone on the table, stood up, and put on his coat, ready to start filming.
So be it! The beloved senior would never make a mistake; if there was a mistake, it was someone else's fault. In the end, he deceived himself with this thought as he left the VIP room.
★
Today, he had arranged for a veteran guest artist from the Performing Arts Academy to train Cierra. After the shoot, he drove to the academy located in a prime area. As he approached the classroom, he heard a familiar old voice repeatedly scolding:
"You scoundrel, I'll beat you to death, you ungrateful brat—"
Basil silently cursed and quickened his pace, following the sound. Pushing open the door to one classroom, he saw the guest master Nelson raising his fist, looking like he was about to hit Cierra. Cierra was scurrying around with her hands over her head. His heart skipped a beat—could she have done something drastic to anger Nelson again? This wasn't good; Nelson was old and had a heart condition!
"Cierra!"
He shouted her name, intending to stop her from being disrespectful to Nelson. Unexpectedly, when Nelson saw him, he stopped chasing her and cheerfully waved him over.
"Basil, you're here! Come over and join the scene. You play the father of the unfilial son in this script."
Seeing him, Nelson skipped the pleasantries and directly handed him a stack of scripts. Only then did he notice that the low table beside them was scattered with scripts. He was full of suspicion.
The woman with a high ponytail beside them also stopped dodging. She wore no makeup today, and her fresh, clean face looked like a high school student's. At this moment, she was muttering the script to herself, and he suddenly felt this scene was very familiar.
"Cierra, I've found your father. Let's rehearse as grandparent, parent, and grandchild now—" Nelson waved again, signaling Cierra to come closer.
Hearing this, Basil's face darkened. How come in front of Cierra, he was either called uncle or assigned to play her father? Damn, couldn't he have a more normal role?
Ugh! What roles, it seemed he really had cast himself as this woman's elder.
The woman lifted her head, and her lively eyes seemed to sparkle even more. She pouted, and within three seconds, tears fell.
"Father—you've finally returned. Grandpa...Grandpa is going to beat me to death—"
Her voice was sorrowful, and her emotions surged without any need for buildup. The tears came more readily than tap water.
"Don't think just because your father is here that I won't beat you. If he dares to help you, I'll beat both of you black and blue!"
Basil was completely out of his depth, watching the furious grandfather and the tearful grandson before him. He suddenly felt that he hadn't finished work; he had just ended up on the wrong set.
With so many scripts on the table, these two must have become addicted to rehearsing, acting non-stop from noon till now?
"Father, what are you daydreaming about? Your son is about to be beaten by Grandpa!"
Basil: "............"
No wonder people said actors were crazy. Had he accidentally stumbled into a madhouse?
