Chapter 384
Chapter 384
Lena wasn’t a trained actress, but she’d grown close with the third female lead on set, an older woman who had taught her more than a few tricks,
She might not fool a seasoned director, but when it came to everyday people, her performance was more than convincing.
Her expressions, her gaze? She had the wide–eyed adoration and emotional dependence down to a science.
“Thanks so much. I’ll look into it a bit more,” she said sweetly before walking away.
She turned with a conflicted expression and immediately locked eyes with Wyatt.
But her gaze didn’t linger on him. It slid right past, landing on the direction he’d come from.
“You Clayton’s girlfriend?” Wyatt stepped forward.
“Who are you?” Lena asked warily.
“I’m his brother. Older brother.”
The guarded look in her eyes twisted into disbelief, almost mockery. “You’re joking, right? My boyfriend told me both his parents passed away. He’s an only child. Once we’re married, he’s taking my last name.”
“He told you that?” Wyatt’s fists clenched without thinking.
Even he wasn’t sure why he had approached her. Maybe it was jealousy.
Maybe it was the fact that Clayton had somehow landed a rich girl, while he was left with a wrecked life. If this girl could lift Clayton out of the gutter, maybe she could help him too.
‘Clayton owes me that much. After all, it was his mess that ruined everything. So why shouldn’t I get something out of it?‘
But when he heard that Clayton had disowned his family, said his parents were dead, and planned to marry into someone else’s household, something inside him snapped.
‘He blew up our home, and now he gets to pretend it never existed? And I’m supposed to clean up after him?‘
They weren’t brothers anymore. They were enemies.
“Of course he told me that,” Lena said proudly. “He’s honest to a fault. He’s a lawyer. He doesn’t lie.”
Wyatt gave a dry laugh. It started as a quiet chuckle, but the longer he laughed, the louder it got. Soon he was nearly doubled over, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
Lena took two steps back, ready to bolt.
Wyatt saw the panic in her face and waved it off, finally collecting himself. He shook his head with a bitter smile. “Honest? Really? Did he tell you he’s been married before? Twice?”
“Absolutely not,” Lena shot back, her voice sharp and defensive.
Her outburst caught the attention of a group of older women chatting under a nearby tree.
“First marriage was to a girl from the Ashbourne suburbs,” Wyatt said casually.
“Second was to a divorced woman with a kid. He looked down on his first wife. He spent his entire salary supporting the second one and her child.
“When the first wife found out, she confronted him, and he had her sent to a correctional center where she was abused. When she got out, she filed for
divorce. So he moved in with the other woman.”
He sneered, “Too bad for him, that woman didn’t want a real marriage. Lazy, entitled, burned through all his money, and cheated on him. Later, che pas gave him an STD and ended up in prison for abusing her daughter.”
Wyatt watched as Lena’s eyes grew wider with every sentence. A subtle satisfaction flickered behind his otherwise dark expression.
“And my brother?” he continued. “He filed for divorce. But knowing that woman, she’s probably still fighting it. And now, while still technically manted. he’s planning to marry you and move into your house? You still think he doesn’t lie?”
The women nearby had stopped pretending they weren’t listening. The more they heard, the more their faces twisted. What kind of man does that? Is he even human?‘
By the time Wyatt finished, the tone had changed. ‘Serves him right. That’s karma, plain and simple. He abaridoned his first wife, left her to rot, and thought he could just walk away?‘
Fueled by righteous anger, they began to move. Not all at once, but step by step, they closed in behind Wyatt, like a tide turning.
“That’s not just lying,” one of them spoke. “That man doesn’t have a single honest bone in his body.”
“Poor girl,” another said, giving Lena a sympathetic look. “Maybe he left that second wife because he found someone decent like you. But you shouldn’t have to deal with his trash.”
“I bet he’s just after your family’s money,” a third woman added. “Trying to sneak into the inheritance.”
“I’ve heard lawyers are the worst, always scheming. Sweetheart, you need to get away from him while you can.”
Lena covered her face, letting out a shaky breath. Then she tossed her head back and took off running.
The reaction was dramatic, sure, but believable. The way she stormed off captured just the right level of heartbreak without overdoing it.
She bolted down the alley and into her car, grabbed a bottle of water, and chugged half of it.
Then she flung the door open again and took another long gulp.
‘That was revolting. Even worse than those actresses who cozy up to directors after midnight for a role.‘
“Feeling any better?”
“Ah!” Lena nearly jumped out of her seat. She whipped around, stunned to see Owen in the passenger seat. “What are you still doing here?!”
She’d run into him at the hospital earlier, said a quick hello, and left. Back then, he said he’d take off too. So how was it that she’d gone full method, wrapped up the whole scene, and he was sitting in her car?
She glanced back toward where she’d been performing. It was far enough, so he probably didn’t see any of it.
“I finished what I had to do,” Owen said calmly, “and saw your car was still here. So I waited.”
“Oh. Okay…” She started the engine and then paused. “Wait, how did you get in the car?!”
“You gave me the key last time it snowed. Asked me to drive for you, remember?”
‘Did I?‘ She thought back. Yeah, that had been right before she went to the filming site. She couldn’t find the car key and assumed she’d left it at the studio, so she’d grabbed the spare from home./
Apparently, the original key had been with Owen the whole time, and she’d never bothered to get it back.
Meanwhile, Wyatt hadn’t returned to his rental room. He went straight to his hotel to pack. He was moving in with Clayton,
‘If he thinks he’s getting rid of me and riding off into the sunset, he’s dead wrong. He wrecked my life. Now it’s my turn to ruini him
Back at the apartment, Betty was tending to the bruises on Clayton’s face and already asking how much he’d earned that day Clayton, as always, San an answer that made her light up.
“Clayton… I’ve got a cousin who’s interested. Think you could bring him in?”
“Betty, it’s not that I don’t want to help. It’s just… investments like this carry risk. Especially with futures. The prices swing all day I’ve got someone helping me, but it’s not like I can guarantee a profit every time.
“And if too many people get involved, it’ll throw off the trader’s whole plan. It’s out of my hands.”
“It won’t be much,” Betty said quickly. Kyle had told her to say 300, but she halved it on her own. “Just 150 thousand dollars. That okay?”
“150?” Clayton hesitated, acting reluctant. “Betty, I’ll help because it’s you, but I’m not promising anything.”
“I get it, I get it,” she grinned, fully convinced he was just being modest. After all, she hadn’t lost a penny since she started.
When Kyle heard Betty’s call confirming Clayton agreed to the investment, he immediately called Lucia. “Get the money ready. I need it tomorrow.
That night, as Clayton walked out for dinner, he noticed people whispering behind his back.
He didn’t know them. He hadn’t crossed anyone in the neighborhood. ‘Probably because I look good. Can’t help it if I’ve got style.”
Back at Winifred Manor, Lucia was pacing like a trapped animal in the studio when she heard the front door open. Logan was back. She patted her cheeks and forced a bright smile.
As she came down the stairs, she spotted the butler receiving a gift box from Logan’s hands.
If he thinks he’s getting rid of me and riding off into the sunset, he’s dead wrong. He wrecked my life. Now it’s my turn to ruin hin
Back at the apartment, Betty was tending to the bruises on Clayton’s face and already asking how much he’d earned that day. Clayton, as always, gave an answer that made her light up.
“Clayton… I’ve got a cousin who’s interested. Think you could bring him in?”
“Betty, it’s not that I don’t want to help. It’s just… investments like this carry risk. Especially with futures. The prices swing all day I’ve got someone helping me, but it’s not like I can guarantee’a profit every time.
“And if too many people get involved, it’ll throw off the trader’s whole plan. It’s out of my hands.”
“It won’t be much,” Betty said quickly. Kyle had told her to say 300, but she halved it on her own. “Just 150 thousand dollars. That okay?”
“150?” Clayton hesitated, acting reluctant. “Betty, I’ll help because it’s you, but I’m not promising anything.”
“I get it, I get it,” she grinned, fully convinced he was just being modest. After all, she hadn’t lost a penny since she started.
When Kyle heard Betty’s call confirming Clayton agreed to the investment, he immediately called Lucia. “Get the money ready. I need it tomorrow.”
That night, as Clayton walked out for dinner, he noticed people whispering behind his back.
He didn’t know them. He hadn’t crossed anyone in the neighborhood. ‘Probably because I look good. Can’t help it if I’ve got style.”
Back at Winifred Manor, Lucia was pacing like a trapped animal in the studio when she heard the front door open. Logan was back. She patted her cheeks and forced a bright smile.
As she came down the stairs, she spotted the butler receiving a gift box from Logan’s hands.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
