The show was about to begin.
Sophie Keaton tried to psych herself up, but just then, her phone lit up at the most inopportune moment.
She glanced at it nonchalantly, only for her body to stiffen and her face to turn deathly pale. She turned her head, trembling, and the phone fell onto the table with a CLATTER.
A sharp, cold gaze seemed to pierce the back of her neck. Evelyn Grant felt it too. Her hand, holding her glass, tightened unconsciously. She timidly glanced back. There, beyond the crowd but well within her line of sight, stood the man who was supposed to be on a business trip. Dressed in a black suit, he stood there silently, his composure as deep and unreadable as a bottomless pool, his expression inscrutable.
But an overwhelming sense of pressure bore down heavily on the two young women's hearts.
The last vestiges of hope in their anxious hearts died completely.
The two of them dejectedly slung their small purses over their shoulders and, under the weight of that intense gaze, walked timidly over to Preston Keaton with their heads bowed.
One of them mumbled, "Brother," her skirt so short he wondered if it could even be worn outside.
The other quietly called him "Mr. Keaton," her black V-neck dress revealing a pristine collarbone and a wide expanse of delicate skin.
Whether from the cold or from fear, her slender body shivered, looking a little pitiful.
The music grew more frenetic; the show on the stage behind them had already started.
Preston Keaton was obviously in no mood to lecture them there. He coolly took off his suit jacket and draped it over Evelyn Grant, then turned and walked out without a word, which only made the two young women even more terrified.
Evelyn Grant gathered the man's jacket around herself. The faint, pleasant scent of ebony and agarwood couldn't calm her violently pounding heart. She felt scared and uneasy.
Outside the bar, a single Rolls-Royce was parked.
Wyatt Walsh stood by the car. Seeing his boss with a cold expression, followed by two girls with their heads bowed, well aware they had done wrong, he found the scene inexplicably lively and cute.
"The car keys."
At the sound of that stern, cold voice, Sophie Keaton obediently handed over the car keys. She opened her mouth, trying to curry favor. "Brother..."
Preston Keaton glanced over, his gaze icy, and she immediately shut her mouth, not daring to speak.
Wyatt Walsh went to drive the Aston Martin, while Preston Keaton pulled open the driver's side door and commanded in a slightly harsh, cold tone, "Get in the car."
Neither of them dared to take the passenger seat.
The car slowly pulled away. The stagnant, oppressive atmosphere grew even heavier. Preston Keaton said coolly, "When we get back to The Mid-Levels, I expect a reason for why you were there."
It was a profound pressure, enough to make anyone's heart tremble.
'What reason could we possibly have? No matter what we say, he'll find a way to shoot it down.'
Sophie Keaton knew her brother. She knew this lecture was inevitable. Her face was ashen, and she looked as if her soul had left her body.
Evelyn Grant pressed her lips together, also feeling the immense pressure emanating from an older brother.
That brother of hers, Dylan Grant, was so laid-back; he had never made her feel that an older brother's power could be comparable to that of a dean of discipline.
The drive felt short. Before long, they had arrived at The Mid-Levels.
Evelyn Grant took off the suit jacket and held it obediently in the crook of her arm. She was a step behind, and as she entered, she heard Sophie Keaton speaking in a low voice.
"We just went in for a drink, and we didn't even see anything."
Preston Keaton's tone was cold. "So you're saying I came at the wrong time? I should have let you watch the whole thing before coming in."
His words made Sophie Keaton's voice grow softer and softer. "That's not what I meant."
Evelyn Grant pursed her lips and slowly walked over, still holding Preston Keaton's suit jacket. Before she could speak, she heard the man's tone soften slightly, losing its hard edge and becoming calm and even.
"You, go upstairs and rest."
Her mind was a jumble, leaving her utterly speechless. '?'
She looked dazed, which was a little cute.
The furrow in Preston Keaton's brow slowly smoothed out. He said patiently, "It's late. Go to sleep."
She gently placed the suit jacket on the sofa and returned to her room, her mind still in a daze.
Meanwhile, Sophie Keaton was obediently admitting her mistake.
Years of experience had taught her to apologize quickly while her brother was still in a relatively reasonable mood. Otherwise, she would be the only one to suffer in the end.
Her punishment was being grounded for two days, forbidden from going out.
That might have been hard to endure before, but now Evelyn Grant was in the house. She had someone to hang out with and talk to, so what was there to complain about?
Later, she learned from the housekeeper that Preston Keaton's trip to Bexley was for less than two days to begin with. When he came home and didn't see her, it only took a little digging to find out where she had gone.
Sophie Keaton flopped onto the sofa and sighed. "See how terrifying my brother is?"
"He's ruthless, not even a little bit soft-hearted. If you make a mistake, you will be punished. There's no escaping from his grasp."
Evelyn Grant nodded. "I'm starting to get that."
"It's a bit of a shame, though," the young heiress said, her mischievous streak not quite extinguished. "We were already there and didn't even get to see anything. We'll have to go again sometime."
"..." Evelyn Grant said decisively, "You can go by yourself. Don't ask me."
'Mr. Keaton didn't lecture me this time, but there's no guarantee about the next.'
Sophie Keaton scoffed, but she ultimately dropped the idea.
—
The weather in Kryllos was still a bit hot.
Inside the photo studio, Leo Lawrence was resting in a chair with his eyes closed. The sound of footsteps approached from a distance and stopped beside him.
There was no one else around. His manager sighed and began to plead earnestly.
"This is a critical period for you to transition in your career. You need your fans. If your future transitional project doesn't do well, you can still fall back on your huge fanbase and film idol dramas. People will still pay to see you."
"Focus on your work first. From what I can see, Evelyn Grant is busy too. If you two get together, you won't have time to see each other, and the relationship won't go well."
"Listen to me. Everything I'm doing is for your own good."
Despite all that was said, the man kept his eyes closed, and it was impossible to tell if he had taken any of it in.
He frowned and was just about to continue speaking when Leo Lawrence said coolly,
"When she gets back from Veridia, and after I finish filming for the month, I'm going to confess to her."
His tone left no room for negotiation, firm and leaving no space for others to persuade him otherwise.
The manager was so angry he was speechless.
"And what about after you get together? Are you going public or keeping it secret?"
Leo Lawrence opened his eyes and was silent for a few minutes. "I want to go public."
A vein throbbed on the manager's temple. "Don't forget, besides your solo stans, you also have a massive number of 'shipping' fans for you and that other person. If you go public, not only will you get flamed, but Evelyn Grant will too."
"That's why I said, 'want'."
That was why he was trying so hard to transition in his career.
And besides...
Leo Lawrence closed his eyes again. A faint sense of panic rose in his heart, and the fear of no longer being able to hold on to Evelyn Grant spread through his entire body. The veins on the back of his hands popped, making him look exceptionally tense.
The manager seemed to know what he was thinking. His expression gradually calmed. "You're afraid she'll find out about that incident."
He suddenly put it all together. "So that's why you want to confess to her. You want to lock her securely by your side."
Leo Lawrence fell silent.
Knowing Evelyn Grant's personality, if she found out, he would never have the slightest chance with her again.
That's why he was so desperate, so terrified.
The anxiety in his heart was about to burst from his chest. Leo Lawrence's lips pressed into a thin line. "I won't let her find out."