Chapter 1225
A male actor leaned over and whispered in Claire’s ear, “I heard the big boss
investor is coming tonight. Rowan is definitely on the prowl.”
Ah.
That explained it.
The entertainment industry was full of people looking for a shortcut to the top. It was nothing new.
At eight o’clock on the dot, the director walked in with the financial backers.
The entire private room stood up to welcome them.
Rowan was instantly on her feet, practically throwing herself at the door. “Good evening, Director! Good evening, Mr. Prescott.”
When Claire saw the man walking through the door, her heart skipped a beat.
The new investor was Wilbur!
Was this a coincidence, or a calculated move?
She didn’t know.
But a strange flutter erupted in her chest.
Ever since Wilbur whispered those dangerous words to her at the hotel, they hadn’t seen or spoken to each other.
They had no reason to talk.
With her grueling training schedule, she had managed to bury the memory.
She convinced herself he had just been drunk, rambling nonsense that shouldn’t be taken seriously.
But the second he walked into the room, all those suppressed emotions violently clawed their way back to the surface.
As Wilbur stepped inside, the cast lined up to introduce themselves.
Claire stayed glued to her chair.
Wilbur nodded to the room, carrying himself with effortless, lazy authority.
But as his gaze swept past the end of the main table, it locked onto Claire with seamless precision.
His lips curved into a faint smile. “And this must be our leading lady?”
The director beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “Yes, yes! Claire, come say hello to Mr. Prescott.”
Left with no choice, Claire stood up and offered a polite, professional greeting. “Good evening, Mr. Prescott.”
Wilbur’s eyes lingered on her face for a few agonizing seconds before he spoke. “She’s quite beautiful.”
His tone wasn’t loud, but it easily carried across the quiet room.
Claire’s heart hammered frantically against her ribs, a rush of heat flooding her cheeks.
She couldn’t tell if he was just
making polite conversation, or if he
was deliberately flaunting their
private intimacy in front of the entire crew.
Beside him, Rowan kept her smile plastered on her face, but a vicious darkness flashed in her eyes.
Wilbur had already looked away, acting as if his comment was completely trivial.
With zero subtlety, Rowan enthusiastically offered him the empty seat beside her. Her intentions couldn’t have been more obvious.
Wilbur didn’t decline, settling into the chair with easy grace.
Rowan was thrilled, leaning subtly into his space so that her long hair
brushed against his shoulderet
radiating an
aggressive, calculat
seduction. NovelPeak.org
Whenever she spoke, her voice dripped with sugar.
Claire had seen countless actresses pull this exact routine.
Usually, she just minded her own business and watched the show.
But for some reason, seeing Rowan throw herself at Wilbur left a bitter taste in her mouth.
While the rest of the table laughed and schmoozed, Claire barely spoke a word.
After picking at her food for a while, she made an excuse to step out for some fresh
air.
She paced the hallway, waiting until
ine
enough time had passed before heading back, fully planning to claim exhaustion from training and retreat to her hotel NovelPeak.org
Just as she rounded the corner, a large hand clamped securely around her wrist.
The grip was firm and utterly unyielding.
Before she could even gasp, she was yanked through a partially open door into an empty dining room.
The door clicked shut behind her, the lock snapping into place.
In the dim light, she couldn’t make out his face, but that crisp, intoxicating scent was unmistakable.
It was Wilbur.
“Wil-“
Before the word left her mouth, his lips crashed down on hers.
This kiss wasn’t like his previous playful teasing. It was entirely dominant,
aggressive, and fiercely possessive.
One hand cradled the back of her neck, his thumb pressing directly against her racing pulse, as if he were burning his brand into her skin.