Chapter 185
Meeting Marsha’s gaze, Suzanne smiled and gave a slight nod. “The script is good. You should take a look.”
Marsha, who had been indifferent moments ago, suddenly perked up. But she had no business talking when she was out having fun. Turning to Herman with a smirk, she blated, “Alright, hand it over, and I’ll read it later. But you know me, Mr. Cimn, I don’t do favors, and I definitely don’t cast pretty laces with…”
It was better to set expectations now than deal with complaints later.
Herman checked and declared, “Zoey is already set for the female lead. Just see if the script suits her. If not, we’ll figure something out.”
Marsha frowned at his words. Normally, she would have rejected it outright. But Suzanne had already read it, and Marsha knew better than anyone how sharp her judgment was. Nodding, she replied, “I’ll read it first.”
Herman didn’t push further. “Sure.”
Charles, however, was surprised. Despite not knowing much about the entertainment industry, judging by Herman’s reaction, it was obvious that the script was a big deal. The way he handed it over to Marsha so casually stunned Charles. Perhaps Marsha, the shrew, actually had some real talent.
The dinner stretched on for another hour, and Marsha drank more than usual as the conversation flowed. Noticing how tipsy she was, Suzanne tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “You should slow down.”
Something felt off. Marsha was always lively, but she never drank this much. Marsha, her eyes hazy from the alcohol, grinned. “Oh, come on. I’m just happy! Babe, I haven’t seen you in forever.” She leaned in and hugged Suzanne, resting her chin on her arm. “Babe, wanna go home?”
He glanced at Charles, muttering, “Charles, send Ms. Newton home.”
Charles’ expression darkened mid-drink. “Why me? You can send her back!” There was no way he was escorting her. He could already picture them fighting before they even made it halfway. At this point, he had to admit that he and Marsha were simply born to clash.
Herman sighed. “I have to stop by the office later.”
Turning to Herman, Suzanne shook her head. “No need. I’ll take her.”
Just then, Austin, who had been silent all this time, cast a sharp glance at Charles. “You’re not going to send her?” he questioned. That one look alone made Charles’ expression darken even more.
“This is straight-up bullying! I have plans too, you know!”
Even in her drunken state, Marsha’s ears were sharp. “Do I look like I need you to take me home?” she snapped. “If you send me back, you’re not a real man! TM”
“You think you’re some kind of goddess?” Charles shot back through gritted teeth. Damn it. Women were usually lovesick, but Marsha? She was the one exception.
Before he could argue further, Austin’s icy stare cut through him again. A chill ran down Charles’ spine. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, fine! I’ll take her! You…”
Slamming his drink down, he got up and walked over to Marsha. Suzanne intervened, concern flickering across her face. “Take her instead. I haven’t been drinking.”
Charles stopped mid-step and quickly gestured with his hands. “No, Suzanne, I’ve got this. I might’ve had a drink, but I have a driver.” The last thing he wanted was to be in on Austin’s bad side. That would be a death sentence. With a grin, he added, “Don’t worry. I’ll get her home safe and sound.”
Suzanne was about to say something when Austin’s calm voice cut in, “Let him take her.”
She hesitated for a moment before finally turning to Charles. “Thanks,” she said. She trusted him. For all his outwardly caustic antics, he was reliable when it counted.
Charles smirked, “Irmothing.” Then, shifting gears entirely, he bent down to help Marsha up and grumbled, “Damn, woman, you need to lose some weight.” But despite his complaints, he held onto her only…
Marsha’s gaze drifted to his ear. Without wavering, she reached out and tugged his ear. “Hehe, this is fun,” she said.