Caught off guard, oblivious to the underlying tension, Oliver sensed the situation had deteriorated beyond repair. Choosing not to press the issue, he stepped aside, giving Elijah space, and politely offered, "Mr. James, shall I drive you home now?"
Without a backward glance at Elizabeth, Elijah strode toward the exit, Oliver following closely. Elizabeth watched them disappear into the elevator, the doors closing behind them, before quietly shutting her own door. A wave of hollowness and sorrow washed over her.
Her phone chirped, snapping her from her reverie. Two Twitter alerts awaited: the first, from Silver Elephant Media, announced, "Exciting new drama coming soon—stay tuned! @Asher Burton, @Elizabeth." Curious, she tapped the second notification—Asher's enthusiastic retweet: "Thrilled to be teaming up with @Elizabeth—can't wait to begin!"
Elizabeth harbored doubts about Asher's unpredictable nature. His emotional openness and impulsive decisions were notorious, yet he had ascended to the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Whether his success stemmed from exceptional talent or sheer luck remained a mystery. Despite his megastardom and predominantly female fanbase, Asher maintained a reserved online presence, rarely acknowledging colleagues.
The sudden mention of Elizabeth on his Twitter was unexpected and potentially problematic. Fan speculation, or a malicious interpretation of their collaboration as a romance, could damage her reputation. She sank into the sofa, nervously opening the comments.
After a quick scan, relief washed over her. The reactions were overwhelmingly positive, mostly speculative excitement about the project and praise for Asher's previous work. A few recognized Elizabeth, offering what appeared to be compliments, but were essentially further accolades for Asher. Some comments included:
"Oh wow, finally a new project from Asher. I've rewatched his shows endlessly—his work really sets the standard."
"Why so cryptic? Any hints about the theme?"
"Silver Elephant Media typically collaborates with Katrina. Since Asher admires her, could this be his dream partnership?"
"Her stunning presence is exactly what I love. She deserves to star alongside Asher."
"Isn't she the one who auditioned for 'Blazing Sun' recently? Asher's choice of co-stars truly shows his focus on talent over fame."
Choosing not to read further, Elizabeth retweeted the post, tagging Asher and replying modestly, "Mr. Burton, the pleasure is all mine."
Moments later, a WhatsApp notification pinged—a friend request from Asher, facilitated by their mutual contact, Soren. After exchanging pleasantries, Asher hesitantly invited her: "A friend is opening a restaurant soon. Would you join me to celebrate the start of our film, 'Agarwood'?"
Caught off guard, and unable to refuse, Elizabeth cautiously replied, "Sure." Unbeknownst to her, another trending topic soon emerged on Twitter.