Chapter 34
Daphne's first thought was Wilson. Was he behind it again? If he knew what she was thinking, he would probably be furious. She automatically linked every shady trick to him without realizing it.
Coincidentally, Sebastian shared her suspicion.
"What did you do to piss Wilson off this time? He's practically out for your blood," he asked.
"I swear I haven't done anything to him these past couple of days! I only want his money, but he wants me dead," Daphne replied, her expression darkening. She constantly checked the time.
"That bastard! If I miss this meeting with the director, I swear I'll burn his office down!"
"Come on, I'll drive you." Sebastian casually opened his car door.
Daphne hesitated, glancing back at the apartment. "But… you still have a guest. Ms. Sinclair is still upstairs…"
"It's fine. I'll call her."
When Serena heard Sebastian was giving Daphne a ride to the set, she readily agreed. "No problem! I'll have the driver pick me up later. Oh, want me to put in a good word with my dad about that endorsement, Daph? You're marrying Seb soon, so we're basically family."
"Thanks, but I've got it covered," Daphne politely declined. It wasn't about pride; she'd already landed one endorsement through Sebastian. If she needed his connections for another, what was the point of years of hard work? She had fought for everything herself. There was no reason to start clinging to men after divorcing Wilson.
By the time they arrived at the restaurant, Wendy and Ava were waiting. Ava didn't notice Sebastian behind the wheel. After Daphne got out, Ava made an introduction while walking.
"Mr. Harrington is known for being difficult. Even top stars have been turned away. But that's not our only problem. We have a new one, so brace yourself."
"A new problem? What now?"
"It's Yvonne. She's here with Wilson. They probably have their eyes on this deal too. That woman just can't stop stealing from you!" Ava's voice dripped with anger.
Recalling the tampering with her car, Daphne was certain Wilson was behind it. His goal was obvious—to stall her so Yvonne could get ahead. No director, especially someone like Jack Harrington, would trust a lead role to someone who couldn't even be on time.
"Got it."
Daphne cursed Yvonne internally. Then, she forced a professional smile as she pushed open the door to the private dining room.
Just as she suspected, Wilson and Yvonne were already there. They had even ordered without waiting for her. Clearly, they didn't plan to include her.
"Oh, Ms. Yeager! Will and I ran into Mr. Harrington, so we decided to join him. I didn't know you were meeting him. You wouldn't mind, would you?" Yvonne asked, feigning innocence.
Daphne desperately wanted to retort. However, Yvonne knew exactly what she was doing. With Jack present, Daphne couldn't afford a scene.
"Of course not. And since you're so thoughtful, you won't mind picking up the tab, right? We've known each other for so long. You still haven't treated me to a meal yet, Ms. Smith," Daphne replied, matching Yvonne's tone.
Daphne had chosen an upscale restaurant to show Jack her respect. The duck l'orange and seafood platter meant the bill could easily reach thousands. Yvonne hadn't been in the industry long and definitely couldn't afford that. Obviously, Wilson would have to pay.
"Just so we're clear, Ms. Smith, no splitting the check. It would be insincere if you let someone else pay, don't you think?" Daphne cut off Yvonne's escape with a pleasant smile.
Yvonne's face went from pale to red. She forced an awkward laugh, unable to retort. "Sure, sure… The meal's on me."
Wilson lowered his gaze.
"Don't push it," he warned Daphne.
Daphne ignored him and called the waiter. "With such a lovely meal, how can we not have good wine? Bring out your finest bottles. Let's all have a drink today. Are you alright with that, Mr. Harrington?"