Chapter 261

Paisley sidestepped Sam’s hand. "Thank you, but no, I'm fine," she said, her tone cold.

Sam scoffed. "Ungrateful," he muttered, heading for the food truck, the manager trailing behind, rolling her eyes at Paisley.

Sheela approached hesitantly. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

Paisley smiled. "Why? It's not your fault." She looked at Sheela. "Aren't you going to eat with them?"

Sheela eyed the food, swallowing hard. "I need to lose weight."

Paisley stared at Sheela's slender frame. "You? You're already skinny!"

"I need to be skinnier for the camera."

Paisley nodded, understanding the industry's brutal standards. There was always a price.

At the food truck, Sam and the manager finally saw the extravagant spread. They silently cursed the assistant. Maintaining a facade of generosity, the manager snapped photos of Sam, intending to post them online after editing. Gary was surprised by Sam's sudden generosity, considering his earlier behavior.

"Sam, thank you for this feast," Gary said politely.

A chorus of gratitude followed. The manager, having posted the pictures, turned to Gary, a pointed look at Paisley. "What a shame. Some people just don't know how to appreciate kindness."

Her intention was clear: to belittle Paisley. Both she and Sam knew Paisley disliked them.

But Gary’s unease was evident. Had they offended Nion? A disgruntled Nion meant production problems. Sam and the manager missed Gary's apprehension. Sam, basking in the praise, puffed out his chest. "Eat up, everyone! It's on me!"

"On you?" A cold voice cut through the air.

Sam froze, whirling around to face a towering figure with equally cold eyes. Overwhelmed, Sam cowered behind his manager.

"Gary, who is this?" The manager, a veteran of the industry, recognized the man's importance instantly.

Gary, startled, replied, "Mr. Vanderbilt."

Dominick scanned the crowd, his gaze searching. Paisley was missing. The audacity of some clueless guy claiming credit for his food, meant for Paisley…

"Where's Paisley?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his voice. Why wasn't she eating? Had they bullied her? The feisty woman he knew wouldn't tolerate this.