Chapter 895

Austin chuckled. "It's true," he said.

Hank's lips twitched. He and Austin had visited Fachington many times, yet Hank had never seen this place before, despite his complaints about the town's delicacies. The comparison angered him. He suspected Austin had acquired the estate at the last minute, perhaps renting it solely for Natalie.

Mid-meal, Hank remembered something. "I forgot to mention," he said. "Didn't they say a Clusian actor would be here? The original actress couldn't make it, so they sent a replacement. She had a small role in your last film—Helena. She used some connections to get this part."

Natalie choked, food caught in her throat. Austin offered her water. "Eat slowly," he said gently, then continued emotionlessly, "Who's Helena?"

Hank knew Austin wasn't feigning ignorance. He genuinely didn't know Helena. Their collaboration had been brief; she'd only had a minor role in one of his films.

Chapter Res

Natalie swallowed more easily. Fachington was remarkably small. Multiple films were shooting simultaneously, employing numerous Clusian actresses. Why Helena?

She recalled Hank mentioning Helena's connections and thought of Jeremy. It seemed Jeremy and Helena were close; he was already seeking opportunities for her career advancement.

After Natalie left for the washroom, Hank whispered to Austin, "You really don't remember Helena? She's Jeremy's new girlfriend. We saw them at the Fachington airport. Looks like Jeremy's moved on from Natalie. As for you... I've already started a PR plan. Do what you will."

Austin replied expressionlessly, "It would be ideal if that were the case."

"What do you mean? You don't think Jeremy's dumped Natalie? He cheated, he has a new girlfriend. It's over between them." Hank grasped Austin's meaning immediately. Natalie returned; Hank fell silent. Austin glanced at her. Seeing her composure, he looked away.

Skylar spent the afternoon comforting Simona. Once Simona's mood improved, Skylar prepared to leave. She saw Aiken across the room.

"Let's have dinner," Aiken said, rising. "I wouldn't have known how to handle this with Simona without you."

Seeing his pale face and red-rimmed eyes, Skylar couldn't refuse. "Okay," she agreed.

They went to a nearby mall, finding a restaurant serving exquisite Taegu cuisine. Aiken poured Skylar water while they waited.

"Simona's much better," Skylar said. "She wants to transfer schools. When you're free, help her find one. A change of environment will help immensely."

"Yeah," Aiken replied. "I'll contact the school in the next few days. I'll get her transferred with Wendy."

"That's great," Skylar said. "If you hadn't intervened, Wendy's parents wouldn't have let her continue her education."

"I had someone teach them a lesson," Aiken said. "They won't bother Wendy again."

As they spoke, the waiter arrived with their meal. Suddenly, Skylar felt a sharp glare. She looked up to see its source.