Chapter 967
By the time Austin and Hank accompanied Skylar and Natalie to their mansion, it was already 5:00 PM. After dinner, Austin and Hank departed; Austin had an event to attend. Skylar then went with Natalie to the hotel, which was near the film set. They had been staying there for two months; the area was safe, eliminating security concerns.
Natalie gave Skylar another tour of the set. Filming was underway for other actors' scenes. Skylar was impressed by the large-scale production, a rarity for Jipsburg film crews. She planned to share her experience with Charles, but felt disappointed that photography was prohibited.
"Look, that's the female lead. Isn't she stunning? When she acts with Mr. Powell, their emotional scenes are so gripping, it makes my heart race," Natalie said, pointing to nearby actors. The Fachingtonian actress was breathtakingly beautiful; a single glance was captivating.
"So when Mr. Powell and I act together, he can imagine me as the female lead and get into the role. It really shows how professional he is," Natalie added, praising Austin. As they walked, her continued compliments led Skylar to believe Austin held a special place in Natalie's heart, making him uniquely irreplaceable.
Skylar's gaze suddenly stopped; her steps faltered. Natalie, noticing Skylar had fallen behind, asked, "What's wrong?"
Following Skylar's gaze, Natalie saw Helena among several actors preparing for a scene. Surprised, she remarked, "Didn't Helena's scenes finish filming a while ago? Could it be a reshoot? But the set doesn't match, so it must be an added scene."
Just then, Natalie spotted Jeremy. It seemed likely Helena's added scenes were his doing. Jeremy's gaze shifted towards them, first to Skylar, then to Natalie.
Immediately, Natalie grabbed Skylar's arm. "I'm feeling a bit tired. Let's head back to the hotel."
Skylar noticed an unsettling, authoritative darkness in Jeremy's eyes when he looked at Natalie. She suspected his repeated trips to Fachington and his sending Helena to Austin's set indicated his unwillingness to let go of Natalie. Moreover, Skylar believed Jeremy was aware of Austin's feelings for Natalie.
They returned to the hotel in silence. Once in their room, seeing Skylar's concern, Natalie finally spoke.
"The call I received this morning at the mansion was from Jeremy. He wants to talk to me. I don't understand him at all. I have no idea what he's thinking."
"Did he ever mention his relationship with Helena?" Skylar asked.
Natalie shook her head. "I never asked him directly. But seeing them together at the mall and traveling abroad, it's obvious what their relationship must be."
Skylar considered this.
Natalie continued, "Now he's being ambiguous with Helena while relentlessly pursuing me. It's like I don't even recognize him anymore. It feels like the Jeremy I thought I knew for all these years was just a façade." The thought of a decade-long façade filled Natalie with deep sadness.
Just as Skylar was about to respond, there was a knock at the door.