Chapter 1769
chapter1769
Charles asked, "Why?"
His face darkened.
The director replied, "A friend of mine gave me a heads-up about some potential issues with Thelma. Some hidden problems haven't come to light yet, but they could harm our project once they do. I know she's one of your studio's celebrities, but since she's one of your first signings, you might not be fully aware of the risks behind the scenes.
"You can terminate her contract if you want. Also, there have been a lot of
negative rumors about her recently. If there's truth to them, it's hard for us to trust her."
Charles' voice dropped as he asked, "Who told you this?"
If the director had paid closer attention to Charles' expression, he would have noticed the anger simmering beneath Charles' expression.
Not far away, Thelma was heading to find her makeup artist when the crew informed her that her makeup artist wouldn't be coming. Moreover, there were no scenes scheduled for her today.
She froze, confused. How could she not have any scenes? She'd prepared thoroughly, memorizing her lines before arriving on set.
Then, she caught sight of Charles speaking with the director, and realization struck. The color drained from her face.
Just half an hour ago, she had promised Charles she would take her career seriously—that when people mentioned her as Charles' girlfriend, they wouldn't see her as a burden.
Now, in mere minutes, everything she had said seemed to unravel. She couldn't even film today. Her mind spiraled into a storm of confusion and disbelief.
After what felt like an eternity, she saw Charles walking toward her.
Without a word, he reached for her hand, ignoring the curious stares around them, and led her off the set.
Someone called after Charles, but he didn't stop or look back. He kept walking until they reached his car.
Thelma, still overwhelmed, felt her thoughts begin to settle only after they were seated inside his car. She glanced down at her hand, still held firmly in his. His large, warm hand enveloped hers, grounding her in a way she hadn't expected.
Over the years, she had faced countless challenges, always alone. People who promised to stand by her had faded away, afraid of being dragged down. But this was the first time someone had stayed.
"Did I cause you a lot of trouble?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Charles gently stroked her hair. "It's not your fault. Don't worry. Let's head back to the studio first. I've already contacted Clement, and he will handle it."
Unbeknownst to Thelma, someone had approached the director privately and shown him incriminating photos. The images convinced the director and some producers that Thelma could become a liability.
Charles would ensure Clement dealt with it, but he saw no need to burden Thelma with the details. She had endured enough, and as her boyfriend, it was his responsibility to shield her this time.
Thelma studied Charles' calm
demeanor. His composed
expression betrayed no sign of worry, but she wasn't convinced everything was fine. Before she could ask what had happened, her phone buzzed incessantly with incoming messages.