Chapter 145 Suicide Attempt Upon hearing Simon’s words, Roman calmly said, “Sometimes, what the naked eye sees may not necessarily be the truth.” “Heh. I see that Erin is enjoying it quite a bit. And she insists she has nothing to do with Matthew. Does she really think I’m a fool?” Simon felt slight displeasure in his heart. He detested women who said one thing but did the other. Ever since being betrayed by Megan, his impression of women had taken a drastic plummet. Roman wanted to say something to defend Erin, but he’d just witnessed her embracing and kissing Matthew. How could that be explained? Did she betray Chandler? Or did some conflict arise between her and Chandler? Suddenly, the wooden door was opened, and Erin stormed out with a slightly flushed face and an angry expression. As soon as she came out, she saw Roman’s back and Simon on the stairs. She guessed they’d probably witnessed the scene earlier. Thinking of that, she felt even more awkward and embarrassed. Roman turned to look at her. He asked, “Erin, what’s wrong with you? You don’t look too good.” She lowered her head and said, “I’m feeling a bit unwell. I’ll go back first. Can you please take care of the bill? I’ll give you the money tomorrow.” Simon looked at her with a puzzled expression, feeling that things seemed a bit different from what he’d imagined. Roman wanted to ask more, but Erin sidestepped him and quickly walked up the stairs. As Erin passed by Simon, he instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm. “What’s going on between you and Matthew?” This question made Erin go ballistic. “What’s going on? I’ve already said I have nothing to do with him! Whoever gets drunk and behaves erratically in the future, be careful! I’ll beat them to a pulp the next time this happens!” She forcefully shook off Simon’s hand and continued walking up the stairs in a fit of rage. After Erin turned the corner and walked into the corridor, Matthew happened to open the wooden door and walk out. He was taken aback to see both Roman and Simon in front of him. Matthew’s tone was somewhat unnatural as he spoke up. “You guys. Why are you here?” Roman’s gaze was glum. He’d already deciphered the hidden meaning in Erin’s words, and his tone was […]
Chapter 144 Friends Before Men Since the day Erin and Holly had both had a falling out in the bamboo forest, Holly had been ignoring her. Even when Erin was all over the news, Holly didn’t reach out to her. Holly’s concerned voice sounded from the phone. “Are you okay?” Erin chuckled and replied, “Are you asking about the incident where I was almost assaulted?” “Erin, this is not something to laugh about! You have no idea how scared I was when I saw the news! My phone was off, so I didn’t see the news. I spent a whole day watching movies at home. It wasn’t until my other friends asked me about you that I found out what happened!” Holly said somberly, clearly blaming herself. After listening to her, Erin’s eyes turned red. She thought Holly was going to terminate their friendship, but it turned out she was just hiding at home. “Thank you for contacting me, Holly. I thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore,” Erin sighed helplessly. At that moment, Holly was at her own home, sitting with her legs crossed on the sofa and in her pajamas. She held her phone and said exasperatedly, “Nonsense! Would I break ties with you because of a man who doesn’t like me? At that time, I just couldn’t stand it anymore. Simon really didn’t hold back at all. I can’t believe I didn’t give him a piece of my mind! What a coward I was!” “Simon does have some issues. He said he had some kind of condition and wanted me to help cure it-” Holly suddenly interrupted her, “Could it be a problem in that department down there?” Erin sighed. “According to him, it seems like it.” “Hot damn! Serves him right!” Holly exclaimed with satisfaction. “Let’s not talk about him. I haven’t told you yet, but Chandler and I have reconciled. However, we’re secretly dating because his father wouldn’t agree to our relationship.” Erin’s eyes dimmed a little. “Sorry, I can’t help you with anything.” Holly felt sorry for Erin. She couldn’t believe that Erin still had to date the man she liked secretly as if they were still in medieval times. Erin forced a smile and said, “It’s okay. I’ll take it step by step with him. As long as he still loves me, I won’t easily give up on him. To be honest, I took up acting because of him. I hope to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry and be worthy of him someday. It’s impossible for me to get reborn to a wealthy family or become a billionaire myself.” Holly comforted, “Let’s worry about the future later. After all, you both aren’t at the stage of discussing marriage yet, right?” “Of course not!” Erin didn’t even dare think about it. “Well then, just focus on your relationship now. As for me, I’ll have to find another man. Even if I manage to get together with Simon, if he indeed has those problems I’d be missing out on the most important human pleasure. That would be torturous.” Holly expressed regret as she said that. Erin burst into laughter. “Haha! You perverted woman-” Holly interrupted disapprovingly, “After all, we’re mature women. We need physical intimacy. You’re lucky to have someone like Chandler, who’s exceptionally handsome and has a great body. Just looking at him is a feast for the eyes!” “Y–You…” Erin felt her face reddening from listening. “Erin, be honest with me, is Chandler particularly skilled in that department? My ex–husband, Eugene, may be young, but he’d
Chapter 143 Cooperative Arrest Erin’s accusation made Percival freeze on the spol. “What did you say?” “I’m saying that you were the one who attacked me!” A flicker of panic flashed across Percival’s eyes, but he quickly composed himself and said, “Erin, the script doesn’t have the line you just said. You were supposed to use a hidden weapon to injure me and then escape-” Kicking him away, Erin quickly got up. She stared into his eyes and said, “Stop pretending, Percival! I’m certain the man from that day was you! Even though I didn’t see your face clearly at that time, your current expression and the knots on the rope have exposed you!” A trace of malevolence appeared in his eyes as he said coldly, “Are you delusional? Stop making things up! I agreed to help you with the scene out of kindness, and you come up with this nonsense to slander me!” Erin retorted loudly, “I’m going to the police! Besides, the suspect who took the blame has already recanted! I believe the investigators will be interested in the new evidence I can provide.” Seeing that Erin was about to leave as if she were really going to report to the police, Percival anxiously blocked her path. “Erin, I advise you not to do something you’ll regret!” She could feel that his mental fortress was slowly crumbling away, and one more push could make him confess everything. Erin scolded mercilessly. “Percival, I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person! The entertainment industry is truly unfortunate to have scum like you! Even if all the men in the world were dead, I would never be interested in you! Just the sight of you makes me sick! Get lost!” This barrage of insults infuriated Percival to no end. He suddenly raised his hand and slapped Erin. Then, he pushed her to the ground before she could react. “Who the fuck do you think you are, Erin? Do you think you can look down on me like that? You’re lucky that I even took an interest in you! There are plenty of women who throw themselves at me!” Percival bellowed angrily, getting closer to her. Erin sat on the ground, pretending to be scared. “I’m warning you. Don’t come any closer!” The fearful expression in her eyes made Percival smirk. The more scared she was, the more excited he became. He pulled out a peculiar glass bottle from his pocket and grinned wickedly. “Do you know what this is, Erin? This thing is from Southeast Azores, made specifically for disobedient women like you. Once you drink it, I guarantee you’ll behave like a little lamb!” “You’re shameless, Percival! Admit it! You were the masked man that day, weren’t you? You’re a cowardly scumbag who has the audacity. to commit a crime but doesn’t have the courage to admit to it! You coward!” Her provocation pushed Percival over the edge and he started to confess, “That’s right! I was the man who wanted to assault you! Unfortunately, Simon ruined my plan! Erin, even if you know it was me, so what? No one will believe you. Once you drink what’s in my hand, I’ll film you begging me like a bitch to have my way with you-” After saying that, his eyes turned cold as he walked over to forcefully pour the contents of his hand into Erin’s mouth. Just as he was about to grab Erin’s chin, three men rushed into the artificial cave. They were Roman, Matthew, and Simon. They came prepared, all dressed in casual clothes suitable for combat. As they surrounded Percival, he finally realized that he’d fallen into Erin’s trap! He glanced disdainfully at Erin and cursed agitatedly, “You bitch! How dare you set me up!” Right then, the expression on Erin’s face was no longer weak and timid. She said coldly, “Percival, you can’t escape the law. You won’t get away this time!” Percival laughed and said, “If you dare attack me, I’ll call my lawyer-” Matthew, who had a bad temper, threw a punch at him without giving him a chance to finish his sentence. “So what if we hit you? I’m going to beat you up! You bastard! I’ve never liked you from the start! All you do is flirt with actresses on the set every day- Percival had combat skills, so Matthew couldn’t gain the upper hand. Roman glanced at Simon and asked, “If we all attack together, will it seem like we’re bullying him because we outnumber him?” Simon sneered, “Does a scumbag like him deserve to be given equal treatment as a fellow human being?” “In that case, what are we waiting for?” Roman clenched his fists and joined the fight. Simon’s eyes flashed with a hint of ferocity, and he also joined in. Five minutes later, with a swollen and bruised face, Percival was lying on the ground, completely subdued. He begged for mercy.” Please… Please don’t hit me anymore! I admit deleat!” At that moment, a group of police officers were awaiting instructions right outside the artificial cave. A young police officer asked, ” Captain, should we go in and arrest him now?” Aaron Wicker checked his watch and replied, “It’s about time. Mr. Frost said they would resolve their private grievances within five minutes. They should be done.” The young police officer added, “If we don’t go in soon, I think Percival will be beaten to death.” How were they supposed to interrogate him if he was close to death? As the police officers rushed in, Erin had already tied up Percival’s hands using the rope he used on her earlier. Simon even tied a tight sailor’s knot just in case. “Mr. Wicker, you arrived just in time. These three men assaulted me. I want to press charges against them!” Percival, with his swollen eyelids and cheeks, still tried to play the victim. Erin took off the tapping device from her body and handed it to Aaron, saying. “I hope you’ll release the innocent person who took the blame as soon as possible.” Aaron replied, “Ms. Lane, we’ll handle these matters impartially. If the person who took the blame indeed accepted a bribe from Percival, then he is also guilty. However, the court will take into account the circumstances of him voluntarily confessing the truth and handle it with discretion.” Erin nodded without saying anything else. Percival knew there was no way
Chapter 142 It’s Really You! It was Percival again! Erin glanced at the warning note in her hand and clenched it tightly. One of the suspects, Percival, had just laken the initiative to come and practice a scene with her. She called out toward the door, “Wait a moment. I need to change my clothes.” “It’s okay. Take your time.” Percival said politely from outside the door. Erin immediately walked into the dressing room, where there was a separate restroom. She threw the note into the toilet and flushed it. watching as the paper went down the toilet. Afterward, she returned to the makeup room and checked herself in the mirror. Once she confirmed that her makeup was fine, she walked over and opened the door. At that moment. Percival was standing at the door with his back facing her, holding a script in his hand. When he heard the door opening. he turned around. He was dressed in a light blue costume with intricate patterns, and his makeup was exquisite. He looked exactly like a young prince. In the movie, he portrayed a treacherous prince who constantly plotted against the crown prince and had an obsession with the fox demon. He was an antagonist, a villain. Erin smiled at him. Recalling the affair between Percival and Megan, and thinking about the plot in the movie, she couldn’t help but feel that life imitated art. “Erin, you are the perfect fit for the demon hunter role in the entire cast. You’re quite captivating!” Percival’s eyes showed admiration, albeit restrained to some extent. Sometimes, the eyes could easily reveal someone’s true feelings. From his eyes, Erin could perceive the peculiar gaze he directed toward her. She couldn’t find the right adjective to describe it, but it was definitely nothing good. “Mr. Lowe, if you have something to say to me, come on in.” Her invitation brought a smile to Percival’s face. He responded, “Alright. Let’s head inside and discuss the script.” She’d already turned and walked back in. The makeup room was now under the watchful eyes of the crew members, so even if Percival had any ulterior motives, Erin wasn’t afraid. She could call someone in at any moment. After entering the makeup room, Percival chose to sit on the sofa right away. Seeing that Erin had closed the door, he smiled and said, “The screenwriter made some last–minute changes to the scene. The director hasn’t officially informed everyone yet, but this scene is between the two of us. How about we rehearse it in advance?” Erin sat down not far from him. She sat on a chair and calmly asked, “The screenwriter actually added a scene for us? That’s a good thing. I guess. More screen time for us, right?” Percival’s eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled again. “But, Erin, I’m afraid you wouldn’t dare to shoot this scene-” “Why?” she asked. He replied, “The recent news has caused quite a stir. Even though the criminal has been caught, I’m a bit concerned about the psychological impact it might have on you. I’m afraid it’s not suitable for you to act out something like this at this time.” The hidden meaning in Percival’s words made Erin furrow her brows and think for a few seconds. Suddenly, she asked, “Are you telling me that the scene is something along the lines of what actually happened to me?” When she asked that, Percival pretended to blame the screenwriler as he said, “I was also troubled when I read this scene. I’m afraid you won’t be able to perform it. After all, you didn’t graduate from a performing arts major. If you have any psychological barriers and can’t act. it’s normal. I just came here to tell you in advance. If you’re willing. I can rehearse it with you beforehand.” Erin looked at him without speaking, and Percival could see a flicker of a fire in her eyes. She admitted that if she didn’t know Percival’s true character, his appearance alone would be very attractive indeed. But in Erin’s heart, there was an image of a perfectly ideal man. So now, Percival’s feigned seduction, which he pretended to reveal once in a while, had no effect on Erin. In fact, it even made her feel. nauseous. However, she didn’t show it. She just smiled and said, “Can you show me the revised script first?” “Sure, do have a look.” Percival handed her the script. After Erin took it, she carefully read through it. Ten minutes later, she looked at Percival again and said, “So, in this scene, you expose my disguise and go on to physically assault me?” Percival’s dark eyes dimmed, and he politely answered, “Yes.” Erin already had some negative assumptions in her mind and had some doubts. “Why did the screenwriter add this scene? Does it have any significance to the overall story?” Percival chuckled and said, “Don’t ask me such deep questions. I don’t understand the screenwriter’s inner thoughts. I’m just an actor, and all I want is to perform this scene well.” “So, are you looking forward to this scene?” Erin asked bluntly. He froze for a moment, then an awkward expression appeared on his face. “What do you mean, Erin? Ahem! Why would I look forward to this kind of scene? I’m just following the script. I’m afraid you won’t be able to perform this scene, considering what happened to you-” “You’re underestimating me, Mr. Lowe. That won’t be a problem! I can definitely do this!” “That’s great Um, I mean, I’ll fully cooperate with you to perform this scene well! If you’re willing, we can find a private place to rehearse beforehand, you know, to avoid any awkwardness when we actually shoot it.” Erin caught the look of anticipation and excitement that Percival was suppressing in his eyes. She pretended to be coy as she said, “I haven’t done this before, but I’m really fortunate to have a handsome guy like you as my partner for this scene-” Percival’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement. He smiled, thinking that he looked charming, and asked, “So, do you want to rehearse this scene with me in advance?”
Chapter 141 More to It Than Meets the Eye Megan’s words made Percival sneer. “Mind your own business. You have no right to interfere in other people’s affairs.” He turned and walked away, leaving Megan standing on her spot. Her hatred toward Erin increased right that instant. She continued to stare at Erin’s disappearing figure and made no move to leave. May glanced at her and advised, “Don’t be angry, Megan. That’s just how my cousin is. Don’t stoop to her level. Although she’s my cousin. I have to admit, she’s really promiscuous. Any man can have her! I even suspect that her ex–husband divorced her because of her relationship with Chandler- This statement immediately caught Megan’s full attention. She hurriedly asked, “Who?” May shrugged. “Chandler Frost, the president of Frost Corporation, the Azores tycoon, and the eldest heir of the Frost family. Haven’t you heard of him, Megan?” Megan rolled her eyes. “Of course, I’ve heard of him! Who hasn’t heard of Chandler Frost? Are you insulting me?” “I’m sorry, Megan. I didn’t mean it that way-” May explained nervously. “Don’t be scared, May. I have no ill intentions. Let’s go, tell me all about the relationship between Erin and Chandler.” Megan reached out to hold May’s arm like they were true sisters. May looked at the peerless beauty she usually only saw on screens. She was now treating her like a friend. This made her feel a wave of excitement in her heart. When Liliana found her, May could hardly believe it. Megan suddenly approaching made her eager to spill all of Erin’s secrets. “Chandler used to be Erin’s boss. But privately, she’s Chandler’s plaything. I heard with my own ears that one time she was crying and screaming in his room. She even ended up in the hospital-” Two hours later, the filming of the movie began in full swing. The shooting went relatively smoothly. Roman and Matthew went out to film a hunting scene, while Erin continued to practice a fight scene under the guidance of a fight coordinator for tomorrow’s shoot. Since Erin hadn’t trained in combat before, she couldn’t immediately learn complex fight moves. So, the fight coordinator taught her visually deceptive actions that were easy to learn and perform. Combined with CGI that would be added later on, the scenes would look impressive. After practicing for half an hour, the fight coordinator told Erin to take a break. Erin planned to go back to Roman’s dressing room to grab some food. Practicing fight scenes was physically exhausting, and she was starving. When she arrived at the dressing room, within five minutes, Hank came to find her. He knocked on the door and entered the dressing room. Then, he gently closed the door and approached Erin. He whispered, “Miss Lane, someone asked me to deliver this note to you. After reading it, you should destroy it.” Erin furrowed her brows and asked, “Who gave you the note?” “One of Mr. Frost’s men,” he replied. Erin felt a surge of joy and immediately thought of Chandler. She asked again, “Is it from Chandler?” Hank nodded solemnly and then left. After he left, Erin immediately walked to the door and locked it. She quickly opened the note and saw that it was not handwritten but printed from a computer. The content read: “The captured suspect is not the real culprit. Beware of Percival’s stunt double, Baxter, and also be careful of Percival himself. They are both suspects.” After reading it, Erin’s expression immediately turned serious. She had thought that the suspect had been caught, but it turned out that he wasn’t the real culprit. Why did that extra voluntarily turn himself in? Why would he take the fall? Just as Erin was puzzling over this, her phone rang. She walked to the lable in front of the makeup mirror, picked up her phone, and saw an unfamiliar caller ID. She swiped the screen and pressed the answer button. “Hello, is this Ms. Erin Lane?” When Erin heard that the caller was a woman and her voice sounded young, probably in her thirties at most, she asked, “I’m Erin. Who is this?” The caller said, “Hello, Ms. Lane. I’m the wife of the captured male extra. I want to tell you that my husband didn’t do such a thing! He had his reasons and was threatened by someone who had evidence against him. That person forced him to take the blarne. He did it for me=” Erin didn’t immediately come to a judgment. She urged, “Can you be more specific?” “Okay, I’ll tell you. When I was young. I worked as a hostess. Later, I met my husband, and
Chapter 140 Case Solved The next morning. reporters surrounded the studio. Since Erin’s news made it to the top of the trending topics, all major websites sent reporters overnight to follow the developments of the case closely. The local authorities fell the pressure from public opinion and couldn’t afford to slack off with so many media outlets watching. At 8 am, five police cars entered the studio. It was reported that the suspect had turned himself in, confessing to the crime and the sequence of events. When Erin received this news, she happened to be in the hotel, and Roman had informed her about it over the phone. He mentioned that the culprit was either a local resident of Fleuverton or a supporting actor on the set. The investigators had found the costumes and animal masks worn by the suspect in his rented house. Everything matched the description provided by Erin. The case was quickly solved, disappointing many media outlets that had come to Fleuverton thinking they could get a sensational story. Little did they expect it to be resolved so quickly. The potential scoop of the year became an ordinary criminal case. However, after this incident, the female actors in the crew became more cautious when going out, and they often traveled in groups. By 1 pm, filming resumed in the studio, and all the actors gradually returned to the set. Following this incident, the staff in the studio and the production crew made a unanimous decision that everyone entering or leaving the set must present valid identification. Those without identification would not be allowed in even if they were accompanied by someone familiar. Even all the extras in the crew obtained temporary actor certificates, which were processed overnight by the production staff. Rumor had it that it was an order from a big shot. Erin naturally had no idea that this decision was made due to Chandler putting pressure on the CEO of the studio. Originally, Chandler wanted to see Erin personally, but he received urgent news that his grandfather, Gaston, had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. Therefore, Chandler took a helicopter back to the city at 10 am. Before leaving, he didn’t even make a phone call to Erin. He wanted to see her, but he didn’t dare call her. He was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to leave after hearing her voice. He couldn’t afford to stay there any longer as his grandfather’s condition was quite severe. Erin also didn’t contact Chandler. She didn’t dare tell him about that incident. On one hand, she didn’t want him to worry, and on the other hand, she felt that it was too embarrassing and not worth mentioning. But since the news was already known to everyone, Erin was somewhat disappointed that Chandler didn’t call her to show concern. As her lawyer, Simon had already represented her in dealing with the investigators. Roman even had Ken contact a bodyguard company, saying that they would assign someone to protect her. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Chandler remained silent. Erin felt that he didn’t care about her, but she didn’t want to dwell on those negative and subjective emotions. Feeling guilty about delaying the filming progress, Erin was determined to make up for the loss to the production crew with her diligence. When she returned to the set, many people passing by would intentionally or unintentionally look at her. She instantly became the center of attention, overshadowing even the leading actors in the movie. It was difficult for people not to notice her. As she had expected, there was a group of Internet users criticizing her online. They accused her of shamelessly orchestrating and exploiting the incident for publicity, and they even voiced suspicions that the arrested criminal might be her accomplice. Of course, these comments were all anonymous. The trolls wouldn’t dare use their real accounts for fear of overstepping legal boundaries. Currently, netizens weren’t required to register for accounts using their real names, so they were still free to make irresponsible comments without any moral restraint. As Erin walked down a corridor wearing oversized sunglasses and a hat, she overheard two extras playing palace maids talking about her. “Why would any guy want to pursue Erin? Isn’t the lead actress, Megan, more beautiful?” “Haven’t you seen the news online? It’s likely just an unscrupulous marketing stunt!” “Really? That’s so disgusting!” “It’s nothing special. Nowadays, people who want fame will do anything-” “Erin actually looks pretty good and seems reserved. She should’ve just gotten ahead using her looks to gain favor with the directors or producers. Why did she have to create this kind of lousy scandal and ruin her own reputation?” “Whatever. It has nothing to do with us. Let’s focus on our acting. Who knows, we might become famous after a few years!” “You’re right. Who would dare openly cause trouble on the set anyway?” “It doesn’t matter. Erin has gained her lifteen minutes of fame one way or another.” “It’s a pity that people like us care too much about our reputation. Otherwise, we might have had a chance to become famous too.” “Well. C’est la vie. That’s how life is.” Listening to their malicious slandering, Erin was infuriated to the point of almost confronting them. But then she realized that she didn’t even know these two extras, and they didn’t know her either. Why should she bother reasoning with people who loved to gossip and didn’t know her at all? If they had even an ounce of sensibility, they wouldn’t be gossiping behind someone’s back like this. In the end, Erin held back her grievances and swallowed them. She should have known that when she made the decision to report the incident, she would have to bear the negative impact that came with it. At that moment, a man’s voice sounded from behind her.
Chapter 139 Zero Toleration for Assault on the Set At this moment. Simon was very angry, so the words he said were naturally unfiltered and not pleasing to hear. Erin couldn’t find the words to counter what he said. Seeing her bowing her head and not saying a word, Simon forcefully let go of her hand. Deep within his heart, he looked down on the way Erin chose to keep quiet and not stand up for herself. If he hadn’t arrived in time. Erin might have been sexually assaulted by the masked man. He despised Erin’s attitude of wanting to cover things up and not cause trouble. It made him furious! One minute later, Simon forcefully kicked open the door to Roman’s dressing room. Roman and his makeup artist, Donny, were about to leave the dressing room. They looked at Simon, who had intruded suddenly and quite rudely, with disapproving expressions. “Haven’t you heard of knocking? Why on earth did you barge in like a bull?” Roman looked at this unexpected guest impassively. Simon didn’t have a good impression of Roman to start with. Not only were their rumors about him and Erin, but he had also heard about his ex–girlfriend, Megan, repeatedly buttering up to Roman. Coupled with how Roman had previously mocked him over the phone on Erin’s behalf when he broke up with Megan, Simon naturally held a grudge against him. He could now use Erin’s incident as a valid reason to confront Roman, so he wasn’t going to miss out on this opportunity. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Roman. “Answer me this, Roman. If a female actress on the set is kidnapped and almost violated, how should this be handled?” Outside the door, Erin’s cheeks burned bright red. This kind of incident would make any woman feel deeply embarrassed. Although the attempt was unsuccessful it was still a criminal case nonetheless. Simon had asked the question quite loudly in the dressing room. As the door was still open, it attracted shocked glances from the crew members who were nearby. Roman’s heart sank, and his gaze instinctively shifted to Erin, who was standing outside the door. He observed that her complexion was somewhat pale, and she had a conflicted expression. Based on Erin’s state of discomfort, Roman immediately deduced that the victimized actress was likely Erin! A sudden wave of fear washed over his heart. Roman calmly walked over, took hold of Erin’s hand, and pulled her into the dressing room. On the other hand, Simon looked on coldly, waiting for Roman to speak. Roman calmly instructed, “Donny, go and inform the director that we have something important to discuss here. Tell him that we’ll temporarily pause the filming.” Donny’s expression also became serious. He glanced at Erin with some confusion then quickly left. Once he left, Simon intuitively closed. the door to the dressing room. Now there were only the three of them in the room. “Erin, was what Simon said true?” Roman’s tone was serious, and his eyes showed nervousness and unease. Upon being asked, Erin remembered the incident in the artificial cave earlier and felt a sense of fear. Faced with Roman’s question, she suddenly chose to remain. silent. “Can you say something, please?” Roman was getting anxious and unsure of what to do for the first time. Simon glanced at Erin and spoke up, “Just now, Erin was kidnapped by a stranger and almost assaulted in the artificial cave. Fortunately, I happened to pass by and stopped him from going any further! The person was wearing a plastic mask and dressed in an ancient costume. He had some combat skills as well. Hence, he’s likely one of the male actors from the crew. If we don’t catch this scum, then you might as well stop filming altogether.” “That’s enough, Simon. Please, no more- Erin was clearly very distressed. Seeing her response, Roman didn’t doubt what Simon said. His gaze instantly turned deep and terrifying, and he remained silent for a full two minutes. After two minutes, he raised his eyes to look at Erin while saying. “Erin, we must investigate this matter thoroughly. We absolutely cannot tolerate such scum! I know that if we report this to the police, you might become the subject of gossip again. But If we don’t catch that person, no one can guarantee that he won’t strike again!” Roman’s words made sense, and even Simon’s firm attitude was perfectly appropriate. However, Erin instantly became shackled by the 1/3 fear of being the target of gossip when such a thing happened to her. She was hesitant to come forward because she was afraid. She’d seen the news about women facing misfortune. There were always some malicious people who enjoyed kicking others when they were down. Some would even shamelessly comment that the victim had it coming by dressing so scantily. Just the thought of such malicious words made her feel unsettled. She didn’t have a heart made of steel; she was just an ordinary woman. Erin’s constant silence made the two men standing beside her feel stifled. They both wished they could find that scumbag and cripple him! “What are you hesitating about, Erin? Are you going to let that person go unpunished? I guarantee you that if I don’t send him to prison as a lawyer, I might as well rescind my law practice license!” Simon wanted to encourage and empower Erin, but he didn’t want to do it in a powerless and inconsequential way. Roman also spoke with great seriousness. “Erin, I stand with Simon on this, and I agree with his approach. The scumbag didn’t succeed this time, but maybe he will continue to target you again. Even if you leave the crew and stop acting, you can’t hide from people forever. Besides, while he slinks in the dark, you’re in the light-” After they took turns persuading her and pointing out what would likely happen in the future if she let this go, Erin finally made up her mind. With a cold and resolute look in her eyes, she said, “Fine! I’ll report this to the police. To prevent such incidents from happening to another actress, I’ll cooperate with the officers in handling the case.” “Don’t worry, we will look into this together. Involving the police is the best way. It will get everyone in the crew involved, and with more leads, we may be able to catch the criminal quickly.” Roman said as he started dialing a number, “I’ll call Ken first and ask him to start investigating discreetly.” Simultaneously. Simon added. “I’ll go find the director now-” In the blink of an eye, the situation became a grave one. Erin felt that it had blown up to an irreversible scale, but she also understood that there was no other choice at this point. They couldn’t just snuff out the criminal on their own and beat him up: that wouldn’t resolve the issue at the root cause. Sending him to prison was the best solution. Moreover, Simon could step in as a witness. Erin told Roman about the physical characteristics of the masked man. They chose to let the whole crew know about this incident. This way, the criminal would truly realize the trouble they’d gotten themselves into. One hour later, all filming on the set was suspended. Although the director and producer felt frustrated and helpless, they had to take the matter seriously because it involved Erin.
Chapter 138 Coincidentally Passing By Erin, who was dragged into the cave, was in a state of panic. She was anxious because the man covered her mouth so tightly that it prevented her from calling for help. She was also shocked that such an ambush could happen on the set! Her mind was in chaos, and she had no idea who the person was. Was he doing it for money or did he intend to harm her maliciously? The man grabbed Erin’s arms and restrained them behind her back, while his other hand covered her mouth. Erin was dragged backward roughly. Soon, the man pulled out a piece of cloth from the pocket of his costume that was made of course cloth. Whenever Erin had a chance, she desperately screamed for help, but after a few seconds, the man stuffed the cloth into her mouth! No matter how much she screamed for help, her voice was muffled due to the piece of cloth in her mouth. Her eyes instantly became bloodshot, and tears of fear welled up in her eyes. Although Erin had her back to the man, she turned her head to try to get a clear view of his face. But in the next moment, she felt despair. The man was wearing a plastic animal mask that could be bought for ten dollars on the street outside the studio. Even his eyes were not visible in any way, as the holes where the eye socket should be were covered by black mesh. The man tied a hemp rope around Erin’s hands and forcefully dragged her to a spot deep inside the cave where there was an artificial hot spring. This fixture was meant for a scene next week–a scene of an affair between Megan and Percival. Hence, there were no staff members here at the moment. Erin had already been pushed down by the masked man onto the ground that was covered in artificial grass. She stared fixedly at the masked man not far from her. The masked man wasn’t short, standing at least 5’9“. Although he was wearing a rough costume for extras, one could see that he was young and had a good physique. In her mind, Erin desperately told herself to stay calm and remember the physical characteristics of the criminal so that she could provide more clues later… if she could escape! Her startling beauty caught the eyes of the masked man, making him itch with desire. He began to approach her slowly, seemingly hesitating about something. However, seeing that Erin was already bound and trapped here, he could no longer hold back his desire that had broken free like a horse freed from its reins! The man started to undo his belt urgently. This movement alarmed Erin greatly, and a cold sweat broke out on her back. She immediately tried to get up. Even though her arms were bound behind her, her legs were still free. Noticing what she was attempting to do, the man rushed over and pounced on Erin, knocking her down to the ground. The thrill of committing a criminal act spurred the man on. Without hesitation, he reached out to grab Erin’s collar. Erin panicked and struggled, but her legs were forcefully pinned down by the man, rendering her unable to move. Just when Erin thought she was about to be violated, the sound of footsteps gradually approached. Erin’s body stiffened, and she continued to whimper for help. At the same time, the masked man also heard the approaching footsteps. He froze momentarily and turned his head, and Simon’s gaze landed on Erin as soon as the scene in the cave came into his view. From the fearful and relieved expression in Erin’s eyes, Simon immediately understood that she’d been dragged here against her will. He sprinted over immediately. The masked man had just stood up when Simon’s fist came swinging, and he luckily dodged it. The mask still firmly covered his face. Simon’s fist came at him again, and the two men began to fight. It was clear that the masked man was trained in combat as he displayed good fighting skills. Simon was not weakling either. Having won numerous cases as a lawyer, he had some moves up his sleeve in case of a retaliatory ambush. Simon kept on attacking, targeting the masked man’s face with each strike. The man wasn’t a fool; he knew that if they continued like this. it might attract more people, making it difficult for him to escape. Moreover, if the mask were to be knocked off, his face would be exposed! Thinking of that, the masked man grabbed a handful of the artificial plants nearby and threw them at Simon. Reacting instinctively. Simon blocked it. The masked man turned and ran away during that brief moment of distraction. If Simon pursued the culprit, he might catch him, but when he noticed that Erin was still on the ground, his heart went out to her. On top of 1/2 that, he didn’t feel safe leaving her there. Therefore, he chose to untie the rope from Erin’s wrists first. He carefully removed the cloth from Erin’s mouth, and she took big gasps of air. Her brain felt a little deprived of oxygen, and the high tension and fear from earlier subsided, and she could finally relax. There were tears in the corners of her eyes from the extreme fright. With a frown, Simon quickly untied her, feeling a burning anger swirling in his chest. He was frustrated that he couldn’t personally capture that despicable criminal. After untying the hemp rope, he saw the purple and red marks left on Erin’s wrists from the tight bindings. Unable to hold back, he cursed.” That scumbag!” Without asking for Erin’s permission, he immediately began massaging her wrists, hoping to alleviate the marks quickly. Restricted blood flow could affect the flexibility of Erin’s wrists, and the muscle tissue could be damaged. *Thank you, I can handle this myself- Erin didn’t feel comfortable about Simon massaging her like this. It made her feel uneasy when he touched her so tenderly. He glanced at her and remarked, “What are you thinking at a time like this? Do you think I’m taking advantage of you?” Simon’s question hit the nail on the head, making Erin feel a bit embarrassed. She was annoyed at him earlier, but in the next instant, he came to her rescue. This caused her to feel conflicted. “You may have saved me this time, but you and me, we-” Simon impatiently interrupted her, “Can you stand up on your own?” She was taken aback. With a nod, she immediately stood up. She felt a bit sore in her bum after being tackled by the masked man earlier. so she rubbed the affected area. Simon saw this and his expression froze as he hastily averted his gaze.
hapter 137 You Nutcase! Upon hearing Simon say that he was looking for Erin, Holly’s eyes flickered. She looked at Erin with a teasing expression in her eyes and asked. “Erin, when did you become so familiar with Mr. Frost?” Erin’s heart tightened. She laughed and replied casually, “Well, Mr. Frost came to see Ms. Zeigler the other day-” She was trying to explain and clear the air, but Simon couldn’t bear it anymore. He looked at Holly and said. “Ms. Green, you should remember that I had a girlfriend, right? We broke up a few days ago because she cheated on me with a male actor from the crew, and it was thanks to Ms. Lane’s honesty that I didn’t propose to such a woman. But I was furious at that time and-” Suddenly, he stopped without finishing his sentence. Erin’s face turned one shade paler, and she quickly continued, “He was so furious that he threw my phone into the lake! Later, after he’d calmed down, he felt sorry and let me use his personal phone for the time being. Have you come to retrieve your phone, Mr. Frost?” She stuffed the skincare products into Holly’s hand, quickly opened the envelope she was carrying, and took out Simon’s black phone. Erin handed the phone to him, saying. “Here’s your phone, Mr. Frost.” The faint warning in her eyes inexplicably made Simon feel pleased. Seeing Erin so concerned that Holly would know more details, he suppressed a smile while harboring some wicked intentions. He lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, and was about to say something when Erin quickly added, “Don’t you worry, Mr. Frost. I’ve already topped up the phone credit for you. There’s five hundred in it.” She kept hinting at him with her eyes; it was almost a plea. Ultimately. Simon held his tongue and gave up on what he was about to say. He smiled and replied. “Thank you, Ms. Lane.” Holly, who had been watching the interaction between Erin and Simon, felt terrible about the whole ordeal, but she had no grounds to get angry. Even if she were really angry, she couldn’t place a finger on what she should be angry for. Nevertheless, she caught the most important point–Simon and his girlfriend had broken up! “Mr. Frost. I’m sorry to hear about you and your girlfriend breaking up.” She politely expressed her sympathy. Simon chuckled lightly. “Aren’t you humorous, Ms. Green? I broke things off with a woman who betrayed me. Shouldn’t you congratulate me instead?” Holly’s expression stiffened. “Right… Congratulations, Mr. Frost!” Watching Holly, who was usually bold and carefree, tread on ice in front of Simon, Erin couldn’t help but feel frustrated for her. The more Holly liked Simon, the more Erin felt that Simon was not worthy of her. After all, Simon was too extreme and stubborn. She knew that part of him very well! But what made Erin even more devastated was what happened in the next few seconds. Simon seemed lost in thought as he touched his chin, seemingly organizing his words. He suddenly said, “Ms. Green, you really don’t have to go out of your way to please me because I’ll never like you in this lifetime. If you want to know why, I can tell you it’s because I’m absolutely uninterested in your body.” These words shocked both Erin and Holly to no end. Erin thought she was hearing things, and Holly’s face was a mix of humiliation and confusion, not knowing how to respond. After a while, as the atmosphere between them reached a freezing point, Holly furrowed her brows and asked Simon, “Mr. Frost, are you trying to tell me implicitly that you’re more interested in Erin?” A trace of approval flashed through Simon’s eyes. “You’re smarter than I imagined, Ms. Green. You guessed it right. To be precise, I’m only interested in Erin’s body.” Caught in between the two, Erin felt extremely awkward. Anger was evident in her eyes as she questioned, “Simon, what nonsense are you. spouting? Are you out of your mind again?” Simon persisted without holding back. “The incident of kissing you at the loft was indeed a moment of madness. But now, I’m not joking when I say I want to pursue you.” His serious expression and the blatant desire in his eyes toward Erin finally pushed Holly, who was mentally and emotionally exhausted, over the edge. With a strange expression, she scoffed coldly, “I think I’ll leave so as not to disturb your flirting!” As Holly turned to leave. Erin took a step forward and grabbed her arm. “Holly, don’t listen to his nonsense! I have nothing to do with him. Please don’t misunderstand me!” “I don’t want to talk right now. Let go!” Holly’s voice was devoid of any warmth. She left without turning back. Erin stepped in front of her and pleaded. “Holly, listen to me. It’s really not what you think between him and me-” “Erin! Do you think I’m not embarrassed enough? Yes, I like Simon, but do you have to tell him about my personal matters and let him humiliate me? Since he’s interested in your body, then just do whatever the hell you want with each other! Book a room if you want to, as it’s none of my business! Move aside now!” Holly flung away Erin’s hand forcefully and left with a frigid expression. Erin wanted to chase after her, but Simon, who stood behind her with his arms crossed, sneered at her predicament. “You’re quite cowardly, Erin. You dare not tell your best friend anything. As for me, once I make a decision, I act immediately without so many concerns- Right then, Erin suddenly turned
Chapter 136 I Came for You Two days later, on the day when Erin officially signed the contract and started filming on the set, was also the time when Alana arrived at the set for filming. Chandler didn’t accompany her when she joined the set. Erin felt a faint sense of disappointment upon knowing this. He said he would come to see her soon, but unfortunately, he didn’t. The man she liked didn’t come, but her best friend, Holly, dropped by to visit. As the crew members led Holly into the filming hall, Erin happily stood up and rushed toward her. She hurriedly left her lunchbox aside and hugged Holly. Not far away, Claire, who was lying on a recliner wearing sunglasses, sneered and wordlessly mocked the cheap friendship between Erin and Holly. They seemed to have a deep sisterly bond now, but when they encountered relationship issues that involved men, they would surely argue more than anyone else! It was lunch break now, and due to the hot weather, the director allowed the actors to have an hour of free time. Megan had already returned to the set and was in her exclusive dressing room. Liliana stood by her side and took out two limited–edition Hermès handbags from a branded shopping bag. She happily said, “Megan, Percival asked me to pass this on to you.” Megan glanced at it casually and said, “Put them away for me. Don’t receive gifts from him anymore.” “What? Why? Percival is generous and handsome-” Before Liliana could finish speaking. Megan interrupted her. “Liliana, you’re young and there are some things you don’t understand. Since you’ve been with me for five years, I’ll tell you the truth. Men like Percival are not worth keeping around. It’s fine to have fun with them, but if you want to get married, these idle rich heirs aren’t good choices as they don’t have any advantage over other more successful men. Besides, how can he, an actor who is on the second or third tier, be on par with me?” Liliana nodded. “You’re right, Megan. I’m poor and nearsighted, so I value immediate benefits too much-” It was obvious that Liliana liked the two Hermès handbags in her hands very much and couldn’t stop staring at them. Megan noticed and generously said, “Alright, I’ll give you these two bags. But don’t let Percival see you carrying them. After all, I’m passing the things he gave me to you. As a man, his ego might not be able to take it.” Feeling overjoyed, Liliana thanked Megan profusely. Buying various luxury brand bags was her only hobby, and she used all her money to buy bags! “Don’t worry, Megan. From now on, Erin is my enemy. I will find an opportunity to deal with her for you!” Liliana understood the price of enjoying others‘ generosity in this industry. A hint of hatred flashed across Megan’s eyes. Thinking of Erin Infuriated her, but after composing herself over the past few days and considering that Simon had unilaterally given her a million dollars as their breakup fee, she temporarily let go of the grudge. After all, both she and Simon knew it very well–she was the one who cheated. It was very kind of Simon to offer her one million as compensation afterward. Megan knew when to stop and not go overboard. After all, it wouldn’t benefit her if this were to be published by the major news outlets. Fortunately, they hadn’t made their relationship public initially, so only a few people in the industry knew about their breakup. Moreover, before Megan returned to the set, the director had ordered the staff not to spread rumors anymore. Whether other actors discussed it privately was a matter of their personal integrity. Seeing Liliana’s loyalty, Megan revealed a gratified smile. “Liliana, there’s something I need you to do. Get in touch with a woman named May in the group of extras. She is Erin’s cousin. Tell her that if she is willing to join me, I can request the director to let her play the role of my handmaiden; it would give her more opportunities to appear on the screen.” “Okay, Megan. Consider it done!” Inside the hall, Erin had already left with Holly. They walked into a bamboo grove behind the hall. It was peaceful and pleasant here–a perfect place for chatting. There were still more than forty minutes before filming, so they began discussing recent events. Holly sighed and expressed her admiration for how quickly Erin became an actress. “Erin, when you become famous, I’ll cling to you! I’ll be your manager, and we’ll fly around the world!” Holly smiled. Becoming an actor or a star wasn’t her goal so she genuinely wished Erin well without envy or jealousy. Deep down in her heart, she even hoped that Erin would become wealthier. This was so that their financial difference wouldn’t be too significant in the future. They wouldn’t have to worry about who paid for their outings anymore in that case. Many times, Holly worried about Erin’s pride when it came to spending money. Over time, it was actually quite exhausting. *Thank you for your tolerance and help all this time, Holly!” Erin suddenly felt sentimental. Now she was considered a newcomer in the entertainment industry, and apart from Roman, she didn’t have any friends in the industry. 1 Besides Holly, Erin didn’t really have any true friends. From her childhood to adulthood, whether it was classmates, roommates, female colleagues, and so on, they always couldn’t get along with Erin in the end due to a myriad of reasons. Most of the time, their biggest conflict would stem from the fact that they couldn’t wholeheartedly accept Erin’s outstanding appearance. excellent grades, and independent nature. Having a wealthy father and marrying her first love who seemed to hold great promise made others jealous of her as her fortune reminded them of what they were losing out on. Over time, Erin gradually became accustomed to not having many friends. Thus, when she saw Holly taking out a set of professional hypoallergenic makeup removal and skin care products that were worth about a hundred thousand, tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably. “Erin, you celebrated your birthday in the hospital this year, and I didn’t get you a gift. Now that you’re an actress, you must accept this set. of skin care. In about a month, the weather will gradually cool down, and you’ll have to wear makeup for extended periods of time during filming. You must use a good makeup remover,” Holly insisted. Her expression was resolute, showing no room for refusal as she stuffed the items into Erin’s hands. Tears slid from the corner of Erin’s eyes. As she was about to say something, Holly quickly spoke up, “If you don’t accept this, then we’re not friends anymore!” Looking at Holly’s playful expression, Erin wiped away her tears and said. “Then you’d better pray I become famous. At least when I have money in the future, I can buy you better gifts-” “I can’t wait for you to become famous! When that happens, you can take me everywhere with you-” Holly’s silly expression froze suddenly.
