Chapter 144: Adorably Silly
At the same time, the Cathayans who had been abducted and brought to the compound were rescued by the police. The children, forced to livestream their miserable plights, were also found by the Cathayan military and repatriated. The Zane Group crumbled and disintegrated overnight.
When Flora Sutton set foot on Cathayan soil again, the first thing the leader said after shaking her hand was, "Sutton, if our operation had been just a little bit later, would you have ended up conquering the lawless zone yourself?"
Flora Sutton didn’t say a word, but her confident smile said it all!
Wherever the nation’s sword points, I shall go!
The first half of the script was lighthearted and funny, filled with moments of both indignation and laughter. The middle was tense and anxious, with Flora Sutton narrowly escaping one deadly pursuit after another.
The latter half was an interweaving of sorrow and catharsis.
The suffering endured by the people who were imprisoned in the compound for various reasons would make any empathetic person cry their eyes out.
Moreover, this movie had a lot of fight scenes: fighting five burly men while catching kidnappers, and leaping through the streets to chase a thief on an electric scooter.
She fought Joel Zane’s underlings, and after arriving in the lawless zone, it was constant fighting. Sometimes, she’d even have to fend off dozens of assassins at once. Yet, she managed to handle everything with her outstanding skills and superior intellect.
Every time she took down the kidnappers, thugs, and the deeply wicked elders of the organization, the audience would feel an incredible sense of catharsis.
’If I act well in this, it could win an award!’
Flipping the script back to the first page, Riley Perry took out her notebook and began writing a character biography.
Around seven, she got a call from her mom. The whole group was having a blast. They had gone to the mountain hot springs and didn’t want to leave. With Rocco constantly egging them on, they decided not to come back for the night.
After the call, Ms. Marshall started a livestream.
Ms. Marshall also sent her a message, telling Riley Perry to watch her stream.
Riley Perry tuned in. The table was covered in crawfish of all different flavors, and the sight made her mouth water.
She ordered some takeout crawfish for herself, and after she finished eating, she called Director Warren.
"Riley Perry? What’s the occasion for this call?"
"Director Warren, I was calling to ask—has Holly Summers signed a contract for the show yet?"
Director Warren replied, "Not yet. I told her to come in tomorrow. What’s wrong? You and Holly Summers don’t get along? If that’s the case, I’ll just turn her down."
"In that case, you might want to adjust the penalty for breach of contract."
Director Warren was silent for a moment. "...What do you mean? Does this Holly Summers have some big scandal brewing? Spill the tea."
He loved nothing more than a bit of gossip.
Riley Perry said, "I don’t know if she has any major scandals. But didn’t you see Starlight’s official social media? Holly Summers terminated her contract with our company, and Stardust wouldn’t drop an artist for no reason. I just wanted to see if you had signed her yet."
’Heh, so this girl is playing games with me, is she?’
"If there’s a scandal, you’d better spill it now. We don’t want it dragging down our show later."
Riley Perry replied, "In any case, our show is livestreamed first, then edited. We’ll have to cut things out eventually. And who knows? It might even bring more traffic to the show."
This time, Director Warren went silent.
After the friendly exchange between the elder and the junior, they both understood each other’s intentions and hung up.
Riley Perry then contacted Justin Locke.
Justin Locke had helped her a lot recently, and she couldn’t just keep accepting his favors without giving something back. So, she decided to discuss a business partnership that very day.
Besides, she had some spare cash on hand. There was no point in letting money just sit in an account; it had to be put to use.
So, late that night, the two met up. In less than half an hour, Riley Perry had transferred a huge sum of money to Justin Locke. He would use the money to establish a media company, and Riley Perry would own a thirty-five percent stake.
"So, that’s settled regarding the company," she said. "I also have two video files for you. The show’s filming will take about three days, so it would be best to release these on the final day. You can publish them yourself or sell them to someone else, it’s up to you."
Justin Locke took the flash drive from Riley Perry, a humorous look on his face. "Ever since I met you, I, the number one paparazzi, have been getting a steady stream of videos from you. If you ask me, you should just quit acting and team up with me. We’d absolutely make a killing."
Riley Perry was speechless. ’...Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence.’
...
Eric Sinclair sat in his study, looking at the photos his subordinate had just sent to his phone. The smile instantly vanished from his face.
"Who is this man?"
Sebastian Sinclair had anticipated the question and answered directly, "The number one paparazzi, Justin Locke."
"A paparazzi? Heh. Is he better looking than me?"
Sebastian Sinclair shook his head vigorously. "Impossible! I’ve never seen anyone more handsome than you, Second Young Master!"
"Then why would she rather have coffee with him than come back to me?"
Sebastian Sinclair replied, "...Didn’t you see them signing a document? They were discussing business."
’You’d rather sit here and stew in your jealousy than go see Miss Perry yourself. Who can you blame for that?’
"Why don’t you go pick Miss Perry up yourself?" he suggested. ’That way you won’t have to worry.’
Eric Sinclair ignored him, instead opening his chat with Riley Perry and sending a message: "Sweetie, when are you coming back? Want me to come pick you up?"
Riley Perry was surprised to receive the message from him. Since she had said everything she needed to, she stood up. "I’m going to head out. Let’s be in touch."
Justin Locke smiled and asked, "Want me to give you a ride?"
Riley Perry replied, "No need, I have a driver."
With that, she walked out of the coffee shop.
Justin Locke watched her leave, the smile vanishing from his face. His hand reached into his pocket. He pulled out a cigarette, only to stuff it back in again.
...
After getting into the car, Riley Perry sent Eric Sinclair a message: "Coming back now."
Eric Sinclair beamed when he saw the message. He replied: "Okay, drive slow and be safe."
Riley Perry chuckled at his message. ’I’m not the one driving,’ she thought. ’He’s really... kind of goofy-cute!’
She glanced up at the driver, Samson Sinclair. ’He shouldn’t think I didn’t notice him secretly taking photos just now,’ she mused. ’I just don’t happen to mind.’
How could Samson Sinclair not feel her gaze on him?
A pang of guilt inexplicably hit him. ’But what can I do?’ he thought. ’The Young Master gave me a job to do, and I have to get it done even if it kills me!’
’Besides, the Young Master pays way too much!’
Half an hour later, Riley Perry arrived back at Cloudrest Villa. The moment she stepped out of the car, she saw Eric Sinclair waiting by the door, his eyes sparkling and filled to the brim with joy.
"Well now, Mr. Sinclair. Are you waiting for me?"
Eric Sinclair walked over, took her hand, and laced their fingers together. "Have you eaten dinner? You didn’t just have coffee, did you? I’ll have the staff make you something to eat."
Riley Perry let him lead her inside. "You didn’t skip dinner waiting for me, did you? Go on, have them make something. I can have another bite with you."
Eric Sinclair’s happiness was written all over his face, and his smile was radiant. "I’ll let them get started. In the meantime, come with me to the study. I have something to tell you."
’Hehe. Soon, that other man will have nothing to do with my Sweetie,’ he thought. ’Then I can finally pursue her without any worries.’
And with that, he pulled Riley Perry upstairs.