Chapter 180
"I require a moment alone," Owen announced, his voice heavy with agitation. Without waiting for a response, he stepped outside, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
"Dad, are you alright?" Layla asked, her voice laced with concern. Jason's self-destructive tendencies, his gambling, and drinking, coupled with his apathy towards Sophia's mistreatment of Layla and her mother, had driven her away from home since her college years. Yet, when a family crisis arose, the bond of blood proved stronger than her resentment. She couldn't just stand idly by.
"Ah, it's merely a few scratches; nothing's broken. Just the years catching up with me..." Jason attempted to sit up, his movements strained. Layla quickly assisted, adjusting his pillow for comfort.
"Who was it that rescued us?" Jason asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He had been blindfolded throughout the ordeal.
"The police."
"Really? I was under the impression that some bodyguards escorted me to the hospital."
"You're mistaken."
Jason didn't question her further; his mind was burdened with guilt towards his daughter.
"I'm to blame for all this, for putting you in harm's way," he confessed, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Let's not dwell on the past. Just promise me you'll quit gambling, alright?"
"I swear, no more bets, and I'm done with drinking," Jason vowed, his voice earnest, his hand raised as if taking an oath. The recent scare had shaken him to his core. Risking his own life was one thing, but endangering his daughter's was unthinkable. He was resolved to change his ways.
"Why did you come to the city? Uncle Liam insists he doesn't owe you anything. Why lie?"
"I..."
"If you don't come clean, I'm done worrying about you."
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you. Do you remember when your stepmother sent you to the orphanage while I was away on business?"
Layla was taken aback as the story unraveled. The boy she had saved was Anthony, the same boy from her childhood. No wonder she had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity upon seeing him. However, her current feud with Nora Eilish prevented her from fully appreciating the revelation. But that didn't mean she would tolerate Sarah's impersonation of her!
...
In City A, the annual celebrity charity gala was in full swing. Renowned directors and stars converged, the air thick with opulence and fame, as the glitterati mingled with unabashed enthusiasm.
After a few glasses of champagne, Sarah was giddy with delight, reveling in her dream life: on the arm of a wealthy heir, aspiring for stardom, and living a life of perpetual grandeur and partying. Tonight, she had a mission: with her father "missing" and Layla off to the big city, she was free from any interference. Time was of the essence; she needed to win over Anthony.
Tonight was the night.
However, Anthony was not keen on being used, especially not by Sarah, who had made it abundantly clear to everyone that she considered herself his girlfriend.
To save face for Anthony, directors and stars flattered Sarah openly; behind her back, they harbored disdain.
"Is Sarah really Anthony's girlfriend? He's never confirmed it."
"But he hasn't denied it either, right? Anthony's no fool, he must know she's using him, yet he stays silent. Does she have something on him?"
"A gentleman as pristine as Anthony, without even a hint of scandal-what leverage could she possibly have?"
"Exactly! The sight of her irks me. Anyone with Anthony would brag, but she's overdoing it-it's like she's ready to shout it from the rooftops with a megaphone."
"I know, right? Wearing Dior but lacking the grace of a debutante-her speech is all street."
"Just an average look, and she thinks she can break into showbiz?"
Whispers like these reached Anthony, causing him discomfort.
Tonight, for some reason, he felt particularly weary of it all.
"I'm spent. I'm heading home," he announced.
"But I still need to network with a few directors," Sarah protested, her enthusiasm undiminished, as she playfully approached Director Justin...
Anthony frowned, his gaze inadvertently falling on Sarah's bracelet-a constant reminder that she had once saved his life, and he owed her.
He wasn't narrow-minded, but around Sarah, he couldn't help feeling on edge.
With Layla, it was all so easy and joyful.
Just the thought of her, and Anthony was lost in a daydream-the seventh time today.
Sarah, now a little tipsy, laughed heartily as her façade slipped away. In a triumphant moment, she slapped Director Will's shoulder, "Buddy, I'll be counting on you. Heh! But let me tell you, my connections-they've got serious clout. I've got your back."
Director Will looked uncomfortably awkward.
"This function is dull. Let's hit the bar sometime and roll some dice. I'm telling you, I'm good," Sarah boasted.
Anthony's expression darkened.
Was she truly his angel? His doubts only deepened, and he found it hard to accept.
He steered Sarah away.
"Anthony, what are you doing? I haven't even finalized the lead actress for Justin's next movie yet."
"I'm taking you home."
"I'm not leaving. Don't you think I'd make a great actress, Anthony? I'm so young, just eighteen, with a whole future ahead of me..." Sarah burped, the smell of alcohol on her breath.
Eighteen? She had mentioned that age twice now.
If the first time was a slip of the tongue, what about now? Didn't the truth come out when one was drunk?
Anthony held Sarah firmly, "You're eighteen?"
"Pretty young, huh? Do you like that?" Sarah toyed with his tie.
His expression turned stern, "If you're eighteen, that means you weren't five when you saved me."
The sobering reality of his words hit Sarah like a cold splash.
Crap! Did she slip up?
"I...I..."
"Tell me, how did a two-year-old you rescue me from a fire?"
Sarah's face turned from red to pale, her breathing quickened, "What did I say? I drank too much, just talking nonsense."
"Anthony, you know, things said drunk can't be taken seriously."
"Besides, every girl likes to seem younger, right? If I say I'm eighteen, directors are more likely to cast me," Sarah rambled on, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and desperation.
"Anthony, I'm really twenty-one, I didn't lie to you."
"Your ID will tell me whether you've lied or not."
Watching her flustered and defensive, all of Anthony's suspicions seemed to align.
He'd thought more than once that his angel couldn't possibly have turned out like this, even if the subsequent experiences had been harsh; a person's true nature doesn't change.
All this time, she had been deceiving him.
And what he couldn't stand the most was deception, especially her impersonating his angel, which made his blood boil.
Anthony had never been this angry in his life.
Sarah wished she could bite off her own tongue.
Damn alcohol, always causing trouble!
She had lined up reporters for the night, planning to ambush Anthony with a kiss as soon as they stepped out. She was aiming to have the pictures splashed across the media the next day to force Anthony to give her official recognition. Who knew things would suddenly go south?
Sarah gulped. She had to keep it together; she still had one more trick up her sleeve.