Chapter 5
A series of messages came flooding in.
“Don’t think that Joseph will start caring about you just because you mention divorce.”
“Joseph is taking a shower. Stop disturbing our time together.”
“A pitiful stand-in like you can’t imagine how happy we are, right? Keep an eye on the trending topics, then.”
These texts were clearly from Evelyn.
Joseph never let Evangeline touch his phone, and he certainly never gave her the password. It seemed Evelyn was always the exception.
Evangeline didn’t respond.
The next day, Joseph and Evelyn were indeed frequently trending on social media, showing off their love everywhere.
They visited a trendy café, took selfies on the Ferris wheel, and watched the sunset on a mountain top.
The things Evangeline had once hoped to do with Joseph—things he’d always refused to do—he now did effortlessly with Evelyn.
Thankfully, Evangeline was already preparing to leave, so these displays of affection didn’t bother her. She just wanted to finish one last thing.
In this world, Evangeline was an actress. Initially, she had been pushed into the industry by Brandon and Madeleine. Later, she stayed to avoid disappointing Joseph.
But her true passion wasn’t acting; it was directing and writing.
After gaining some experience over the years, Evangeline wrote her own script for a short drama, which was all the rage at the time. She gave it the title “Starlit Reverie”.
The filming duration for a short drama was brief—only a couple of weeks. Before leaving, Evangeline wanted to leave behind something meaningful to her.
She worked efficiently, quickly assembling a team and preparing everything to start shooting once she returned home to pack.
As she walked into the house, she immediately heard the voices of Joseph, Evelyn, Brandon, and Madeleine.
When they saw her, their smiles faltered. But to her surprise, the normally indifferent Madeleine greeted her warmly and invited her to dinner.
Joseph handed her a box. “I saw this while traveling. I thought it would suit you.”
Evangeline quickly recognized that it was a hairpin that had been trending on social media. At the time, Evelyn had casually mentioned liking it, and Joseph had bought out the entire store.
This was the one piece she hated.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like it?” Evelyn asked with a half-smile. The superiority in her eyes was almost impossible to hide.
Joseph’s gaze darkened. “Are you being picky? I remember you used to like everything I gave you.”
Indeed, he had once given her expensive jewelry and sometimes even flowers picked from the roadside. Evangeline had treasured them all.
But that was because she loved the person who gave them to her. Now, even if he handed her the stars, she wouldn’t want them.
“It’s nice,” Evangeline simply said before putting the hairpin away. Her mind was on the shooting ahead.
Noticing her indifference, Evelyn was taken aback. The trending topic had been up for so long; Evangeline couldn’t have missed it. Yet, she wasn’t angry or upset. It was as though she didn’t care anymore.
Joseph, too, noticed this and felt a tightness in his chest. He sensed that something was off.
Just as he was about to speak, Evelyn tugged at his sleeve and batted her eyes, signaling him to remember the matter at hand.
Only then did Joseph remember the real reason they were here today. He turned his gaze toward Evangeline. “Evie really likes that short drama you’re working on. Give it to her this time.”
Evangeline looked at him in disbelief.
In the past, Joseph had wanted her to give up on various resources, and she had complied. But this time, it was her own script and her own team. And now, Evelyn was trying to steal it from her too?
Noticing Evangeline’s hesitation, Brandon and Madeleine placed some food on her plate.
“It’s such a small matter. Just let her have it. Don’t compete with Evelyn over everything.”
“Evelyn’s been through so much. It’s only natural we help her get what she wants. We’re family.”
It was then that Evangeline understood that people really could laugh when they were feeling speechless. She sneered. “Evelyn’s suffering isn’t because of me. My script is like my baby. I won’t give it to her.”
Evelyn lowered her gaze, feigning sorrow. “I knew Eva didn’t like me. Maybe I shouldn’t have come back.”
She pressed her hand to her mouth, pretending to leave, but Joseph grabbed her hand.
His eyes, cold as ice, turned toward Evangeline. “Evie’s shown the script to industry professionals. It has a lot of potential, so it has to go to her. You’re just an artist under my company. You must follow my arrangements. If you don’t, I have the right to sideline you.”
“Fine. Sideline me, then.”
Noticing that Evangeline wasn’t yielding, Brandon and Madeleine grew anxious.
“Joseph, don’t waste time being polite to her. We’re her parents. We know what she fears. Let us handle this.”
“That’s right. Just wait and see. Soon enough, she’ll be begging Evelyn to take the script.”
