Chapter 81
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Ophelia suddenly remembered her phone was still with the bodyguard outside. She opened the door, took the phone, and saw that Sharon had called. She had asked Sharon to arrange a meeting with James. “I have to go,” she said.
Kenneth’s eyes flickered with a hint of reluctance. He stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes. “Alright.”
Ophelia thought, ‘Is he upset?‘ She walked over and kissed Kenneth on the lips. “I’ll sneak in through the window tonight to see you. Be good, and don’t you dare let any other nurses check on you, got it?”
Kenneth let out a low chuckle, his gaze soft and warm. “Be careful.”
“With you watching over me, aren’t I free to do whatever I want? she teased.
Kenneth smirked. “You only do whatever you want with me
“Deal.”
San
As she turned to leave, Kenneth opened his mouth, about to ask something, but held back. After she left, he turned to Mark. “Look into that hitman who’s been around her.”
Mark nodded. “Understood.”
*****
Ophelia changed back into her clothes and left the hospital just as Sharon called again, and this time, she answered right
away.
“Why’d you take so long to answer? What were you doing just now?” Sharon’s unmistakable voice came through the phone. Thinking about what had just happened, Ophelia’s cheeks flushed. She thought, ‘Kenneth and I have…in the hospital. All she could think about was Kenneth’s perfect abs and the parts below them. She quickly shook off the thought.
Ophelia said, “I didn’t hear it earlier. Did you manage to arrange a meeting with Mr. Guinnes?”
Sharon answered, “It’s all set. Two o’clock at Café Sol.”
“Great.” Ophelia nodded, then remembered something. “By the way, when does your current project wrap up?”
“Probably in a little over two months. We’ve got a few snow scenes left to shoot in winter, so it’ll be done by January. There’s not much left to shoot right now. Why, are you planning to meet up with me?”
Ophelia did a quick mental calculation. “Once you finish, I’ve got your next project lined up.”
Sharon was more than happy to hear that. She hadn’t felt this fulfilled in a long time.
They spent some time catching up on each other before hanging up.
At around 2 PM, Ophelia arrived at Café Sol. The café was nestled in a quiet alley filled with old buildings, where people from the city went about their daily lives.
The café had an elegant, traditional look, with a giant, ancient tree standing guard out front. Under its shade, some elderly folks were playing chess and cards.
After giving her name, the waiter led Ophelia upstairs to a private room that, while rustic on the outside, was surprisingly modern and spacious inside.
James was there, dressed casually, sitting cross–legged on a mat and expertly preparing coffee.
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“You’re here.” James greeted her with a smile and thought, ‘Even after all this time, Ophelia’s beauty still takes me by surprise. Someone this stunning should’ve been in showbiz.
Ophelia placed her bag to the side and mimicked his movements, taking off her shoes and sitting across from him.
“You didn’t expect me to invite you to a place like this, did you? James asked with a grin.
“Definitely not,” Ophelia admitted.
“I grew up in a neighborhood like this. Even though I’ve gotten used to high–rise buildings, these old places help me feel grounded, like I can just be myself.” James handed her a cup of coffee. “Try it.”
Ophelia took a small sip without hesitation. “Too bad I don’t really know anything about coffee.”
James laughed heartily. He had expected Ophelia to flatter him with compliments about the coffee, but instead, Ophelia’d come out with something so honest. He liked that about her, no pretense.
“So, what do you need from me?” he asked, still smiling.
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Ophelia set her cup down and pulled a script out of her bag. “Didn’t you mention before that you were interested in investing in a new show? Well, I found one that I think is worth your attention. I’m hoping to team up with someone for the investment
James took the script and skimmed through it briefly.
Ophelia continued, “You recently signed Thomas, right? I think he’d be perfect for the lead role. As for the female lead, there aren’t many scenes, so Sharon could work, but of course, they’d both need to audition. If you could direct it yourself, that would be even better.”
“You’ve really got everything planned out for me, haven’t you? All that’s left is for me to open my wallet and say yes,” James chuckled, barely glancing at the script before setting it down.
Ophelia wasn’t being rude. She just knew that this was a project worth pursuing. Even if James declined, she’d still go ahead, and invest in it. She’d approached James to block Sungate Entertainment’s options.
Sungate Entertainment was planning to invest in a new show, but Emily and Nathan had misappropriated its funds. Since they were now planning to collaborate with Elliot, they’d definitely need funding.
Their options for co–producers were limited, so it was almost sure they’d reach out to James‘ company, Silverline Media. If Ophelia had guessed correctly, Emily probably had already made contact with James.
James said, “It’s a good script, no doubt, but…”
“But, you’re planning to invest in another project, right?” Ophelia smiled as she looked at him.
James raised an eyebrow and pushed the script back toward her, meeting her clear, doe–like eyes. “Since you’re being so direct, I won’t beat around the bush. I’m planning to invest in the project written by the renowned screenwriter, Elliot. You know Elliot’s work has swept up awards in recent years. There’s no way I’d pass on his project to invest in this one.”
Ophelia nodded. “I get it. I don’t work in showbiz, so I’m not familiar with all the ins and outs. But since you’ve already made
decision…” your
“What kind of place is this? Sophia, are you sure James would meet us somewhere like this?” A shrill, affected voice echoed from downstairs.
James‘ expression darkened.
They both glanced out the window to see Emily dressed in a formal outfit, though her high heels had nearly gotten stuck in the drain grate. She was clearly displeased with the place.
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Standing behind her was a woman Ophelia vaguely recognized. Ophelia thought, “This woman has helped Emily land the lead role in ‘Legacy of the Paramour‘ and has even managed to clean up Emily’s public image so quickly. She can’t be underestimated.‘
A knock sounded on the door. “Mr. Guinnes, your guests have arrived.”
“Let them wait,” James said coldly and thought, ‘If it weren’t for Elliot, I wouldn’t have agreed to meet them in the first place, and now they have the nerve to complain about my choice of location.
Ophelia, sitting on the edge of the mat, was about to put her shoes back on. “Since that’s the case, I won’t bother you anymore.”
“Don’t rush off just yet. Hand me the script again.” Before Ophelia could pass it over, James reached for it himself and began reading through it once more.
The room fell silent, save for the gentle trickling of water from a small bonsai on the coffee table.
Ophelia wasn’t in a hurry. She knew James was stalling, wanting to gauge the sincerity of the two downstairs. She poured herself another cup of coffee.
“I thought you didn’t know anything about coffee? How come you know how to use all this?” James asked, throwing in a casual question.
“I watched you do it once, and I picked it up.”
Ophelia thought, ‘It isn’t that hard.‘
James smiled and continued reading the script. He hadn’t given it a close look earlier, but now that he was reading it carefully, he realized it really was a solid piece of work.
SEND GIFT
