Chapter 10

After several days of intense filming, perhaps out of some sense of decency, the director told all the staff present that they would have a day off tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a day off. As soon as this news was announced, it won cheers from all the staff present.

“Long live the director!” The staff were overjoyed. After all, such long working hours would be unbearable for anyone. Even if it was just one day of relaxation, they would be completely satisfied.

Today’s filming has been completed. Simone Milton couldn’t help but wonder why the director was so generous this time, giving them an entire day off.

After all, for any film crew, every day of shooting incurs costs. Renting the filming location costs money every day. Unless the film crew is extremely wealthy, any day of suspension in shooting will result in significant losses.

But unfortunately, even though Simone Milton has a good relationship with the director now, she hasn’t been able to get him to explain why he made such a decision.

“I have no idea what kind of secrets the director is hiding. Being so mysterious really piques my curiosity!” Simone Milton murmured to herself, yet she walked home with very light steps.

As soon as she got home, Martha, who was drawing on the coffee table, heard the noise. Immediately, she put down her paintbrushes, rushed to the door, and threw herself into her arms.

“Mommy! Today, Martha finally got to see mommy again! Mommy hasn’t come to pick up Martha in ages. Is mommy too busy with work?” Martha pouted unhappily, asking if Simone Milton had been very busy lately.

Faced with her daughter’s act of coquetry, Simone Milton’s heart melted completely. She gently picked up Martha and said to her, “I’m truly sorry, Martha. Mom has been very busy lately, so I couldn’t be with you.”

Upon hearing these words, Martha shook her head and said sensibly, “It’s okay, Mom’s work is more important.”

As Martha said this, a hint of disappointment still flashed in her eyes. If possible, she really hoped that Simone Milton could be with her at home, even if it was just for one day.

It was as though heaven had heard her wish. Soon, Martha heard Simone Milton say, “Although Mom won’t be able to spend time with Martha during this period, Mom’s boss told her that there will be a day off tomorrow. So, Mom can spend the whole day with Martha tomorrow!”

Hearing this, Martha could hardly believe her ears. She stared at Simone Milton in disbelief, her mouth wide open: “Really? Mom isn’t lying to me?”

“Of course not, Mommy would never deceive a little child!” said Simone Milton, giving Martha’s forehead a gentle tap.

Martha, who had been tapped on the forehead, was overjoyed. She immediately hugged Simone Milton and said happily, “That’s great! Then Mom can get up early to take me to school tomorrow! I’m so happy!”

Hearing Martha say that, Simone Milton suddenly felt a hint of sadness. This child was jumping around just because of such a simple reason.

It really made her feel ashamed, Simone Milton thought to herself. But she resolved to treat Martha even better from now on.

That night, Martha was incredibly excited. She could barely sleep. If it weren’t for Simone Milton sleeping beside her, who kept her company, who knows how long Martha would have continued to be fussy!

Early the next morning, Simone Milton indeed took Martha to school as promised. Martha couldn’t stop smiling and kept boasting to everyone that her mom was taking her to school. This made Simone Milton both laugh and feel sad.

After dropping off her child, Simone Milton left the school. She walked home slowly, planning to go over the roles in the script first, then take a good rest.

Unexpectedly, halfway there, I was stopped by Nick Arthur’s car.

The person sitting in the back opened the car window and said to Simone Milton in a somewhat reserved manner, “I heard your crew has the day off today. So, let’s make up for today’s work hours now.”

“Huh?” Simone Milton wondered why Nick Arthur would know these things. But then she thought again that this man was always full of surprises, so she didn’t take it to heart.

She obediently got into the car, just as before, fulfilling the role that a human “pillow” should play.

Nick Arthur lay quietly on her lap, and surprisingly, he fell asleep very quickly. No matter how many times Simone Milton watched this, it still seemed incredible to her.

At that moment, the driver, who was driving slowly, suddenly played some soothing music.

Perhaps in this soothing musical atmosphere, Simone Milton, who had been full of energy moments earlier, seemed to feel the call of sleep. She gradually fell asleep.

Five hours later, well-rested Nick Arthur woke up to find Simone Milton slumped in her seat, fast asleep.

Nick Arthur, who had seemingly regained his energy, somehow felt sleepy again. He slowly sat up, leaned his head on Simone Milton’s shoulder, and eventually fell asleep once more.

When Simone Milton woke up after a good night’s sleep, she found herself lying next to Nick Arthur. Their heads were quite close together. To anyone looking from the outside, it seemed like they were much too intimate for such a situation.

Actually, even if no one else was watching, Simone Milton thought their posture was too intimate, which made her feel a little uneasy.

Especially when she saw his sleeping face so close by, although she had no idea what this man actually looked like, Simone Milton was still captivated by him. Her heart beat wildly out of control.

Even her breathing felt a bit difficult. It seemed that if she breathed a little too heavily, she might wake up the people around her.

But this is merely an illusion.

Not long after Simone Milton woke up, Nick Arthur, who was lying beside her head, also gently opened his eyes.

Nick Arthur, who had just woken up, didn’t seem to realize where he was. Instinctively, he turned his head to adjust his sleeping position. As a result, his mouth lightly brushed against Simone Milton’s cheek.

Although Nick Arthur wore a mask, Simone Milton could still sense his warm breath and the feeling of the mask against her face. This made her realize what had just happened.

Realizing what had happened, her face turned red instantly. Her already erratic heartbeat became even more frantic.

She glanced nervously at Nick Arthur. Seeing that Nick Arthur had closed his eyes and fallen asleep again, she felt both relieved and disappointed.

She was relieved that Nick Arthur hadn’t realized what had happened earlier, but at the same time, she felt disappointed that he didn’t know what had just taken place.

After more than ten minutes, Nick Arthur finally woke up completely. He saw Simone Milton with a dazed expression on her face. He looked at her in confusion and asked, “What happened? Why do you have that look on your face?”

Simona Milton, who had been lost in thought since a moment ago, snapped out of it upon hearing this question. She shook her head and said nothing.

“Do you not want to say it, or don’t you know how to say it?” Nick Arthur noticed how Simone Milton seemed completely unable to speak. He felt a little inclined to tease her. “Your face is very red. What were you thinking just now?”

“Nothing much. Since Mr. Arthur is awake now, I suppose my working hours are over… Can I go home now?” Simone Milton said, her gaze drifting elsewhere, too afraid to look at Nick Arthur’s reaction.

She was afraid that if she glanced at Nick Arthur one more time, she wouldn’t be able to control her already pounding heart.

She kept reminding herself in her mind, “No, you can’t do this. Have you forgotten how this man treated you in the original story? He’ll torture you to death! You must not allow those meaningless reasons to make you waver in your resolve toward him! Do you understand?”

However, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, every time his gaze happened to meet Nick Arthur’s by chance, she felt a little shy.

I have no idea why Simone Milton suddenly became so coy and shy. But Nick Arthur found Simone Milton’s coy behavior strangely amusing.

So, the more Simone Milton tried to avoid Nick Arthur, the more he couldn’t resist touching her. He loved seeing how she reacted angrily to his touches.

“Please stop playing around, Mr. Arthur. My working hours are over now. It’s time for me to get off the bus and go home!” Simone Milton, visibly upset, said weakly to Nick Arthur.

Just then, her stomach started to growl, providing Simone Milton with the perfect excuse.

She fiddled with her hair awkwardly and said softly to Nick Arthur, “It’s already noon now. I think I’d better go down for lunch. I won’t bother Mr. Arthur any longer. Can we meet again next working day?”

Hearing this, Nick Arthur thought for a moment. At this moment, he was in a mischievous mood. How could he possibly let Simone Milton out of his sight?

After thinking for a while longer, just as Simone Milton became impatient and ready to leave on her own, Nick Arthur spoke up: “What a coincidence! Since you’re hungry too, why don’t we go have lunch together? After all, we’ve been around each other for so long, and I don’t think I’ve ever invited you for lunch yet!”

“When I heard Chen Chen say such things…” Simone Milton felt that countless words wanted to burst out of her heart.

All these meaningless words ultimately remained unsaid.

Simona Milton, wearing a fake smile, pretended to be embarrassed and said, “Oh, that’s so awkward. Mr. Arthur, you don’t know how big my appetite is. If I were with you, you’d definitely feel uncomfortable eating.”

While saying this, in an effort to seem more believable, she even exaggerated by telling Nick Arthur that she ate at least four bowls of rice a day. She suggested that it would be better not to take her along for meals, so as not to spoil Nick Arthur’s appetite.

Who knew that after she said that, Nick Arthur became even more curious.

Nick Arthur said, “Miss Milton, who can eat four bowls of rice in one meal, still manages to maintain a great figure. I really wonder how you do it! How about this: from now on, you’ll eat right in front of me. If by the end of the month, I find that Miss Milton has gained even just one pound, then her working hours will have to be increased by one hour each time.”

Damn it! This is simply monstrous! After hearing Nick Arthur’s long-winded speech, that was the only word that came to Simone Milton’s mind.

What’s even rarer is that the iceberg, which usually said very few words in a whole day, actually spoke so much this time. It’s truly astonishing.

But such shock pales in comparison to the suffering that may lie ahead.

“I was wrong, Mr. Arthur. I was lying to you before. I definitely can’t eat four meals in one sitting! I just…” In order to avoid having to work longer hours and to escape the torment of having to eat four bowls of food at once, Simone Milton quickly apologized.

However, before she could reveal the real reason behind it, Nick Arthur, who was sitting next to her, took over the conversation.

Nick Arthur said, “You simply don’t want to have dinner with me, that’s why you deliberately exaggerated your appetite! Miss Milton, I really don’t know whether to call you clever or stupid! What makes you think you can easily fool me?”

Hearing these words, Simone Milton lowered her head in shame. She thought to herself, “Isn’t it because I’ve been possessed by demons that I made such a decision? If only I could go back in time, I definitely wouldn’t say such shameful things!”

While Simone Milton was thinking this, Nick Arthur, who was sitting next to her, suddenly reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up.

Caught off guard, Simone Milton was momentarily stunned as her eyes met Nick Arthur’s, whose eyes sparkled with amusement.

I don’t know whether it was the delicate atmosphere at that moment, or some other reason. In any case, Simone Milton suddenly found the man before her inexplicably charming.

It was as though something had suddenly struck her heart with great force, leaving her heart completely unsettled.

The man across from her spoke up, “Miss Milton, I hope you’ll keep one thing in mind: never try to fool me! This time, I won’t punish you. But I hope there won’t be a next time. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to take action!”

Such a simple sentence kept echoing in Simone Milton’s ears, leaving her feeling dizzy and confused.

Simona Milton, whose mind felt as though it were blocked by some kind of sticky substance, suddenly acted on a whim. She leaned in and kissed Nick Arthur right on the eyes.

Nick Arthur, caught off guard by the attack,’s eyes widened instantly. The warm sensation on his eyelids, though brief, had a profound impact on his otherwise indifferent heart.

For a moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. In the end, he focused on just one of them.

Nick Arthur, with his ears flushed red, seemed either furious or embarrassed. He glared angrily at Simone Milton.

“You… how dare you treat me like this! Do you even know what you’re doing?” Nick Arthur glared fiercely at the daring woman before him.

The moment her eyes met Nick Arthur’s, Simone Milton snapped out of her daze. She immediately stepped back, covering herself tightly as if to protect her innocence.

As she did this, she stammered out an explanation for her actions: “And please, don’t get me wrong. I just acted on a whim. Please don’t take it to heart!”

However, it was precisely her attitude like this that further angered Nick Arthur.

In Nick Arthur’s opinion, it was this woman who seduced him, only to later show disgust toward him. How could he possibly tolerate such behavior?

“What are you trying to do? Are you really afraid of what I might do to you? Don’t forget, it was you who took the initiative towards me earlier…” Nick Arthur spoke in a softer voice toward the end. He really couldn’t believe that this woman would be so bold and reckless.

But to be honest, aside from being shocked, I couldn’t help but think about Nick Arthur’s touch just now. Somehow, I felt a little happy inside.

This was completely different from any experiences he’d had before. It made him feel curious and also mysterious.

Since Nick Arthur was wearing a mask, Simone Milton couldn’t see his expression at all. Hearing Nick Arthur speak in such a subdued tone, she instinctively assumed he was angry.

Feeling extremely guilty, she tried to stay calm and said to Nick Arthur, “What’s there to be so upset about? I’m just doing back to you what you did to me before! You were the one who tried to flirt with me first. That’s why I couldn’t help myself from doing this… So you can’t blame me!”

“Nobody would ever do such a thing. You’re talking nonsense…” Hearing this, Nick Arthur believed Simone Milton was lying. He certainly wasn’t that kind of person.

Besides, he has no memory of ever behaving inappropriately toward Simone Milton. If that’s not Simone Milton lying, then what is?

Seeing that Nick Arthur completely denied it, Simone Milton, who hadn’t thought much of it at first, felt inexplicably sad. She said angrily, “I’m not making up anything. You rubbed your mouth against my cheek while you were half-asleep just now. What else is that if not taking advantage of me?”

“But…” Hearing Simone Milton say that, Nick Arthur suddenly remembered himself. In a half-asleep state, he did indeed feel some soft touch. Could it have been at that moment?

With that thought in mind, Nick Arthur said nothing more. After a moment, he quietly uttered, “Even if that were true, you said it happened while I was half-asleep… How can something I did unintentionally really count?”

“How can it not count? Anyway, we’re even now!” Seeing that Nick Arthur was clearly upset, Simone Milton took the opportunity to even things out.

“Well…” Nick Arthur hesitated for a moment, but eventually agreed to settle things. Then he reverted to his usual indifferent demeanor. After clearing his throat, he said, “In that case, I won’t invite Miss Milton to dinner. And please don’t forget your work tomorrow, Miss Milton!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t forget! Do you really think I’d go back on my word?” Hearing this, Simone Milton nodded and then left quickly.

Seeing Simone Milton get out of the car, Nick Arthur, who finally felt less embarrassed, told the driver to take him home.

Sitting in the back seat, he couldn’t help but touch his eyes. Remembering the sensation from just now, he couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Perhaps not even he himself understood why he was smiling!

Meanwhile, Simone Milton, who had bought something to eat outside, came home and found Juliet Milton lazing around, playing video games.

I’ve completely gotten used to this by now. Juliet Milton’s style of drawing doesn’t match the descriptions in the rumors at all. Simone Milton just ignores it and gets ready to go upstairs and rest.

Just as he was about to go upstairs, Juliet Milton called out to him, “Hey, what have you been up to lately? I hope you’re not up to no good again! Could it be true what the rumors say about you finding a wealthy sponsor?”

Faced with Juliet Milton’s concern, Simone Milton stopped in her tracks. She turned around, leaned against the railing at the top of the stairs, and smiled at her stepfather. “Don’t worry! Something like that would never happen to me. Even if it’s not for myself, I have to think of Martha!”

“After all, I’m also a mother of a child. If I did such a thing, wouldn’t it make it difficult for my child to hold his head high?” said Simone Milton.

Juliet Milton paused for a moment, waiting for the game controller to complete its motion before continuing. Then, she said to Simone Milton, “It would be nice if you knew when to stop. Anyway, I can’t control you. I hope you’ll remember what you said today and set a good example for the child.”

Every move he made revealed a sense of indifference, as if he paid no attention at all to what Simone Milton had said.

As for whether he truly doesn’t care or is just pretending not to care, only he himself knows the answer.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing!” said Simone Milton. Yawning, she went upstairs, not bothering Juliet Milton any further as she played her games.

The next day, Simone Milton, who went to work as usual, noticed that Katie Adams, surprisingly, hadn’t caused any trouble this time.

Simona Milton was surprised for a moment, but quickly forgot about it. After all, she couldn’t possibly devote all her attention to the male and female protagonists in the original story.

Rather than constantly focusing on what the male and female protagonists want to do, for Simone Milton, acting is what’s most important.

Perhaps it was the director who had warned everyone on set earlier. As a result, no one dared to act recklessly for a while. So, for now, everyone on the crew has been getting along fairly well.

However, Simone Milton knew full well that, after a while, everyone on the set would start acting behind her back again.

After all, the scheming and power struggles that take place on a film set can never truly be put to an end just because of a few words from the director.

This is undeniable, whether in Simone Milton’s past life or her current life.

After the play, Simone Milton saw Alberta Arthur approaching her. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she decided to leave first.

Although she didn’t know what was wrong with this male protagonist, who kept coming after her and warning her not to get close to Nick Arthur, if she couldn’t deal with him, couldn’t she at least avoid him?

Simona Milton left the set in a hurry and soon met her bodyguard who had come to pick her up.

Without any hesitation, she got into the car right away. Sure enough, Nick Arthur was already waiting inside the car.

To be polite, she even said, “Mr. Arthur must have been waiting for a long time. I’m truly sorry!”

“If you feel embarrassed about it, then why not quit acting and become my personal ‘human pillow’ instead? Don’t worry, I’ll pay you well.” Nick Arthur said this in a joking manner.

It’s a pity that, combined with his cold demeanor, such words don’t seem like a joke at all.

For a moment, Simone Milton, who couldn’t figure out what Nick Arthur was really thinking, replied with a forced smile, “Mr. Arthur, please stop joking with me!”