Chapter 18

Simone Milton thought to herself, “Even if I wanted to deceive you, there’s no way I could bring this matter up.”

She thought that by putting on that confident and determined attitude, she could easily convince Donna Warburton to stop bothering her.

But imagination is beautiful, while reality is harsh. When Donna Walpole heard her say this, she simply replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world:

“Since you’re so insistent that you have a boyfriend, why not bring him to the wrap-party so we can meet him? It would be a good way for us to get to know each other in advance.” Donna Walpole smiled at Simone Milton, but her tone made it clear that refusal wasn’t an option.

“She already said she has a boyfriend. What’s there for you to worry about, Donna Warpole?” Tan Wen found it hard to understand Donna Warpole’s sense of crisis. At the same time, he didn’t want Donna Warpole and Simone Milton to become too estranged from each other.

After all, no matter what, he had received guidance from Simone Milton before. He should at least be grateful to Simone Milton for that.

If he doesn’t speak up to ease the tension between the two of them at this moment, then he’s really not worth anything.

“Shut up now. This is a matter between two women, and it has nothing to do with you. You’re just a man; stay back and listen!” Upon hearing Tan Wen say this, Donna Walpole shot him a stern look.

Tang Wen was struck by such a stern gaze that he immediately lost the courage to speak. All he could do was cast a helpless look at Simone Milton.

Immediately afterwards, Donna Walpole became aggressive once again. She narrowed her eyes and sized Simone Milton up meaningfully. “What, you don’t dare to agree? So, are you trying to deceive me after all? You really don’t have any boyfriend at all?”

At this point, Simone Milton is in a difficult situation from which she can’t escape. There’s simply no way for her to back out now.

With no other choice, she could only nod reluctantly and say, “I’ll do my best. My boyfriend isn’t part of the industry… He might not agree to attend the party.”

She didn’t say it completely seriously. Just jokingly, she still has to figure out where to find a boyfriend. If she said it too seriously, and then couldn’t find a boyfriend, that would be a real joke gone wrong.

I’m afraid by then, Donna Walpole won’t be able to let her go so easily.

“A person outside the circle, huh… No wonder then… But in my opinion, it would be better if you found someone from within the circle. After all, people outside the circle don’t know much about this industry, so they won’t be able to help you much.” Donna Walpole said lightly.

Her words didn’t reveal whether she believed Simone Milton or not.

“It doesn’t matter. As long as we like each other, that’s all that matters. Whether he can help me with my career or not isn’t important.” Simone Milton said, forcing herself to speak.

Donna Walpole laughed heartily. “It’s great to have such sincere feelings! I just hope that, by then, those feelings won’t turn out to be a scam.”

On the surface, this seems to mean that Simone Milton should be more careful in choosing people to associate with. After all, it’s bad for a man to choose the wrong profession, and it’s bad for a woman to marry the wrong man.

But in reality, it was also a warning to Simone Milton: don’t try to trick anyone by pretending to have a fake boyfriend. If she finds out, she won’t be gentle at all.

Simone Milton picked up the double meaning in those words, but there was nothing she could say, so she could only smile.

“In that case, let’s meet again at the closing party later!” said Donna Walpole. Without another word, she took Tan Wen away with her.

Left alone at the scene, Simone Milton wore a troubled expression on her face. Although she was somewhat annoyed by Donna Walpole’s heartless behavior.

But she wouldn’t blindly take her anger out on Donna Walpole. If anyone was to be blamed, it was because she wasn’t important enough to compare to Donna Walpole at all. That’s why Donna Walpole dared to act so recklessly.

Sure enough, she needed to improve her skills as soon as possible. She couldn’t believe that, when her abilities far surpassed Donna Walpole’s, she would still face such difficulties.

In her heart, Simone Milton, who had set such lofty goals for herself, soon left that place and returned to the makeup room to study the script diligently.

But this isn’t very effective. Perhaps it’s because of Donna Walpole’s previous remarks that she’s completely unable to focus on the script right now.

She stared at those dense lines of text, constantly thinking about what she should do during the celebration after filming was completed.

Most importantly, since she doesn’t even have a boyfriend to begin with, where exactly is she supposed to find one?

You know, given their current progress, they’ll definitely finish filming by Friday at the latest.

In other words, she doesn’t have much time left. Finding a decent boyfriend from outside her circle of friends in such a short period of time isn’t easy, even if it’s just a fake relationship.

“Oh my God, this is really putting me to the test…” Simone Milton slumped onto the table, muttering to herself non-stop.

After another ten or so minutes, Simone Milton was called by the director to start filming. Only then could she temporarily put her worries aside.

　　*

“Click! Leng Su, what’s wrong with you? It’s such a simple scene – why were you distracted?” The director frowned and immediately stopped filming.

Simone Milton isn’t in good shape at all right now. She even got those simple lines wrong just now. It’s completely different from how she performed them perfectly earlier.

Coming back to her senses, Simone Milton stepped down from the stage with a sincere expression of apology. She went over to the director and said, “I’m truly sorry, Director. I’m not in my best state right now and I can’t concentrate. Please give me some time to get myself together.”

Normally, the director would definitely scold someone. But who could blame him, considering how great Simone Milton’s performance had been during that period!

The director really values talented people. Although he was a little upset inside, he still nodded his head, allowing Simone Milton the chance to get into the right state of mind for the task.

And Simone Milton’s obvious discomfort clearly piqued the curiosity of the other actors present. They wondered what could have caused Simone Milton to make such a blatant mistake.

“Teacher Wen, why is Teacher Milton acting like this? She was fine before. Something must have happened.”

When asked, Katie Adams shook her head and said, “I’m not really sure either. Maybe she’s facing some kind of difficulty.”

Coincidentally, Donna Walpole, who was sitting nearby watching, smirked when she heard Katie Adams and the other young actors’ puzzled expressions.

“Oh, are you talking about Simone Milton? I happen to know why she was distracted…” Donna Walpole paused deliberately, successfully piquing the curiosity of those around her.

“Huh? Does Walpole know?”

“Walpole, could you tell us a little bit more?” Katie Adams was also curious and couldn’t help but ask Donna Walpole.

“It’s my fault after all. I heard she had a boyfriend, so I became curious. I begged Simone Milton to bring him to the party after filming, so we could see him!” said Donna Walpole.

“Huh? Simone Milton has a boyfriend now? I couldn’t have guessed at all!” Katie Adams stared in surprise, clearly shocked by the news.

But the moment she heard this news, Nick Arthur’s image came to mind, along with the events that had happened during the Arthur family banquet, when she had been with Alberta Arthur.

What boyfriend? He seems more like a gold-digger! Katie Adams thought maliciously to herself, though on the surface, she acted confused.

“She’s taking this way too seriously. I’ve never heard anything about this before… Could she be trying to trick us? If this news gets out, it’ll have a huge impact on her. There’s no way she doesn’t know.” Katie Adams said hypocritically.

In her mind, she was already thinking about whether to use this incident to create a stir on the internet, thereby damaging Simone Milton’s reputation beyond repair.

But then she thought that if she posted this online, it might involve Nick Arthur. And once Nick Arthur was involved, the situation would become far more unpredictable. So, she had no choice but to give up on this tempting idea.

“I really can’t wait for the wrap-party to arrive,” said Katie Adams, in an ambiguous tone.

“Since she said she has a boyfriend and promised to bring him to meet us at the wrap-party, we should believe her! I just wonder what kind of man this boyfriend of hers is, since she’s keeping him so secret!” Donna Walpole said with a sneer.

Her light-hearted words effectively put Simone Milton in a very difficult situation. It’s easy to imagine what would happen to her if she failed to bring her boyfriend along.

Most importantly, when Donna Walpole said these things, she didn’t avoid Simone Milton at all. In fact, she even stared straight at Simone Milton.

Sitting nearby, Simone Milton saw that Donna Walpole wasn’t leaving any room for maneuver at all. Of course, she was extremely annoyed by this. But beyond her anger, she didn’t know what to do.

She really wants to talk back to Donna Walpole in the same way she talked back to Katie Adams, but it’s impossible. These two are completely on different levels.

It might be forgivable for her to argue with Katie Adams, but arguing with Donna Warburton will only serve to tarnish her already poor reputation.

After all, that’s a serious offense of not showing respect for seniors. Once such an accusation is made, Simone Milton will have a hard time getting along with anyone in the industry.

No one would want to spend time with someone who doesn’t show respect for those who are older and more experienced. Especially when that person is a legendary actress like Donna Woolfolk.

Clenching her fists secretly, Simone Milton told herself not to take it seriously and to stop letting Donna Walpole influence her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to continue with the filming.

After much effort and mental preparation, Simone Milton finally managed to get herself in the best possible state.

For the first time, Simone Milton found this day to be unbearably long. It was so long that when she heard the director say it was time to go home, she felt as though she had been reborn.

She really didn’t want to go through that uncomfortable feeling again.

Hastily leaving the filming site, she was, as before, guided by her bodyguard to Nick Arthur’s place.

This time, her gaze remained fixed on the bodyguard. Suddenly, Simone Milton had a bold idea.

“Mr. Bodyguard, there’s something I need your help with. I’m not sure if you can assist me. This is very important. If you won’t help me, I really don’t know what to do!” Simone Milton said this with her head hung low, looking completely exhausted.

Seeing Simone Milton like this, the bodyguard was puzzled. He frowned and asked what had happened to Simone Milton and why she needed his help.

Simone Milton didn’t tell the bodyguard exactly what had happened on the set. She merely said vaguely that, once filming was over, she hoped the bodyguard would pretend to be her boyfriend for a while.

“I won’t take up too much of your time. There are reasons why I have to do this. So, I hope that you, Mr. Bodyguard, can help me! Please!” Simone Milton looked at the bodyguard with sincerity.

“But…” The bodyguard, who was being ched, looked hesitant. “Sir, it’s simply not possible for me to leave right now… Why don’t you try asking your own boyfriend to help you with this? After all, he’s a much better candidate than me to pretend to be your boyfriend.”

There’s a possibility that the bodyguard said those things in an effort to take advantage of the situation and ensure that Simone Milton and Nick Arthur become closely tied to each other.

Lately, thanks to Simone Milton’s presence, Nick Arthur’s condition has improved significantly. The bodyguard certainly doesn’t want Simone Milton to leave one day and for Nick Arthur to revert to his previous state.

Without knowing what the bodyguard was thinking, Simone Milton simply believed that the bodyguard didn’t want to do it, and thus used such an excuse to avoid the task.

But even so, she still wanted to give it one more try.

“Mr. Bodyguard, can’t you at least do me a favor, considering the relationship between us two?” Simone Milton stared intently at the bodyguard. It could be said that she was using all her acting skills to try to move him.

“With all due respect, Miss Milton, it seems like the interaction between you and me isn’t as frequent as the interaction between you and my boss. In my opinion, you’d be better off talking to my boss instead of me.” The bodyguard spoke again.

He was determined to get Simone Milton to ask Nick Arthur for help.

“But Mr. Arthur won’t agree to it. So, I have no choice but to ask you.” Simone Milton said helplessly.

“How can you know that my boss won’t agree unless you try?” the bodyguard continued to persuade.

After repeated attempts to persuade her, he finally succeeded in shaking Simone Milton’s resolve.

“Well, I’ll give it a try!” said Simone Milton. In reality, she didn’t take the bodyguard’s words seriously at all.

She had already decided in her heart that Nick Arthur would never cooperate with her under any circumstances.

By the time the two of them finished talking, they had already arrived at Nick Arthur’s place.

As soon as Nick Arthur saw Simone Milton arrive, he immediately stood up, seemingly intending to greet her. But soon he realized this wasn’t appropriate and sat back down on the sofa.

Sitting neatly on the sofa, Simone Milton, with Nick Arthur leaning against her, said tentatively just as he was about to fall asleep, “Mr. Arthur, there’s something I’d like to ask you for help with…”

Nick Arthur, who was feeling drowsy, opened his sleepy eyes upon hearing this: “What is it? Go ahead and tell me. If I can help you, I will.”

“Actually, it’s not that big of a deal. In a few days, there’ll be a closing party for the filming crew. I’d like for Mr. Arthur to pretend to be my boyfriend and attend with me…” Simone Milton said nervously.

Her heart beat abnormally, as if carrying some hidden hope. In reality, deep down, she wanted Nick Yamen to agree to her request.

“What’s the reason? If you’re asking me for help, there must be a specific reason, right? I need to know the exact reason why you need my help before I can decide whether or not to assist you.” Nick Arthur spoke calmly as he addressed Simone Milton.

It seemed like he could tell that Simone Milton had something difficult to say. Nick Arthur paused for a moment before speaking again:

“Without any reason, surely you wouldn’t suddenly decide to bring your boyfriend to the party just out of nowhere, right?”

As he spoke, his gaze was fixed intently on Simone Milton. His expression was serious, yet in a strange way, it brought a sense of reassurance.

Perhaps, influenced by Nick Arthur’s attitude, Simone Milton, under those intense gazes, ultimately couldn’t help but express the bitterness in her heart.

“…That’s how it is,” Simone Milton said with a bitter smile. “You see, I’ve always tried to be careful with my words. When I discuss matters with Wen, I never try to hide anything from anyone. I’m completely honest.”

“But Walpole, I really don’t know what’s going on. He clearly knows that there’s no possibility between us, yet he continues to target me.” The more Simone Milton spoke, the more obvious her sighs became.

“Do you really not feel anything at all for that male celebrity?” After listening to Simone Milton’s account, Nick Arthur frowned and asked.

Upon hearing this question, Simone Milton was stunned. She felt that Nick Arthur had missed the point entirely.

Right now, it’s definitely not the right time to talk about this.

“Mr. Arthur, what do you mean by that? Surely, I wouldn’t go out of my way to lie or deceive anyone. Right now, my only concern is that if, on that day, I can’t bring my boyfriend with me, I’ll definitely be targeted for it…” Simone Milton said helplessly.

“Let me think about it! I really want to help you, but attending your party would mean I’d have to take off my mask. You know, I’m not used to that… So…” Nick Arthur’s voice grew softer and softer.

He seemed somewhat downcast, as if blaming himself for being unable to help Simone Milton.

Simone Milton, who witnessed Nick Arthur’s expression, couldn’t help but blink her eyes. She wondered if she had seen things wrong.

If I’m not mistaken, then why would Nick Arthur feel guilty towards himself?

Nick Arthur absolutely couldn’t possibly feel those emotions for her. Simone Milton knew that better than anyone.

Perhaps it’s because I really wanted help that I ended up reading it, Simone Milton thought to comfort herself.

At the same time, she was convinced that Nick Arthur would never agree to her request.

True, her request is completely rude. Even if Nick Arthur took her to the Arthur family before, it doesn’t prove anything.

Although Nick Arthur’s attitude sometimes seemed ambiguous, to be honest, Simone Milton didn’t think such ambiguity meant much.

To put it bluntly, Simone Milton is already a mother. It’s completely unacceptable for her to have such illusions about these things. It’s simply shameful.

After all, I need to set a good example for my child!

Through a bit of imaginative thinking, Simone Milton managed to convince herself that it didn’t matter if Donna Walpole tried to cause her trouble at the wrap-party, since she hadn’t brought a fake boyfriend along with her.

Anyway, as long as she has a clear conscience, who cares what Donna Walpole thinks? It’s none of her business!

Perhaps because of her successful self-strategies, Simone Milton shed all the worries from her face and regained her usual confidence.

So, after countless thoughts, when Nick Arthur finally came back to his senses, he saw Simone Milton smiling and saying, “It’s okay, Mr. Arthur. You don’t need to worry. I’ve already decided how to handle this situation! Thank you very much. Now, please let me take out the trash.”

She let out a long sigh, as if she’d finally felt relieved. Smiling, she said, “Mr. Arthur, please take a rest.”

“But…” Nick Arthur, still a bit confused, opened his mouth to say something, but Simone Milton’s cheerful attitude made it impossible for him to speak.

He thought to himself: Never mind. Perhaps now isn’t the right time.

With these thoughts in mind, Nick Arthur fell silent once again. He leaned gently against Simone Milton and slowly fell asleep.

The bodyguard who was inside the room witnessed everything that happened just now. He’s truly disappointed with himself for not being able to do more.

Just now, with such a great opportunity, the gentleman clearly wavered in his decision. But Simone Milton failed to seize it herself, allowing such a wonderful chance to slip away for nothing!

What’s the harm in asking again? Surely, the man isn’t going to eat her, is he? The bodyguard thought to himself, shouting inwardly in frustration.

But he could only shout inwardly in frustration. On the surface, he had to pretend to be calm.

Worktime passes by so quickly, in the blink of an eye.

In the end, Nick Arthur reluctantly saw Simone Milton off.

He even stayed at the door, quietly watching Simone Milton get into the car and drive away. Only then did he feel relieved enough to return to the living room.

Then, when he returned to the living room, Nick Arthur’s thoughts remained fixed on what Simone Milton had said earlier.

He asked the bodyguard, “What do you think? Should I agree to Simone Milton’s request and pretend to be her boyfriend?”

The bodyguard beside him, upon hearing this question, remained silent for a moment before saying, “Boss, what do you think? Do you believe this is the right approach?”

“I think it’s not entirely impossible. She’s too stubborn by nature, so she’ll surely suffer losses in certain situations. If I don’t help her, who knows, by the time the closing party comes, she might be completely helpless…” The more Chen Ziyue thought about it, the more convinced he became that his reasoning was valid.

He could even imagine Simone Milton trembling with fear, being mocked by everyone at the party after filming ended.

The bodyguard standing nearby, hearing Nick Arthur say that, couldn’t help but think to himself: “Boss, you’re overthinking things. I guarantee that Miss Milton won’t be as helpless as you think she will be.”

Just kidding. From my interactions with Simone Milton lately, it’s clear that she’s not the kind of woman who relies on others, like a parasitic plant that feeds off others.

She’s strong, calm enough, and knows when to act wisely. She knows what to do and what not to do.

So, to be honest, Nick Arthur’s concerns are completely unfounded.

Even if, at first, those people at the celebration party made fun of Simone Milton for not keeping her promises, Simone Milton would surely find a way to resolve the situation on her own.

Obviously, Nick Arthur’s thoughts were completely different from those of his bodyguard. He was now thinking about whether, if he intervened in time, Simone Milton might look at him with more respect.

“With this, she’ll definitely be surprised enough, won’t she?” Nick Arthur said, completely unaware of any mistakes in his reasoning.

With his noble status, he really doesn’t need to go to such lengths to please others.

But yet, he did just that. Judging from the current situation, it seems he even enjoys it.