Chapter 6 Gloria, I was wrong, can I take you home?

She looked over at him, meeting his cold yet languid expression. Her red lips licked her somewhat dry lips as she spoke nervously, "I want to work with you again."

She said this with very little confidence.

Back when that show became a huge hit, many directors came to her with scripts, hoping she and Caspian would collaborate again.

Gloria refused on the spot, and Caspian gave her a deep look.

Then he raised his glass and only said, "I wish you happiness."

Now meeting again and making such a request, what would Caspian think?

From nervousness, Gloria's back grew hot in waves, sweat dampening her shirt.

He spoke coolly, "I want to know, you're planning a comeback; won't your husband mind?"

At the mention of the word "husband," even though Caspian had no intention of humiliating her, she still felt embarrassed.

Her slender fingers tightened inch by inch, as if she wanted to crush the glass to pieces.

She lowered her head so he couldn't see the emotion in her eyes.

He could only see her eyelashes trembling like fragile butterfly wings.

The Gloria who used to be as proud and defiant as the sun was now as fragile as a piece of battered tempered glass, its surface already covered with hundreds of cracks, barely maintaining its original shape.

One hard blow from someone and that glass would instantly shatter into countless pieces.

After a moment of silence, she looked up with a slight smile, "My marriage is complicated. I want to find my career again."

"With your past credentials, you'd have many opportunities if you wanted to come back. Why come to me?"

And appearing before him so humbly, as if she'd suffered some great injustice.

Didn't James love her to the bone?

When she left the entertainment industry, her face was full of happiness. Now she could only use "it's complicated" to sum up her marriage.

"There's been some trouble over there. I can't find a way forward in Silverlake Springs' circles. The show we worked on together was a huge hit and still gets a lot of attention even today. I thought if we collaborated, maybe my career could pick up."

He laughed softly, "So Gloria, you want to use me as a doormat, stepping on me to return to the top?"

He put it bluntly, as if slapping her hard across the face.

Gloria looked somewhat embarrassed, "I'm sorry, I know this isn't appropriate."

Without warning, Caspian stood up, hands on the table, his tall body leaning over toward her.

The faint sandalwood scent from his body invaded her senses dominantly, making her touch and perception filled only with his presence.

Gloria froze, tilting her neck back to meet his gaze.

"Gloria."

He called her name word by word. Gloria looked at him, puzzled.

She used to think he was aloof on set, only when acting opposite her did his presence fully emerge, like roaring waves with a destructive force that made her heart race involuntarily.

"What?"

"I don't need your apology. What I want is—"

A waiter knocked gently, entering with various dishes in succession.

When Gloria looked at Caspian again, he had returned to his seat, his long fingers playing with a black bracelet, casually toying with it.

His figure appeared cold and distant in the dim lighting, his unbuttoned collar revealing his bony collarbone and sharp Adam's apple.

Clearly an aloof and pristine gentleman, yet at this moment Gloria felt he was like a demon fallen into darkness, his whole being radiating unknown danger.

Was this trip to Crystalbrook really the right decision?

Now that she thought about it, she didn't understand Caspian at all.

Caspian was two years younger than her. When they first met, he wore a black coat, giving off an unapproachable feeling.

His acting wasn't top-tier, but he was very dedicated to the script, meticulous enough to seriously ask for guidance on even a single look.

Under her and the director's guidance, that show achieved its ultimately perfect result.

As she saw him again now, Caspian had become mature and steady, especially those unfathomable eyes.

Upon seeing her looking down in thought, Caspian's well-defined fingers curved and tapped on the table.

"Let's eat."

"Okay."

Gloria didn't bring it up again for now. The meal was very quiet. As always, he spoke very little. The quiet room was filled only with the occasional sound of utensils clinking.

When they left the restaurant, night had already fallen outside.

He still hadn't given her an answer. Gloria couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

She held her coat, following beside him at an unhurried pace.

Caspian said, "Have you been to Crystalbrook before?"

Gloria shook her head, "No."

"Crystalbrook's night view is beautiful."

As she looked at the distant lights of thousands of homes and their brilliant illumination, she couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd enjoyed beautiful scenery.

For the past three years, she had spent her days taking fertility supplements, trapped in their home, waiting for James to come back.

Gloria raised her hand and pointed to the tallest landmark building, "I heard it's 300 feet high. The night view from there must be the most beautiful, right?"

"You want to see it?"

"I want to go to the top and take a look."

At the scenery she had once abandoned.

"Tomorrow then. It's getting late, let me take you to rest."

The black car shuttled through the streets of alternating light and shadow, stopping at a seven-star hotel.

Gloria spoke up, "Caspian, about my proposal—"

Caspian's voice came faintly from the darkness. "I'll think about it."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

She entered the lobby and found Caspian's assistant Joseph Miller had been waiting by the door, handing her a room card.

Gloria felt quite embarrassed - she'd gotten a free meal and they'd even arranged her room for her.

As he escorted her upstairs, Gloria tried to subtly find out about Caspian, "Joseph, has Caspian been acting these years?"

Joseph's answer was vague. "Not often."

So he was still acting?

Back in the spacious suite, she curled up in bed using her phone to search for Caspian.

This person was like he'd been erased - except for that show still online, none of his other activities could be found.

The way he dressed today didn't seem much like an entertainer either, more like a businessman.

His identity was like a mystery.

Her phone vibrated. She clicked to look.

Caspian: [I have something to handle tomorrow. Later I'll pick you up to meet someone.]

Gloria: [Okay, thank you.]

Caspian: [Rest early, good night.]

Gloria casually sent him an emoji of a rabbit hugging the moon while sleeping.

In the Silverlake Springs.

James staggered home after finishing his business dinner. In the past, Gloria would always be the first to come forward and support him.

Today it was Pearl who came over, "Mr. Williams, how did you get so drunk?"

James sat back on the sofa, loosening his tie, instinctively calling out, "Honey."

"Mrs. Williams left home the night before last."

James, seven parts drunk and three parts sober, looked around. Everything was still the same. Mittens hated the smell of alcohol on him and sat on the cat tree, tilting its head at him.

The warm marital home felt cold to him.

Right, he'd driven Gloria away.

Gloria had just been falling asleep when her phone woke her. James's drunken voice came through. "Gloria, I was wrong, I was really wrong. Let's stop fighting, let me come get you and bring you home, okay?"

Her sleepiness vanished instantly. She sat up and looked through the floor-to-ceiling window at the unfamiliar scenery outside, only then feeling the cold loneliness of being in a foreign place.

She didn't answer, hearing Pearl's voice on the other end, "Mr. Williams, take some hangover medicine first."

"I won't take it, I'm going to find Gloria."

Gloria hung up the phone, tears already streaming down.

She hugged her knees, fingers digging deep into her pajamas.

'James, we can never go back.' She thought.

The next day.

James woke from his hangover with a splitting headache. Looking at the emptiness beside him, he was momentarily lost.

Gloria had been gone for two days.

He weakly climbed up. There was no voice complaining about his drinking in his ear, no slender hands massaging his head, no prepared breakfast.

The room was full of traces she'd left behind, except for her.

James went to the balcony with a cigarette and called John, "Is she still at the hotel?"

"Mrs. Williams has already checked out of the hotel. I just found out Mrs. Williams bought a plane ticket to Crystalbrook yesterday. Mr. Williams, is Mrs. Williams trying to leave you?"

James spoke coldly through the smoke, "With Grandma here, she'll never leave Silverlake Springs."

"Could she be going to Crystalbrook to look for opportunities?"

"She doesn't know anyone there, just a critically ill old director. No one can help her. Maybe she just wants to clear her head."

He'd already anticipated this and specifically had someone check - that old director being treated in Crystalbrook had terminal cancer and didn't have much time left.

Soon Gloria would realize that the world was big, but the only place she could rest was by his side.

He couldn't push too hard - that would only make her hate him more.

James stubbed out his cigarette and personally went to the garden to pick a bouquet of roses Gloria had planted and put them in a vase.

Mittens jumped next to the vase, tilting its neck to smell the flowers.

He pressed the shutter to take a photo and uploaded it to social media.

[Mittens misses Mommy. So do I.]

The first person to like it was Maria.

Only then did James notice Maria's profile picture - it was exactly the same as Gloria's used to be.

His brow furrowed slightly. How disgusting.

Did she think that carrying his child would let her climb up and improve her status?

James changed his profile picture to the photo of Mittens smelling the roses deeply. He wanted to tell Gloria he was always waiting for her to come home.

The next second, he blocked and deleted Maria on WhatsApp.

Maria was still feeling smug. She'd already driven Gloria away - she was getting closer and closer to officially taking her place.

As Maria looked at James's new profile picture, the kitten smelling the roses deeply.

And her profile picture was a rose. She was all smiles, as if James was kissing her.

Imagining that restrained and aloof James actively hugging her once, kissing her once - she could die without regrets.

Taking advantage of James and Gloria's fight, this was the perfect opportunity for her to make her move.

She boldly tried to send James a message.

A red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.

He'd blocked her?

Maria's heart filled with panic.

John's call came through. She quickly answered, deliberately making her voice sweet. "John, what's up?"

John's meticulous voice came through. "Mr. Williams asked me to tell you, as long as you successfully give birth to the child, you'll get your benefits. If you have any other ideas, don't blame us when all your plans fall through."

"John, Mr. Williams misunderstood."

John didn't give her a chance to make excuses. He lowered his voice threateningly. "Shut your mouth, Maria. Don't take us for fools. Mrs. Williams is Mr. Williams's lifeline. If you upset her again, you'll suffer after you give birth to the child."

"A friendly reminder - never underestimate Mr. Williams's love for Mrs. Williams. So please, change that damn profile picture of yours right now!"