Chapter 115
Chapter Title: The Weight of the Past
As he massaged his temples, Sean felt the tension mounting in his head. The situation at the company was rapidly spinning out of control. “I might be detained for a few days because of the incident from two years ago during the restoration work on the Marina Bay Bridge. There were some fatalities,” he murmured, the words heavy in the air.
“Seriously, what’s going on?!” Eve exclaimed, her voice filled with panic. As she swayed, visibly dizzy, Sean and Lyla rushed to her side. They gently applied pressure to her temples and patted her back, trying to help her regain composure. Sean, though concerned for his mother, couldn’t hide the distress in his own eyes.
“Mom, don’t worry! It’s just a few days in custody, and Richard will handle everything. It’s just a formality, really,” Sean reassured her, though his furrowed brow betrayed his unease. The thought of this old case resurfacing took him completely by surprise. Clearly, one of their rivals was behind it, hoping to make him stumble. He had no choice but to endure the process.
“But why you?” Eve cried, tears welling up in her eyes. “Can’t someone else take the blame for you? What if—what if you get implicated again? Is this why…?” She suddenly grabbed Lyla’s hand, her voice shaky. “Is this the reason we lost that potential client? We were so close to closing the deal on that land!”
Lyla froze, a realization dawning on her. She had just spoken to Leo earlier, who mentioned an issue with the company that needed urgent attention. It was clear now that this was the matter he had been referring to.
“Sean, what will happen to me and the company if you’re not here to manage things?” Eve sobbed. Her panic was palpable, and it pained Sean to see her like this.
Feeling his blood pressure rise, Sean clenched his fists. “Mom, I swear, it’s only for a couple of days. I’ll be out soon,” he promised, though the unease in his chest wouldn’t subside.
“Sean…” Lyla bit her lip, her eyes filled with concern. “What about the client? How will we regain their trust? Shouldn’t we find someone else to step in for you? If money is the issue, we can deal with that.” The plan they’d put in place now seemed less secure than before. Lyla couldn’t help but feel the weight of the situation.
Sean’s gaze turned distant. “I’m the one in charge of Chase Group, but if it comes to it…” His voice trailed off, his mind turning to another option.
“Tell me! Is there anyone else who can take your place? If there is, let me know. I’ll beg them for help! Lyla’s right—we can’t afford this now. Even if it’s just for a few days, the consequences will last much longer. I can’t bear to think about what might happen to the company!” Eve was frantic, her voice rising in desperation.
“I understand, Mom,” Lyla interjected, her voice firm but gentle. “The company’s future is the most important thing. You need to focus on that, not worry about Sean being detained.”
Sean sighed, his heart heavy. He knew what had to be done. “There is someone who can handle it,” he said quietly. He paused, the weight of his decision weighing on him. “Myra can take the fall for me.”
The following day, Myra met with Estelle during her filming break. Estelle was clearly upset, her manager Jack trying his best to calm her down. “Miss Langley, please don’t be upset! This is Shawn’s way of showing his concern. And you were having trouble with that scene earlier too, remember? The director wasn’t happy with how many outtakes there were.”
Estelle’s frustration was evident. “I don’t care about Shawn’s intentions! I’m not his responsibility. And who does he think he is, deciding what kind of movie I can do? This is a romantic movie! How am I supposed to act in a love scene if he keeps blocking any intimacy? And the director—why did he agree to Shawn’s demands behind my back? This is so unfair!” she shouted, her face flushed with anger. But as she ranted, she spotted Myra walking toward her and waved her over. “Myra! Over here!”
Myra approached with a friendly smile. “Hey, what’s going on? Why the bad mood?”
Estelle pouted, but before she could respond, Jack spoke up. “It’s Shawn. He came in and decided to halt all intimate scenes with Estelle. She’s really upset about it.”
Myra blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. “Well, darling, you should count yourself lucky. Shawn’s attention is a privilege. You know, every actress in town would love to have him show that much care. You should appreciate what you have.”
Estelle rolled her eyes dramatically. “And what about you?” she shot back. “I saw those pictures of you and Tony Hart on the golf course! You two looked pretty close to me!”
Myra froze, unsure how to respond. Just as she was about to explain, Estelle interrupted with a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Don’t tell me you’re just friends! Those photos say otherwise!”
Myra chuckled nervously, her mind racing. While she did have a close friendship with Tony, she couldn’t deny that the photos might suggest something more. Still, she preferred to think of him as a friend, nothing more.
“Look at you, going all silent now!” Estelle teased, biting into an apple. She glanced sideways at Myra, who was trying to find the right words. “Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d say you should go after him!”
Estelle’s eyes lit up as she leaned toward Myra, excitement sparkling in her gaze. “Did you hear that? You should try to win him over, hold onto him! Trust me, there’s no guy out there better than Tony.”
With a playful wink, Estelle added, “Oh, and I have even more news! Shawn told me that Tony is replacing Lyla as the ambassador for the Sunny Bay Project, and I’m the next one to take that position. From now on, Hart Group will be severing ties with Lyla completely.”
Myra’s heart skipped a beat. “Tony…” she whispered.
Estelle was practically glowing. “That’s right! Tony’s making all these moves just to get your attention. Once this is all finalized, Lyla’s out of the picture. She won’t have a place in the industry anymore. No one will dare cross Tony Hart’s path!”
Myra shook her head, trying to process it all. “It’s just one endorsement, Estelle. Besides, you’ve had plenty of other offers, so why is this such a big deal? And nothing is set in stone yet. What Shawn said might not even happen.”
“Oh, but it is!” Estelle grinned. “Tony’s definitely trying to win you over! And with this news, it’s clear he’s serious. You have to give him a chance, Myra. You need to call him right now—ask him out on a dinner date! Don’t wait.”
Myra felt a pang of frustration, but she remained calm. “Estelle, it was just a joke. That’s all. It’s not something to take so seriously.”
“Why not?!” Estelle countered, her eyes narrowing. “It’s Tony Hart we’re talking about! You really think he’s just messing around?”
Myra hesitated. “Well… no.”
“Exactly!” Estelle beamed. “Now, promise me you’ll make your move! Don’t be too aloof, but don’t be too easy either. You need to find that balance! I’m amazed Tony’s putting up with your cool attitude!”
With that, Estelle pushed Myra into action. “Call him! Go on, make your move!”