Chapter 364 The Old Man Who Came to See Me Today Is Your Grandfather?
"What's their relationship like now?" Steven asked.
Stefan shook his head. "Hard to say, but word is Thalia has quite a temper. People in the industry either love her or hate her."
Seeing the photos now, Steven was lost in thought. They'd been trying to meet with William for ages, but couldn't find a way in. Someone sending these photos to them today meant things were finally turning around.
"Let's go meet her!"
......
"Remember, when you go in and the director asks how you are, play the victim."
After Thalia returned to the set after a few days off, the first thing Layla told her was to act pitiful. The director already had issues with her because of her bad relationship with Eleanor - this was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Got it." Thalia opened the van door to get out. She'd barely taken two steps toward the elevator when someone called out to her.
Thalia turned around. When she saw who it was, he seemed strangely familiar. "Do I know you?"
"We met at a business dinner, with William..."
Listening to the old man, Thalia's mind raced through the few business dinners she'd attended with William, but she couldn't place him.
"Oh," she said flatly, showing no emotion.
Most people would back off seeing her cold attitude, but his persistence meant he'd come here with a purpose.
"Sorry, I'm busy." Thalia turned to leave. Steven stood in the parking lot in his suit - a man in his seventies or eighties, sharp and alert, his back straight without a hint of a stoop.
Just from his bearing, you could tell he came from money - definitely from some wealthy family.
"Ms. Smith, aren't you curious about Mr. Brown's past?"
She really wasn't curious about William's past. Everyone has a history, right?
Besides, even if she wanted to know, she'd find out herself, not through some third party.
This guy was something else.
Was he another person who couldn't get to William and came looking for her instead?
"You're funny. I'm really not interested in William's business. What I'm curious about is - what exactly did I do to make you all think William and I are so close?"
"One after another buzzing around like flies. Just because there were some rumors about us, you think I'm his wife or something?"
"You're getting up there in years, but your skills aren't much. If you were really capable, wouldn't meeting William be easy? Why go through all this trouble to find me, a woman?"
"If you do see William, tell him to leave me alone."
Thalia's outburst left Steven no chance to respond. By the time he recovered, she was already in the elevator.
Steven stood there, his jaw clenching in anger.
Stefan stood nearby, secretly impressed by Thalia's ability to tear someone down.
"Who was that guy?"
"No idea. Probably looking for William."
Layla was startled. "Can't you two keep your relationship under wraps anymore?"
"Not that bad," Thalia replied while texting John on Messenger to send the car's surveillance footage to William.
William received the footage during a meeting.
He'd muted his phone and opened the silent video, immediately recognizing Steven.
So he went to Thalia?
Pretty bold of him.
William hadn't gone after them, yet here they were coming to him.
When Thalia arrived on set, the director and Sterling rushed over to check on her.
Thank god Thalia hadn't gone public about being kidnapped on set, or this production would be done for.
"Layla told me you were hurt. These next few days, we'll work around you - don't push yourself. If you're tired, just tell u,s and we'll let you rest."
"Director, I'm almost flattered."
"We're all on the same crew. This show might take another three or four months to film! We're colleagues - of course we care."
Thalia smiled on the outside, but inside she was thinking differently.
Now he cares? What about when he was warning her before?
Thalia spent the whole day on set without checking her phone. It wasn't until evening, when the sunset streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and she finished her last scene, that she sat down on the rest chairs in the hallway.
The moment she sat down, her lower back screamed in pain.
It hurt so much she couldn't lean back.
"Cushion," Isla grabbed a nearby cushion and placed it behind her back.
Thalia slowly leaned back.
"John went to wash the car. He said ten more minutes - we'll head down then."
"Layla called you back?"
"Yeah."
"How's your mom?"
Isla had taken a long leave. Since she'd been with Thalia for a while, everyone knew each other well and understood Isla's situation. Nobody said much, but the original two-month leave was only half over.
"Layla got me a two-bedroom apartment and let me move my mom in. She even hired a helper to look after my mom when I'm not home."
"Let us know if you need anything."
"Thanks."
They went downstairs, and John had just pulled the car up to the elevator.
Thalia told Isla to head home - she didn't need to come along.
She got in and adjusted the seat to lie down. "Did you send the video to William?"
"Sent it."
"What did he say?"
"Mr. Brown didn't reply."
Thalia scoffed and said nothing.
She half-closed her eyes and dozed off in the traffic.
She slept all the way to Mistwood Hill.
When John woke her to get out, her whole back had stiffened up.
She held her waist and shuffled toward the house like a heavily pregnant woman.
"What's wrong?"
"My back hurts."
Thalia collapsed on the sofa as soon as she got inside. William handed his cup to Fallon, walked over, and lifted her shirt to look. "It's swollen."
"Can't you take two weeks off?"
"I'll be broke."
"Would I let you go broke?"
"Hot towel," William glanced at Fallon, who immediately went to get one.
When the hot towel touched Thalia's back, she sighed with relief.
She was already injured, then stood filming all day - now her back didn't even feel like her own.
"That old guy who came looking for me today - is he your grandfather?"
"Yeah," the man said flatly.
"I figured," Thalia said, then started warning William. "I don't like him. Don't make me see him again. I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from telling him off."