Chapter 164. Correction
When Jacintha walked in, the usually impassive face of Raphael immediately revealed a trace of joy, his gaze fixed intently on her.
Lucas stepped aside and greeted her, “Hello, Jacintha.”
Jacintha nodded, carrying the breakfast over to Raphael. “You look better. Has your wound healed yet?”
“You seem more impatient about it than I am.” Raphael stared at her with a burning gaze, his eyes filled with hidden greed and deep infatuation.
Jacintha felt awkward under his stare. She glanced at him and said, “I just heard from Lucas that Sharon’s team has paid the tabloids to slander me. Is that true?”
At her words, Raphael’s expression darkened instantly. “I didn’t expect her to resort to such vile tricks against you!”
Jacintha didn’t look surprised. “She never liked me. Now that I’ve gained some attention and become her competitor, of course her team would try to suppress me.”
Raphael sneered. “If she would focus on improving her acting skills, she wouldn’t have to worry about competing with you.”
For years, Sharon had enjoyed a high status in the entertainment industry thanks to Raphael’s protection. She took part in films, magazines, movies, and television. With her striking looks and graceful manners, her fame continued to rise, and she had once been one of the top female artists in the industry.
But no one could stay at their peak forever. Even the most beautiful flowers fade. Every year, countless young and beautiful actors entered the scene, and Sharon, who was now aging, inevitably faced comparison. Since last year, her popularity had begun to decline. Online, many criticized and mocked her for still playing innocent, naïve girls despite her age. So Sharon decided to take on a more mature, meaningful role.
“The Crimson Crown” was the project Raphael had meticulously prepared for Sharon to help her elevate her standing. Everyone involved in the production, from the director to the screenwriter, were leading talents in the industry.
However, Raphael hadn’t expected Sharon to remain so unfocused on her acting. During filming, she frequently took part in variety shows and advertising shoots. The director had discreetly reminded her several times, hoping she would devote herself fully to the film. Yet Sharon feared that reducing her public appearances would make her popularity wane, so she paid no attention to his words.
Now, “The Crimson Crown” had wrapped up and entered post-production. Recently, the production team released a short teaser, and netizens immediately flooded the comments, mocking Sharon for acting as stiffly as a wooden plank. Her performance, they said, had not only failed to improve but had regressed, so much so that even the actress playing a slave girl had outshone her.
At that same time, Jacintha’s short film “The Forest Knows” was gaining immense popularity. Because she and Sharon bore a certain resemblance, many people compared them. When placed side by side, Sharon’s acting truly appeared pitifully weak, almost unbearable to watch.
After such heavy criticism, Sharon was undoubtedly displeased. So Jacintha wasn’t at all surprised when she learned Sharon had been slandering her. She took out the breakfast and placed it on the small table beside Raphael’s bed, saying, “Don’t rush. Have breakfast first.”
Raphael glanced at Lucas. Understanding the look, Lucas quietly left the hospital room so as not to intrude upon Raphael and Jacintha’s private world.
After breakfast, Raphael called the producer of “The Crimson Crown,” asking them to post an explanation online clarifying the real reason why Jacintha had left the crew.
“All right, all right, got it,” the producer replied repeatedly, then hesitated. “But... about your part, should we mention that too?”
The part he referred to was the incident when Sharon was injured earlier. At that time, Raphael had thought Jacintha had deliberately hurt Sharon, so he had kicked Jacintha out of the crew in front of everyone. Now that Raphael was Jacintha’s boyfriend, if the whole story came out, his own reputation might also take a hit. That was why the producer hesitated.
But Raphael didn’t waver and said, “Just tell the truth as it is. It was my fault for wrongly blaming Jacintha. There’s no need to cover for me.”
Hearing that, the producer understood what he meant. Not long after, the crew of “The Crimson Crown” posted a long statement online denying the rumors that Jacintha had been fired for being arrogant, and they also released the scene between Sharon and Jacintha.
Soon after, Director Luke shared the post and personally confirmed, “Jacintha is an excellent actress. Those online rumors about her being late, having a bad temper, or acting superior are completely false. She’s the most professional and dedicated actor in the entire crew! And the claim that she deliberately injured Sharon is nothing but baseless nonsense!”
The reputations of both Jacintha and Sharon quickly turned around, but despite this change, Jacintha didn’t feel much of anything. Whether she was suddenly famous or being cursed at by everyone, she remained calm—so calm that it surprised Raphael.
He hadn’t expected Jacintha to have such mental strength. She smiled and said, “I’ve been earning money to support my family since I was nineteen. If I didn’t have a strong mind, my sister and my son would’ve starved to death long ago.”
The truth was, money was hard to earn, and she had endured too much hardship over the years. So being scolded didn’t really affect her anymore.
When Jacintha voiced the thoughts in her heart, Raphael felt a sharp pain inside. He pulled her into his arms and whispered, "I’m here now. You don’t have to deal with hardship alone anymore. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you."
To Raphael, Jacintha’s calmness looked like resignation—a quiet kind of helplessness. Her life had been full of suffering; if she didn’t face it with composure, what else could she do? Cry? No, that was the most useless thing, because no one would help her anyway. That was why Jacintha had been forced to grow up, to become as calm and patient as she was now.
Raphael’s embrace was warm, his chest broad and steady. Jacintha suddenly realized how much she wanted to lean on him. Breathing in his familiar scent, she murmured softly, "I want you to love me a hundred percent."
"Okay."
"I want to see you every single day."
"Okay."
Jacintha laughed. "I also want the moon in the sky."
Raphael froze for a second, then smiled indulgently. "I’ll try to get it for you."
Jacintha burst out laughing, and Raphael kissed her on the lips. They clung to each other until the nurse came in to change Raphael’s bandages, forcing them apart. The air between them was still so sweet that even the nurse blushed.
After the dressing was changed, Raphael told Jacintha to call Sharon and put it on speakerphone. Sharon picked up quickly.
"Oh, Raphael, why are you calling me so suddenly?" Sharon’s voice was gentle, tinged with delight.
Raphael’s tone was cold. "There are rumors online saying Jacintha is arrogant and that she sold herself at fifteen. Did you spread those lies?"
As if she had expected the question, Sharon replied calmly, "Raphael, you misunderstood me. I’ve been busy with photoshoots, magazine covers, and reading scripts. I don’t have time to make up stories about Jacintha. Besides, I’ve always seen her as a friend. I could never do something like that."
Raphael sneered. "Don’t forget, I’m the one who helped you build your company. I know exactly what you’ve arranged. Do you really think they’ll keep your secret?"
At that, Sharon fell silent.