Chapter 112 Mrs. White

As Emily got closer to Ella, she could tell that years of bullying had really shaped Ella's personality. Ella had learned to just take it and never stand up for herself.

Emily: [This kind of submissive attitude won't cut it. It doesn't fit the Smith family's style. Then again, the Smith family has always been pretty passive. Sophia with Olivia, Mia with her ex—they all just took it.]

James and David, who had tagged along with Emily to gossip, looked a bit uncomfortable after hearing her thoughts. James was mulling over the Smith family's behavior. It seemed Emily was right; the Smith family had been too soft in many situations. But ever since Emily could hear others' thoughts, things had started to change.

David, on the other hand, felt stuck. If Ella's personality was really like this, what could he do? If this dragged on until filming was over without any resolution, Ella would definitely go abroad. Was he supposed to give up on her? No way.

Seeing David pacing anxiously, James patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Emily will figure something out."

David nodded. He had no choice but to pin his hopes on Emily.

Emily knocked on the door, and when Ella saw her, she greeted, "Hey, Emily."

Emily nodded and smiled, "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure, come on in," Ella replied with a smile.

Ella poured Emily a glass of water. Emily thanked her, took a sip, and said, "Ella, there are rumors going around that you got the role because of your relationship with David. What do you think about that?"

Ella was taken aback. She didn't expect Emily to ask such a direct and sharp question right off the bat. But since she believed she had hidden her feelings well, she thought Emily didn't know she liked David. So, Ella said, "They can say whatever they want. Mr. Smith and I are just friends."

Emily: [Uh-oh, David. Ella's not even calling you by your name anymore. 'Mr. Smith' is so distant, like how I call James. Looks like your chances are slim.]

Nearby, David glanced at James, who glared back and said, "Why are you looking at me? If you had married Ella back then, none of this would be happening."

"I know I messed up, but you can't take out your frustration about Emily calling you 'Mr. Smith' on me," David muttered, feeling wronged. James raised his hand to hit him, and David quickly dodged.

Inside the room, Emily took another sip of water, not because she was thirsty but to buy some thinking time. She realized the situation was more serious than she had thought. Before meeting Ella, she believed a simple conversation would solve everything. But now she saw that Ella had already started building emotional defenses. Joshua, whom she had almost forgotten, had resurfaced in her mind, and she was beginning to refer to herself as Mrs. White to remind herself to stay away from David.

This was Ella's way of controlling her urge to see David, but over time, who knew if she would permanently see herself as Mrs. White? Emily had to dispel this notion.

"How have you been feeling lately, Ella? Are you getting used to life on set?" Emily asked, trying to make small talk since she couldn't think of a better approach.

Ella nodded and smiled, "It's been great. It's a new experience for me. I have to thank you, Emily, for giving me this opportunity. If it weren't for your insistence, I wouldn't have joined the cast."

"No need to thank me. We're family; no need to be so formal. I'm glad you like it. I was worried that joining the cast might make you uncomfortable, and you wouldn't dare tell me, bottling it up inside, which is really bad for you." Emily's first part was normal, but the latter part was a bit pointed, trying to coax Ella into opening up. But it seemed her hint wasn't clear enough, and Ella didn't catch on.

Ella shook her head, "No, I really like this life. I'm even considering pursuing a career in acting. I think I enjoy being an actress."

"That's good. You should talk to David more. He's a bit silly, but his acting skills are good. As for the rumors, like you said, let people say what they want. Don't pay attention to them."

Ella nodded in agreement, but Emily knew she was just being polite. In reality, Ella still wanted to keep her distance from David.

Emily scratched her head. This was the first time she felt she couldn't solve a problem. In the end, she had no choice but to leave.

Seeing Emily come out, David rushed over and asked, "How did it go, Emily?"

Emily sighed, "David, this can't be rushed. Take it slow."

"But Emily, you already took my..." David didn't get to finish as James smacked him on the head, making him too pained to speak.

James had really hit him hard this time. David's eyes welled up with tears as he turned to James and asked, "What was that for, James?"

"Don't say things you shouldn't. Emily didn't say she wouldn't help you, so why are you in such a hurry?" James pulled David aside and whispered. Though he was trying to reason with him, David could clearly feel James was using his authority to pressure him.

David thought, 'If I were older than you, would you still dare to treat me like this?'

But he could only think this to himself.

Meanwhile, the internet was buzzing with the latest gossip about the cast. News of the lead actress change had leaked, and various versions of the story were circulating. The most popular version was that Ella was either James' or David's woman. People preferred the former because James was married, and adding another woman into the mix made it more dramatic. Of course, they didn't spare David either. Some even concocted a love pentagon, complete with a relationship diagram to explain it.

In this version, Aurora liked James, but the producer Emily found out and had her removed. James then took the opportunity to make his mistress Ella the lead actress. David, who liked Aurora, turned against James after she was kicked out. To make James feel his pain, David started pursuing Emily.