Chapter 350: Bringing a Man Home

Albert didn't hesitate to agree to Tessa's request. "Tessa, don't sweat it. Victoria's always stirring up trouble for you. I'll make sure her show doesn't pass the review. But hey, you've been swamped with work lately. We haven't hung out in like two weeks."

Tessa was relieved by his quick response, and her tone softened. "Let's meet at our usual spot tomorrow night. But I need you to stall the review process. Ideally, her show should air two months later." She was calculating that Delilah Roberts, her long-time rival, would have her new show airing in two months. Let Victoria and Delilah duke it out.

Delilah and Tessa had started their careers at the same time, constantly competing for resources. Delilah eventually landed a movie role, and although it wasn't a huge success, it got her into the film industry, putting her ahead of Tessa. Before Victoria came along, Delilah was Tessa's most hated rival.

Now, with the chance to see her two enemies compete, she was naturally excited. Besides, Albert was just the son of the department head and didn't have real power, so asking him to delay the review process wasn't difficult. If "Dark Academy" didn't air, who knows what Victoria might do. She didn't want to push Victoria too hard.

Later, Albert informed her that "Dark Academy" had been anonymously reported and was under investigation, so delaying it would be easy. Tessa suspected Ella might be the anonymous reporter. She started to be wary of Ella, realizing this newcomer wasn't as innocent and kind as she appeared. Unfortunately for Ella, who hoped the show would never air, Tessa didn't plan to go that far, so Ella would be disappointed.

After dinner, it was already midnight. Ethan mentioned he had given his driver the night off and had driven himself, then leaned back on the sofa, looking at Victoria.

Nick said, "You've been drinking, so you shouldn't drive yourself. Call a ride service."

Ethan looked at Victoria and asked, "Are you heading to the Hamilton Villa or Lavender Fields Manor?"

"Lavender Fields Manor," Victoria replied, realizing Ethan wanted to catch a ride with her. "Are you going to Lavender Fields Manor too? You can ride with me, so we don't have to wait for a driver."

"Alright," Ethan answered softly.

Tonight, Dwayne was driving Victoria's car. When Ethan got in, Dwayne took a second look at him. Dwayne had seen many handsome men and women in the entertainment industry, with male stars often wearing heavy makeup on the red carpet.

But this male friend of Victoria's had a clean face, yet his features were striking, his demeanor outstanding, and his handsomeness rivaled that of Dennis. Dwayne was impressed but didn't ask any questions, driving the car to Victoria's home garage. As Dwayne turned to ask Ethan where he lived, he saw Victoria and Ethan getting out together. He paused for a moment and immediately called Wilmer.

Wilmer was alarmed when he heard Victoria had brought a man home and quickly called her three times. Victoria's phone was on silent, so she didn't answer. Wilmer was so anxious he started getting dressed to head to Victoria's place. When Victoria got home and picked up her phone, she saw the missed calls and called back, puzzled.

"Wilmer, is there something urgent?"

Wilmer, about to leave, stopped when he got Victoria's call. "Dwayne said you brought a guy home. You're in the middle of a career upswing. What if someone snaps a photo? I'm not saying you can't date, but you promised to discuss it with me first."

Victoria sighed, "Wilmer, I'm not dating. We just had a gathering and he drank a bit, so he couldn't drive."

Wilmer exclaimed, "He drank! That's even worse! What if he tries something? Doesn't he have his own place? Why follow you home?"

Wilmer was so agitated that his voice was loud over the phone. Victoria, annoyed, tossed her phone onto the sofa and turned on the speaker. When Wilmer calmed down, Victoria finally spoke. "He didn't follow me home. He lives in the same neighborhood, in the building across from mine."

Wilmer coughed awkwardly. "Oh, I see. I misunderstood. Get some rest then. Bye." He quickly hung up. It was Dwayne's fault for not clarifying the situation, making him worry for nothing. He really thought the usually reliable Victoria had suddenly become love-struck.

Actually, downstairs, Ethan had asked, "Want to invite me up?"

Victoria tilted her head at him. "It's too late. Not appropriate."

Ethan gently held her wrist. "Last time we met, you said if I helped you this time, you'd agree to anything. Does that still count?"

"Have you decided what you want?" Victoria looked up at him, her eyes clear. She trusted Ethan to be reasonable and not make excessive demands.

Ethan's lips curved into a smile, his eyes showing amusement. "What if I said I want you to be my girlfriend?"

Victoria's eyebrows shot up, her pupils dilated, and she stammered, "Is this a trade-off?"

"No," Ethan's expression turned serious. "It's not a trade. I'm serious. I've liked you for a long time. Will you be my girlfriend?" He had planned to say this after his work transferred back to Sunhaven, but seeing Victoria become more dazzling, he couldn't hold back. He worried that with more outstanding men around her, someone might suddenly win her heart.

Victoria's heartbeat quickened. She hadn't expected Ethan to confess at this moment, clearly unplanned. Ethan was a very handsome and excellent man, mature and steady yet fun, with a good family background and successful career, making him a great boyfriend candidate.

More importantly, they had known each other for years and had always had a good relationship. Ethan had always been particularly attentive to her, and she wasn't without feelings.

Victoria's silence made Ethan anxious. He quickly added, "I'm sorry for the sudden confession. I didn't prepare anything. If it bothers you, I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

"No!" Victoria quickly refused. She was closely watched by reporters and didn't like high-profile actions. Besides, Ethan's status wasn't suitable for public displays, which wouldn't be good for either of them.

Ethan frowned. "Is this a rejection?"

Victoria replied, "No, I need to think about it. Tell me, why do you like me?" She had to admit she had feelings for Ethan, or they wouldn't have been friends for so long. They had even had physical contact before, which she didn't mind and even enjoyed.

Although her past experiences had made her disappointed in love, Ethan's repeated favoritism had started to make her hopeful. A man as outstanding as Ethan, who was cold to other women but warm and considerate to her, had moved her.