Chapter 4

Startled, Lila shook her head moments later. Her smile was bright and charming as she said, "Don't worry about me, Uncle Kieran. I can handle this myself. If they ever cross the line, I promise I'll call you in right away to back me up and scare them to death! "Alright, now go about your business. I'm leaving." Kieran was amused by her wit, his smile deepening as he watched her retreating figure. She was right, though; she wasn't one to easily cower under pressure. At the company, Cole Mason, Kieran's assistant, could strangely sense his boss' good mood. Unexpectedly, he was asked, "Cole, am I good-looking?" Cole almost tripped himself at his words before he nodded genuinely and confusingly. "You're a work of art." Kieran furrowed his brows, asking, "Am I gentle?" "Oh, you are far… far from gentle," Cole thought. "Well, you can be quite—" "Get out!" Kieran ordered sternly. Cole silently lamented, "His mood sure is as unpredictable as the weather!" Lila had just arrived at the company when she heard the other departments discussing her and Dorian. It seemed the news had spread like wildfire. "Did Lila really have a fight with Mr. Blake?" "Of course. Everyone on his team found out that all of her work has been put on hold." "What was Lila thinking? Mr. Blake is young and talented, relying on himself to go from a nobody to a screen legend. He'll only shine brighter from now on. More importantly, he's very protective of Lila. "Honestly, if it were me, I'd never clash with him. Instead, I'll be a yes man every second I'm with him." One of them scoffed. "I saw her coming down from a luxurious car earlier. I bet she's found a new scion to latch onto. Oh well, that's the perk of pretty privilege—she can charm any man with just a flick of her finger." Lila came to a halt, mocking in her head, "Dorian got to where he is through his own efforts? Then, what about all those times I leveraged the Morgans' connections to secure resources for him without him even knowing?" She had never considered asking for any credit. Now that she had decided to cut ties with him, the past would stay in the past. She calmly turned the corner and entered the gossipers' vision, after which they immediately shushed themselves. Lila glanced at them from the corner of her eye, realizing the person who spoke last was a rising actress. With a smirk, she remarked, "Indeed, your looks fall short of mine." The rising actress exploded, jeering, "You're an orphan with no one to support you. All you ever be is a parasite at the bottom of the hierarchy. "I don't even know what gives you the confidence to act all pure and mighty. I bet you've climbed onto many different beds, huh?" Once Lila entered her office, her assistant, Megan Forger, rushed in. "There's no way I can handle that movie project, Lila. Why don't I plead Dorian for forgiveness and have you return, huh?" Lila looked up at her. "No need. I've already decided to quit Dorian's studio." Most celebrity studios were established when artists left their original companies to operate independently. However, due to Dorian's contract and current shareholding in the company, the company still managed all matters regarding him despite him having his own studio. "No, Lila, let's think this through. Aren't you in love—" Megan realized the fault in her words, continuing, "Will Dorian allow you to quit?" A self-deprecating smile appeared on Lila's face. It seemed like just anyone had the notion that Dorian could control her. "He doesn't have the right to control me." Right then, Dorian appeared at her door, his countenance much more indifferent than yesterday. "Didn't I tell you to cool off? Is this what you're doing upon reflection?" Lila furrowed her brows and instinctively glanced at his left wrist—empty. Dorian was someone she had shared a long journey with, both as a girlfriend and a comrade. Yet, since yesterday, that once-close relationship felt foreign to her. She found him palpably unfamiliar. Megan looked at their tense expressions and dared not utter a word. Then, Dorian shot her a sideways glance. "Get out." "Lila…" She seemed unsettled. "Why don't you head out first?" instructed Lila. Once the door closed, Dorian was heartbroken to see the indifference in her eyes. His gaze trailed down and landed on her red, tempting lips. She had a striking appearance, and her captivating gaze exuded a unique charm. Aside from her likable personality, her appearance was one of the main reasons he had been smitten with her all these years. He softened his tone. "Lila, will you please quit it? I've already explained that I only see Zara as a sister. I'll begin filming in two days. Just say something nice, and I'll forget about this. Okay?" Lila was revolted by him. "Instead of spending time persuading me, why don't you start bonding with Zara, huh?" Her non-compliance ignited his fury. "I'm telling you, Lila, even if I really had a thing with Zara, you can't blame me. "I can't be where I am today without receiving all sorts of temptations. Even if I ever crossed the line, I know nobody will ever replace you in my heart. Isn't that enough?" Lila was in shock, finding it hard to believe he had so confidently uttered such shameless words, but that led her to an even more concerning realization. Perhaps Dorian and Zara had been way more intimate than she had imagined now that he had said these words so brazenly. "What do you even get out of this? You know just how cutthroat this industry can be, with people stepping on others to lift themselves up. "What do you think the industry will do to you once they find out we have a dispute? Without me, you have no chance of surviving in this industry." Lila's expression contorted with utter disbelief. She drew a deep breath, suppressed her emotions, and took the resignation letter from her bag. Her trembling fingers, however, betrayed her emotions. Her words were filled with defeat. "If the company doesn't approve of me switching to another team, I'll tender my resignation. From today onward, you and I will go our separate ways." "Try me, Lila!" He raised his hand yet put it down the next second. What a disobedient kitten! He wanted to get physical and give her a lesson. In the end, he acquiesced. Just as Dorian suppressed his impatience to coax Lila, the company's vice president, Billy Johnson, called him. As he listened to the call, his countenance gradually turned ugly. Once the line disconnected, someone knocked on the door. "Mr. Blake, Mr. Johnson has asked me to summon Lila." The series of events prompted an exasperated laugh from Dorian. "I didn't know you had it in you to involve the higher-ups over such a minor issue, Lila." Similarly baffled as he was Billy. Only a few knew about Lila and Dorian's relationship, including the company's higher-ups. As such, when she applied to switch teams, they had no plans to intervene. It was just a little fight between the couple, and they had no reason to offend Dorian. To their surprise, the CEO of Nexus Entertainment, Emmett Hudson, received a call from Kieran, CEO of Morgan Group, instructing them to fulfill Lila's request. Emmett was perplexed. "Who just called me to fulfill whose wishes? Huh?" After discovering that Lila was connected with such a powerful figure, no departments wanted to get involved. They naturally shoved the responsibility to Billy, the lowest-ranked among them. When Billy found out, he fell into a deafening silence. The assistant who knocked on the door sensed the strange atmosphere and nervously gulped. "Uhm, Mr. Johnson is still awaiting you, Lila." Lila nodded politely and was ready to leave, yet her wrist was tugged.