Chapter 6
5 vouchers
At ten o’clock that night, Charles arrived home. He had expected Yolanda to be waiting for him in the living room. That was how it had been for the past two years.
But tonight, she wasn’t there. He tossed his coat to a nearby maid.
The maid’s sharp eyes caught the lipstick marks on the coat. Hastily, they covered it up, pretending not to notice.
Everyone in the mansion knew Charles had a mistress, but no one dared to mention it aloud.
“Where’s Yolanda?” Charles asked.
“Mrs. Sinclair hasn’t returned since she went out this afternoon,” the maid replied.
Charles nodded. Just as he was about to go upstairs, the living room door opened. Yolanda had come back.
Her hair was a little messy. She bent down to change her shoes, showing off her long legs.
Charles noticed the faint flush on her cheeks from drinking and frowned. “You drank?”
This had never happened before. The Grant family didn’t teach women to drink outside; if they drank, it was always in front of their
husbands.
Yolanda was sober by now. When she saw the time, she felt a little panicked.
Her ingrained schedule made her drive back quickly, but at the doorstep, she found it funny. Whether she came home early or late, no one really cared.
She passed by Charles, and he caught the faint scent of alcohol on her. He reached out and pulled her close.
“Drinking your troubles away?” he joked. “Is there anything bothering you that you can’t tell me?”
Charles always spoke so casually. He wasn’t heartless toward Yolanda, but he never took initiative either. Even with his affairs, he made sure she retained her dignity.
Both of them had been raised in prominent families and knew some things shouldn’t be exposed.
Yolanda thought this was good. At least later, when she went elsewhere for resources, people would give her respect knowing she was Charles’s wife.
She pushed Charles away. “It’s about the studio.”
She didn’t really need to; he let go automatically. He wasn’t fond of touching her. The last time they were intimate had been two months
ago.
Yolanda had a perfect face, both innocent and seductive, but her personality was rigid. In the industry, there were plenty of women trained by their families to follow the rules, and Charles was long bored of them.
“Your little studio hasn’t collapsed yet?” His tone was flat as he walked upstairs, pulling out his phone, seemingly replying to someone.
Yolanda felt a pang in her chest. She followed him upstairs into the bedroom and saw a smile in his eyes as he spoke gently on the phone. No doubt–it was Sophie.
When he noticed her, the smile in his eyes faded slightly. He hung up and asked, “Something you need?”
Yolanda tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke softly, “Starlight Entertainment under Sinclair Group–I want to pull some resources from it.”
Charles held his phone, his gaze on her.
Yolanda rarely made requests. Now, her expression was a little awkward, but she looked more alive than usual.
For some reason, he smiled. “Alright. Just don’t get too greedy.”
“Thank you,” she said, then turned to grab clothes from the closet to shower.
He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, kissing her neck. “Being so polite tonight? Shouldn’t asking for this stuff be
normal?”
1/2
Chapter 6
5 vouchers
Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but the next second, she caught the scent of another woman’s perfume on him.
Charles had never been stingy with sweet talk; charming women was as easy for him as playing with a dog.
Yolanda should have seen through it long ago.
At that moment, Charles’s phone rang again, the screen flashing Sophie’s name.
Yolanda saw it, but pretended not to.
Charles kissed her on the cheek. “It’s work. I need to head out for some overtime.”
She said nothing, lowering her head as she stepped toward the bathroom. Probably fearing he might change his mind, she repeated, “Tomorrow I want to meet a few directors from Starlight Entertainment.”
Charles didn’t stop. To him, it was all trivial. Sinclair Group was a huge company, and Starlight Entertainment was just a tiny, tiny division.
“No problem,” he said. “Just don’t hook up with young actors like other women do.”
After saying this, he seemed to realize something. After all, he himself was exactly that kind of person. He thought women in bed should at least be a little passionate to be fun.
With a faint chuckle, he added, “Though sometimes the younger ones are more energetic–you could try it too.
His jokes were always like this–half–smiling, half–derisive, completely humiliating Yolanda’s feelings.
He knew full well that women from the Grant family never cheated.
Once Charles left, Yolanda grabbed her phone and contacted a director at Starlight Entertainment named Sean Anderson. “Mr. Anderson, it’s me, Tessa Gilbert.”
Tessa Gilbert was a stage name Yolanda had used before. Because the Grant family had so many rules, she had prepared this name when she decided to team up with Megan in the entertainment industry.
Directors who knew her real identity were careful not to say anything indiscreet.
“Tomorrow I’d like to bring someone for an audition,” she continued on the call. “Alright, thank you.”
After hanging up, she looked out the window and took a deep breath.
Yolanda had known Charles for fifteen years and was intimately familiar with everything about him. To leave him completely would be excruciating.
She could pretend to be oblivious and continue living as a titled socialite, but she would despise herself for it.
She asked Megan for Ian’s contact information and tried to add him on WhatsApp. Ian initially refused.
Realizing she had forgotten to say who she was, she sent the request again: [Ian, it’s Yolanda.]
This time, he accepted.
Yolanda: [Tomorrow, come with me to meet a director. He’s casting a supporting male role.]
Jan [Okay.]
Looking at his brief reply, Yolanda thought Ian was handsome but far too cold in temperament.
