Chapter 37

Chapter 37

“Are you kidding me? I just can’t believe this. That’s the treatment Sterling supposed to be giving me not that actress.” she bit her lower lip in anger.

“Then tell me what on earth you are still doing in that house, Li. You should leave, no one’s forcing you to stay there.” she said angrily.

“I want to leave too but Sterling wouldn’t be happy with me. And besides, I have nowhere else to go to.” he explained to her.

Isabella sighed. If there was a way Li would help her take care of Vivienne, she would plead with him.

“Wait a minute Li, I think I have an idea that would solve both our problems.” Her face turned in to a mischievous grin.

“What’s that? I’m ready to do whatever it is if it’s going to get me out of this house,” Li said over the phone.

“Then meet me tomorrow morning, I’ll explain what to do for you.” She ended the call.

Isabella let out a satisfying laugh. Why didn’t that idea come in to her head before? Maybe because she didn’t know Vivienne and Sterling were getting so close.

The next morning, Isabella left the house even before Sterling could go to work.

Sterling checked her room to tell her he was already leaving but didn’t see her in there.

He knew she liked working out in the morning so, he thought she might be running around the house at that moment and so, he left.

The previous night, he pondered on Isabella’s hatred for Vivienne. And he knew if he doesn’t interfere, Isabella might try to do something to Vivienne out of jealousy.

That was why he wanted to show her he care for her too by telling her he was leaving for work but didn’t find her in the room.

Sterling believed he would have to protect Vivienne from anyone as part of his care towards her.

Failure to do that would result in her losing her self esteem and confidence in the public.

She’s an actress and what Isabella or anyone would do to her will make her want to take her own life.

She and Li met at a secret place she suggested because she didn’t want anyone to see them together and inform Sterling about it.

Not that she cared. But she’s trying to make that a secret.

“Li, I have an idea.” She started as soon as she met him waiting for her.

“What is that? Just know that I’ll do whatever it takes to Vivienne. I just don’t like that woman,”

Isabella smiled. That was going to be easy since Li already doesn’t like Vivienne.

“How’s your relationship with her now? I mean, are you two close?” she asked him just to be sure that would work.

“No, we aren’t. I don’t go to her place and whenever she tries to come close to me, I send her away,” Isabella laughed shortly.

That was so funny. Chasing her away like she was a kid?

“That’s good. But you’ll have to show her you also care about her from now on.” she suggested.

Li frowned. He didn’t like that idea. How can he show her care when he doesn’t like her?

“Li, listen to me. You have to do this. It’s not like you really care about her neither do I…”

“But this is the only way we can achieve what we want. When you are so close to her, she won’t suspect it is you if anything happens,”

Li nodded his head. He was already getting a hint of what Isabella was trying to do.

“Now I get it,” Li nodded his head again. “Don’t worry Isabella, just leave everything in my hand. I’ll take care of it.” he smiled mischievously.

( scared to get replaced)

On his way going to the company, Sterling changed his mind. He decided to go see Vivienne first before going to see how she was going with her rehearsal.

When he arrived at the house, he saw Vivienne alone standing outside the apartment with the document in her hand and her phone on the other hand.

She was still stuck trying to get her dialogues right but was still messing up.

When she saw Sterling, her heart skipped a beat. She was afraid he might got her replaced if he found out she wasn’t getting things right up to then.

“What is Mr. Hawthorn doing here by this time of the day? I hope I’m not in trouble?” she giggled.

Sterling smiled. He shook hands with her and returned his hand inside his pocket.

“No, you aren’t in trouble. Or did Ms. Vivienne did something that I don’t know?” he teased her.

Vivienne chuckled. Of course she did something. She couldn’t still get her dialogues right which wasn’t a good thing.

The movie is just few days to go and she was still stuck.

“Of course not, Mr. Hawthorn. I already promised you I won’t do anything that would make you not trust me again.” She glanced at the document.

“Can we go inside, Mr. Hawthorn? Not nice keeping you out here.”

Vivienne got in front of him when he walked behind her.

Sterling caught himself lost staring at Vivienne from the back. He didn’t know she has tiny little hairs on her neck.

They were so beautiful and lay freely on her neck. And he saw that because her hair was packed side ways not in a ponytail that she used to pack it.

“Please sit, Mr. Hawthorn, I’ll be right back.” She hurried away, watching her steps on the stairs to avoid falling down.

Vivienne dropped the document in the room, took in a deep breath and out to calm her beating heart.

She hoped and prayed Sterling wouldn’t ask her to rehearse any line to him because she was so nervous.

When she returned back to the living room, she met Sterling speaking to one of the maids.

“I have no idea where he is, Mr. Hawthorn.” The girl spoke with her head bowed.

Sterling turned to Vivienne and he waved the maid off.

“Where’s Li?” he asked her. Vivienne glanced at Li’s door, she has no idea if he was inside or not.

“I think he’s in his room,” she shrugged her shoulders.

Sterling looked at the door again and then at Vivienne.

“The maid that just left now checked his room but he isn’t there. And she also went outside but couldn’t find him. Are you sure he’s in this house?” Sterling stood up from the sofa.

“Oh, I think he’s out,” she said.

Our? Wasn’t he supposed to be in the house by that time?

“Are you the one that sent him?” he asked her.

“No.” Vivienne shook her head. How could she even send someone that doesn’t even want to talk to her.

“Ms. Vivienne, tell me how Li is doing in this house.” Sterling returned back to the sofa.

The last time he came to the house, he didn’t see Li anywhere. And now again, he wasn’t in the house.

When Vivienne saw the way Sterling’s face had turned to, she knew he wasn’t happy that Li wasn’t in the house at that moment.

But wouldn’t she be causing trouble for him if she tell him the truth?

And she already told Sterling that she wasn’t the one that sent Li out. She would have said that instead of saying no.

“Well, he’s… Uhm… He’s doing great.” Vivienne didn’t know what to say.

Remembering what Li said to her the other day and the way he was behaving towards her, she thought it was better if she tell Sterling the truth or before Li would hurt her.

“I think I have to tell you this,” she sighed.

“What is that? What has Li being doing to you?” he asked her.

Vivienne sat on the edge of the sofa and locked her fingers together.

“Please do not pick out on him when he returns.” She pleaded. Sterling nodded his head for her to continue.

“I think Li doesn’t want to work for me as my Assistant. He doesn’t like it when I go to talk to him and he doesn’t come whenever I want him to help me with anything.” She told him leaving out the insult she received from him the other day.

“What da!” Sterling exclaimed. And he thought Li was already helping her with things?

“You should have told me this since he started acting that way, Ms. Vivienne. That’s so bad of him,” Vivienne sighed.

“I think since he doesn’t want to work for me, you should let him go. I don’t need an Assistant, I already have Lia to help me with things I need.” she suggested.

But for Sterling, it was better if she has an Assistant. Lia wouldn’t go anywhere with her. Her job is to stay at home and help her with her skin care.

“No, he’ll do it. I’m so sorry about that, Ms. Vivienne. I’ll talk to him when he returns,”

Vivienne shrugged her shoulders. That wasn’t a big deal and she won’t say no to Sterling since he already insisted.

But for her, it wasn’t necessary. She could manage just as she has always done when she was still with Pure Heart Entertainment.

She only had a manager who was Marcus and he wasn’t going everywhere with her then.

Not even a guard following her around to guard her. She was always alone, covering her face whenever she was going in to the public.

“How about the preparation for the upcoming movie? Hope you are getting ready for it?”

Vivienne smiled nervously. She was trying her best but the story wasn’t cooperating with her.

Luckily for her, Assistant Li returned back home which was such a relief for her.

Because of that, Sterling didn’t say anything further about the movie again.

“Li, where have you been?” Sterling asked Li who was about to enter his room.

Li was surprised to see Sterling sitting there. He didn’t know it was him, he thought it was only Vivienne who was sitting there.

He quickly closed the door and went to the stand beside Sterling.

“Mr. Hawthorn, I didn’t know you’ll come here.” he bowed his head a little.

Sterling stood up from the sofa standing in front of Li.

“Is this what I brought you here to do, Li? Tell me where you went to,” Sterling asked him.

Li glanced at Vivienne who was looking at him and Vivienne quickly looked away.

“I’m listening…”

( Her first appearance after years)

Li scratched the back of his neck with his neck bent.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Hawthorn.” he apologized. Sterling was upset with Li for behaving that way towards Vivienne.

“If you think you can’t do this anymore, then go arrange your things and leave. I’m not forcing you anymore.” Sterling suggested.

But after his plans with Isabella, he wouldn’t leave the house. It was better he stay there to achieve his goal.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Hawthorn, I’m sorry Ms. Vivienne. But I still want to work here.”

Vivienne was surprised by his sudden change of mind. And that scared her.

What if he was planning something evil for her that he didn’t want to go?

“That’s fine Li, but I think Mr. Hawthorn is correct. You can leave if you don’t want to work for me. I’m not forcing you and I’m not angry with you.” she said.

But Li insisted he still wanted to work for her which made her so worried.

Why did he change his mind suddenly? That was scary.

Sterling sighed inside. It was such a relief for him that Li agreed and also apologized to Vivienne.

“Leave him, he’ll do it,”

Vivienne sighed inside. For her, it was better if they let Li go because she was afraid of his sudden change.

What if he was planning something for her? And he already told her he doesn’t want to work for her.