Chapter 37
Mr. Perry Sr. shouted, “Where do you think you’re going?!
Sean stopped in his tracks, clenched his jaw, and said coldly “I’m done chasing after Layla. If she’s got the guts, she can just die out there.”
“You-”
Furious, Mr. Perry Sr. hurled his cane and pointed at Susan cursing, “Look at the son you raised! Like mother, like son!”
Susan felt utterly humiliated. She lowered her head, not daring to talk back, but inside, she was seething
How long was that woman going to ruin her son’s life?
Meanwhile, completely unaware of what was happening, Layla hadn’t even touched her phone since waking up. Carter had shown up at the villa first thing in the morning and dragged her into the living room for a gaming marathon. He then took a call and pulled her along to a filming set without asking.
Now, in the car, she listened as Carter’s manager practically begged him.
“Carter, could you please take this seriously? My entire career is riding on you. Whether I make it through the year depends on whether you decide to show up and do your job.
“The universe is practically handing you success on a silver platter. If you don’t want it, fine, but don’t take me down with you, man!”
After rambling on for what felt like forever, the manager finally noticed Layla and locked eyes
with her.
“You’re friends with Carter?” He broke into an ingratiating smile, fished a business card from his pocket, and held it out to her. “Ever thought about going into showbiz?
“Enough.”
Carter snatched the card away, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Don’t drag my sister into this trap.”
The manager huffed. “If you’d just take this seriously and stop messing around, you’d debut as the top star overnight. Even if it’s a ‘trap,‘ it’s a golden one.”
The manager had been in the industry for years, and it wasn’t often he came across someone like Layla–naturally gorgeous, even without makeup, with features perfect for the camera.
Just as he was about to launch into a full–on sales pitch, Carter lazily cut in.
“Give it up. If she shows up in the public eye, people will dig up that she went to the arcade with me.
“And then the internet will blow up with rumors about us having an office romance. Next thing you know, they’ll be roasting you for being an incompetent manager. You really wanna get dragged through the mud like that?” ‘The manager’s scalp tingled. “She’s your rumored girlfriend?! And you’re still bringing her around?!”
Carter leaned back, hands behind his head, completely unfazed. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Seeing the manager’s face twist in despair, Layla whispered, “Should I just get out now?”
“If you go, I go.” Carter immediately replied. “I wasn’t planning to film anyway. I just wanted to bring you along
Chapter 37
for fun. If you’re not going, what’s the point?”
At this point, the manager had no fight left in him. He had long since learned he couldn’t control this reckless young man.
“Miss, just stay put.” He sighed in surrender. “I’ll just try to keep my job for as long as I can.”
And with that, they arrived at the studio.
With that, they arrived at the studio.
Layla stopped in her tracks the moment she saw the professional equipment, unable to look away. Carter followed. her gaze.
“You know your v
“Yeah.” She nodded.
around this stuff?” he asked.
For years, all her focus had been on Sean. She had almost forgotten what she used to love.
But even without Sean in the picture, photography wasn’t a path she could go far down.
“Layla.”
Xena’s voice called from behind.
Layla’s thoughts screeched to a halt.
And for the first time, Carter saw such obvious disgust on Layla’s face.
