On the way, she sent Gavin a quick text.
Lauren had barely set foot in her hotel room for five minutes when Gavin arrived.
They barely made it through the door before falling into each other’s arms, kissing feverishly as they stumbled into the room together.
The door slammed shut behind them.
From the shadows across the hall, a high–definition camera caught every second of their passionate reunion.
A man stepped back, took out his phone, and made a call. “Got it. Clear shot, faces and all.”
A week later, Rosita arrived in Silveridge and joined the film crew without a hitch.
Word of her arrival traveled fast–Carl got the update almost the moment she arrived, and he went straight to
Stewart to report.
After listening, Stewart pressed his lips together in silence before finally asking, “What’s Briony been up to lately?”
Carl replied, “She hasn’t been over at the Antiquarian Society for a while. Lately, she’s been spending most of her time at Mrs. Winslow’s house. Last week, she went to an art exhibit with Mrs. Winslow and Mr. Delaney”
“Oh, also, I’ve heard Mrs. Winslow is thinking of asking Ms. Kensington to compose some music.”
“Compose music?” Stewart raised an eyebrow. “Briony writes music?”
“I’m not sure,” Carl admitted, hesitating for a moment before asking, “If you want, I can have someone look into Ms. Kensington’s background-”
“No need,” Stewart cut him off. “Aside from her work, how’s her health?”
“She’s had the major prenatal screening, and everything’s fine.” Carl pulled out his phone and tapped on a photo. “Here’s a picture someone snapped of her at the art show. Ms. Kensington looks well.”
The photo had been taken without Briony’s knowledge as she admired a painting. She wore a flowing maternity dress that showed off her rounded belly. Her hair seemed a bit shorter, her face a little fuller than before.
Stewart studied the image, his eyes darkening with thought.
“Mr. Wentworth, do you want me to keep an eye on Ms. Lockwood as well?”
Snapping out of his reverie, Stewart handed Carl’s phone back. “Rosita’s here for work. Let her do her job; there’s no need to interfere.”
Carl nodded. “Understood.”
Rosita really did throw herself into filming.
For an entire month, she barely left the set.
She was a talented actress–no one could deny that–and this comeback was carefully crafted. She was determined to rebrand herself as an independent, strong female lead, and she made sure everyone noticed her professionalism on set.
Her assistant, Daisy, started a low–key social media account, posting daily behind–the–scenes glimpses of Rosita’s dedication at work.
The account quickly gained traction, drawing in fans and curious onlookers alike.
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19:02
Chapter 264
Through Daisy’s eyes, Rosita was the very picture of a hardworking, kind–hearted actress–a true goddess, both on and off camera.
Rosita’s name dominated the trending charts.
Even former fans who once criticized her for letting romance distract her from her career began to trickle back, slowly shifting the narrative: Everyone now seemed to agree that it wasn’t Rosita who’d ruined her engagement to her wealthy fiancé. No, the story went, he’d let her down, and Rosita had finally come to her senses, leaving her old love behind and dedicating herself to her career.
The “strong, independent woman” persona had never been more popular.
In less than two months, Rosita’s popularity rebounded; if anything, her reputation was stronger than ever.
All of this had been part of her plan.
But her real reason for coming to Silveridge was something else entirely.
On the sixty–eighth day of filming, Rosita was injured in an on–set accident and rushed to the hospital.
Coincidentally, that very day happened to be Briony’s thirty–second week of pregnancy–and her scheduled checkup at the hospital.
Gwendolyn White accompanied her.
The moment they arrived, they could hear the commotion in the emergency department.
Apparently, some actress had been hurt while filming.
A gaggle of young nurses hurried past them to see what was happening.
Neither Gwendolyn nor Briony were interested in celebrity gossip, so they paid little attention.
Once they reached the maternity ward, Briony went in for her ultrasound while Gwendolyn waited outside.
Northborough.
Carl burst into the office, barely pausing to catch his breath. “Mr. Wentworth!”
Stewart looked up from behind his glasses, his eyes cold beneath the lenses. “Ever heard of knocking?”
“Sorry, sir. This is urgent.”
Stewart frowned. “What is it?”
“Ms. Lockwood was injured on set.”
Stewart’s hand froze. “How bad is it?”
“We don’t know yet. She’s already been taken to the hospital.”
Carl paused, then added, “Here’s the real issue: Ms. Lockwood was taken to the same hospital where Ms. Kensington has her prenatal appointments. In fact, our people just confirmed that Ms. Kensington was scheduled for her checkup today.”
Stewart’s expression darkened. “Tell our people to keep a close watch. Make sure Briony and Rosita don’t cross paths.”
“Understood.”
Stewart picked up his pen again, but for some reason, his eyelid started to twitch uncontrollably.
He took off his glasses and pressed his fingers to his brow, suddenly uneasy.
After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Book me a flight. I’m going to Silveridge.”
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