She nervously clutched the skirt on her knee, her small body trembling slightly. She hesitated to take the next step, but then she heard Osborn’s cold voice, “Director, I need to borrow this kissing scene.”
Maria instantly froze and all of her carefully prepared emotions fled. Was he… disgusted with her?
“Well…” The director looked at Osborn and was also in a difficult position. “This scene requires very delicate emotions, and only a real kiss can make the audience resonate. If we borrow it, we won’t achieve that effect.”
Despite this, Osborn still insisted on his idea.
Everyone present was surprised. After all, Osborn was a famous actor who had done countless kissing scenes before. Why couldn’t he do it now? Could it be…? everyone secretly glanced at Maria. Did she make him hate her so much that even Osborn could not kiss her?
Maria was already sensitive enough to see everyone’s gaze clearly; she felt like crying.
In the end, the director compromised and agreed to let them borrow the kiss.
However, no matter how many times they shot it afterwards, Maria just couldn’t get into character; she remained immersed in sadness instead of feeling joy from the confession.
“What’s wrong with you, Maria?” The director lost his patience again as they had another NG. His tone began showing signs of anger.
“I’m sorry Director!” Maria quickly apologized while biting down on her lower lip and tears as big as beans fell down from eyes.
Jane heard that today they were shooting night scenes so she came specifically to check up on their progress but didn’t expect to see this scene when arriving there for first time tonight.
She pulled aside one of the producers nearby asking about what happened earlier after learning that Osborn had forced himself out of hospital; Jane understood what might have been going through his mind then.
Jane paused filming for a moment so that she could talk privately with Osborn somewhere less crowded. “Why aren’t you taking care of yourself properly? Do you want to die?”
Osborn avoided looking directly into Jane’s eyes which made Jane understand how guilty he must feel inside. He shifted his gaze towards a tree behind Jane instead, “I don’t want to delay production.”
Seeing him like this made Jane sigh helplessly before patting him gently on shoulder.
He was being stubborn again…
After talking for awhile longer, Osborn finally managed some laughter which made both feel relieved . They returned back onto set where filming resumed once more, but unfortunately seeing Osborn’s gentle attitude towards Jane only worsened Maria’s mood; making it impossible for her get into character anymore.
“Cut!” The director angrily picked up his microphone while glaring at everyone around him. Seeing how angry he seemed, Jane quickly spoke up: “Director! Maybe because Maria is young and inexperienced in love is why things are not working out well here; let me give an example by doing something myself. I’m sure we can finish shooting soon.”
Jane said that the director couldn’t refuse her, so he had to agree.
When Osborn heard that Jane wanted to give an example, his eyes flickered.
Maria could see it clearly and felt her heart tearing into countless pieces. It hurt so much, but she could only stand silently on the side and watch as Jane sat in her place.
“Okay, Maria, you watch how to express emotions on the side and then continue later.” The director shouted at Maria who was stunned.
“Yes.” Maria clenched her fists and suppressed all the bitterness in her heart.
Jane naturally noticed her emotions. Seeing that Osborn didn’t care about her at all, she sighed inwardly. She knew that Osborn liked her but also knew that she didn’t love him. Maria was also like this towards him.
“Osborn, if you don’t her, just say it now,” Jane whispered in a voice only they could hear.
Osborn’s expression paused for a moment before his gaze shifted to Maria and quickly returned. “I know what I’m doing.”
But he couldn’t resist the bitterness in his heart. Did he have to reject Maria just like how Jane rejected him back then?
Hearing what he said, Jane didn’t say anything else.
“Let’s begin.”
As soon as Jane finished speaking, she immediately got into character with perfectly controlled expressions and emotions as if Osborn standing before her was the person she loved most rather than anyone else.
Her clear and radiant eyes stared at Osborn without blinking, filled with a palpable sense of excitement.
Osborn’s throat instinctively tightened as he followed Jane’s gaze. Slowly, his eyes moved downward, landing on Jane’s delicate, slightly upturned lips, tinged with a hint of joy.
At that moment, emotions reached their peak. Osborn extended his large hand and cupped Jane’s cheek, leaning down to kiss her.
Jane was startled, her eyes widening suddenly. She quickly tried to evade, but it was too late. In that moment of departure, their lips still brushed against each other.
“!”
“I’m sorry…”
Osborn snapped back to reality and quickly apologized.
“It’s okay, just acting, I understand,” Jane quickly concealed her awkwardness.
Her apparent indifference struck Osborn deeply, leaving him with a sense of disappointment.
“Maria, come here and continue the scene.”
The director, being astute, sensed the tension and promptly called Maria over to save the situation.
Maria, visibly flustered and with her clothes wrinkled, heard the director’s voice and immediately approached.
Jane stepped aside, making way for Maria.
The final scene ended in a half-hearted manner. When the director yelled “cut,” Osborn quickly scanned the room for Jane’s figure, but to his disappointment, she had already left.
Maria watched Osborn’s lost expression and hesitated before finally biting her lip and speaking up. “Osborn, are you…”
“It’s none of your business.”
Osborn coldly glanced at her before turning around and leaving.
Maria’s eyes turned red in an instant. If there weren’t so many staff members present, she would have cried. Did he really hate her that much?
Jane drove back home with the image of their kissing scene flashing through her mind as she stopped at a red light. She took a deep breath; if Patrick found out about it, he might kill Osborn.
Just to avoid embarrassment, she left immediately after filming ended. But fate loved to play tricks on people; whatever one feared most would come true.
When Jane arrived home and pushed open the door to find the living room pitch black, she furrowed her brows slightly wondering why Patrick hadn’t returned yet at this hour.
As she changed into slippers preparing to go upstairs, suddenly a low-pitched voice filled with suppressed anger rang out, “Jane, I think you need to explain what you were doing behind my back.”
“Ah!” Jane clutched her chest in fright as cold sweat ran down her spine.
She quickly turned on the lights only to see Patrick sitting upright on the sofa with his suit wrinkled beneath him while ashtrays full of cigarette butts littered all over coffee table in front of him.
How long had he been sitting like this?
“Why didn’t you turn on any lights? You scared me,” Jane said as she sat across from him looking concernedly at all those cigarette butts inside ashtray.
“What happened? Is something wrong with the company?”
Patrick remained motionless while his dark pupils slowly shifted towards Jane before his thin lips lightly curved upwards as he repeated himself word for word, “Answer my question. What were you doing behind my back?”