âYouâre the last person in this house who has any right to talk to me like that. If you canât stand me, then donât eat. I cooked this meal with my own two hands, so what gives you the right to tell me not to eat?â she protested.
âItâs a joke, really. Everything you eat, wear, use-itâs all provided by me. Do you think youâd still be living like a queen without me?â Finn retorted.
Tessaâs eyes were bloodshot with anger, âDo you really think being your wife is some kind of joyride?
Finn, youâve got such a high opinion of yourself.â
âAh!â Tessa cried after a crisp sound.
Finn, unable to contain his fury any longer, swung his hand and slapped Tessa across the face, her head whipping to the side from the force of the blow.
She touched her cheek in disbelief. After all these years, he had never laid a hand on her. Had he truly grown tired of her?
âYou hit me? You actually hit me? Great, Finn, thatâs just great. When you proposed, you promised to always treat me well. Turns out it was all a pack of lies. And to think I believed you, it was just wishful thinking on my part.â
Frustrated to his core, Finn stood up abruptly, âCan you stop dwelling on the past? If I knew back then that youâd nag this much as you got older, I never wouldâve married you.â
Tessa was shocked by his words. In their youth, he always said he liked her constant chatter, that it made his world lively. But now, her once endearing trait had become a flaw. âFine, itâs all my fault,â
Tessa said, sitting in her chair and quietly sobbing, while Finn felt a sense of relief at the newfound quiet and sat back down to finish his meal.
He wondered if she was going through a midlife crisis, always causing a scene like this. After that slap, she seemed to sober up and didnât cause any further fuss.
Ivy never expected Tessa to show up on the set.
Since Balfour had told her to stay out of it, she had thrown herself into the final stages of the production as if she had never received that call.
âMs. Dunhill, could you take a look at the lighting here?â the lighting technician asked. Ever since they discovered Ivy had a natural talent for visual aesthetics, they always consulted her before making adjustments.
They had initially thought Ivy would be difficult to work with, but soon realized she was just slow to respond. And she was especially reserved when it came to social interactions. However, she turned out to be incredibly warm-hearted-always willing to lend a hand when asked.
âYeah, letâs add a bit more highlight to the face. And in particular, we can leave the left eye in shadow,â
Ivy suggested. While a wardrobe assistant helped her change costumes, she was reviewing the lighting technicianâs setup to help make adjustments.
âThatâs so much better. Thank you, Ms. Dunhill!â the lighting technician said, delighted with the improved settings.
Talent was something you simply couldnât envy; some people were just born with it.
Meanwhile, Colton approached Ivy with a cup of tea in his hand, taking a sip before speaking, âThe crew really likes you now. Your presence has lightened the workload for . so many.â