Chapter 173: Chapter 181

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, Mr. Golding. What has displeased you?” he asked, bewildered, after fumbling for his voice.

Evander scoffed with a stony glare. “You’re the director. What good are you to me if you have to ask my opinion on such a trivial matter?”

“Yes, I should not have done that.”

Gordon shuddered. What rotten luck for me to have to deal with this loose cannon that is Evander.

“Please enlighten me, Mr. Golding.”

“The actor is not a right fit. Any additional effort to prove otherwise is futile,” Evander said casually as he pointed at Angeline.

An assistant wrapped a towel around her shoulders as soon as she came ashore, but she still shivered.

When she overheard Evander, her gaze stiffened, and her lips pursed.

Sure enough, there’s an ulterior motive to his visit.

Stunned, Gordon wondered if he had misheard. “Are you sure, Mr. Golding?”

As soon as he raised the question, Evander shot him a glare so severe that Gordon’s back grew damp with cold sweat.

Then, he gazed at Angeline with a conflicted look and wondered how he should begin.

“I will reshoot the scene if you’re unhappy with it, Mr. Golding.” Angeline spoke up bravely at that moment. Her voice was hoarse from the time spent underwater. “I don’t have a problem with that, as it’s part of the job.”

When she stood up, the towel slipped off her fair and smooth skin. She stalked back toward the pool with a scowl.

If Evander is being difficult on purpose, I’m not going to let him take it out on the others.

Gordon heaved a sigh of relief and quickly ordered one of the crew members to bring a chair.

“Have a seat, Mr. Golding,” he said with an unctuous chuckle.

“Mmm.” Evander accepted the offer with a grunt and sat at the frontmost spot of the pool like an invigilator during an examination.

Angeline gazed at his impassive face and felt an invisible force compelling her to obey, against which her heart leaped with defiance.

However, she could not go against Evander. Silently enduring her fate, she listened for Gordon’s cry of “Action!” before diving into the pool without a moment’s delay.

This time, every step and gesture of hers underwater was executed to perfection. Even the smile she flashed upon turning back was her most contagious one ever.

“Cut!”

This time, Gordon asked Evander gingerly, “Is this take better, Mr. Golding?”

“Are you satisfied?” Evander answered with a question. His displeasure was evident.

Gordon leaped into action at that, but a secret doubt began to manifest within him. Despite his experience directing many television shows, he simply could not see what was wrong with Angeline.

Why is Evander never pleased? It must be a personal grudge for him to be this picky, and it’s obvious that they’re unhappy from the way he made Angeline get underwater again and again today.

Since Evander no longer cared about Angeline’s comfort, Gordon did not hold back. With a scowl, he ordered, “We’ll do another take, Angeline. Take it seriously this time. Mr. Golding is not happy with your performance at all.”

“All right, got it,” Angeline answered dully, her sunken spirits evident.

Obeying the director, she redid the scene even though she instinctively knew it was near impossible to satisfy Evander.

Sure enough, Evander dismissed five retakes in a row. Angeline had swallowed so much water that her smile was frozen on her face.

Despite her body going numb from the cold, she did not complain once.

Well aware of Evander’s anger, she thought herself spared any feelings of indebtedness if he could be appeased this way.

The sight of Angeline submerging herself repeatedly without raising any objections did not please Evander. Instead, he felt deeply uneasy.

Angeline emerged once more from the water. She tucked her hair behind her ears and ran her tongue around her wet lips.

Coincidentally, Evander caught sight of it and felt himself grow warm.

Angeline’s figure seems to have gotten nicer of late. I have to admit; she is a stunner.

“We’re doing the take again, Angeline.”

Upon noticing Evander’s silence, Gordon already, by that point, knew what he needed to do.

The towels brought by the assistant had grown to a small pile. Despite that, she felt Angeline’s body becoming increasingly colder and instinctively voiced her objection.

“Angie’s a girl, Mr. Fuller. What happens if she catches a cold from being underwater for so long?”

“We’ve already gotten paid,” he replied, “and must produce an advertisement to Mr. Golding’s satisfaction.”

Angeline was, at that moment, too cold to even speak. I’ve jumped in so many times anyway. What’s one more?

Bracing herself grimly, she was about to whip the towel off when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her.

“Enough,” came Evander’s voice before he pulled her off the set.

“Don’t touch me!”

Angeline’s voice had become a barely audible buzz. In her frailty, she was in no shape for a struggle and resigned herself to her fate of being carried away.

Evander only let her go when they arrived at the deserted elevator lobby. He frowned at her frightful pallor.

Despite the wall of indifference he had inoculated himself with, his heart twinged with guilt at the sight of Angeline’s suffering. All of a sudden, his resentment dissipated.

“Why didn’t you fight back?” Evander said as he gripped the towel around Angeline and gently brushed off the water droplets from her hair.

Angeline’s grievance rose to her throat at his words. “Wasn’t that what you wanted to see?” she asked sullenly while holding back her tears.

Evander’s expression grew cold. “Are you pushing the blame on me?”

“I dare not.”

Angeline smiled bitterly. She pinched her thighs with her slim fingers to suppress her emotions and continued, “You are the powerful Mr. Golding, after all. All it takes is a mere word from you to blacklist me from the entertainment industry. How would I dare fight back? It was only because of you that I got to be a part of ‘The Journey.’ Feel free to make me irrelevant if you can’t stand the sight of me.”

Angeline turned to leave after she spoke.

The prolonged submergence had chilled not only her skin but also her heart.

She felt exhausted and defeated. Even moving her fingers was an insurmountable effort. All she wanted was a place to rest.