Chapter 367
Lisette Cavendish never asked why the payment had to be advanced.
When she left the Cooper house, the sun was still hanging in the afternoon sky.
With the contract signed personally by Victoria Cooper in her bag, she headed back to the Hastings residence. As soon as she stepped through the door, her phone buzzed.
Victoria had sent a message: “Caleb shouldn’t keep drowning in the past. He deserves a normal life p>
Lisette stared at the text for a moment, letting out a quiet sigh. “So that’s why you needed the advance—Caleb’s treatment p>
As for why he shouldn’t be stuck in the past? What exactly had happened before?
She didn’t ask.
Instead, she typed back sincerely: “Hope Caleb gets better soon p>
Victoria replied: “Thank you p>
After unexpectedly securing Victoria’s contract, Lisette had Amber West reach out to Justin Brooks’s father for a meeting.
She didn’t expect Benjamin Brooks—the very chairman of Apex Group who had always been dead set against Justin joining the entertainment industry and dreamed daily about dragging his son home to inherit the family business—to suddenly change his tune.
“Mrs. Hastings, now that Justin is learning under you, I can finally stop worrying. From today on, I’ll fully support his dream p>
“I’ve got a few friends in the film and TV circle. They’re holding a pretty good script right now. I’ll send it to you later. You’re the expert—take a look and see if there’s a role that suits Justin p>
“That kid acts purely on passion. I watched that travel variety show he did—his acting’s got some obvious weak spots. He really struggles at times. So in the future, please keep an eye on him and help him out whenever you can p>
“Also, um… I do have a tiny request p>
“Could you keep it between us? Don’t tell him that when I first came to you, my real intention was to crush his dream so he’d give up and come back to inherit the company p>
“Mrs. Hastings, I know I’m asking too much, but p>
“Alright, I’ll do it p>
Lisette Cavendish agreed without dragging it out.
Benjamin Brooks froze for half a second, then snapped back and almost exploded with gratitude.
If he could, he’d probably book the fastest flight to Aurelian just to kneel in front of her and give her a big ceremonial bow.
“Thank you, thank you—I honestly have no idea how to repay you p>
He was so worked up it was almost too much.
Lisette Cavendish gave the usual polite “Don’t worry about it,” and hung up.
With Benjamin Brooks settled, she finally felt her whole body loosen up.
Now that Justin Brooks didn’t have that weight on his shoulders, she could help him chase his dream without distractions. She told Amber West to contact Justin Brooks and start prepping the official contract. As for her, she planned to leave the rest of the day for Tobias Hastings and enjoy sticking to him like glue.
Tobias Hastings hooked an arm around her and pulled her into his chest. “That old fox has been waiting for this call p>
“Hmm p>
Lisette Cavendish was completely relaxed by now. She didn’t bother overthinking it and simply leaned into him, playing the part of a carefree girl with a single-track mind.
Tobias Hastings said, “What made him give in wasn’t Justin’s stubbornness—it was who you are p>
“I figured as much p>
That part she had always been clear on.
“Justin’s dad is the type who never budges. No matter how much Justin kicked up a fuss, he never agreed to him entering the entertainment industry. He even went as far as staging a whole show—acting all kind and understanding on the surface, while underneath he was cold-blooded enough to crush his son’s dream p>
“Someone like that doesn’t suddenly do a 180 unless there’s something in it for him p>
And she—
She was the unexpected variable that tipped his scales.
Tobias Hastings added, “He didn’t make this decision in the last five minutes. He’s been thinking about it for a while. But he never once called you himself to say any of this p>
“He’s waiting p>
“Waiting for your call, so he can figure out how much Justin Brooks actually matters to you p>
“Once that six?month internship ends, if you take the initiative to call, it tells him you value Justin and want to invest in him p>
“But if you stay quiet, then his plan to use Justin’s connection with you to boost Apex Group basically collapses p>
“As long as you’re around, you won’t just sit there and watch Apex Group run into trouble and drag Justin down with it. At that point, whether Justin inherits the company or not doesn’t even matter anymore. What matters is whether he can still keep the bond he has with you p>
“So he has to confirm where you stand, just in case p>
Lisette Cavendish curled her lips. “These capitalists… their minds are really full of twists and turns p>
She stared at him. “Benjamin Brooks having that kind of agenda doesn’t surprise me at all. What surprises me is you. You haven’t even met the guy, but you’ve already read him like an open book. Whatever he’s thinking, you catch it instantly p>
That was Tobias Hastings’ most terrifying strength.
Eyes that saw straight through everything.
“Toby, being your enemy must be tragic. They don’t even get to make a move before you’ve dissected them inside out p>
“Aiya, can’t you be nicer in the future? Don’t just stab straight at the weak spot. Give people a tiny bit of room to play with, okay? At least let them show up on stage p>
Tobias let out a soft laugh. “No room for them p>
“So decisive p>
“Yeah. I’d rather spend the time teaching you than waste energy on them p>
Lisette Cavendish didn’t even get a chance to speak before he swept her onto the bed, dragging her into that rhythm of pushing and pulling that left her cheeks burning hotter than the moon outside.
From the instinctive resistance she had at the start to now, she’d already been coaxed by him into actually enjoying this way of closing the distance between husband and wife.
Tobias Hastings only grew more intense, more driven.
Lisette’s world spun wildly, a whole night dissolving into dizzying heat.
The artists all went about their schedules as planned. Amber West reported their situations to her right on time every day, and Gabriel Knight was recovering noticeably, better with each sunrise. The weight pressing on Lisette’s chest finally eased. She could at last free up some time to act like a proper young madam of the Hastings family.
First on the agenda: representing the Hastings family at the various banquets thrown by Aurelian’s upper circle.
The day the Emperor recognized his daughter, she had boldly kicked Fiona Douglas out before the woman could even step foot into the Palace Residences, and with the Emperor openly shielding her, her identity as the Imperial Princess had long since stopped being a secret among the elite.
Every event she attended, she was treated like the guest of honor.
People trying to cozy up to her came in waves.
Each one of them practically glued themselves to her side.
“Sorry p>
Lisette gave a polite smile, left Amber West to deal with the drinks, and used the excuse of needing the restroom to slip away.
Her refusal was already this straightforward, but some people just didn’t know when to quit, insisting on tagging along.
So p>
Instead of going to the balcony for some fresh air, Lisette was forced into the restroom.
“Mrs. Hastings.” The two women beside her eagerly held the door open, grinning so wide it almost hurt to look at. “You go ahead. We’ll wait for you outside p>
Lisette: p>
Wow. Thanks so much.
If she weren’t standing in for Eleanor Hastings today—where every move she made reflected on the Hastings family—she’d have already asked Victor to toss these two clueless women out on their ears.
Lisette Cavendish walked in with clear annoyance written all over her face, and the door slammed shut behind her, courtesy of the two women outside.
From their footsteps, she could tell they hadn’t left at all. They were obviously “waiting” for her to come back out, pretending to be considerate.
She curled her lips in irritation and headed toward the sink, planning to rinse her hands and calm down a bit.
But then—
A dark blur flashed across the mirror. At the same moment, every nerve in her body screamed one thing:
Danger. A massive one.
Her breath hitched. Instinct kicked in hard, pushing her toward the door.
But just as she stepped forward, a sudden force slammed her against the wall p>