Chapter 26: THIS IS NOT A REAL - DONT UNLOCK

Chapter 26: THIS IS NOT A REAL Chapter DONT UNLOCK Manager Sheng sat across from Caius, his sharp eyes locked on the man in front of him. For almost a full minute, neither of them said a word — just stared, as if waiting for the other to blink. Manager Sheng adjusted his glasses and leaned back slightly, trying to get comfortable in his chair. Caius didn’t flinch. He stayed perfectly still, his expression unreadable, as if time itself couldn’t move him. Heather sat on the other side of the room, watching them. She didn’t understand what this was — some silent power play? When Manager Sheng had said he wanted to speak with Caius, she assumed it would be a brief conversation, maybe a negotiation. But they’d been sitting in silence like statues for too long now. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her nerves were crawling. Sleep had been impossible lately. Ever since "Miss H" started trending online, plastered across headlines and gossip forums, her life had spiraled. Then Caius found out the truth — about her, about Alex. Everything felt too big, too heavy, and now here she was, stuck in yet another uncomfortable room, waiting for another shoe to drop. Finally, Manager Sheng cleared his throat. "Mr. Thorne," he said carefully, "what you saw yesterday... it’s potentially damaging — not just to Heather, but to the studio, the entire project." He paused, then added, "It would be disrespectful to ask someone of your status what you want, because—" "Did I say I didn’t want something?" Caius interrupted, his voice calm but cutting. Manager Sheng blinked. He turned briefly to Heather, then back to Caius. Heather kept her eyes on Caius too, trying to read him, trying to guess what he was thinking. But that small, unreadable smile he wore gave her nothing. Just made her feel cold. She rubbed her arm unconsciously, a dull ache building behind her eyes. "So," Manager Sheng asked, "what do you want, then?" Caius leaned back slightly. "Heather should accompany me to visit my grandmother." The words caught her off guard. She straightened in her seat, confused. Her gaze flicked to Manager Sheng, who was now staring at her like she needed to respond. "If that’s all it takes to make sure what you saw stays confidential," she said, voice firm, "then fine." She had no issue seeing Grandma Ellie. The woman had always been kind to her. But why this sudden demand? Manager Sheng nodded, then reached into the sleek leather office bag resting beside him. He pulled out a document — a slim paper — and set it in front of Caius. He even offered him a pen. Caius glanced at it, brows low. "What’s this?" "An NDA," Manager Sheng answered calmly. Caius gave a short, amused laugh. "You want me to sign this?" "Yes. We believe—well, Heather believes—you won’t leave her alone now that you know the truth. We just want this to be the last of it. No harassment, no pressure." Caius’s smile dropped. He shoved the paper gently back toward Sheng. "I’m not signing anything." Sheng calmly pushed it back. "Mr. Thorne, with all due respect, we don’t want this to turn into a pattern. Your history with Miss Heather—" "What did you tell him?" Caius snapped, suddenly turning to Heather. His frown was sharp. Heather met his glare. "Nothing." He didn’t believe her, she could see it. His eyes lingered on her for a second longer, but he said nothing. He stood instead, adjusting his coat. "Well, if we’re done here, I have somewhere to be. Excuse me." Then, to Heather: "Shall we?" "Right now?" she asked, irritated. "I have scenes to shoot." "I’ll call Lauren," he said simply, already heading for the door. "We’re visiting my grandmother today." Heather exchanged one last look with Manager Sheng, who silently mouthed an apology to her. ... Caius stood outside the address he’d sent her earlier, hands in his pockets. Waiting. Heather had refused to ride in the same car with him. She wasn’t about to pretend everything was normal just because he held some new leverage over her. She hated how her life had become about keeping secrets — especially from someone like him. He was smirking by the time she approached the building. She ignored the hand he extended and breezed past him, pushing through the revolving doors without a word. Caius followed her in and led the way through the halls toward Grandma Ellie’s room. Heather hadn’t known the older woman was unwell. The guilt crept in — she hadn’t reached out since the divorce. She’d been so wrapped in her own life, and her own survival, that she’d left that part of her world behind. Caius pushed the door open. Inside, Grandma Ellie lay in bed, smiling as she spoke with a young man seated beside her. He had dark hair, sharp cheekbones, and eyes that looked almost familiar. His hand rested gently over Ellie’s as they spoke in soft tones. When Heather and Caius entered, the man glanced up, then withdrew his hand respectfully. Grandma Ellie turned to the door. "Heather!" she exclaimed, stretching out her arms eagerly. "Come here, darling!" Heather crossed the room and wrapped her in a hug. "How have you been, Grandma?" Ellie held her hands, studying her face like it was the first time she’d seen it in years. "You look so beautiful, Heather. Truly radiant." Heather smiled warmly. "Thank you, Grandma." Ellie then turned to the man beside her. "And this one," she said brightly, "this Caius. You two didn’t come together?" Heather froze. Her smile wavered. She looked at the man beside Ellie, then back at her Caius, then back at the man again. Caius stepped forward and gently touched her arm, whispering close to her ear, "Play along." She shot him a glare but nodded subtly. "Come," Grandma Ellie said, patting the empty space beside her. "Sit next to Caius, dear." Heather hesitated, then forced herself to walk over and sit beside the mystery man — the "other" Caius. She offered a polite smile, but her discomfort showed. What on earth was happening? What was Grandma Ellie doing? Was she confused? And why hadn’t Caius warned her? The man turned to her, smiling, before placing a hand on her shoulders. "I’ve been telling Grandma you’re far too busy with your rising career. That’s why we haven’t had kids yet." Heather’s eyes widened, but she managed to fake a chuckle. Caius walked over calmly and removed the man’s hand from her shoulder without saying a word. Grandma Ellie blinked at him. "And who are you?" she asked with a frown. "What are you doing here?" Caius opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "You’re the delivery man, aren’t you? The one I hired to move the boxes from the basement!" Caius let out a tired sigh. "Of course I am." "Then get to it!" she ordered. With a slow exhale, Caius actually turned and mimed lifting an invisible box. Heather laughed — genuinely laughed — for the first time that day. Even Ellie chuckled. "Alright, alright, stop. I know you’re Adonis." She said the name with a wrinkle of her nose, like it tasted sour. Heather’s brows furrowed. She looked from Caius to Grandma Ellie again. Her mind was spinning. What the hell is going on? Her gaze found Caius again, narrowed in disbelief. You didn’t give me heads-up? Asshole. He caught the look and frowned, avoiding her eyes. There was a knock at the door, and everyone in the room turned as it creaked open. Lauren stood in the doorway, arms folded tightly across her chest, her expression hard and cold. "This," she said, "is what you said was more important than having lunch with me?" Caius stepped forward quickly. "what are you doing here? Did you follow us here?" he said, reaching out to gently place his hands on her shoulders, as if trying to guide her out of the room without causing a scene. "Don’t touch me!" Lauren suddenly shrieked. "And yes, I followed you here. I knew something was fishy when you asked Heather to be excused from set." Caius’s jaw tightened, the muscle ticking visibly as he clenched his teeth. He was clearly trying to stay calm, but the tension in his body gave him away. "Let’s talk outside," he said, his voice lower now, controlled — but it was obvious he was barely keeping it together. Lauren yanked herself free from his grip and turned her glare toward Heather. "It’s because of her, isn’t it?" she snapped, her voice laced with anger and accusation. "You told me this was something urgent — something important. Why did you lie to me?" "Young lady, why are you shouting in here like a wild animal? Don’t you have any manners?" Grandma Ellie said. Lauren turned to her, scoffing. "And who do you think you are, old hag?" Ellie’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth falling open at the insult. Caius didn’t even hesitate. His expression darkened as he grabbed Lauren firmly by the shoulder, and pulled her toward the door. "Don’t you ever talk to my grandmother like that again," he growled, before dragging her out of the room and shutting the door firmly behind them. Even with the door closed, Heather could still hear Lauren’s raised voice echoing through the hallway. The mood in the room shifted; even though Lauren was out. Heather didn’t know why Lauren followed them to the hospital. What kind of desperation was that? Grandma Ellie turned to Heather, her mouth still twisted in disbelief. She exhaled and shook her head. "That Adonis fellow," she said, her voice weary, "he always had a talent for bringing home the worst kind of women. Rude, loud, and without a shred of grace." She sighed again, more deeply this time, then muttered under her breath, "No respect for elders. Not even in front of the sick." Heather wasn’t sure what to say. She glanced toward the door, then back to Grandma Ellie, whose disappointment still lingered on her face.