Chapter 376: Chapter 375: New Opportunity

Naomi Kenway scrolled through Ethan Shaw’s feed again. There were twenty-eight posts in total—almost one a day. The content was all about her, with Ian also featured in a good number of them.

She couldn’t help but gasp, unable to hide her astonishment. But beyond the surprise, a wave of complicated feelings washed over her.

Returning to the main page, Naomi Kenway noticed that Ethan Shaw’s feed was almost entirely filled with recommended content about her. She found it a bit strange. “I thought your feed would be full of business interviews,” she said. “I never expected…”

Suddenly, her hand froze. Just as she’d suspected, an article about the rumors between her and Rhys Quinn popped up. She silently refreshed the page to get rid of it, not forgetting to remind Ethan Shaw, “You shouldn’t look at these kinds of rumors. The more you view them, the more the algorithm pushes them to you, regardless of whether you like them or not.”

Ethan Shaw, hands on the steering wheel, nodded. “Is your music video shoot finished?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Ethan Shaw chuckled, his mood clearly brightening.

*

Ethan Shaw accompanied Naomi Kenway to all her work engagements during this time. Whether she was taking on a new gig or just going out to clear her head, he was always by her side. Naomi knew he was worried about her; the events of the past few days had probably left him with a deep psychological scar.

Naomi had learned from Luke Lowell during their last conversation that it was Ethan who had carried her to the hospital, an act that had made him a trending topic online.

By the third day, Ethan Shaw was receiving a lot of calls, most of which he chose not to answer. After a moment, the ringing stopped. Naomi guessed that Ethan had probably turned his phone off, and that the callers were from his company’s board of directors, urging him to return to his post.

“Ethan, I’ve been fine for a while. I’m back to work now, and everything is going well. You should go back to the office this afternoon. You’ve been by my side for days; you’ve probably delayed a lot of important matters…”

She looked at the faint dark circles under his eyes, guessing he was probably handling work at night, and couldn’t help but feel a little touched. “I heard from Luke Lowell that you were the one who took me to the hospital. And you’ve been with me these last few days… Thank you so much.”

“Taking care of you is something I want to do, and something I should do. I don’t like hearing you say such formal things.” Ethan Shaw turned his head, his dark eyes revealing an unusual depth of emotion and sincerity. “I know it’s hard for you to trust people easily, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I’m not in a hurry, and I won’t pressure you. Don’t think so much about it. Can’t we just let things take their natural course?”

Naomi paused for a moment before giving a slight nod.

For some reason, she felt a dull ache in her head. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, and for a moment, she felt utterly lost.

After that, Ethan Shaw stayed with Naomi for another two days. Before he returned to his company, he arranged for a few more bodyguards to be assigned to her.

Naomi usually disliked having bodyguards around, as it always made her feel uncomfortably as if she were being watched. However, the situation was different now, so she accepted Ethan’s arrangements.

*

Naomi Kenway left and got into Laura Grant’s car. They were on their way to meet with Director Paul Grant to discuss a new film project.

Paul Grant had personally invited Naomi to play the female lead in the film *Trial by Fire*, so she didn’t have to go through the usual audition process. If the negotiations went smoothly, they could sign the contract that afternoon.

A sense of anticipation grew in Naomi. *Trial by Fire* was, by all accounts, an excellent script.

As Laura Grant drove, she asked about Naomi’s health with concern.

“I’ve fully recovered. Thanks for your concern, Lily.”

“That’s good. I saw the news about Nathaniel the other day. It’s a coincidence, really; I’d met him a few times before. He came from a wealthy family, was always so gentle to people, and had a great reputation in the industry. Who could have imagined he was secretly such a despicable and shameless person? It just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover… He was dealt a winning hand and played it terribly. A household name, an award-winning actor, has fallen to such a state. I have a lawyer friend who says his prison sentence will likely be very long.”

Laura Grant said resentfully, “He got what he deserved. Thank goodness you’re alright. A person like Nathaniel is truly disgusting. Not only does he reap what he sows, but he also has to harm others in the process. He was even willing to hire a hitman! I heard his son, who’s still in kindergarten, was in the car when the ’accident’ happened. Even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its own young. He’s a monster!”

Naomi nodded, a chill flashing in her eyes the moment she heard Nathaniel’s name. “This is the retribution he deserves. After climbing over the bones of others to live comfortably for so many years, he should have paid the price long ago.”

As the car neared the designated coffee shop, Laura Grant smiled and said, “Let’s not talk about that unlucky bastard anymore. This is a really good opportunity. The nation’s top four directors are all incredibly formidable, and their influence is extraordinary. I heard from a friend that Director Paul Grant has poured a ton of effort into this film—he spent three years just polishing the script. For this project, he even went to consult his mentor, the esteemed Old Mr. Colt, Anson Colt. The movie was already generating a lot of buzz during pre-production. I heard many A-list actors were competing for this chance. Luckily, the opportunity fell to us.”

The car stopped, and Naomi and Laura Grant entered the coffee shop, one after the other.

The coffee shop had an elegant ambiance, and the air was filled with a relaxing aroma of incense.

The two of them went up to the second floor and found the private room they had reserved. About five minutes later, Paul Grant arrived at the scheduled time. He was slightly heavyset, with a square face and bright, piercing eyes.

Naomi wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt that the director in front of her, Director Grant, looked deeply troubled.

Naomi and Laura Grant exchanged a glance. Laura had clearly noticed it too, and she smiled to break the ice. “Was the traffic terrible on the way here? I see you’re breaking a sweat, Director Grant.”

Paul Grant took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“We haven’t been waiting long. Besides, what’s a small wait for the chance to work with Director Grant?”

Paul Grant looked as if he wanted to speak, but then hesitated.

The smile on Laura Grant’s face faded slightly. She asked, “Director Grant, is there something on your mind? Please, don’t hesitate to say it.”

Paul Grant hemmed and hawed, repeatedly glancing down at his phone.

Faced with this attitude, the expressions on both Laura’s and Naomi’s faces cooled.

Laura Grant wasn’t ready to give up such a good opportunity, so she continued trying to communicate with Paul Grant. “Director Grant, you hand-picked our actress for the lead role, so you must greatly admire our Nicole. It’s not a boast to say that Nicole’s natural talent for acting is one-of-a-kind. The box office numbers from Director Preston’s recent movie are the best proof of that.”

Laura Grant smiled, but her smile wasn’t as warm as it had been earlier. “We’ve received many invitations, you know. But I know that you, Director Paul Grant, are a dedicated and sincere person, which is why we quickly agreed to this collaboration with you when you chose Nicole.”

The look of guilt on Paul Grant’s face deepened. “Nicole is a fine actress, but…”

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