CHAPTER 428: CHAPTER 428: YOUR DAUGHTER LIKES HIM

Feeling bad, Thea blew cool air on his forehead.

"Put a wet towel on." Clinton came over with two towels in his hands; one for Thea and one for Railer.

Chantelle placed the towel on Railer’s forehead. His fair, soft skin had turned pink from the warmth that had transferred from Thea’s hand.

Railer looked at Clinton’s gentle smile and let out a soft sigh.

"Mommy, I want Clinton to be the leading man in my show!" Stephanie said excitedly once Chantelle sat down.

Candace had accepted a movie role for Stephanie. It was a heartwarming story about a girl’s adventures after getting separated from her family.

Chantelle had read the script and had a good feeling about it. Candace mentioned that the male lead hadn’t been chosen yet. The director was reaching out to a few drama students and planned to cast newcomers for the film.

Clinton wasn’t exactly a beginner, but his public image didn’t suit the role of the leading man.

"Mommy! Mommy! Tell Daddy to give the role to Clinton!" Stephanie ran up to Chantelle and grabbed her arm, pleading.

"Did your daddy invest in the movie?" Chantelle asked, surprised.

Stephanie nodded eagerly. "It’s just a small production. But when Daddy found out you liked the script, he invested a lot of money and turned it into a big project."

"Chantelle, it’s okay if you’re not comfortable with it," Clinton said awkwardly, glancing at her.

He knew where he stood. Even though he was popular now, his agency had promoted him for the wrong reasons. They only wanted him on variety shows, not in movies or TV dramas.

Besides, his agency could never land him a role as Stephanie’s co-star anyway.

"It’s not that I don’t like the idea..." Chantelle said awkwardly, trying to express her thoughts.

Chantelle had met the movie director in Carcosa before when he was just starting out. He had eagerly pitched his movie to her, hoping she would invest.

Now, she wondered if he would still consider casting Clinton despite his scandal, especially since the director had become successful.

"Mommy, Mommy, Daddy wants to talk to you." Stephanie suddenly handed her phone to Chantelle. There was no mistaking Daniel’s familiar face on the screen.

"I secretly called Daddy and told him about Clinton. Daddy said he wants to have a private chat with you." Stephanie giggled, covering her mouth.

Chantelle quickly took the call to the balcony and said awkwardly, "Don’t worry about it. Stephanie was just fooling around."

"So you’re not planning to put that little brat in the same movie as Stephanie?" Daniel scoffed as his eyes were filled with contempt.

It had been a while since he last called Chantelle. During their recent calls, his sarcastic tone had already gotten on her nerves. Chantelle quickly shot back, "Can you watch your mouth? He’s an idol, not some brat."

Daniel’s expression darkened, losing his usual teasing look. "I don’t care who he is. I’m not letting him be in that movie."

"Mr. Wilson, you’re just an investor. The director decides the cast." Chantelle was left speechless by his controlling attitude.

Daniel couldn’t stand how she defended Clinton. "This won’t end with the movie. He can forget about having a career in showbiz."

"I don’t doubt you can get your way, but if you’re going to be unreasonable, I’ll help him to the end." Chantelle couldn’t stand by and let Daniel ruin Clinton’s career just because of her.

It was late at night where Daniel was. He had been pulling all-nighters, and his head was pounding. Now Chantelle’s words were getting on his nerves too. He felt like he might collapse at any moment.

"Why do you have to get him a role in the movie?" Daniel asked, trying to hold back his anger.

"Your daughter likes him, and he’s a good actor. Plus, he saved me at the airport today," Chantelle said in a muffled voice.

Daniel frowned and asked, "What happened at the airport?"

Maybe it was the concern in his voice, or maybe he just looked exhausted over the video call, but Chantelle couldn’t bring herself to stay mad at him.

"There were too many fans at the airport. It almost turned into a stampede. Clinton pulled me up before I fell."

Daniel lowered his eyes, pressing his lips together tightly. Chantelle could feel the tension through the screen.

"Got it. Take him to the audition tomorrow. Consider it a favor that I owe him for saving you. He can leave after that."

Chantelle hadn’t planned to argue with Daniel, but since he was the investor, refusing to let him handle things would only make him angry, and he’d probably take it out on Clinton.

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" Daniel finally broke the long silence.

Chantelle looked up, staring directly into his eyes. They were full of love, but she could see the pain behind them too. "You were busy, so I didn’t want to bother you."

"You know nothing matters more to me than you and the kids," Daniel mumbled seriously.

Chantelle silently questioned his words. Really? If we were that important, why weren’t you there when I was on medication? Why did I get a message saying you were with another woman when all I wanted was to share the joy of surviving and starting over?

"It’s late. Get some rest." Chantelle hung up before Daniel could say anything.

Some words, no matter how often they were said, didn’t mean anything to her anymore.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Daniel stared at his dark phone screen, feeling frustrated and lonely.

"How much longer will this take?" he suddenly asked Ashton, who stood nearby.

"Probably another month."

"Make it quick. I want to return to Easthan in two weeks."

"But..."

Ashton wanted to explain that two weeks wasn’t realistic, but when he saw Daniel’s sharp glare, he fell silent.

Daniel couldn’t shake the thought that his absence was giving other men a chance to get close to Chantelle, even if he got rid of Clinton. It had taken him so much effort to win her back, and he wasn’t about to lose her again.

The next morning, Chantelle brought Stephanie and Clinton to a high-end club for the audition.

When they arrived, they saw they weren’t the only ones there for the audition. About a dozen men and women were waiting. The men were likely there for the lead role, while the women were probably competing for supporting parts.

"Don’t just stand there. You’re blocking the light. I’m trying to get my makeup done. Do you think you’ll get picked if you mess up my makeup? Look in the mirror. You don’t stand a chance."