CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25: AWKWARD ACTING

The Sinclair Group.

Elias Sinclair sat at his desk handling business matters, as Joyce Kramer couldn’t help but sneak a few extra glances.

The man in front of her had perfectly defined features, a tall nose, tempting thin lips, and even his Adam’s apple was so charming. This was the man she had secretly admired for five years.

From the innocent days of college to now, when he’s making waves in the business world, she has walked beside him step by step with a growing deeper seed in her heart.

She knew that he carried not only the Sinclair Group on his shoulders but also the enormous Sinclair Family, pressure that most people couldn’t bear. So she has never expressed her feelings in front of him, not wanting to distract him. More importantly, she knows that he has no place for her in his heart.

But she doesn’t mind; sometimes she thinks, as long as Elias Sinclair has no one in his heart, she’s willing to stay by his side like this.

In the morning while handling documents, because many required Elias Sinclair’s signature, she ran back and forth several times. Elias Sinclair disliked being frequently interrupted while working, so he asked her to stay to facilitate work communication.

But in Joyce Kramer’s heart, she misunderstood it as Elias Sinclair’s unwillingness to see her running back and forth, a display of care and concern for her, with a rare girlish blush appearing on her face.

"President Sinclair, this document needs your signature."

Soon, Joyce Kramer snapped back from her reverie; she was not like those young women fresh out of college who fantasize impractically all day. She occasionally would only lose herself while looking at Elias Sinclair.

The document was extended in the air for a long time without anyone taking it, and Joyce Kramer watched Elias Sinclair who was unexpectedly in a daze, slowly retracting her hand with a hint of disappointment.

What was he thinking about?

A sense of uncertainty filled her mind; the last time she inquired about Savannah Lowell, he exhibited the same behavior.

Unless she remembered wrong, for the past five years, aside from worrying about work matters, nothing else seemed to make him daze off.

Even when Savannah Lowell blew up their news back then, he merely showed a faint disdain.

"President Sinclair, troubled by something?" Joyce Kramer knocked on the desktop forcefully to remind him.

Elias Sinclair paused, seeing Joyce Kramer, and realized he was at work, "It’s nothing."

Indeed, he was lost in thought just now; he couldn’t help but think of Quinn Lockwood again, how different she was this morning.

That woman now was becoming more and more elusive to him.

"By the way, what was it you called me for just now?"

Regaining his focus, Elias Sinclair resumed his work mode, though vaguely aware he heard Joyce Kramer calling him earlier.

"Oh, this, signature."

Unable to conceal the deep disappointment in her heart, even her words seemed somewhat distracted.

After so many years, he still couldn’t fully trust her, unwilling to share anything. Was she always an outsider in his heart?

...

Quinn Lockwood rushed into the restroom, splashed her face with cold water several times, and told herself in the mirror.

Quinn Lockwood, hold back. You are Savannah Lowell now, acting. Control your emotions, or how will you seek revenge later?

After several rounds of self-adjustment, Quinn Lockwood finally calmed down, tidied up quickly, and returned to the scene.

Seeing everyone occupied with their tasks, she thought it was a temporary break, but just as she prepared to sit down for a drink, the director called her over.

"Savannah Lowell, I don’t care how you were before. Since you’re part of our crew, you must follow our rules. So many people have repeatedly stopped working because of you, do you realize our venue is time-limited? Do you know how much I’ve invested in this drama?"

The director launched into a harsh criticism of Quinn Lockwood, merely expressing facts that everyone wanted to say to Savannah Lowell but dared not for a long time.

"Look at them." The director pointed at the crew, photographers, crew members, and then at the burning sun above.

"They all have parents and children. Under the scorching sun, just because of your mistake, the whole scene needs to be reshot. There are more hardworking people than you. Don’t think too much of yourself, be serious, OK?"

Quinn Lockwood silently endured the director’s criticism. Actually, he was right; Savannah Lowell had indeed been excessive, the reshoot today was because of her, she had no rebuttal.

Unexpectedly, without losing her temper, Quinn Lockwood sincerely apologized saying, "I’m sorry, director, today was my mistake."

Seeing everyone else struggle, Quinn Lockwood felt truly uneasy. Everyone is born equal, who is she to let others sacrifice for her like this?

"Director, shouldn’t we begin, or we’ll run out of time for the venue."

Ariana Lynch lazily shouted at the director, eyes glinting with pride as she looked at Quinn Lockwood.

Quinn Lockwood then realized she was stirring things up earlier, and she was really the same as before, not changed a bit. But that’s okay; maybe she could use that later.

As filming commenced again, even though Quinn Lockwood set aside her distractions and fully focused herself, due to her lack of acting experience, her performance was stiff, drawing sarcastic laughter from those already displeased with her.

"Look at her, what is this acting, all mixed up, not even as good as before."

"You speak like she was good before."

"Hahaha..."

The merciless laughter erupted from below, leaving Quinn Lockwood feeling her face starting to heat up; indeed, her acting made even herself feel embarrassed.

The director, in a rush to meet deadlines, had to turn a blind eye, as long as there wasn’t anything overtly awkward, he didn’t call for a pause.

During the lunch break, Anna wanted to order takeout for Quinn Lockwood, because Savannah Lowell never ate crew meals but was unexpectedly refused by Quinn Lockwood.

Now that she was already thrown into the whirlwind, how people viewed her she couldn’t change, but she couldn’t further ruin her relationships.

"Auntie, give me two lunch boxes."

Anna delightedly ordered lunch boxes for her and Quinn Lockwood.

When the lady came to deliver the lunch, Quinn Lockwood couldn’t help but ask, "Auntie, do you think my acting is really awkward?"

Though she knew it wasn’t great, peers usually looked at her with biased eyes, naturally not giving honest opinions.

Don’t underestimate this lunch-box lady; she had seen decades of live performances, not that she deeply understood, but with a viewer’s eye, she could immediately tell the good from the bad.

"No, it’s particularly awkward."

Quinn Lockwood’s hopeful eyes dimmed gradually, even the lunch-box lady found her acting awkward, it seemed she was indeed very poor right now.