Chapter 24: Big sis... you’re so...rich
Inside the canteen of the set, silence hung thick between the two women as their eyes remained fixed on the card resting on the table.
"Mr. Wilsmith wants to offer you a role in his next directorial," Betty’s voice trembled in disbelief. Then, as if reality finally sank in, her lips curled into a wide grin.
"Big Sis—you hit the jackpot!" she squealed, practically bouncing in her chair.
Anna, however, didn’t move. Her gaze lingered on the elegant card as though it might vanish if she blinked too long. She had just stumbled through her very first role—lying stiff in a coffin—and now, out of nowhere, one of the most respected directors wanted her in his next project?
It didn’t feel real.
Her hands tightened in her lap. Speechless. Unsure.
Was this really happening to me?
Betty’s excitement dimmed when she noticed Anna’s silence. Her grin faltered. "Big Sis... are you not happy?" she asked softly, almost worried.
Anna pulled herself from her spiraling thoughts and shook her head quickly. "No, it’s not that. I’m just..." she paused, her eyes still on the card, "it still feels like a dream, Betty. Do you really think someone as talented as Director Wilsmith noticed me? Over a corpse role? I barely had any dialogue, barely moved. What’s so special about that?"
Her voice wavered with quiet doubt.
But Betty slammed her hand lightly on the table, her eyes fierce with conviction.
"Big Sis, you still acted! That’s what matters! Even lying still, you brought something real to it. Otherwise, why would he notice you? Directors like him don’t waste their time."
Anna’s lips parted, but no words came. Betty’s faith in her felt heavier than the card sitting between them.
"If you say so," Anna muttered under her breath, agreeing with Betty, though her doubts clung stubbornly. "Though I still don’t know if it’s really possible."
The hesitation lingered, but Anna didn’t allow herself to dwell too much on it. Deep down, she was glad—no, relieved—that someone like Director Wilsmith, a man whose films had dominated the box office, had noticed her.
In her previous life, Anna had never gotten the chance to chase her dreams. But her curious mind had never stopped. She had devoured news articles, watched interviews, memorized faces in the entertainment world—all the while wishing, just once, she could step into that dazzling world.
And now fate had thrown her a bone.
With a soft sigh, Anna slipped the director’s card into her pocket and stood.
Once they were done, she and Betty walked out of the set, but Anna’s thoughts remained tangled. She could feel Betty’s curious eyes on her every step.
Abruptly, she stopped. Betty froze beside her, blinking in surprise.
"Is there something you want to ask me, Betty?" Anna asked, her tone gentler than usual. "I can see it—you’ve been dying to say something."
Betty hesitated, biting her lip, an awkward smile tugging at her face. But before she could stammer anything out, Anna cut in.
"I know what you’re curious about. You want to know why I’m looking for my sister, right?"
Betty’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Anna to be so blunt.
Anna sighed, exhaling her nerves, then turned fully to face her.
"But first, you have to promise me—whatever I say, not a single word leaves here."
Betty straightened at once, her voice firm. "Promise."
Anna’s shoulders eased. Apart from Mariam, Betty was the only person she truly felt she could trust. It had barely been two days since they met, but instinct told her the girl wasn’t a threat.
Taking another deep breath, Anna finally opened up. She shared her truth—the marriage, Kathrine’s disappearance, the reasons behind her search.
By the end, Betty’s jaw had dropped.
"Big Sis... you’re so... rich!" Betty blurted, eyes twinkling in delight.
Anna let out a soft laugh. "Rich... but also poor."
"Huh?" Betty blinked in confusion, her wide smile faltering.
Anna didn’t elaborate, only chuckled again at Betty’s innocence. Her secret was safe—at least for now. She wanted to keep it hidden until she finally freed herself from Daniel. But even she knew... dreams like hers couldn’t stay hidden forever.
***
Meanwhile—
News of Anna’s shoot had already reached Daniel’s desk.
A low chuckle escaped his lips as he replayed the short video clip on his phone.
’She looks beautiful,’ he thought, his eyes narrowing with strange warmth, ’even in the role of a corpse.’
The corner of his lips curled upward, betraying amusement he rarely showed.
Henry, standing stiffly at his side, nearly dropped the file he was holding. His jaw slackened, disbelief flashing across his face.
Twice now.
This was the second time he’d seen his boss smiling—smiling—because of Madam Anna.
And yet, Daniel still swore he didn’t care for her.
’Boss, you’re lying to yourself,’ Henry thought, wisely keeping the words to himself.
Daniel didn’t realize how long he had been replaying the short clip on his phone—Anna lying pale in her ghostly makeup, her eyes closed, yet somehow still managing to look breathtaking—until Henry cleared his throat.
The sound jolted him back to reality. His lips instantly flattened, the smile erased as though it had never existed.
"Ahem-hm. Did she get suspicious?" Daniel asked, his tone sliding back into its usual cold timbre.
Henry wasn’t surprised by the switch anymore. If anything, he was relieved. His boss—his ruthless, unreadable boss—was starting to show cracks, even if Daniel himself didn’t notice it.
"No, Boss. Mr. Wilsmith handled it naturally. He hasn’t raised any suspicion," Henry replied smoothly.
Daniel gave a curt nod of approval.
But then his eyes darkened. "And yesterday? Did you find out where she went?"
"Yes, Boss," Henry said, flipping through his notes. "Miss Anna met with a man—Shawn Mattison. A college dropout. After that, she visited her parents’ house."
For a moment, Daniel didn’t move. Didn’t blink. His expression betrayed nothing. But his brows furrowed slightly.
’A man.’
Why was Anna meeting another man?
"What does Shawn Mattison do? Why did Anna meet him get me every detail" His voice was dangerously calm, each word precise, clipped like a blade.
Henry hesitated only for a moment before nodding. "I’ll find out."
Daniel’s gaze was unreadable, but Henry had worked under him long enough to recognize it—the subtle flare of irritation, the spark of possessiveness Daniel himself probably didn’t even understand.
"Understood," Henry muttered quickly and left the office.
Alone, Daniel leaned back in his chair, jaw tight, fingers drumming lightly on the desk.
Why was he so bothered? Why did it gnaw at him, the thought of Anna sitting across from another man, confiding in him, relying on him?
"Ridiculous," Daniel muttered to himself, dismissing the strange pang in his chest. Yet, the harder he tried to bury it, the sharper it clawed.
Time slipped by before a sudden thought struck him. His hand moved before he could second-guess it. He snatched up his phone and dialed.
Inside the car, Anna was halfway home when her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, her stomach dropped. Her face soured instantly.
"What do you wan—" she began, her irritation spilling into her tone. But Daniel didn’t let her finish.
"Come to my office. Right now."
His voice was low, commanding—leaving no room for refusal. And then line went dead before Anna could even protest.
Her fingers tightened around the phone, her lips twitching in fury.
"That devil—how can he order me around," she hissed under her breath. Yet, despite herself, her heart pounded faster.