Chapter 177: Chapter 175: Just Make Do with These Two Bucks (4)

Nora Ainsworth quietly opened the door and peeked out to see Ryan leaving with a reporter holding a camera in the hallway.

She understood at once.

’He’s trying to start a scandal with me for publicity.’

Curious, Nora Ainsworth closed the door and followed them.

She saw Ryan and the reporter go down the stairwell. Most of the film crew had already gone to bed, and the hallway was silent.

Nora Ainsworth followed closely, heading down the stairs as well. The reporter, whom she had never seen before, went down via the seventh-floor elevator, while Ryan entered room 709.

Nora saw the door close and stared at the room, a little confused. ’If he wanted to stage a scandal, why would he send the reporter away?’

’Is it because he wants to create a scandal with an actress out in the open, but going into the director’s room—709—would just start rumors about the casting couch?’

After a moment’s thought, she turned around and jumped in fright. Ethan Ellsworth was standing right behind her, having appeared out of nowhere.

Nora Ainsworth was about to speak, but Ethan Ellsworth put a finger to his lips, shushing her.

The two of them went up the stairwell to the eighth floor and entered Ethan Ellsworth’s room, 808.

She let out a long breath and looked at Ethan Ellsworth. "Did the director just... you know... with him?"

Ethan Ellsworth poured a cup of tea and handed it to her. "You saw it yourself, yet you still ask."

"I just can’t quite believe it. I’ve only ever heard of actresses getting caught in the casting couch. I never thought male actors would get... ’that-ed’ by a female director too."

"At night, don’t open your door for anyone except me, your agent, or Chloe. Nora, some things can be prevented if you’re careful."

Nora Ainsworth held the cup, took a few sips, and nodded in agreement. "I guess I’m still too inexperienced. But our director, Cecelia Willow, is so young. Why would she be following this ’trend’?"

Ethan Ellsworth scoffed. "Young? She’s a woman who’s almost forty. She’s in her prime. Even though she’s married, from what I know, she and her husband have been separated for years. If it weren’t for their son, they would have divorced long ago. Her husband has another woman, too. They just turn a blind eye to each other’s affairs."

Nora Ainsworth found it a bit incredible but understood. "As long as it doesn’t involve me, they can do whatever they want. It’s not my business to meddle in."

"That’s the right way to think about it."

After saying that, Ethan Ellsworth looked at Nora Ainsworth. "Nora, has that dunce seemed troubled lately?"

She looked up. This was the first time she’d heard him bring up Chloe. "Why do you ask?"

Ethan Ellsworth’s eyes darted around, his smile unwavering. "I’ve noticed she looks listless on set. She’s much quieter and seems to have lost her passion for work."

Nora Ainsworth hummed in agreement. "It’s because Chloe’s in a relationship now. That’s why she’s like this."

Ethan Ellsworth’s hand, holding the cup, tightened. His expression became unreadable. "In a relationship? With who?"

Nora Ainsworth put down her cup. "I don’t know either. I just heard she was seeing someone. I’m going back to my room. You should get some sleep, too."

Ethan Ellsworth watched her leave, his heart suddenly in turmoil.

He took out his phone and dialed Chloe Marshall’s number. The first call went unanswered.

’Could she have gone out on a date?’

Ethan Ellsworth immediately headed for the door, took out the spare key to Chloe Marshall’s room, and opened it.

He closed it behind him.

There was a sound from the bathroom. He called out, "Dunce?"

No one answered. Ethan Ellsworth walked to the bathroom door, reached out, grabbed the handle, and with a firm push, the door swung open.

Chloe Marshall was standing under the shower, her hair disheveled and draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were glazed over with a layer of mist as she stood there.

Their eyes met. Chloe Marshall didn’t move an inch.

The tips of Ethan Ellsworth’s ears suddenly turned red. He took a step back and pulled the bathroom door shut.

Chloe Marshall snapped back to her senses, looked down at herself, and felt her face burn.

She put on a bathrobe and went out.

Ethan Ellsworth was sitting on the edge of the bed. He watched her stand before him, her body wrapped in a bathrobe. Her long legs were half-exposed, and she wore a pair of slippers. Her hair, still dripping wet, rested on her shoulders, and droplets of water clung to her face.

"Boss Ellsworth, did you need me for something?"

An "Mhm" escaped Ethan Ellsworth’s throat. "I called for you just now. Why didn’t you answer?"

"I thought I was imagining things."

The reason sounded a bit far-fetched to him, but he didn’t know that she genuinely had thought it was a hallucination.

"Dunce, I heard from Nora that you’re in a relationship."

Chloe Marshall didn’t say anything. She turned to go dry her hair but was unexpectedly yanked back by Ethan Ellsworth. The tie on her bathrobe instantly came loose, and Chloe Marshall hurriedly retied it.

"Boss Ellsworth—" Her face was flushed, and her voice trembled.

"Now you know to cover up? Why were you just standing there like a fool earlier? I saw everything, dunce. Boss Ellsworth really misunderstood you. You’re actually quite stacked."

Chloe Marshall was mortified. "Boss Ellsworth, what exactly did you come here for?"

He suddenly chuckled and moved closer to her. "Who are you in a relationship with?"

Chloe Marshall backed away. "That’s my private business."

Ethan Ellsworth’s tone left no room for refusal. "Break up with him."

"Why?" Chloe Marshall’s eyes went wide. "Boss Ellsworth, are you some kind of capitalist tyrant?"

"Haven’t I told you? My subordinates, especially the female ones, are not allowed to date or get married."

Chloe Marshall almost coughed up blood. "Boss Ellsworth, then why does your agent have kids? Why can’t a little assistant like me?"

"That’s because she was already married with children when she became my agent. The deed was already done, irreversible. So, starting with you, no dating, no getting married. Got it?"

He said it with a completely straight face, as if he weren’t lying.

"Boss Ellsworth, why have I never heard of this rule before?" She stood her ground, tilting her head up to look at him.

"I just made it up. Of course you haven’t heard of it before. It’s not too late to know now." He leaned forward slightly. "You’d better remember it."

Chloe Marshall was furious. "Boss Ellsworth, I may be slow-witted, but I’m not an idiot! What kind of bullshit rule is this? You made it just for me, didn’t you? I won’t accept it! I’m going to appeal!"

Ethan Ellsworth watched her with a grin. "I accept your appeal, but the appeal is denied!"

Chloe Marshall pressed her lips together and changed the subject. "Boss Ellsworth, it’s late. You should wash up and go to bed."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"It’s after ten."

"You’re still kicking me out."

Chloe Marshall continued, "An unmarried man and woman alone in a room together... it wouldn’t look good."

"Are you worried about how it would look for you, or for me?"

"For you, of course, Boss Ellsworth. I’m just an unknown little assistant. What impact could it have on me?" She lowered her head and continued, "I’m afraid that if news got out, Miss Grant would be angry."

He fell silent.

When Chloe Marshall looked at him again, the smile was gone from his face. He was staring at her coldly.

She felt a surge of anxiety. "If you don’t like hearing it, Boss Ellsworth, I won’t mention it again."

"Go to sleep."

With that, he left her room.

Chloe Marshall didn’t know what she had said wrong this time to upset him. It seemed to be happening a lot lately; she was always misspeaking without realizing it. ’In Boss Ellsworth’s heart, am I not even qualified to mention her name?’