Chapter 129: I’m not into him Inside the moving car, silence clung like a second skin. Daniel sat rigid in the backseat, staring out the tinted window as the city lights blurred past. His mind refused to let go of the image — Anna sinking beneath the water, her body going limp before he reached her.
He hated how it made him feel. The sheer panic. The helplessness. And worse, the realization of just how much her existence mattered to him.
If he’d been a second slower, his stubborn, infuriating wife would’ve been gone.
"Boss," Henry spoke cautiously from the driver’s seat, glancing through the rearview mirror, "should we head to the mansion first?"
Daniel looked down at his soaked shirt. He was still in the same clothes he’d jumped in to save her, the fabric clinging to him uncomfortably. His hair had mostly dried, but he could already feel a chill setting in.
"No," he said finally, his voice flat. "I’ll change at the office."
Henry nodded but could sense his boss wasn’t at ease. Daniel’s gaze was distant — not the cold, calculating look of a businessman, but the haunted stare of a man who had just watched his world nearly disappear.
"Henry," Daniel said suddenly.
"Yes, Boss?"
"I want you to keep an eye on Fiona Stewart. That woman doesn’t have good intentions."
Henry met his eyes in the mirror and nodded immediately. "Understood."
It didn’t take a genius to understand Daniel’s reasoning. If Fiona had known Anna couldn’t swim, she should’ve spoken up before the shoot. Instead, she’d watched from the sidelines — smiling.
"As you say, Boss," Henry replied quietly, the air in the car turning heavier as the drive continued.
Back inside the vanity room, Anna changed into a fresh set of clothes, her mind still buzzing from everything that happened. After handling Fiona’s usual theatrics, she just wanted to speak to Director Wilsmith and head home. But as she reached for the door, a familiar voice stopped her. "Are you heading home already?" Ethan asked, stepping into her path. Anna blinked, surprised to see him still there. "Ethan? I thought you left after your shot." He shook his head. "I wanted to check on you." There was genuine concern in his tone but also something else, something restrained. Anna smiled faintly. "I’m fine. Actually, I was just on my way to speak to the director and apologize him for my recklessness." Ethan frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Then can I ask why you risked going deeper into the sea when you can’t even swim?" Anna froze, caught off guard by the blunt question. He wasn’t angry but disappointed. And somehow, that stung more. She let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her head. "I...Uh, that... I wasn’t thinking straight. I just got a little too into character." It wasn’t lie though, and yet she couldn’t help but regret doing that. Ethan exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Still, it don’t justify anything you did. You could’ve drowned, Anna. Do you realize that?" "..." ’Reckless, stupid. Just why everyone keeps saying that,’ she thought with a pout, her guilt slowly surfacing as Daniel’s face crossed her mind. "I didn’t mean to scare anyone," she murmured softly. Ethan studied her for a moment before his expression softened. "I know. Just... don’t do it again. And next time, if you want to improvise a scene, discuss it with Wilsmith first."
Back inside the vanity room, Anna changed into a fresh set of clothes, her mind still buzzing from everything that happened. After handling Fiona’s usual theatrics, she just wanted to speak to Director Wilsmith and head home. But as she reached for the door, a familiar voice stopped her. "Are you heading home already?" Ethan asked, stepping into her path. Anna blinked, surprised to see him still there. "Ethan? I thought you left after your shot." He shook his head. "I wanted to check on you." There was genuine concern in his tone but also something else, something restrained. Anna smiled faintly. "I’m fine. Actually, I was just on my way to speak to the director and apologize him for my recklessness." Ethan frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Then can I ask why you risked going deeper into the sea when you can’t even swim?" Anna froze, caught off guard by the blunt question. He wasn’t angry but disappointed. And somehow, that stung more. She let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her head. "I...Uh, that... I wasn’t thinking straight. I just got a little too into character." It wasn’t lie though, and yet she couldn’t help but regret doing that. Ethan exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Still, it don’t justify anything you did. You could’ve drowned, Anna. Do you realize that?" "..." ’Reckless, stupid. Just why everyone keeps saying that,’ she thought with a pout, her guilt slowly surfacing as Daniel’s face crossed her mind. "I didn’t mean to scare anyone," she murmured softly. Ethan studied her for a moment before his expression softened. "I know. Just... don’t do it again. And next time, if you want to improvise a scene, discuss it with Wilsmith first."
His tone was stern, but his eyes were kind — the way someone scolds a person they care about.
Anna nodded quickly. "Got it. I promise."
Before either of them could say more, Kevin walked in, holding a clipboard. "Miss Anna, your shoot is done for today. Director Wilsmith said you can head home—" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ethan.
For a second, Kevin’s usual professional calm flickered into something... else. His eyes hardened slightly, his jaw tightening.
Anna noticed it instantly. ’Wait a second... why does he look like he’s ready to strangle Ethan?’
Ethan, however, seemed unbothered, merely giving a curt nod before turning back to Anna. "I hope you keep my words in mind," he said, his tone gentle but firm.
"Huh? Oh—yeah, I will," Anna replied awkwardly. And then, just like that, Ethan turned and walked away.
Kevin’s gaze on the other hand followed him until he disappeared from sight. The tension in his expression was impossible to miss.
"Stop glaring like that, Kevin. People might think you’re jealous." Anna crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at her manager.
"..."
"Jealous? Me? Of him?" Kevin snapped his head toward her, looking scandalized. ’Why would she think of me like that?’
"Well," Anna said, feigning thoughtfulness, "I saw you practically peeling his skin with your eyes. It’s either you’re into him or you have some unresolved hatred. I’m not sure which is worse."
Kevin choked on his own breath. "Wha—no! I’m not—" He stopped himself, rubbing his temple. "Miss Anna, please don’t say things like that. I was just... being cautious."
"Cautious," she repeated with a smirk. "Right. Because glaring daggers at your artist’s co-star is totally professional."
Kevin groaned, adjusting his glasses in defeat. "I just don’t trust his intentions, that’s all."
Anna’s smile faltered slightly, but she covered it with humor. "Well, you don’t have to worry. That man’s not interested in anyone except himself."
Kevin blinked. "..."
’Did she thinks that I am-’
"Anyway," Anna said quickly, brushing past him. "I’ll talk to Director Wilsmith, and then we can head home."
She was already halfway down the hall before Kevin snapped anxiously. "I—I’m not into him..."
However it was too late because Anna was gone and that he was the only one left behind processing through everything she said.
"Why does she always manage to make me sound like the crazy one?" he couldn’t help but sneer.
Ethan had just returned to his vanity room when a familiar voice stopped him mid-stride. "Ethan! Thank God you didn’t leave," Fiona exhaled, forcing a relieved smile as she hurried toward him. Her tone was syrupy, but Ethan could hear the strain underneath. After Anna had ruined her mood earlier, Fiona had stormed off the set, telling herself she’d at least cheer for Ethan to salvage her day. But when she didn’t see him anywhere, she went looking only for his manager to casually mention that he’d gone to meet Anna. That single detail burned like acid. Both Daniel and Ethan — men she wanted in different ways seemed far too invested in that woman. In Anna Bennett. But what grated her more was knowing Ethan’s mother had once openly hinted that Fiona would make a perfect match for her son. Fiona had believed that too until today. Ethan turned to face her fully, his eyes cool and unreadable. "What brings you here?" he asked evenly. Fiona faltered for a second. His tone was polite, but his eyes... cold, sharp, calculating. Something about the way he looked at her made her uneasy, like he could see straight through her polished façade
Ethan had just returned to his vanity room when a familiar voice stopped him mid-stride. "Ethan! Thank God you didn’t leave," Fiona exhaled, forcing a relieved smile as she hurried toward him. Her tone was syrupy, but Ethan could hear the strain underneath. After Anna had ruined her mood earlier, Fiona had stormed off the set, telling herself she’d at least cheer for Ethan to salvage her day. But when she didn’t see him anywhere, she went looking only for his manager to casually mention that he’d gone to meet Anna. That single detail burned like acid. Both Daniel and Ethan — men she wanted in different ways seemed far too invested in that woman. In Anna Bennett. But what grated her more was knowing Ethan’s mother had once openly hinted that Fiona would make a perfect match for her son. Fiona had believed that too until today. Ethan turned to face her fully, his eyes cool and unreadable. "What brings you here?" he asked evenly. Fiona faltered for a second. His tone was polite, but his eyes... cold, sharp, calculating. Something about the way he looked at her made her uneasy, like he could see straight through her polished façade