Chapter 288 - 286: Of Course I Wish Her Well

"Sis, isn’t your boyfriend a cop? Can you ask him for help?"

"He’s a detective, so he doesn’t handle civil cases," Cecilia Sterling explained softly. "Besides, he’s been incredibly busy lately. I haven’t seen him in days."

Hearing this, Ethan Sterling pursed his lips in disappointment. Cecilia Sterling saw his reaction and said, "It’s okay. Let’s wait for news from the police station first. If we don’t hear anything, I’ll figure something out."

*

At the Lane family residence, Eugene Jacobs was Walter Lane’s guest of honor for the evening.

At the dinner table, Walter Lane made a point of opening a fine bottle of red wine for Eugene Jacobs.

"Come, Eugene, a toast to you." Walter Lane raised his glass, a satisfied smile on his face.

Eugene Jacobs quickly raised his glass in a respectful fluster. "Chairman, the honor should be mine! I should be the one toasting you!"

Walter Lane chuckled. "It’s all the same. You handled this matter exceptionally well—both fast and efficient. I knew I could count on you."

"Thank you for your trust, Chairman. I’ll give it my all to ensure I don’t disappoint you."

The two clinked their glasses and drained them.

Watching from the sidelines, Mrs. Lane couldn’t help but interject, "After all that, you’re letting that Cecilia Sterling girl earn 7,000? Aren’t you letting her off too easy?"

Her question immediately revealed her ignorance.

Walter Lane shot her a look and snorted. "While it’s true the land was initially sold at a premium, its value isn’t just a cold, hard number. That’s true for any property. The value of land is realized through the project built on it. If a good project finds the perfect plot, that land becomes priceless."

Eugene Jacobs smiled and explained patiently to Mrs. Lane, "Ma’am, you may not be aware, but our group’s upcoming project requires this specific plot of land. The chairman’s original upper limit for me was 20,000. The fact that we negotiated it down to 7,000 means we’re the ones who got the bargain."

Mrs. Lane, of course, understood nothing about business, but the thought of Cecilia Sterling making so much money off the Lane Group still vexed her.

But she also knew she couldn’t interfere in the group’s affairs, and Walter Lane certainly wouldn’t listen to her nagging.

"It was certainly surprising that Cecilia Sterling managed to acquire that land," Walter Lane said casually. "But the fact you bought it back from her for such a low price shows she has guts but no foresight. She’s still too young."

As the image of his conversation with Cecilia Sterling came to mind, the corners of Eugene Jacobs’s mouth turned up unconsciously. "You’re right, Chairman. She’s just a young woman who hasn’t even graduated yet. She certainly lacks the awareness and experience for business negotiations."

"But we can’t rule out the possibility that she has an expert advising her," Walter Lane said, turning to Eugene Jacobs with a sense of urgency. "Draft the contract and get her to sign it as soon as possible. We don’t want any complications from delays."

"Rest assured, Chairman. It’ll be done in the next day or two."

Walter Lane raised his glass again, a broad smile on his face. "As long as we secure this plot of land, I’ll put you in complete charge of the upcoming project. And once you’ve successfully completed it, I’ll have the leverage I need to recommend you for the board of directors."

Hearing Walter Lane dangle such a huge carrot, Eugene Jacobs’s eyes lit up.

He excitedly raised his glass, his lips trembling slightly. "Thank you for this incredible opportunity, Chairman. Rest assured, I will flawlessly complete every task you give me. If I ever have the chance to join the board, I will follow you and serve you for the rest of my life!"

Eugene Jacobs spoke this pledge of loyalty with heartfelt sincerity, but just how much of it Walter Lane actually believed was anyone’s guess.

*

That morning, Lily Sterling was reshooting the "washing clothes by the river" scene.

"CUT!"

Director Titus Ashton called out, then poked his head out from behind the camera. He smiled and gave Lily Sterling a thumbs-up. "Lily, that was fantastic! Let’s do one more take, this time with two more cameras!"

Encouraged by Director Titus Ashton’s praise, Lily Sterling couldn’t help but smile and nod.

On the next take, Lily Sterling’s performance was just as natural. After days of learning and practice, she had completely mastered the skill of washing clothes by the river. Her movements were now indistinguishable from those of a real village girl, gone was the awkwardness of her first attempts.

A crowd of crew members and other actors had gathered behind the director to watch. Even though Lily Sterling was only washing clothes on camera, her performance was captivating.

It was so real that, as she embodied the character, you could see the tragic life story behind this simple, everyday chore.

Ordinarily, it was Director Titus Ashton’s habit to film every shot at least three times.

Today, however, Titus decided to stop after the second take of Lily’s scene. The river water was freezing, and her performance was already excellent.

Several actors chimed in to praise Lily Sterling. "Lily, that was really good."

"I remember you couldn’t do it at all at first! I can’t believe you’ve gotten the hang of it after just a few days. It looks completely natural!"

"Lily has been coming down to the river to practice washing clothes every spare moment. Who knows how many pieces she’s washed these past few days!"

Lily Sterling smiled shyly. "Thank you, everyone. It’s not really that difficult. All the young girls in the village know how to do it, so I figured I could definitely learn too."

Just then, Director Titus Ashton walked over, looking at Lily Sterling with eyes full of admiration. "It’s because you put your heart into your role and you’re willing to be hard on yourself. That’s both a good and a bad thing. It’s great for your acting, of course, but for you personally, being that headstrong can be exhausting."

But Lily Sterling just smiled and shook her head. "I’m not afraid of being tired, Director. In fact, I really enjoy the satisfaction that comes from seeing results. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment. I’m probably the only young actress out there who knows how to wash clothes on a stone slab by a river, right?"

Her comment made everyone burst out laughing.

From a short distance away, Jade Smithson watched the harmonious scene of everyone laughing and chatting around Lily Sterling, and she bit her lip.

"Jade Smithson, didn’t you say a while ago that Lily Sterling would be crying within a few days? Looks like you were wrong about her."

A sudden voice from behind made Jade Smithson jump.

She turned to see a new actor named Ron Spencer. They had met on his first day with the production.

Jade Smithson had indeed said those very words to a few of the male actors, never expecting them to come back and bite her today.

She gave an awkward laugh and tried to act casual. "Oh, that was just a joke. I’m happy for her that she’s been able to stick it out."

"Really?"

"Of course. Of course I want her to do well."

Ron Spencer gave her a look, then said no more.

Jade Smithson suddenly felt like her seat was on fire. She stood up abruptly. "I’m heading back. The next scene is about to start."

After they finished filming the river scene and returned to the village, Lily Sterling saw Finn running toward her from a distance. "Lily!"

Lily Sterling quickened her pace to meet him. "What is it?"

"Connie’s here! She came to visit you on set!"