Chapter 443 - 439: He Wants to Be in a Relationship Too

"We have watermelon?"

Victor Tucker showed up acting like nothing had happened, heading straight for the watermelon. "And it’s cold, too! Damn, you two are hoarding the good stuff for yourselves, huh?"

He joked and bantered, snatching the fruit knife from Ethan Sterling’s hand. "Let me cut it. I’m the best at cutting watermelon."

Seeing his reaction, Ethan Sterling and Wayne couldn’t help but exchange a look, their eyes filled with confusion.

Ethan’s eyes seemed to ask, ’Are you sure it was him?’

Wayne’s expression replied, ’Did I just see a ghost?’

"Rabbit isn’t back yet? Let’s save a small piece for him!" Victor Tucker said, looking at Ethan Sterling.

Ethan Sterling was confused for a moment, then nodded instinctively. "Oh, okay."

And so, the three of them sat and ate watermelon together. But with each lost in his own thoughts, the atmosphere quickly became a little strange.

From the moment Victor Tucker had walked in, he had noticed that the toppled trash can had been cleaned up.

Ethan Sterling, on the other hand, wondered if Wayne had really seen wrong.

Wayne, however, was starting to think that this Victor Tucker guy might have a split personality.

But none of them let it show. All their mental turmoil remained just that—mental.

"Ethan." Victor Tucker suddenly called out, looking at Ethan Sterling.

With his mouth full of watermelon, Ethan Sterling managed a muffled response. "Hm?"

Victor Tucker gave him an embarrassed smile. "I remember you have a camera. Could I borrow it?"

"What do you need a camera for?" Wayne asked from the side, speaking for Ethan Sterling.

"I’m meeting someone tomorrow, and I want to take some nice pictures of her," Victor Tucker said, his face turning red.

At his words, Ethan Sterling and Wayne’s eyes widened. Ethan quickly swallowed his watermelon. "Vince, are you dating someone?"

"N-Not yet." Victor Tucker pursed his lips shyly. "But I think it’s getting there. So, Ethan, let me borrow it, please? Help a brother out."

Before Ethan Sterling could reply, Wayne interjected, "Just use your phone. Do you even know how to use a camera?"

The main reason was that he had seen Ethan Sterling’s camera—it was expensive. Victor Tucker’s family wasn’t well-off; if he broke it, he definitely couldn’t afford to replace it. And knowing Ethan Sterling’s personality, he probably wouldn’t even ask him to.

"My phone’s too old, and the camera isn’t very good."

"The camera’s not hard to use. I can teach you," Ethan Sterling said.

Victor Tucker froze for a second, then his face lit up. "Ethan, you’ll lend it to me?"

"Of course! This is to help you get a girlfriend. Out of the four of us, you’re the first one to make a move. As a friend, I have to help." Ethan Sterling figured a friend was more important than a camera—besides, it was only for a day. He smiled and added a reminder, "But my older sister bought me this camera, so be careful with it."

"Don’t worry, I promise I’ll return it in perfect condition!"

Victor Tucker stood up excitedly and started clearing the watermelon rinds from the table. "It’s hot out. This stuff will attract bugs. I’ll take it downstairs to the trash."

Watching him bustle about so eagerly before grabbing the trash bag and leaving the dorm, Wayne finally couldn’t hold back. "Ethan, I really did see him kick over the trash can. He even dumped the stuff from his own bin right where you sit."

He had been lying inside his bed curtains and hadn’t made a sound, so Victor Tucker must have thought no one was in the dorm at the time.

Ethan Sterling nodded. He naturally believed Wayne was telling the truth; some of that trash definitely hadn’t been his.

"You nodded, but you’re still lending him the camera?" Wayne said disapprovingly. "What if this kid has some kind of psychological problem? If your camera gets broken, he can’t afford to replace it!"

"But I’d feel bad if I didn’t lend it to him. What if this camera is the one thing that helps him get the girl?" Ethan Sterling murmured. "Forget it. He didn’t seem hostile toward me just now. Let’s just pretend the trash can incident never happened."

If the other guy had acted hostile, he could have just asked him directly if there was some misunderstanding.

But he hadn’t. Bringing it up now, especially since Wayne had witnessed the whole thing, would only make the situation more awkward.

Until he figured out the real reason, Ethan Sterling decided to act as if nothing had happened. After all, it was just a knocked-over trash can, not the end of the world.

"You’re just too nice," Wayne said, feeling it was unfair to Ethan. He also felt a deep resentment toward Victor Tucker. "And that kid has no self-awareness. How dare he borrow such an expensive camera? If he loses it, let’s see how he plans on paying for it!"

Seeing Wayne stick up for him, Ethan Sterling was touched. He quickly tried to calm him down. "Come on, it’s not like that’s going to happen. Can’t you wish him a little good luck?"

Wayne just snorted. "Unbelievable. He’s the first one of us to even get close to dating. Where’s the justice in that?"

The mention of dating made an image of Seraphina surface in Ethan Sterling’s mind.

He wanted to be in a relationship, too...

*

That day at noon, Lily Sterling rushed back to her dressing room the moment she finished filming her scenes.

"Lily, hurry! Just in time, just in time." Finn quickly pulled up a stool for her, then he and Yuna stood guard on either side of her.

On the table in front of them, a tablet was propped up, live-streaming the "30th Golden Magpie Award Nomination Announcement" press conference.

*Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix* had submitted both Sophie Grant and Lily Sterling for the supporting actress category. Whether they would be nominated depended on today’s results.

Jared Keaton’s fan club had already prepared the promotional graphics for the nomination. The moment Lily Sterling was nominated, the fan club would immediately release them to build momentum and promote her.

Lily Sterling was extremely nervous. She had a very straightforward and earnest desire for the award. This was the first award she had ever been submitted for, and one’s first time is always the most unforgettable.

Yuna and Finn were also sweating bullets, even subconsciously softening their breathing as they watched the committee member on screen ramble on with pleasantries before announcing the nominees.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally got to the point.

"Next, I will be announcing the nominees for the ’30th Golden Magpie Award for Best Supporting Actress.’ They are..."

The man glanced at the camera before continuing to read.

"From the television series *Good Time*, playing the role of Joy Hayes—Dolly Jones."

"From the television series *Lucky*, playing the role of Sanders—Audrey Fulton."

"From the television series *In the Name of the Criminal Investigator*, playing the role of Dahlia Lawson—Yolanda Grant."

"From the television series *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix*..."

Hearing this, the three of them held their breath at the same time. Lily Sterling subconsciously gripped Yuna’s hand, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Finn swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing as a thin sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"From the television series *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix*, playing the role of Yasmine Lawson—Sophie Grant."

As the voice from the tablet announced this, Lily Sterling’s body went slack, and she slowly exhaled.

’It’s Sophie Grant...’

However, before Yuna and Finn could say a word of comfort, the voice from the tablet continued reading...

"...And from the television series *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix*, playing the role of Flora—Lily Sterling!"

"That concludes the list of nominees for this year’s Golden Magpie Award for Best Supporting Actress. Congratulations!"