Everyone stared in shock. Dominic and Eleanor both had their mouths hanging open.
Aurora’s face had gone pale. She had no idea where the bug went, and before she could even react, Everett had already rushed over and—without giving her a chance to protest—reached into her clothes and grabbed the crawling insect!
Aside from Aurora’s scream, the entire set fell into stunned silence.
Some people were shocked. Some were holding back laughter. Others? Clearly jealous.
Everett, completely unfazed, calmly pulled out the bug and looked at the trembling Aurora with concern. "Are you okay?"
"Ahhh—pervert! Get away from me! Don’t touch me!"
Aurora suddenly shoved Everett hard, stumbling back a few steps and clutching her shirt. Her face and ears were burning red, practically on fire.
This guy... actually stuck his hand inside her clothes... in front of everyone.
Aurora was seething with anger and embarrassment, her eyes welling up with misty tears that made her look all the more fragile and pitiful.
Only then did Everett realize he’d crossed a line. After all, there were other people around... but in that moment, he’d just seen her panic, and all he could think about was getting the bug out—he didn’t think twice.
To him, Aurora was his girl. That was just instinct.
But in everyone else’s eyes... yeah, it definitely looked way too casual. Way too intimate.
Everett awkwardly held up the now-squished bug. "Uh... caught it."
Someone finally broke the silence with a loud laugh. Dominic and Eleanor rushed to Aurora’s side.
"Aurora, are you okay? Everett just panicked. Don’t blame him," Eleanor said quickly.
"Yeah, what else was he supposed to do—have you stick your hand in your shirt and fumble around in there? That would’ve looked even worse," Dominic added.
They both tried to smooth things over, but Aurora bit her lip. So him sticking his hand in her shirt was refined now? Seriously?
Director Z came over too, chuckling. "Just a misunderstanding, Aurora, don’t take it to heart."
Everett’s face was now bright red—something no one had ever seen before. A few older ladies nearby were having way too much fun with it.
"Look at Everett—he’s blushing."
"First time I’ve seen a man turn red. Kinda cute!"
"Damn, if I’d known, I would’ve tossed a bug down my shirt too!"
The women burst out laughing again. Aurora and Everett were both public figures—this was basically a live blooper reel. If word got out, it’d blow up for sure. Aurora’s embarrassment? Probably front-page gossip.
Aurora was furious, but what could she say? Yell at Everett in front of everyone?
Her face was burning. Eleanor and Dominic kept trying to calm her down. When most of the crew had finally wandered off, Aurora raised her head.
"Don’t worry," Eleanor whispered, wiping the tears from her face. "Everett already told everyone not to spread it. No one’s going to cross him."
Aurora pouted. "Doesn’t matter. Now people are really going to think there’s something shady between us. That bastard—I hate him..."
"He was just worried about you. He acted on impulse," Dominic said with a small smile.
Aurora shot her a glare, her chest still heaving from the chaos.
"Alright, let’s pack up. This whole thing? Just let it go. No one’s going to talk about it. Come on."
Eleanor grabbed Aurora’s hand. She didn’t want to drag this out either, so she lowered her head and headed toward the car.
But Everett called out to her.
"Miss Wilson... about earlier... I’m sorry."
He looked genuinely awkward. He’d been through all kinds of crazy situations, but this? This was the first time he’d ever done something like that—and in public, no less.
Aurora shot him a glare. "Oh, I should thank you, huh? For being a total perv?"
Tobias, clearly anxious for his boss, blurted out, "Miss Wilson, the young master only did that because he was worried about you. If it had been some random woman, he wouldn’t have lifted a finger..."
"Shut up!" Everett snapped, his face like ice.
Tobias fell silent, sulking. He really didn’t get it—Everett had changed so much for this woman, and she wasn’t even a little moved?
That moment just now had been pure instinct. Everyone here was an adult, but Aurora treated it like Everett had done it on purpose.
"Well then," Aurora said with a cold smile, "I guess I should thank Everett."
Her tone flipped immediately, sarcastic and biting. "Let’s hope I never have to see him again."
With that, she stormed off.
Eleanor quickly tried to smooth things over. "Everett, don’t take it to heart. Aurora’s just embarrassed—she’s sensitive about that kind of thing."
Everett nodded, but his eyes stayed locked on Aurora’s back as she walked away.
The day had flown by.
Suddenly, Everett regretted not dragging things out—if he’d acted a little slower, they could’ve spent two or three more days filming. More chances to be around her.
In the car, Aurora sat with a storm cloud over her head. She wiped sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, thinking about that bug crawling into her shirt again—it made her shudder.
She hated bugs. Especially out here in the wild.
Her life hadn’t been easy growing up, but even so, seeing a bug always made her want to scream and flip a table.
"Aurora, are you okay?" came a voice from outside the car window.
It was Brown, looking genuinely worried. "Is your skin itchy? If it is, I’ve got something for it."
So thoughtful—even had ointment ready.
Aurora blinked, surprised by his preparedness, but shook her head. "No, I’m fine. Not itchy at all."
Brown tried to hide the flicker of disappointment in his eyes and gave a small smile. "That was just an accident. Don’t worry, we’ll all keep it quiet."
Aurora pressed her lips together. She appreciated the sentiment, but she knew it wasn’t realistic.
Celebs and actors might keep quiet—after all, they had careers to think about.
But the crew? That was another story.
"Thanks. I appreciate it," she said, taking a deep breath. Her smile finally looked a little less forced. "Sorry if I scared everyone earlier."
"No, not at all. I just..." Just wish it had been me who got the bug out, he thought silently.
Aurora tapped the car window. "Alright. Whatever else, we’ll talk back at the company. If we don’t head out soon, we’ll miss our window."
She had zero interest in spending the night out here.
Brown gave her an OK sign and went back to his car.
The whole "bug-in-shirt" incident quickly became material for Eleanor, Dominic, even Ella—who all took turns teasing Aurora about it.
Every time it came up, they couldn’t help but laugh all over again.
His face was like thunder, staring out the window with an expression that screamed do not talk to me.
Tobias didn’t dare say a word. No one else in the car even breathed too loud.
It was the first time in years the young master had publicly embarrassed himself. Honestly, Tobias kinda wished he’d just gone blind in that moment—maybe he wouldn’t have had to see that.
Everett was in a foul mood. He felt like he’d blown it.
Things had been going okay—he and Aurora were finally starting to thaw. But at the very end, he’d ruined everything.
He closed his eyes, exhausted, and couldn’t stop replaying the moment his hand had brushed against her skin...
His mind jumped straight back to that rainy night...