He didn’t want to rush it—just wanted to enjoy the moment of her quietly taking care of him.
Aurora pressed her lips together. "Alright then. I’ll towel it off as much as I can, but once it’s about 90% dry, using a hairdryer will help make it feel fresher."
"When it’s 90% dry, we’ll talk," Everett said with a grin.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
He suddenly realized—he laughed the most when he was with Aurora. Even when he was annoyed, there were still moments of amusement... moments that felt right.
It wasn’t with other women. With Gianna—or most women—he had zero interest in getting close.
Delilah? Just felt like a noisy little sister. Every time she talked, he just wished she’d shut up.
But with Aurora, he actually wanted her to talk more. Her voice felt like it seeped into his bones, into his bloodstream.
It made him feel... good.
"How long are you staying here this time?" Everett suddenly asked.
"Uh... about a week."
That new guy, Alaric, should’ve arrived by now. Filming was starting tomorrow.
Alaric was a rookie. If he had talent, they could wrap it up in a day. If not... it could take two or three.
Everett frowned. "More MV shoots?"
"Yeah. It’s for my new single. The label’s planning an album for next year, so I need to film a few more MVs. If I can get two or three done now, that’s enough. The rest can wait."
As she said it, Aurora realized how casual her tone was—like chatting with an old friend.
Everett pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything more.
By now, his hair was about 90% dry.
Aurora’s hands were a little sore, but she still grabbed the hairdryer and gave his hair a quick blast to finish drying it completely.
Once she was done, Everett felt totally refreshed.
"If there’s nothing else, I... I’d like to go back now," Aurora murmured.
Everett raised an eyebrow. "I saved you, and you’re not even going to show a little appreciation?"
Appreciation? What was that supposed to mean?
Aurora braced herself and looked up into his amused eyes.
"Watch a movie with me. After the movie, I’ll let you go."
Honestly, Everett hadn’t really planned anything. But with her still here, they might as well do something that brought them closer. A movie seemed like a decent idea.
"Alright," Aurora replied, her ears turning red.
She sat down beside him—voluntarily, for the first time. And surprisingly, it didn’t feel awkward at all.
Everett grabbed the remote. Only then did Aurora notice there was a mini-theater built into the suite.
The wall across from the couch had a built-in screen—not an LCD, not a projector cloth, but something in between.
He pressed a button, and the screen lit up. He casually picked a movie.
Then the title flashed on screen: Chaotic Marriage.
Aurora almost choked.
Chaotic Marriage? Was that like... messed-up weddings?
The film started, and she suddenly remembered—it was something Richard had shot after joining LXL.
She barely watched movies, always focused on music. Who would’ve thought Richard had such talent? And at such a young age, too—directing a film about a couple married for five years, falling into infidelity.
The opening scene? The male lead and his mistress... in a steamy boat scene.
Aurora quickly lowered her gaze, too embarrassed to watch.
But the audio still slipped into her ears—awkward and explicit.
Thankfully, it didn’t last long. Just a few seconds later, the mistress’s sultry voice chimed in:
"Babe, you were amazing today. Is it ’cause your wife isn’t doing it for you anymore?"
Aurora found it ridiculous—and cruel. But it was reality.
There really were mistresses this shameless in real life.
She looked up and noticed Everett watching with a blank expression, eyes fixed on the screen like it was nothing.
Like he’d seen this kind of thing too many times to care.
Aurora felt a chill. Was this why he seemed so disillusioned with women? Because of movies ? No... it couldn’t be. Movies weren’t real life—some might reflect society, but they weren’t enough to twist someone so deeply.
On screen, the male lead returned home to find his wife caring for their two-year-old son. Her hair was messy, her clothes outdated.
According to the male lead, even though they were financially stable, she hadn’t bought new clothes or face masks in two years—just to save money and keep their home afloat.
A woman who hasn’t done any skincare in two years, worn out from raising a kid and doing all the housework—plus holding down online part-time jobs—how could she not look older and worn down than her husband? How could she not become a "washed-up housewife"?
When the wife and their son saw the husband come home, they lit up with joy. But all he gave back... was a cold, indifferent look.
Their little boy playfully climbed into his lap, and the husband, clearly annoyed, pushed him away.
"Go, go—Daddy just got off work and he’s tired. Go find your mom."
Watching that, Aurora couldn’t hold back—
Everett gave her a calm glance.
"There are jerks, yeah. And there are also trashy women. That mistress from earlier? She’s one of them."
"Some people just don’t value what they have. Only when it’s gone do they feel regret."
Everett lifted an eyebrow slightly.
"I’d never be like that man."
Wait—was that... a confession?
"How is that any of my business whether you’re like him or not?"
Everett turned to her with a curious look.
"Shouldn’t you at least think about whether I’d make a good boyfriend? Aurora, in my eyes, status and background don’t matter. It’s simple—either we love each other, or we don’t."
Aurora stared at him, suddenly feeling flustered.
He always did this. Always pushed things too fast. She hadn’t even caught up with her own thoughts, and here he was, already talking about being together. How was she supposed to handle that?
But honestly, the fact that she was even considering it... that was already a big step.
Everett saw her hesitation and looked away, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes. He gently put his arm around her shoulder. Aurora froze, immediately trying to pull away.
"Don’t—my arm still hurts," Everett said casually.
"It’s just a hug, not like I’m going to eat you."
Aurora’s head dropped so low, she might as well have been hiding under the couch.
On screen, the couple in the movie started arguing. The wife had found kiss marks on her husband’s body.
Aurora’s chest felt tight. This kind of brutally realistic film—how many girls’ hearts had it broken?
No wonder Richard’s movies didn’t rake in box office cash... but racked up awards.
The male lead started panicking—you could tell he still loved his wife. He just couldn’t resist temptation, which led him to cheat.
He ran to her and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her in an attempt to soothe her sobs.
The atmosphere shifted again—tense, intimate.
Just as Aurora started to get up, Everett’s hand clamped gently but firmly on her shoulder. Before she could react, his face was suddenly inches from hers—his features filling her vision.