Gwendolyn White could tell from Carney's expression that things with Stewart at the airport hadn't gone well.

In front of Briony, though, she acted as if nothing had happened.

Once they were back home, Gwendolyn asked the housekeeper to make Briony a bowl of noodles and ladled out some nourishing chicken broth for her to have first.

While Briony sipped the soup in the kitchen, Gwendolyn quietly pulled Carney into the bedroom.

"You talked to Stewart at the airport?"

Carney let out a bitter laugh. "The man's a bully with too much power and far too little shame."

Gwendolyn frowned. "He's still refusing to sign the divorce papers?"

He sighed heavily. "Stewart's a control freak. I told him plainly we want to make Bryn our goddaughter. I even spoke to him as a family elder, but he just put on that fake smile and brushed me off."

"I saw this coming a long time ago," Gwendolyn said with a weary sigh. "That's why I suggested the Chadwicks get in touch with Bryn. Thank goodness she's strong enough to carve out her own path."

Carney looked surprised. "So you'd already planned a backup for her?"

"What else did you expect?" Gwendolyn shot him a look. "You're a man yourself— after all these years, do you still not know your own kind's weaknesses?"

Carney protested, "Come on, don't lump me in with the rest. I'm one of the good ones everyone says so!"

She smacked his arm with a laugh. "Always so glib! Anyway, keep an eye on Stewart these next few days. Don't let him bother Bryn again. She deserves some peace to finish her work."

"Aye aye, ma'am!" Carney gave a mock salute.

***

The next day, on set.

filming a promotional video for

long dark hair was swept up with a simple hairpin, exposing her graceful

artist applied a touch of natural

behind the screen, everyone

Professor Thornton. His gaze flickered when he

always known Briony was beautiful, but for the past five years, she'd kept her style understated-nothing like the elegance she wore today. For the first time, he saw her fully transformed, as if she'd stepped straight out of a classical painting: slender, poised,

swallowed, his gaze

was no small feat,

camera demanded a certain

in front of the lens,

noon, she'd wrapped her individual scenes

she entered show business,

and crew

was back in the

home for lunch and would bring her back in the

simpler, only two quick scenes for Briony. Still, Gwendolyn, worried

was more

half an hour, Briony had finished

to fetch the car, Briony changed out of her costume and

out, she passed Stewart but only paused to say goodbye

“Is there bad blood between Ms. Kensington and

smiled faintly. "She's

Thornton raised an

***

day— partly to look after her, partly to make sure Stewart didn't try

but

poor signal in the mountains, and the rain didn't help. Even text messages lagged and arrived in

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