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.

a promotional video for

long

artist applied a touch of

stepped out from behind the screen, everyone fell silent,

was talking with Professor Thornton. His gaze flickered

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, with a smile that lit up her eyes and lent her an old-world

his

was no small feat, especially when high

required. The camera demanded a

was Briony's first time in front of the lens, but

wrapped her individual scenes ahead

cinematographer couldn't help but exclaim, "Ms. Kensington has such screen presence. If she entered show

director and crew

then, Briony was back in the dressing room, removing her

lunch

worried about her pregnancy,

was more than

hour, Briony had finished all her

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

way out, she passed Stewart but only paused to say goodbye to Professor Thornton,

puzzled. “Is there bad blood

faintly. "She's still mad

raised an eyebrow,

***

accompanied Briony to the set every day— partly to look after her, partly to make sure Stewart

was always present, but thankfully, kept

with the poor signal in

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