Chapter 22: Putting on a Show for Mr. Wilson
At the hotel.
Mabel took a quick shower and treated herself to a glass of wine
Just as she lay down, her assistant Naomi called.
Before Naomi could even speak, the sound of a crying child echoed through the line.
“Mabel, please come back. I… I just can’t handle this.”
“And also… Mr. Wilson’s assistant is looking for you. He’s even starting to suspect something’s wrong.”
Mabel was speechless
Her face turned dark with frustration, and she felt a wave of helpless rage surge through her.
“I v
I was JUST about to sleep!”
Naomi sounded like she was on the verge of tears. “I’m really sorry, but if you don’t come back now, the assistant might call Mr. Wilson directly.
Mabel felt like she could kill someone!
Gritting her teeth, she hung up, threw on some clothes, and grabbed a cab back to the hospital.
Alijah wouldn’t stop crying. The nurse trying to insert an IV line looked ready to lose her patience and even scolded Mabel.
After much struggle, the IV was finally in, and the medication was done.
Just as Mabel thought she might catch a little break, the nurse came in for rounds.
The sudden movement woke Alijah, sparking another round of ear–splitting wailing.
Mabel was at her wit’s end, the kind of frustration that made her seriously consider muffling the child.
Thankfully, Naomi kept soothing her, helping Mabel cling to her sanity.
By the second half of the night, Mabel managed to get some rest, only to be woken again when Alijah’s fever spiked. The nurse hauled her up and gave her another round of reprimands.
Mabel was about to lose it.
Once a shining star in the entertainment world, she now looked like a shell of her former self–pale, hollow–eyed, and utterly drained.
“Is this ever going to end?”
She slammed her fist into the hospital bed, her patience completely snapped.
Alijah, who had been whimpering in his feverish state, flinched at the loud noise.
Then, as if on cue, he started crying his lungs out.
Mabel clutched her ears, convinced she was seconds away from a heart attack.
Naomi rushed to calm the child, while Hector turned on the lights and tried to help soothe Alijah.
No one seemed to care about Mabel’s state.
Another two hours passed.
By the time the chaos finally settled, the sky outside had begun to brighten.
Mabel felt utterly defeated.
Sure, Alijah was a perfect tool to use against Gemma.
But at this point, she’d gladly give up on her plans if it meant not having to take care of the kid anymore.
“Naomi.”
As Alijah slept soundly, Mabel pulled Naomi aside and whispered. “Max will be here this morning. I need you to play along with me.”
Chapter 2 Putting on a Show for Mr. Wilson
Naomi blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Don’t overthink it. Just do as I say.”
Mabel glanced around, ensuring the Marcus’s assistant Hector was out of earshot, and then quickly shared her plan.
At 8 a.m. the next day, Marcus arrived at the hospital, breakfast in hand.
Walking into the room, he noticed Alijah still asleep, while Mabel was gently tucking the blanket around him
Hearing the door, Mabel turned around immediately.
“Max, you’re here to see Alijah?”
“Ali’s been such a good boy. He just finished his IV and needs a little more rest.
Marcus studied her, a strange glint in his eyes.
Whenever Alijah got sick in the past, Gemma would always stay up all night to care for him.
At first, she’d manage fine, but by day two or three, she’d look utterly exhausted and unkempt
It annoyed him to no end.
She was his wife. How could she allow herself to look so sloppy?
Whenever he brought it up, it would spark yet another argument.
“Just take a few minutes to freshen up!” he’d say. “How hard is that?”
He never thought his request was unreasonable.
With the honorable title of Mrs. Wilson, Gemma couldn’t even make a little change for him. That’s unreasonable!
But today-
Mabel’s face
ce was made up, yet her exhaustion was impossible to hide.
Her concealer couldn’t fully mask the puffiness under her eyes, giving her an oddly aged look.
Her bright red lipstick only made her pale complexion stand out more, an unsettling contrast.
For some reason, it just didn’t sit right with him.
Subconsciously, he compared her to Gemma again.”
Gemma might have looked tired in the past, but there was always a natural grace to her, something soothing about her unadorned face.
“What happened to your face!”
Marcus blurted.
Mabel froze and instinctively covered her face.
She had rushed to apply makeup when she knew Marcus would be here in the morning.
It was
her special emergency makeup. It should be fine.
But… what did he mean by that?
Was he disgusted by her?
“I–I might just be a little tired,” she muttered, her rehearsed lines forgotten in an instant.
Realizing his mistake, Marcus softened his tone.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just worried about you. Thank you for taking care of him last night.” “It’s nothing. I’m happy to take care of Ali. I really like him.”
Mabel forced a smile.
-Besides, Ali seems
to like me
too. He always w
wants me by his side.”
Marcus nodded. “He does like you. If you have the time, you should spend more of it with him.”
Mabel sighed, feigning regret.
Chapter 22: Putting on a Show for Mr. Wilson
“Unfortunately, as an actress, my schedule is packed. I don’t have much time to spare.”
Marcus paused, considering her words. “Are you unhappy in the industry?”
“It’s fine. It’s just work.”
“You’re a licensed doctor. If you ever want to leave acting, you can always return to medicine.
Mabel’s eyes lit up. “Really? You mean it?”
Marcus smiled. “Of course. You have the talent for it.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Max, thank you. If I could go back to being a doctor. I could spend more time with Ali. That’s the best thing I could ever imagine.”
Marcus patted her shoulder. “There’s no need to thank me. You don’t owe me anything.”
As he leaned in, the faint scent of cedarwood reached her, and her heart raced.
“Max..”
“Hmm?”
“You’re so nice,
Their breaths mingled in the closeness, the tension almost palpable-
“Ms. Johnson.”
Naomi knocked on the door, her voice urgent. “Your call time is here. It’s for a reality show interview. You can’t be late!”
Mabel snapped back to reality, quickly stepping back with a shy expression.
“Can’t we reschedule? If I leave. Ali might get upset.”
iss your career goodbye.”
Naomi’s voice was firm. “No way. If you offend the director, you can kiss
“L”
“Go” Marcus spoke calmly, settling onto the sofa. “I’ll talk to the director. No one will give you trouble.”
“If you still dislike this career, come back to medicine. You belong there. You’re meant to shine in the medical world.”
Mabel felt overwhelmed, her heart bursting with delight.
“Max, if Ali needs me, just call. No matter how busy I am. I’ll come right back.”
Marcus nodded. “Alright.”
With
that, Mabel reluctantly left the room. But as the door closed behind her, a sly smirk crept onto her lips.
