Ch. 3151..3160

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3151

Are You Free Tonight

At that, the corners of Jake’s mouth lifted slightly, and he drawled, “Ah, that’s right. I chose you.”

Back then, Mia was reluctant to accept the advertisement. Instead, it was Osmond who forced her to accept it. Later, when she learned that it was the youngest and most handsome president of the legendary Sky Entertainment who personally chose her, a burst of delight infused her, and she felt as though she would burst with joy.

However, Megan was very surprised upon hearing that. Even if she’s slightly famous now, she’s still a newbie, so why would a conglomerate like Sky Entertainment choose her for an endorsement?

“Um… I heard that you’ll be staying the night here, Mr. Wilson?” Mia mustered all her courage and asked after a moment’s hesitation.

Her cheeks were stained bright red, arousing an urge to take a bite out of them.

Hearing that, Jake’s alluring brows scrunched together deeply. Seemingly instinctually, he glanced in Megan’s direction without saying anything.

In truth, he didn’t seem inclined to answer her. But upon seeing that Mia wasn’t planning on leaving even after a long while had passed, he finally replied out of a sense of innate politeness, murmuring, “Yeah.”

“In that case, are you free tonight, Mr. Wilson? I’m hoping…”

Mia lifted her head a fraction, her gaze radiating a hint of shyness and anticipation. It was precisely that expression of hers that had countless men falling at her feet, for it downright aroused men’s protectiveness.

Upon seeing that, Megan sneered. After all, she knew that Mia would always put on such a shy expression when she wanted to sink her hooks into a man, feigning a pitiful demeanor by utilizing her wiles.

But this time, Megan noticed something different from her expression. It also carried the overture of a young maiden who was on the cusp of her first love. It was the first time she had ever seen such an expression on her face.

Well, well… She has just boasted to me the power and might of the man of her dreams a few days ago. From the look of things now, this is the man she bragged about. Besides, she seems to be serious this time. In that case, will I have gotten my revenge against her if I can snag Jake Wilson?

Meanwhile, Jake didn’t seem interested in Mia. However, he didn’t know how to rebuff her, so the crease in his brows deepened further. Fortunately, Theodore was rather perceptive behind him. “It’s about time, Mr. Wilson,” he chimed in.

“Please excuse me.” Seemingly relieved because of his assistant’s reminder, Jake swiftly left the set with huge strides without the slightest concern for Mia’s expression.

Mia, on the other hand, obviously never expected to be spurned when she had such allure that she stood rooted to the spot. The dazzling smile on her petite face gradually froze, and she stared in the direction where Jake left with reluctance in her eyes.

Jake’s arrival and departure were like a whirlwind. Very quickly, filming resumed as usual as though it was all an inconspicuous interruption, albeit having caused a storm to brew within everyone’s heart.

Everyone gradually forgot about Jake’s visit after he had left, and they all went about their own tasks.

It all seemed as though Jake’s appearance was merely a minor disruption. However, Megan committed Mia’s actions earlier to mind.

That night, she happened to wrap up at the same time as the rest of the crew since she stayed late to have a retake of a scene.

Holding Kelly’s bag, Joel interrupted Megan who was about to leave after having packed her things. “This is Kelly’s bag. Would you mind returning it to her?”

“Sure, no problem,” Megan agreed readily without giving it much thought. Then, she returned to the hotel with Kelly’s bag.

Kelly’s suite was also on the top floor. However, it was different from the top floor where Mia stayed. Kelly was housed at the hotel’s reserved area with an exclusive elevator. The suite had been specially prepared for her, and it wouldn’t be rented out even if she didn’t stay at the hotel on set.

After informing the front desk in advance, Megan went up for the first time. The elevator steadily came to a stop on the highest floor. The moment she stepped out of the elevator, she unexpectedly glimpsed a figure pacing back and forth in the corridor.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3152

Mia Rejected

Megan was exceedingly surprised to see Mia there. After all, those who stayed there were either popular celebrities, big shots, or investors. While Mia enjoyed a bit of fame, she wasn’t at the point where she was worthy of being there.

Also, she was dressed to seduce. Although she was wearing a down jacket on the outside, the inside was a sexy nightie as sheer as gossamer, showcasing all her assets. Thus, the average man wouldn’t be able to resist her the moment he glimpsed her dressing.

To top it off, she was standing in front of Jake’s room door.

She lifted her hand before dropping it again, seemingly wanting to knock yet afraid to do so. After hesitating for a long moment, she finally mustered her courage and knocked on the door.

A while later, the door swung open. Sure enough, it was Jake who stepped out. By then, he had already removed the jacket that he always wore during the day, wearing only a dark blue shirt. His necktie was also gone. His slightly messy collar and exposed chest rendered him incredibly enticing at that moment.

Despite his unchanged countenance upon seeing Mia’s appearance, his expression went cold.

“What is it?” His voice at that moment was so frosty that every single word seemed encased in ice as though he hoped to render her frozen.

However, Mia was completely ignorant of the change in him. Still sounding as sweet as ever, she murmured, “It’s cold out here, Mr. Wilson. Why don’t we move this into the room?”

After saying that, she lifted her head to reveal a pitiful expression as she gazed at him forlornly. Hunching her shoulders lightly, she allowed the down jacket to slip off, revealing her smooth and creamy shoulders.

Hmm… interesting!

Megan could naturally tell what she was trying to do. After all, she had been in showbiz for two lifetimes, so she had seen such a thing countless times.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t quite accurate to say that Mia was trying to snag Jake as a sugar daddy, for Megan could tell from the look in her eyes right then that she was serious. Well, well… It looks like the powerful and influential person of her dreams whom she bragged about back then was none other than Jake Wilson.

Despite that, Megan couldn’t help stifling a giggle. Considering her determined look back then, she had thought that Mia had long since bagged the so-called powerful man or captured his fancy at the very least. But from the look of things now, it was simply a one-sided affair on Mia’s part.

Sure enough, a flash of annoyance flittered across Jake’s eyes when he realized Mia’s intention. However, it was concealed so quickly that Megan thought it was a trick of the light.

“Why are you here, Ms. Rockford?” Jake’s voice was exceedingly chilly that Mia felt a chill running down her spine. She lifted her head and looked at him innocently, her eyes shimmering with tears.

“There are a few aspects I don’t quite understand about the endorsement…”

“Ah, I see. In that case…” At that, Jake paused for a moment. Just when Mia thought that there was hope and was poised to make her next move, his voice again rang out above her head. “You should go to the person in charge, Ms. Rockford.”

The moment she heard that her face instantly drained of color since it was clear as day that she had been ruthlessly rebuffed. Nevertheless, she had finally gotten an opportunity after such a long time, so she couldn’t possibly just give up so easily.

“I thought I could discuss it with you, Mr. Wilson…” This remark seemed to be colored with a hint of coquettishness. As she said that, she even took the initiative to lean into his arms, but Jake imperceptibly dodged her.

“If you really can’t handle the endorsement, Ms. Rockford, Sky Entertainment doesn’t have any problems replacing you with someone else.” After saying that, he slammed the door closed without giving Mia any time to react, rejecting her once and for all.

In no time, an idea abruptly occurred to Megan that had her heartbeat accelerating in the next instance as though her heart was about to pound out of her chest.

When she had returned to her room, an absurd idea unwittingly flashed across her mind—Will I be raining absolute misery upon Mia if I can get Jake to fall in love with me?

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3153

Seeing Jake Off

It’ll be just like her stealing Herman from me in my past life! But… Mia’s looks are already mesmerizing, so how could I possibly make Jake fall in love with me when I’m not even half as beautiful as she is? After all, he ruthlessly rejected her despite her outstanding beauty!

Despite telling herself time and again that it was impossible, the thought of stealing Jake away stuck in Megan’s mind like a burr in tweed. She simply couldn’t shake it off, her mind fixating on it to the point that she couldn’t sleep even when the hour grew late.

After mocking herself countless times, she finally managed to dislodge the absurd thought and drifted off. Alas, God seemed to mess with her again the next day by giving her a ray of hope.

When she was done filming her scene, she sat down on a bench to rest. Just mere moments after she had done so, a low and alluring voice drifted into her ears. “You did very well earlier.”

She turned in the direction of the voice, only to see that it was Jake!

Oddly enough, his gaze was pinned on Kelly, who was filming her scene, despite complimenting her. This had Megan feeling rather uncertain as to who exactly he was praising.

“Uh… Who are you referring to, Mr. Wilson?”

“You.” Only then did Jake turn to look at Megan.

All at once, surprise flooded her. It was threaded with mild anxiety and unease, but she merged all the various emotions into indifference. “Well, thank you.”

She was thrilled at that very moment, but still, she kept telling herself that it might just be an off-hand remark from him.

Well… No matter what, just strike up a conversation! At the very least, you’ll leave an impression on him! she reckoned.

Feeling as though her head was stuffed full of cotton, Megan then commented, “Do you like watching actors and actresses act despite being such a busy man, Mr. Wilson?”

“Yeah.” Unexpectedly, Jake promptly answered her, but his reply thwarted any further response from her since there was nothing to be said to that.

A brief moment later, he abruptly got to his feet. Adam noticed it, but he merely hollered to Jake since the scene had just begun. “You’re leaving, Mr. Wilson?”

“Yeah.” By then, Megan had realized that Jake was truly a taciturn person.

“Well, it’s about time, I guess. Um… Megan, please see Mr. Wilson off on my behalf,” Adam then ordered Megan.

Jake subsequently threw another glance at the cast who were filming before he strode away. Only then did Megan snap back to her senses and hurriedly rush after him. While she was supposedly seeing him off, she kept a bit of distance between them, not daring to invite embarrassment once more.

Nonetheless, Megan’s hopes were in vain, for Mia still caught sight of her behind him at a single glance when they walked past the set where she was shooting an advertisement.

Her eyes that were initially brimming with adulation toward Jake instantly blazed with murder, and she looked as though she wanted to charge over to strangle her right away.

At that very moment, Megan felt intense hatred overwhelming her. Hah! This is nothing! What I saw in my previous life was far worse than this! No, I’ve got to give her a taste of the torment I experienced in my past life!

As that thought came to her, her body simply reacted without any conscious thought. She hadn’t had the time to change her shoes, so she suddenly tripped when her sky-high heels snagged on a rock.

Jake didn’t seem to have expected that, but he still swiftly extended a hand and steadied her. From Mia’s angle, it appeared as though Megan was nestled in his arms.

Sure enough, Megan glimpsed Mia shooting to her feet at once out of the corner of her eye, her face a mask of fury.

At that sight, gratification imbued Megan, and she felt even happier than if she had hit the jackpot.

“Are you okay?” Her stumble was real, but she remained in Jake’s arms. Only when he spoke did she snap back to reality.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.” She hastily extricated herself from his embrace, only to unexpectedly glimpse a hint of a blush staining his face.

Nevertheless, it faded quickly, and his expression reverted to its usual indifference. “I’ll take it from here.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3154

A New Actor

After a final glance at Megan, Jake whirled around and left. Meanwhile, Megan remained rooted to the spot. Inwardly, she couldn’t help wondering, Did Mr. Wilson know that it was a deliberate stumble on my part?

Before she had finished pondering upon it, a sharp voice colored with feminine delicateness interrupted her, sounding exceedingly unpleasant.

“Megan Rockford! Don’t think I can’t see through your tricks! You’re simply shameless!” Mia’s face was flushed bright red. Stalking over to her with fury written all over her face, she shot daggers at her.

Despite her murderous expression, Megan was exceedingly calm. “What’s so shameless about that?”

“Why didn’t I know that you’ve got such thick skin back in the village that you’d throw yourself at a man in broad daylight? Tsk-tsk, you’ve truly shameless, Megan!” Mia tried her best to demean her.

“Then, tell me what it’s called to knock on a man’s door in the middle of the night.”

The moment Mia heard Megan’s words, her initially livid expression blanched, immediately turning as white as a sheet. “W-What are you talking about? I-I don’t get it!” she stammered.

At that, the corners of Megan’s mouth lifted. “You should know best what I’m talking about, no? But in my opinion, your methods are really lousy. Well, no wonder Mr. Wilson has no interest in you! After all, you had all but stripped naked, yet he still rejected you!”

Then, she sauntered away right before Mia’s eyes. Mia was foaming at the mouth then, but words simply eluded her. When Megan returned to the set, she noticed Kelly staring at her, making it obvious that she had misunderstood everything.

Since people were already assuming that she only attained her current popularity by creating a scandal with Jonas, she truly didn’t want to add Jake to the rumors.

But before she could explain, Kelly had already retracted her gaze. When she walked past her, she placidly murmured, “Mr. Wilson is a good choice.”

Megan was entirely stunned, for she saw that the look in her eyes earlier didn’t seem to be disgust but yearning. Precisely speaking, it was envy.

“He’s young, successful, and handsome. Most importantly, he can give you your heart’s desires.” Gazing in the direction where Jake had long since disappeared, Kelly added thoughtfully, “You’re smarter than me.”

After saying that, she left with her assistant. Megan, on the other hand, merely stood there dazedly. She seems to have regarded me as the kind of person who’ll seduce a man for personal gain, but her remarks were indeed strange.

Since she couldn’t figure it out, she decided not to continue torturing herself and went back to the studio. It so happened that a crew member walked over to update her.

“Megan, you’ve got a scene with your childhood friend today. A new actor is here, so you two should get acquainted first.” When he had said that, he pointed at a man by the side who was talking to someone else with his back to them. As Megan looked at that back, a sense of familiarity niggled at her.

As soon as the man turned around, she was instantly stunned. This isn’t mere familiarity, for I’ll never forget him even if his countenance were disfigured beyond recognization!

It was none other than Herman.

Looking handsome, Herman flashed her a bright smile and even extended a hand to her.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Herman Clear. You’re Mia’s sister, yes?”

If Megan hadn’t been shoved off the rooftop at his very hands in the previous lifetime, she would’ve really been fooled by his polite demeanor.

The hand she had in her bag trembled slightly. Due to her hatred of him, she merely inclined her head at him a fraction without shaking his hand.

Having been greeted with the same indifferent look the previous time he met her, Herman merely assumed that she was too shy to say anything and didn’t take offense at her.

While filming, Megan made numerous mistakes when she had to gaze upon Herman’s countenance. To that end, Adam had to keep calling for a retake. Fortunately, she had received much praise during the past few days, so Adam merely reckoned that she might not be feeling well that day and remained patient without tearing into her. They filmed until dust was fast approaching before they finally wrapped up.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3155

Conveying His Message

When Megan went to check the computer, she realized she had a stiff look the entire time. In fact, the stiffness was as if she had been in a failed plastic surgery. The director, Adam Kennedy, truly had been patient with her.

When Megan saw Herman discussing the script with the other staff members, rage spiked in her. At the same time, curiosity seeped into her mind.

In her past life, she had not been in Transcendent, and she had met Herman before joining the crew. In her current life, she had changed her fate, and she thought that meant she would not meet Herman again. Yet, she did. Fate is playing a joke on me.

However, Herman had not thought that he had been the cause of what happened during the afternoon. When he saw Megan turning to leave, he cried out, seemingly unsatisfied. “Megan, wait. Is there some kind of misunderstanding between us?”

Instead of replying to him, Megan continued walking forward. Yet, it seemed like Herman was adamant about confronting Megan. He hurried forward, seemingly uninterested in giving up until his goal was achieved.

“Wait, Megan. Do you treat others like this too?” Herman wondered. Until then, Megan had been scowling at him.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Megan uttered, still staring at him with a dark look.

“Well, not really,” Herman shyly said. Then, he continued, “Do… you know how has your sister been? I sent her—”

“I don’t.” His words had felt as if he had dunked her in icy cold water, and for a moment, she found it hard to breathe.

She had not expected Herman to come asking her about Mia. Yet, when she thought about it, she realized they had no common topics to chat about anyway.

It was something she should have known since her past life. Megan laughed at herself inwardly for having assumed that things would be different.

It seemed like Herman did like Mia.

Completely oblivious to the change in Megan’s mood, Herman insisted, “Aren’t you sisters? How can you not know?”

At the sight of Herman’s look of adoration, wrath thrummed through her veins. I was nothing but a joke in my past life. Everything I did was for a man, and in the end, that man was the one who push me to my death. Not only did my life end, but my feelings did too. No matter if it’s in my past life or if it’s in this life, Herman has never noticed me. The one he’ll always love is Mia. He’ll never spare a glance at me.

“Must I know everything about her? Shouldn’t you be the one who knows more about her?”

Megan had been loud when she said those words, and it seemed like Herman was startled by her tone. he did not continue, but his face fell. He then mumbled under his breath, “Those rumors aren’t true. She won’t even spare me a word.”

Megan did not react to that. She knew Megan was ignoring Herman. After all, Mia had only bothered herself with Herman because she wanted to snatch the only person Megan had from her. As she did not know Herman in this life, Mia would be focused on Jake instead.

However, there was something Megan could not wrap her head around. Mia clearly had everything. In her past life, Mia was a popular celebrity while Megan was a nobody. She was incomparable to Mia, yet Mia was adamant about targeting her.

Moreover, even though she only had Herman in her past life, Mia needed not to soil herself by forcing herself to be with Herman. She had enough power to have destroyed Megan’s life without ever lifting a finger.

“Megan, could you please tell your sister that I just want to be her friend? That’s all. Just a friend.”

Herman still refused to give up, thinking that Megan would have a way to convey his message to Mia.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3156

Unspoken Rules Of The Industry

However, there was no way Megan would help Herman. Every time she looked at him, she could recall the misery she went through in her past life. It would not even be too much of her if she killed him, so there was no way she would ever help him. “Why are you talking to me when you’re trying to court her? You should talk to her yourself.”

With those harsh words said, Megan spun on her heels and left.

Herman stood transfixed, unable to figure out why Megan was furious at him.

Herman was only playing the role of a minor character in the show, so he did not have many scenes to film. By the second day, the two no longer had any scenes to film together. Therefore, after that day, Megan returned to her usual self when filming.

As a supporting role, she, too, was soon done with her scenes. After spending a period of time with the crew, Megan had built a relatively good relationship with the other members of the crew, especially Francesca Chandler. After dinner, Francesca even held her hand, reluctant to let her leave.

“Megan, what am I going to do once you’re gone? These people are people I can’t afford to cross. I don’t even have anyone to talk to,” Francesca whined before rolling her eyes at Janice Landry.

Megan chuckled. “Shh, Don’t let Josiah Zimmerman hear you. He might target you in the future. Have you forgotten how it was like when I first came?”

Francesca barked out a laugh. “Does he even dare to?”

Right. I’ve nearly forgotten about Francesca’s unique status in the crew.

Even until Megan left the site, Kelly did not speak much with Megan. Megan cared little about it; it did not matter to her whether it was because of the previous incident or something else.

After the group had a farewell dinner, they were about to leave in smaller groups. Right as she walked to the entrance of the hotel, a yellow Rolls Royce abruptly stopped in front of it. Immediately, a dark look crossed Kelly’s face.

“Mr. Kennedy, I’ll be taking my leave first.”

It was evident that Adam had seen the car too, but he showed no expressions on his face. He only nodded as Kelly went up into the car. Before she did, Adam even turned to look at Megan.

It seemed like Adam wanted to talk to her. Despite the fact that the car was long gone, his gaze was still fixed at where it used to be. “That’s how the showbiz is.”

Megan was puzzled. It seemed like Adam was drunk as he continued walking down the road. Then, he said something. Although he was not loud, Megan had caught what he said. “Kelly is a good actress, but it doesn’t matter when no one’s supporting her.”

Megan instantly understood what he meant, and she finally figured out what Kelly had said to her that day.

It was not the first time Megan had come across something similar, but she had not expected that it would happen to Kelly as well.

As far as Megan knew, Kelly was like her. They were stubborn about pursuing the art of acting. Moreover, Kelly had just debuted, but she had gotten most of the major awards. Yet, to Megan’s surprise, Kelly still needed someone to back her up in the industry.

However, Megan was quick to realize that no matter how well her acting skills were, she needed to build herself a good foundation. Despite Kelly’s current popularity, she would soon be replaced by new actresses in a few years’ time.

Moreover, Kelly’s public image had restricted the roles she would be offered. It would be difficult for her to obtain roles for other kinds of characters. In fact, I think the man in that car helped her to get this role.

However, those were words that Adam told Megan and no one else. After hearing it, Megan chose to erase that part of her memory.

In the morning of the next day, Megan stepped out of the house, about to leave the filming site, only to encounter Francesca by her doorway.

“Come, let me send you off.” It seemed like Francesca was genuinely reluctant to let her leave. She had a baseball cap on her head as a disguise, and she looked somewhat like a ruffian.

Megan did not reject her. After all, it was easy to read Francesca’s thoughts as they were written all over her face. It seemed like Francesca really saw her as a friend.

“We’ll definitely meet in the future,” Megan said when they bid each other farewell. Then, they hugged.

In her past life, she had no friends. In this one, she would not either.

Just as she reached home, her phone began vibrating non-stop. Annoyed by the noises, she hurriedly looked and realized it was a call from Donna.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3157

A Call From Donna

Megan lifted a brow as she accepted the call. Instantly, Donna’s voice traveled into her ears. “Megan, come and help Jacinta out. It’s hectic at her side.”

Without waiting for Megan’s reply, Donna ended the call.

Megan could not reject her. After all, she was Jacinta’s assistant. Being an actress was only her side job. Moreover, Transcendent was only going to be released in April. Thus, Megan did not have the right to reject Donna’s request.

After speeding to Jacinta’s dressing room, she opened the door only to be greeted by a flying makeup brush.

Jacinta roared, “What the f*ck is this makeup? Redo it!”

It was normal for Jacinta to lose her temper over such matters. However, if Megan’s eyes were not fooling her, she spotted a hint of anxiety in Jacinta’s expression.

Suppressing the confusion rising in her, Megan did her best to help her while figuring out what was going on. It was only when she saw the person who entered the room, then did she realized what the situation was.

As Megan quietly swept the floor, she prayed that Jonas would not notice her. However, luck was not on her side. The moment Jonas stepped into the room, he spotted her, and a look of disdain was quick to appear on his face. “Why is she here?”

Oh no, Megan thought.

She had crossed Jonas a while back when she used him, and she had crossed Jacinta at the same time. Now that the two had appeared simultaneously, she was doomed.

Upon hearing Jonas’ voice, Jacinta spun around, thrilled. In fact, she even pulled her already impossibly low collar lower before smiling at Jonas. “Jonas, you’re here.”

After exchanging greetings, Jacinta then signaled Dominic to pull Megan in between the two of them.

“She’s my assistant. I’m sure you know her, right? Well, after all, the two of you…”

At the thought of that, Jacinta’s nails dug into her palms. She did not want to continue as she cast her gloomy gaze at Megan’s calm expression.

Jonas knew Jacinta was talking about the rumor from last time. Even he, a friendly man, could not help but narrow his eyes. The atmosphere turned tense.

“Jacie, I’m not interested in a countryside bumpkin.”

Hearing that, a smile grew on Megan’s face. However, it was quick to disappear. She did not think of herself as someone capable of attracting Jonas, but Jacinta was still making things difficult for her over a fictitious matter.

When Jacinta, who looked grim, heard his words, she instantly brightened up. With a smile, she uttered, “Haha! That’s why the company has sent me Megan. She’s new, and she doesn’t know anything. Of course she’ll need my guidance. Jonas, there’s no point in getting mad because of her. Come.”

Megan was silent the entire time. She knew that Jacinta had asked for her to come just to hear Jonas clarify that the two were not involved with each other. Moreover, Jacinta wanted Megan to realize her lowly status.

It was a pity, as she knew herself better than anyone else after her reborn. Megan was going to be the butterfly that emerged from its cocoon; not the ugly duckling who drowned. Jacinta’s action would not faze her.

With Jonas now by her side, Jacinta finally stopped putting her into tight spots. She even seemed more even-tempered, and Megan could finally catch a break.

She then headed to the second floor. Right as she was about to sit down, Donna pressed a can of cold coffee against her face. The cold spread its icy tendrils across her face, and Megan swiftly took the can from her. After opening it, she closed her eyes to enjoy the cooling liquid sliding down her throat.

“There’s more to the suffering in the near future. Jacinta deliberately asked for you to come after you finished your filming. Your future will be a tough one now that you’ve crossed two prominent figures.” Donna shrugged, feeling pity toward Megan.

However, Megan only gave her a small smile. “It’s fine. I’d do the same even if I go back in time. Moreover, I’d think of a way when the future comes. I’ll take one step at a time.”

The two were in the middle of a merry chat when they were interrupted by an abrupt chaos downstairs. It was only after they stood up and checked things out did they realize Jacinta had lost something.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3158

Commotion

Jacinta was rummaging through her drawers in a panic, but the look in her eyes was calm.

Megan noticed the contrast, and she immediately deduced that things would not be as simple as they seemed.

Donna rushed to Jacinta’s side and urgently asked, “Jacinta, what are you looking for?”

“My necklace! My favorite necklace is gone! It’s worth three million. Even if you sell everything you own, you’ll never be able to compensate me for it. Hurry and look for it!”

By then, Jonas arrived as well, having been attracted by the commotion. When Jacinta saw him, she lunged into his arms and started wailing, “What do I do, Jonas? My necklace is missing! That’s my favorite item!”

Jonas patted her back and consoled, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Just look around for it. I’m sure it’s not lost.”

However, no one could find anything even after a thorough search. Thus, it had become a fact that Jacinta’s necklace was truly lost.

In Jonas’ arms, Jacinta sobbed. Megan watched her from the side quietly, knowing that it was all but a show by Jacinta. It was an excuse for her to come into close contact with Jonas.

Right then, a thought entered Donna’s mind. After a long while of hesitation, she mumbled, “I think Megan was the one to tidy up the jewelry box.”

Despite her reluctance to voice it out loud, Donna had still done so.

Everyone then turned to look at Megan suspiciously. She’s a country bumpkin. She must not have seen pretty jewelry. That must be why she stole it.

Right then, Megan finally realized why Jacinta had gone through some trouble to set up the show. However, she calmly took out her bag and showed the crowd. “It’s true that I tidied up the jewelry box, but I didn’t take anything.”

Yet, Jacinta insisted, “It’s worth more than three million! I want to search her!”

“I said I didn’t take it.”

“Ha,” Jacinta sneered before staring at Megan’s face. “It’s too early to say that. Maybe you hid it somewhere out of sight. Strip! If we still can’t find anything, it means you’re innocent.”

Almost immediately, Megan’s expression turned as dark as the night. She gritted her teeth as her hands balled into fists. Jacinta’s not trying to blame me for theft; she’s trying to humiliate me!

“No,” came Megan’s short answer. When Jacinta’s eyes met Megan’s, a chill threatened to run down her spine.

Furrowing as she looked at Megan, Jacinta then laughed. “Why, you stole my things, but you’re giving me that look? It’s one thing for you to steal my makeup like you did before, but this time, you’ve gone overboard. I have to teach you a lesson!”

Hearing Jacinta’s words, the crowd was dumbfounded with disbelief. Those who knew Jacinta knew about her temper. Stealing from Jacinta was the same as stealing from a queen.

Who gave her the courage to do this?

The heated discussion that was ongoing around them traveled into Megan’s ears. As she looked at Jacinta, she sneered. There’s no way I’m going to take off my clothes. I’ve crossed Jacinta anyway. It won’t matter if I cross her again.

With that thought in mind, Megan took a few steps closer toward Jacinta. Right as she was about to pretend to trip and pull down Jacinta’s dress to strip her instead, Jonas suddenly stood up.

“Jacie, there’s no need to do this.”

His calm and steady voice made Jacinta’s heart shudder. She turned around to look at him with a doting but frustrated gaze. “She’s used you, and she stole my things. Why are you talking on behalf of a despicable person like her?”

Jacinta had never spoken to him in that way, and his good impression of her was beginning to fade away. A little infuriated, he knitted his brows and said, “You have no proof to say that she’s the thief. Moreover, it’s too vile to confront her in this way. I can’t bear to keep watching this.”

Jacinta froze as her heart skipped a beat. It was then she realized it seemed like she had crossed the line. She had wanted to embarrass Megan, but it seemed as though she had embarrassed herself instead.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3159

Surveillance Cameras

When Jonas realized the two were silent, his gaze landed on Megan as he softly muttered, “We have surveillance cameras here. As long as we check the footage, we’ll know where it is. If it’s really her who did this, we’ll send her to the police station. Jacie, there’s no need for you to dirty your hands for this.”

Although he was right, Jacinta was still furious. There was no way she cared about a mere necklace, not to mention the fact that she was not wearing any necklace; she only wanted to take revenge on the ignorant woman.

As Megan looked at Jacinta’s frustrated expression, she laughed inwardly. At the same time, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. If Jonas had not stood out to defuse the situation, Megan would have continued with her plan.

“Well, then. We’ll find out the truth when we check the surveillance footage,” Megan calmly uttered. Unbeknownst to everyone but Megan herself, there was a slight tremble in her voice.

Despite her dissatisfaction, Jacinta could do nothing about it. She stomped her foot in anger before shooting a glare at Donna. “Hurry and check the footage!”

Donna visibly shuddered from Jacinta’s roar, and she mumbled her replies before running toward the security control room.

At that, Megan huffed, but she did nothing to expose Jacinta.

As long as Donna went, it would not matter even if Jacinta was not actually wearing any necklace. After all, Donna was one of Jacinta’s people, and she would cover up the incident for the latter.

Minutes later, the crowd dispersed. However, Megan remained standing on the same spot. Just as she was about to ask Jonas why he was helping her, Jacinta’s voice traveled into her ears again.

“Jonas, listen to me…”

When Megan lifted her head, she saw Jacinta about to explain something to Jonas. However, he rejected her. At that, Megan laughed, feeling both smug and exasperated.

Jacinta’s action had disgusted Jonas, and he was clearly maintaining a distance away from her now. Megan knew Jacinta was going to hold her accountable for that as well.

As the confusion in her heart was still present, when Megan saw Jacinta looking upset and no longer following Jonas around, Megan secretly went after him.

After a short jog, Megan caught up with him before he could retreat to his own green room. She was panting when she grabbed the edge of his shirt. Raising her head to look at him, she questioned, “Why did you help me?”

It was a straightforward question. Perplexed by the sudden appearance of Megan, he quietly pulled his shirt away from her grasp and took a step back. “I said I couldn’t bear watching it. I thought you came to me to thank me.”

After evening out her breaths, she smiled and cheekily replied, “Of course. I’m immensely thankful to you.”

Jonas hummed as he folded his arms. Then, he hunched over and narrowed his eyes before enunciating, “But I hate you.”

Who would like a woman who used them? Megan knew what he was thinking, so she did not mind his words. She sighed before mumbling, “I know, but since you’ve helped me, I’d like to be honest with you. I planned whatever happened that day. Part of why I’ve gotten my first role is because of you. I’ll remember this forever, even if you hate me.”

The woman in front of Jonas continued to mumble under her breath, Jonas realized she looked nothing like the calm and steady woman she was a moment ago. However, Jonas remained expressionless as he listened to her. He was used to seeing the tricks and traps of the entertainment industry, so he knew to take everything with a grain of salt. Moreover, Megan had set him up in the past.

“Enough. You’re done using me, so please stay away from me from now on. That’ll be the best kind of thanks from you. You don’t need to take what happened today to heart.”

Jonas did not want Megan to assume that he was a kindhearted, righteous man, and he did not want Megan to overthink the incident. Thus, he did his best to look apathetic to the matter as he spoke in a placid tone.

Megan lowered her eyes and stared at the bottom of Jonas’ pants. She knew no one would trust her—not that she expected him to trust her anyway—but she did not want to owe anyone any favors. However, she would remember what Jonas had done for her today.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3160

Wrath Of Jacinta

“I understand.”

With a nod, Megan turned to leave. Just as Jonas was about to enter his green room, he halted in his tracks and stared at Megan’s retreating figure. He uttered, “Go home earlier. If you stick around, Jacinta’s going to be mad at you again.”

Hearing him, Megan turned around, but he was already gone.

After returning to the filming site, Megan realized that as Jacinta was in a foul mood, the latter had requested to end the afternoon shooting earlier.

When they were on the way back, Megan and Donna sat in the backseat of the van. They could sense the tension in the air, and Megan knew it was a sign of an incoming storm.

“Megan Rockford. Come here!”

Eventually, I’ll have to face the music. Megan found it a little suffocating to be in the cramped space, but she soon got used to it. When she raised her head to look at Jacinta’s scrunched-up face, it felt as if she was looking at a tsunami rushing toward her.

“Megan, what is your relationship with Jonas?”

Her voice was like a banshee, and it made the hairs on Megan’s arms rise along with the goosebumps. Staring at her, Megan mocked, “What kind of relationship could we have? I told you we don’t know each other. I only used him to make myself more popular.”

“He doesn’t know you?” Jacinta sneered before screaming, “If he doesn’t know you, why would he stand up for you? You liar! You b*tch!”

Jacinta’s curses were piercing to her ears, and Megan felt the urge to record all her words to show her fans what Jacinta was truly like. Unable to stand Jacinta’s hysterical screeches, she forced herself to focus elsewhere. Right then, she thought about her failed plan from earlier.

If Megan was to have a falling out with Jacinta, the most that would happen to her would be her departure from Starling Media. At the start, she was worried that leaving the company would be an obstacle to the progression of her career, as Transcendent had yet to air. However, it seemed like she would be nothing but Jacinta’s personal punching bag if she continued to stay in Starling Media.

After all, no matter whether it was her past life or her current one, Luna had never thought of her as someone important.

“Maybe Jonas couldn’t stand looking at your arrogant demeanor, and that’s why he stood up for me.”

There was a moment of silence after Megan’s words as both Donna and Jacinta froze. Jacinta even widened her eyes, unable to process what Megan had said for a moment.

She was one of the most popular celebrities, and everyone always treated her with respect. Yet, a countryside bumpkin had just said that she was arrogant.

“Y-You—” Jacinta stabbed a finger in Megan’s direction, but she could not form a full sentence. After taking in multiple deep breaths, then she finally snapped, “How dare you say that I’m arrogant? Who do you think you are? What right do you have to get Jonas to put in a good word for you?”

By then, Jacinta’s hair and makeup were in a mess, revealing the aging lines on her face. Looking at her, Megan laughed before mocking, “Maybe it’s because… I’m young.”

“Ah!”

All of a sudden, Jacinta maniacally pulled Megan’s hair. The mascara on her face was streaking down her cheeks, and at that moment, she looked like a demon straight from hell.

“Let go of me!” Megan did not think the words would agitate her that much. Her scalp was aching from Jacinta’s pull, but she could not struggle much in a narrow space.

“Megan, do you want a horrible life in Starling Media? If you don’t beg me for forgiveness, I’m never going to let you off!”

The way Jacinta said it was as though Megan would definitely do as she said. Jacinta’s really overestimating Starling Media’s worth to her.

“Dream on!”

“You—”

The tension between them was growing stronger and stronger with every passing second, and Donna was fretting at the side. In her panic, she uttered, “Jacinta, Luna’s still waiting for you.”

It was an effective move. Upon hearing the mention of Luna’s name, Jacinta calmed down visibly. However, her face was still scrunched up as she dragged Megan out of the car and into the building. Megan struggled the entire time, but even until they reached Luna’s office, she still could not break free from Jacinta’s grip.