Ch. 3181..3190

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3181

Standing Up For Myself

Nevertheless, I’ll not shy away from standing up for myself.

“Really? Alright, let’s put this issue aside for now.” Steven had no intention to pursue the matter. Though he was clueless about the history between Megan and Jacinta, he could tell that the latter was here to make a scene.

Since she had caused him to lose face, he would not stand by her.

Jacinta was unwilling to give up, as she had yet to see Megan being reprimanded. With a pitiful face, she said in a frail voice, “Mr. Hayes, but…”

However, Steven wasn’t a soft-hearted man.

With an impatient look, he waved his hand dismissively. “Call someone to pick you up. That’s all for today. All of you may leave now.”

In a daze, the actors and the crew exchanged glances. Seeing that Steven had left, they checked on Jacinta for a short while before leaving the hotel.

Never had she thought that none of them fell for her scheme. Enraged, the woman swiped everything off the table to vent her anger. She then stood up, enduring the pain in her ankle.

“Megan, stop right there!”

The woman’s bellow stopped Megan in her tracks as she ambled toward the entrance. Beside her stood Francesca, who was now distracted from their conversation. The two glanced at Jacinta simultaneously.

Her arrogant attitude was nowhere to be seen. “You can’t hide your true colors anymore, can you?” Megan was appeased while watching her limp toward them like a disabled person.

“Are you happy now?” Jacinta was observant enough to catch a glimpse of disdain in Megan’s gaze. Clenching her fists, she grumbled through gritted teeth, “Do you really think that the reporters will let you off like Mr. Hayes did?”

Megan chuckled at her words. With her arms folded, an impish grin spread across her face as she teased, “It looks like you can’t wait to see me make a fool of myself. I don’t know if the reporters will leave me alone, but I’m sure that you certainly won’t let me off the hook.”

Her carefree demeanor showed her contempt for Jacinta. The latter felt a wave of fury shoot through her, and her face reddened.

Pointing right at Megan, the woman shot daggers at her. “You’re only an ugly woman who was kicked out by Starling Media. What makes you think that you can go against me?”

“How awful.” Unable to stand it anymore, Francesca interrupted her out of the blue. “As a popular celebrity, you’re only humiliating yourself by doing these despicable deeds.”

Those who were at the scene were well aware of the truth, let alone a shrewd and quick-witted woman like Francesca, who undoubtedly saw through Jacinta’s ploy.

An unscrupulous and guileful woman like Jacinta would go to any length to harm others.

“How dare a small fry like you horn in on my affairs?” Turning to glance at Francesca, she flew off the handle at the sight of the latter’s unfamiliar face.

Even a nobody has the nerve to retort me now.

“Wake up, Jacinta!” Megan promptly shielded Francesca behind her. Her expression turned grim. I don’t want to drag anyone else into this mess.

“I know what I’m doing!”

Pressing her lips into a hard line, the woman gave them a death stare. Dragging her injured leg, she wobbled forward and shoved Megan away. She then raised her hand, aiming right at Francesca’s face.

In the next second, a tight slap landed on Jacinta’s cheek instead, leaving a palm print behind. Her hand that froze in mid-air looked ridiculous.

“Argh! How dare you slap me! You b***h!”

Letting out a hysterical shriek, Jacinta lunged at Francesca to strangle her, but the latter dodged her attack. Megan’s heart skipped a beat. Knowing that they had pushed Jacinta over the edge, she grabbed Francesca’s hand and sprinted out of the hotel.

After a while, the two were short of breath when they returned to Francesca’s car, gasping for air. The scene at the hotel earlier popped into their minds. Only someone with an influential background like Francesca had the guts to do such a thing.

Glancing at the woman beside her, Megan gave her a thumbs up. “That’s a good one, Francesca. Jacinta seemed to have lost her mind after getting a slap from you.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3182

Bring Him To His Knees

The high and mighty Jacinta had never been through such a big humiliation before. This encounter trampled on her pride and confidence.

“She’s the one who started it! But I beat her to it. In fact, I was only doing her a favor.” Francesca appeared unfazed. Driving out of the parking lot, she chewed on bubble gum while adding, “If she slapped me, she would be doomed.”

Although Megan didn’t know who was backing Francesca up, she was sure that the person was powerful enough to bring Steven to his knees. Therefore, Francesca wasn’t exaggerating.

“I guess you’re right…” Megan’s lips quirked up into a half-smile. Her expression was impassive. She didn’t ask further, staring straight ahead at the road.

Soon, Francesca sent her to the junction where her rental unit was and drove away. She then trotted along the road toward home. The moment she stepped through the door, Donna approached her with a troubled face.

“What exactly happened? Why did you ask me to come home first?”

Earlier, she texted and asked Donna to head home right after Jacinta fell off the stage. Otherwise, the two might bump into each other and get into a fight.

“Something happened just now.” Changing her shoes, Megan sat on the couch with her brows furrowed. “Jacinta stirred up trouble. Though Mr. Hayes said nothing, the media might make a big fuss out of this.”

Donna’s expression changed at the mention of Jacinta. Taking a seat beside Megan, she balled up her hands instinctively, overwhelmed with trepidation. “Did she set you up?”

“You’re right.” Nodding her head, the woman raised a brow. Afterward, she fished out her phone and found Rocky’s number. “Let’s drop this subject for now. I have to give Rocky a call first.”

Just as Jacinta said, although Mr. Hayes hasn’t blamed me, the incident has raised the media’s suspicion and caused havoc. There’s no way the nosy reporters will let go of this golden opportunity. Hence, I have to look for Rocky to expose the truth first. This is what the people in showbiz call crisis management.

“Okay, call him now.” Knowing her plan, Donna nodded and let her make the call.

Dialing his number, Megan waited with bated breath. The call finally got through after a few rings.

“Hello. What’s the matter?”

Hearing his voice, Megan rubbed her forehead and said in a frustrated tone. “I need your help with something.”

Rocky breathed a sigh and asked tentatively, “Is it about today’s launch event?”

She didn’t expect the news to get about within such a short time. Even Rocky, who had been busy lately, heard about it. Only then she grasped the severity of this issue.

Her brows knitted together. A hint of panic crossed her usually calm face. “I’ll go straight to the point since you’ve already known it. I need you to spread scandals about Jacinta on the Internet.”

Rocky paused briefly before replying, “What scandals about Jacinta? Something about how she’s into younger men?”

In showbiz, those who are close to Jacinta knew that she had this fetish for five long years.

“That’s not all.” She added in a deep voice, “I want you to tell the netizens that she set me up because I was involved in a scandal with a young idol whom she likes. Remember to include a detailed analysis to make it logical and factual.”

Megan figured out this solution on her way home. Since Jacinta wants to ruin my reputation and kick me out of showbiz, I’ll not go easy on her then. I’m only giving her a taste of her own medicine.

After a moment of silence, Rocky mulled over the plan and found it feasible. “That’s a good idea. I’ll get on with it now.” Hanging up the phone, he started writing a post on Twitter to clear Megan’s name.

Seeing that they had reached an agreement, Donna felt reassured and let out a sigh of relief. Judging from the crease on Megan’s forehead, she knew that the woman was still feeling uneasy, but she didn’t know how to comfort her.

Suddenly, Donna’s phone rang once. There were several push notifications on the screen.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3183

Turn The Tables

Breaking News: Jacinta Fell During Launch Event. Her Junior Kept A Sullen Face.

The news got on Donna’s nerves. Hurriedly, she handed the phone to Megan and urged, “Look! The news is out!”

After reading most of the comments, Megan scoffed, “These people are even more dramatic than I am. What do they mean by pushing her off the stage because I was annoyed by her presence? I’m not an idiot to take revenge on her in public, let alone for such a reason.”

Anger pulsed through her veins as she scrolled through Twitter. The further she read, the harder she clenched her jaw out of rage toward Jacinta.

“All these comments are absurd!” Holding the laptop, Donna scrolled through the comments with a frown, on the verge of throwing a fit. “What the hell are they talking about? They said that you did it out of jealousy, trying to cripple her on purpose.”

Megan let out a snigger and locked the phone screen, refusing to read the netizens’ speculations. They were nothing other than accusations, anyway.

“Stop reading already. Let’s wait for Rocky to update his Twitter. That’ll turn the tables.” Calm and collected, she stood up and stretched herself, shaking off those brutal comments that were stuck in her head.

Nonetheless, Donna wasn’t as cool-headed as Megan. She rebuked those ill-founded comments vehemently, typing away on the keyboard to wage war with the Internet trolls.

Staring at the disgruntled woman, Megan didn’t stop her. Only she herself knew that despite her composed look, she had silently sent a few texts to Rocky, urging him to speed things up.

A few moments later, her phone finally beeped. Glancing at the screen, she read a text from Rocky: It will be posted automatically at 5 o’clock. Do check it out then.

Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was only one minute left. The woman heaved a long sigh, and the anxiousness in her ceased.

“Megan, Rocky just posted something on Twitter! It’s trending now.” A minute flew by. Donna sat by Megan’s side and pointed at the laptop enthusiastically.

The title read: A Famous Actor Has Eye On A Young Idol And Framed His Rumored Girlfriend.

Undeniably, Rocky was well-informed about the tittle-tattle in showbiz. After reading his post, Megan felt that he had written more than enough. Though he didn’t mention Jacinta’s name, the netizens could always figure it out, as the tweet was posted right after the incident.

Sure enough, by the time Megan clicked into the comment section, some netizens managed to conjecture the ins and outs of the incident, as though they had seen it with their very own eyes.

“My goodness! Is it talking about Jacinta, Jonas, and Megan?” ”Is this real?”

“Wow! What a drama! I guess Jacinta fell deliberately to frame Megan.”

In the comment section, various guesses and theories made the incident more confusing. All Jacinta’s anti-fans sided with Megan now. She was no longer the prime target of the netizens.

Staring at the screen, Megan slumped into the couch. Delighted, she finally smiled for the first time after the incident. “Rocky did a good job. I need to reveal some shocking news to him as a token of appreciation.”

“Indeed. He has muddied the waters further.” Donna was still browsing Twitter. Megan’s smile lifted her mood, and her tone became playful and lively.

“Oh, wait, what’s this?” Scrolling down the screen idly, Donna suddenly stumbled upon another post regarding Megan. She took a closer look, and her voice stuck in her throat. “J-Jonas posted a tweet for you…”

“What?”

Megan’s assurance was immediately replaced by nervousness. She darted over to the laptop and stared intently at the screen.

The tweet read: “Megan will never do such a thing. Be kind and keep a guard on your tongue​.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3184

Defending Her

Apparently, Jonas couldn’t stand to see the netizens hurl insults at Megan, so he defended her on Twitter. However, the latter couldn’t bring herself to be grateful to him.

“He’s only adding fuel to the fire.” Megan’s expression hardened, pressing her lips together. “His fans are going to scold me again.”

The two women recalled the last time Megan sought Jonas’ help for a publicity stunt because she wanted to secure a role, but she ended up being ostracized by all the netizens. She didn’t want history to repeat itself.

“Maybe we should look on the bright side.” At a loss for words, Donna sighed. “Jonas’ support proves that you’re a woman of integrity, but it’s inevitable that you’ll be berated for some time.”

Megan held her forehead as countless vexing thoughts ran through her mind. “But he should’ve informed me beforehand. He’s getting himself into trouble as well.”

Donna was getting more worried about Megan, because she could foresee the problems that were coming their way.

What if some extreme fans come over and wait outside this place? We’ll have to deal with more than just the Internet trolls

Just as the two were still feeling perturbed, Megan’s phone rang. It was an unknown number.

On pins and needles, the two exchanged glances, afraid that it might be a call from an Internet troll. In this era of technology, one could easily find out others’ contact numbers.

Glancing at the ringing phone, Megan didn’t move an inch. The phone had turned into a hot potato in her eyes.

Irritated by the incessant ringtone, Megan was worried that it was a call from work. “Fine, I’ll answer it.” She gave it some thought and decided to pick up the phone.

“Hello.” Clutching her phone, Megan had her heart in her mouth and held her breath while waiting for the reply.

“It’s me, Jake.” A steady, soothing voice came from the other side of the phone. Stunned for a second, she was rendered speechless.

Why is he looking for me? It’s been days since the farce. Is he going to hold me accountable or reminisce about the past? Utterly baffled, the woman grew edgier.

“Why are you so quiet?”

“Mmm… I’m just surprised to hear from you. Is something the matter?” she asked softly. Her tone sounded distant.

Displeased by the alienation, Jake remained silent for a short while. Instead of asking her, he commanded, ”I’m downstairs. Come and have lunch with me.”

At first, Megan was reluctant. However, thinking that it could make Mia green with envy, she agreed to it right away.

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Sitting right next to the woman, Donna heard the conversation and became distressed. Watching Megan packing her handbag, her brows drew together as she grabbed the woman’s arm. “What if this is a trap?”

With downcast eyes, Megan smiled ruefully while patting Donna’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. The worst that could happen was getting fired. Besides, I’m confident that it won’t happen.”

Donna was tongue-tied for a few seconds. Helpless, she reminded, “I know I can’t stop you, but please be careful.”

Nodding her head, Megan put on some light makeup, took her handbag, and headed out.

At the stairway, someone escorted her to a black car and opened the door for her. ”Ms. Rockford, please get into the car. Mr. Wilson is waiting for you.”

Even though she was living for the second time, she had never experienced anything like this before. Taking a deep breath, she slowly got into the car.

“You’re here.”

As soon as she got into the car, Jake put away his laptop and turned to glance at the woman, who was restrained and guarded.

The man raised a brow at her and sneered, “You weren’t as timid when you fell intentionally onto the floor to set Mia up.”

As soon as he said it, Megan turned her head around to gape at him with widened eyes. Embarrassment was written all over her face, and the rhythm of her heartbeat became frantic.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3185

I Have A Crush On Him

It seems like he’s here to confront me.

“D-Did you see everything?”

He chuckled at her question. With an aloof expression, he said indifferently, “If you’re going to pretend to be pushed over again, make sure that your injury is as severe as Jacinta’s.”

Jacinta?

Fluttering her lashes, Megan instantly understood him. She then shook her head and smiled. “I’m not as cunning as her.”

Turning his head, Jake scrutinized her. Within seconds, the atmosphere in the car became oppressive, and it wiped the smile off the woman’s face, as she knew he was about to cut to the chase.

“In case you didn’t know, many approached me over the past few years, saying that they’re Megan. In the end, they were sent to Alendor for labor work.” Staring ahead in silence for a while, he added slowly, “I hope you won’t be the next.”

She could tell that the man was implying something, but a person who hadn’t lied wouldn’t understand his words. Her eyes widened as she asked cowardly, ”Why can’t my name be Megan?”

The man cast her a sideways glance and let out a sniff. With a frigid gaze, he tipped her chin up with his finger. “Not in front of me, unless you’re really her.”

“Who’s she? I don’t get it.” Megan moved away from his grip. Her expression seemed mildly annoyed, and there wasn’t a trace of deception in her genuine gaze.

The suspicion in Jake’s heart diminished gradually. With his legs crossed, he recalled the information he found about Megan.

“I remember you said that you’ve been to an orphanage in Queenston Village,” he said casually. His hand pressed against the car window. “I’m a little curious about the kids in the orphanage. Can you recognize any of them from these photos?”

What? Did he just ask me to recognize them from the photos?

Her expression flinched inconspicuously; yet, she quickly regained her composure. Rocky looked into the matter and showed me some photos and details on the lives of those living in the orphanage, but I won’t be able to tell him the name of each person in the photo.

Then, she explained nonchalantly, “Yes, I’ve been to the orphanage, but I didn’t stay there, so I only know a handful of people there.”

Jake was skeptical about her words, studying her expression. Suddenly, he snickered. “Okay. Take a look and see if you can spot anyone you know in these photos and give me an account of the situation back then.”

Megan resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. Now I know why the other people named Megan were sent to Alendor.

“Sure. Give me the photos.” She nodded in agreement without batting an eyelid. “If everyone was in the photos, I should be able to recognize some of them.”

Her readiness made the man cast a few more glances at her. He then took an envelope from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and handed it to her.

“Hurry up, it’s going to be noon soon. This will determine whether you’re going to be in a restaurant or a cruise to Alendor.”

His tone was totally impassive as if he was only chatting about the weather. The woman’s heart skipped a beat. She tried to keep her hands as still as she could, so they wouldn’t quiver.

Brushing his words aside, Megan opened the envelope, and a stack of old, yellowish photos fell out of it. Picking one up, she looked at it carefully and spotted Jake.

His appearance was entirely different when he was young. The thin and short boy looked nothing like the tall and dashing man he was now. He was indistinguishable if one hadn’t seen his old photos.

“I can recognize this boy.” With a firm look, she pointed at Jake’s face in the photo. “I often hung out with him when I went to the Queenston Village.”

Staring at the spot where her finger was, Jake narrowed his eyes. In the next second, he pulled himself together. “Oh? Do you remember anything about him?”

Looking up, Megan gazed right into his dark eyes, which were gleaming like obsidian. “Of course I do, because I had a crush on him when I was a little girl. Despite his skinny frame, he was sharp-witted and always cheered me up. He asked me to call him Gabe.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3186

A Convincing Lie

Megan looked nostalgic while reminiscing the past, as though she had lived it herself. Jake studied her half-lidded eyes with a faint smile, and the darkness that had shrouded his heart for many years seemed to finally fade away.

His nickname Gabe was the only thing he remembered about himself, but it was officially changed to Jake Wilson after being brought into the Wilson family.

But Jake still couldn’t bring himself to trust the woman in front of him because her appearance was too much of a coincidence. Unfortunately, he had lost all his memories from the past.

It looked like he could only wait and see how things panned out.

Hence, he said, “Give me the photo. Although there’s no need to go to Alendor anymore, I’ll still be keeping an eye on you.”

Upon hearing that, Megan breathed a long sigh of relief. She felt as though she had stepped away from the edge of a cliff, but there was no telling when she would have to take a step forward again.

However, she did not have a choice at all. If she didn’t stop Jake and let Mia successfully secure her position, her chances of winning in this life would be very slim. Thus, she had to force herself to take such risks.

Megan recollected her thoughts as she passed the photo to Jake. Huffing out a short laugh, she said calmly, “I still don’t understand what you’re talking about, but I’m glad I don’t have to go to Alendor anymore.”

Jake raised his brows wordlessly, but other than that, his expression was as calm as a millpond.

With his heart in turmoil, he looked out the car window to watch the city view whizzing by. If she’s really the one from my memories, can she really save me from the darkness that’s threatening to pull me down?

If she can’t, then her existence would be meaningless.

“Mr. Wilson, we’ve arrived.”

After some time, the car pulled to a stop by the entrance of a restaurant. Jake opened the car door and motioned for Megan to follow him upstairs.

Be it in her previous life or her current one, Megan had never seen such an opulent restaurant. Lifting her head to admire the exquisite interior design, she couldn’t help but lament that her previous life as a celebrity was all for naught.

They followed a waiter along a corridor and very soon, they reached the second floor which was visibly more secluded. After Jake and Megan took their seats across from each other, the atmosphere in the private room turned slightly awkward.

“I’ve already ordered our food. If there’s anything else you want to eat, feel free to order it yourself. It’s my treat.” Jake crossed one leg over the other and lazily propped his forehead against a closed fist. Then, he openly studied the woman in front of him through half-lidded eyes that were of an amber hue.

Megan didn’t dare to move a muscle. She was already feeling guilty as it was. Looking down at the menu that was pushed toward her, she shook her head with a feeble smile. “Thank you, but I’m fine with anything you order.”

Jake narrowed his eyes in a fraction. Arching a skeptical brow at her, he mentally flipped through the information he had on Megan and said indifferently, “As someone who grew up in the countryside, aren’t you the least bit interested in the city’s top delicacies?”

This seemed to be an ordinary question, but it resembled a hand on Megan’s back, ready to push her into the abyss the moment she gave him an unsatisfactory answer.

Megan was silent for a while, but her expression remained unchanged. “It’s not that I’m not interested, but when I was with Gabe before, he always called me rude, so he often told me what they taught him in the orphanage. Even though I’m not that cultured, I still know some basic manners.”

She managed to tell a convincing lie while keeping a straight face. Squaring her shoulders, she continued in an unwavering tone, “Besides, it’s impossible for ordinary citizens to dine here. I get that you’re a big shot, but please don’t look down on others.”

When she was done, the doubt in Jake’s eyes had already morphed into intrigue, and a vague smile formed on his lips without him even realizing it. “Are you scolding me?”

“I…” Megan was rendered speechless. Unable to read his thoughts, her initial righteous attitude instantly vanished and she murmured to herself, “I just think that you’re wrong.”

Although her voice was barely audible, Jake still managed to catch it due to the confined space of the private room. Instead of feeling offended, the corners of his lips lifted slightly and the frost in his eyes was replaced by warmth.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3187

Out Of Charity

He concealed his smile and said jokingly, “You’re the first woman who dared to scold me like that.”

Megan froze and suddenly felt awkward. For some reason, she felt a chill run down her spine. With a sheepish smile, she waved her hands and contradicted, “No, no. Your parents must’ve been the first ones who scolded you.”

At this, the warmth instantly left Jake’s eyes. Pursing his lips unhappily, he said in a solemn voice, “Next time, you’d do well to remember that I grew up in an orphanage and I have no parents.”

The two of them ate most of their meal in silence. Ten minutes later, Megan placed down her utensils after she was done eating. Just as she was about to get up and bid farewell, Jake chose to break the silence at that moment.

“Did you resign from Starling Media?”

Megan was momentarily taken aback but quickly nodded in response. “Yes, I didn’t want to stay there anymore.”

Raising his head to glance at her, Jake tried to sound her out. “Do you want to sign with Sky Entertainment?”

Sigh with Sky Entertainment? Never in her wildest dreams had Megan imagined that an insignificant meal would lead to a contract offer she had hankered after for so long. Bowing her head, she recalled the pain and suffering she went through in her previous life just for this official contract. The resentment buried deep down in her heart surged to the surface, making her feel slightly conflicted.

Finally, she replied, “No, thank you.”

She would never sign a contract that was offered to her out of charity. Besides, she couldn’t be sure if this was some kind of trap Jake laid out for her.

“Oh?” Jake took a sip of his wine, seemingly unfazed by her rejection. “If there’s anything you need, you can come to me. I’ll give you my number.”

“Duly noted.”

Their meal lasted the whole night, but only a few words were exchanged with silence hovering over them most of the time. Fortunately, Megan had already prepared what to say beforehand. Hence, she managed to hold a pretty decent conversation with Jake.

Back in the rental house, before Megan could even sit down to rest from being mentally exhausted, Donna bounded over and grabbed her arm with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

“C’mon, Megan. Tell me what the two of you did.”

Perceiving the expectant look on Donna’s face, Megan sighed helplessly and placed her bag on the coffee table before plopping onto the sofa. In a weary voice, she replied, “Nothing, but I feel like I could die.”

Megan initially didn’t plan on revealing too much, but under Donna’s persistent question, she recounted everything from start to finish in great detail. After she was done, Donna was visibly appalled by how observant Jake was.

Not just Donna, but even Megan who had lived and died once was intimidated by Jake’s terrifying aura. In her previous life, she probably wouldn’t even dare to meet his gaze.

Beep, beep, beep.

The abrupt sound of Megan’s phone ringing interrupted their train of thought. Upon glancing at the caller ID, Megan noticed that it was Steven.

Without a second thought, she answered the call. “Hi, Mr. Hayes. How can I help you at this hour?”

“Megan, tomorrow’s launch event is very important. Don’t forget to come.” Steven cut straight to the chase. There was a hint of exhaustion in his tone, and his usually stern voice seemed to have softened a little.

But what he said left Megan slightly dumbfounded. Due to the huge uproar earlier that day, she didn’t plan on attending the premiere. She could still clearly remember Steven’s expression at that moment, which further steeled her resolve.

“Mr. Hayes, I think it’s best if I don’t go. After what happened today, I doubt it’d be a good idea for me to attend the launch event tomorrow.”

“Someone will take care of all this. Just be there and don’t worry about anything else. I won’t take no for an answer. Anyway, it’s getting late now. Rest early.”

With that, Steven ended the call before Megan could respond. A crease formed between her brows as she stared blankly at her phone screen.

“What’s wrong, Megan? Look at that silly look on your face.” Unaware of what happened, Donna poked Megan’s cheek and leaned over to glance at her phone.

“It’s nothing serious. Mr. Hayes wants me to attend the launch event tomorrow. Help me prepare my outfit.” Megan gave Donna some instructions with a frown on her face. Lowering her gaze, doubt crept into her heart.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3188

A Deadlock

Mr. Hayes has always hated unnecessary hype, so why would he insist on having me there?

Megan could only think of one possibility—Jake had something to do with it. After all, Sky Entertainment was the main investor of Transcendent. Hence, giving a newcomer the chance to attend its launch event was but a walk in the park for Jake.

The next day, Megan and Donna were the first to arrive at the launch event. The event this time was grander than the last one. Security was much tighter as well, which was obviously to prevent another horrible incident like before.

“Wow, there are already so many people outside.” Megan pulled open the curtain for a peek. Placing one hand on her chest, she feigned nervousness.

Donna giggled beside her and teased, “I doubt you’d be afraid even when the curtains were fully drawn, but you can keep pretending if it makes you happy.”

She was not wrong to say that. Right then, the only thing Megan feared was Jake sending her to Alendor.

“Megan?”

The two of them were happily chatting away when a familiar male voice came from behind. Looking over her shoulder, Megan realized that Jonas was standing just inches away from her.

She blinked several times, clearly surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”

Jonas smiled upon seeing the disbelief look sprawled on her face. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know that I sang the theme song for this film? The boss asked me to come and show some support.”

Show support, huh? Megan eyed Jonas suspiciously and was transiently lost for words. I never knew that a film directed by Mr. Hayes needed support from a young idol.

“Hey, what’s with that look?” Jonas’s expression changed subtly upon detecting the doubt in her gaze. He couldn’t help but chide, “I’m not the kind of person who’d lie to someone who was dumb enough to fall victim to Jacinta’s ploy.”

At the mention of Jacinta, white-hot rage swelled in Megan. She had yet to get over that incident, but here he was, rubbing salt into the wound.

“Are you here to flaunt your low EQ in front of me?” With anger coursing through her veins, Megan had no intention to be civil with Jonas. She shot him a dirty look and skirted around him to sit on a stool by the side.

Since his debut, Jonas had only been adored by girls. This was the first time a woman dared to give him an attitude. Hence, he was found it vexing and amusing at the same time.

However, Megan was usually an even-tempered person. It seems like I have really said something wrong and pissed her off.

Jonas sighed in resignation. Noticing Megan’s flushed cheeks whilst lost in thought, he was surprised to see how cute she looked now.

He walked forward and lightly nudged her shoe with his own. Lowering his ego a little, he muttered, “Don’t be mad. I’ll make it up to you with a meal after the launch event.”

“No, thank you. Please stay away from me.” Megan lifted her gaze to glance fleetingly at Jonas’ innocent expression. Suddenly, all of the frustration brought about by Jacinta and the internet trolls rushed to the forefront of her mind, making her all the more repulsed by the sight of the man before her.

Obviously, she forgot that she had herself to blame for being close to him.

Minutes passed, but the two of them remained in a deadlock. Standing awkwardly by the side, Donna couldn’t find an opening to intervene. Seeing as Megan didn’t budge even after he coaxed her, Jonas simply ignored her, lest she became smug.

After what felt like an eternity, Jonas abruptly left the break room backstage. Donna gently nudged Megan and used her chin to point in the direction Jonas had left. “Let’s go.”

Megan craned her neck to look in that direction and finally heaved a sigh.

Truth be told, her anger had subsided a long time ago and she was merely pretending later on. After all, she didn’t want to get too close to Jonas. One Jacinta had given her enough trouble to last her a lifetime.

“He’s gone. Good. The launch event is probably starting soon. Let’s escape right after it’s over,” Megan stood up and whispered nervously to Donna, as though she was about to commit a terrible crime later.

Donna nodded profusely and responded with a serious expression. “Okay. We’ll make a mad dash for the exit together!”

More people poured into the break room. By the time the last person arrived, it was also almost time for the launch event to begin.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3189

A Warning

Megan recalled Steven’s promise, stating that there wouldn’t be any more odd incidents. Although she still felt uneasy, she had let her guard down significantly.

At five o’clock in the evening, the launch event for Transcendent finally commenced. After Megan and the other lead actors greeted the media, the sound of the camera shutters clicking assaulted her ears. Jonas and Megan were the two most photographed celebrities out of the bunch. After all, they were both involved in a scandal.

After the launch event started, everyone present was led through the program by the host. Half an hour later, it was finally time for the Q&A session.

Truth be told, Megan was not willing to reveal too much in front of these people, but the usual practice of every press conference would not change merely because of her mood.

“Okay. The one in the yellow shirt on the third row. You may ask a question.”

The host randomly picked a reporter, who upon standing up, stared straight at Megan. It was apparent that his question would be directed at her.

“Ms. Rockford, I’d like to ask you a question. How does it feel to work with Mr. Wulff for the first time?”

Megan stiffened slightly upon being asked this question. There were so many people on stage, but he just had to shine the spotlight onto the one who was a singer.

“I’m really sorry, but Mr. Wulff and I have different professions, so we can’t be considered to have worked together,” Megan brushed off the question with a few simple words and discreetly rolled her eyes. Too many bad things had happened recently and her patience was really running out.

Instantly sensing the tension, the host raised his gaze just in time to glimpse the irritated look on Megan’s face. Then, he wisely told the reporter to sit back down before swiftly picking another reporter to ask the next question.

However, the next reporter who was chosen wasn’t any better than the last. His question wasn’t directed at Megan, but at Jonas instead.

“Mr. Wulff, the lyrics of this song seem to resonate with the villain princess in the film. May I ask if you’d seek Ms. Rockford’s guidance when you sing this song?”

Everyone fell silent upon hearing this cleverly constructed question. The reporter seemed to be asking about the film but was in fact digging for information.

However, this kind of behavior was very likely to get him blacklisted forever. Meaning to say, he would probably never be invited to conduct interviews on any of the shows invested by this company.

The reporter who was chosen did not seem to realize this. Upon seeing that Jonas had no intention to answer, he wanted to repeat his question. However, the curtains behind the row of actors were abruptly pulled open. The next second, a deep and cold voice reverberated through the entire venue like a bolt of lightning, shocking everyone present.

“If you really want to know, you might as well ask me directly.”

Jake stood tall and imposing on the stage, inevitably drawing everyone’s attention to him. In an instant, the temperature at the venue seemed to plummet.

The reporter who asked that question blanched in horror, clearly recognizing Jake as he stammered, “Mr. Wilson…” However, he couldn’t seem to construct a proper sentence.

Jake’s eyes darkened and he glanced toward Megan with an unreadable expression. Even though Megan had her back to him, she could feel the weight of his gaze, and it sent a tingling sensation through her entire body.

Seemingly pleased by Megan’s nervous reaction, Jake stuffed one hand into his trouser pocket and pressed his lips together before silently walking to the spot behind her. Then, he placed a broad palm on her shoulder like it was the most natural thing to do. This gesture coupled with Jake’s expressionless face looked very much like a warning to her in the audience’s eyes.

However, Megan felt differently. Instead of feeling afraid, the warmth from his palm caused goosebumps all over her body, and her heart started beating wildly in her chest.

Since when are Jake and I that close? She was still wary of him. Thus, his overly warm gesture was bound to arouse further suspicion.

“Both Megan Rockford and Jonas Wulff are actors sponsored by us. I believe all of you are professional reporters, so act the part and don’t ask unnecessary questions.”

Through the thin fabric, Jake could feel Megan’s tense body. The inexplicable displeasure which had slithered into his heart earlier finally dissipated slightly. He withdrew his hand and scanned the room of reporters with an impassive expression, issuing the final warning.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3190

Shipper Fan

At that moment, Megan finally understood what Steven meant when he said someone would take care of it. He was, in fact, referring to Jake. She didn’t know how to react to this revelation. He’s the only person who could’ve gotten Steven to call me.

Is he treating me so well because of the stories I made up?

“Hey, focus.” Kelly gently nudged Megan when she noticed the latter spacing out. When Megan lifted her head again, she realized that Jake was no longer there.

Ignoring the reporters below, she whispered to Kelly, “He’s gone?”

“He left right after he finished speaking. Big bosses like him must really be busy. It’s not that surprising that he couldn’t stay too long.” Kelly shrugged, then jerked her chin at the reporters below the stage and advised, “Don’t overthink it. There are still a lot of reporters down there. Let’s get over with this first.”

Upon hearing that he had left, Megan instantly relaxed. She nodded and exhaled a long breath, finally able to focus on the launch event where no one dared to ask sensitive questions anymore.

Half an hour later, the launch event finally came to an end. Megan trudged backstage, physically and mentally tired. After exchanging a few words with Kelly, Donna came over to drag her away.

Due to what happened on stage just now, Megan was still a little bit dazed. It wasn’t only until Donna interrupted that she remembered about her plan to slip away right after getting off stage.

“Okay, okay. We can stop now.” Megan slumped in relief upon arriving at the hotel’s back door. If she were to be captured by those unscrupulous paparazzi, her name would be plastered all over the headlines again.

After running for quite some time, the two of them stopped to take a break, panting breathlessly. They were just about to hail a taxi on the main road when someone called out in a loud voice, “Oh my God, Megan Rockford! I have finally found you!”

Megan looked over her shoulder in bewilderment and was confused to see a little girl with a curtain of long hair running toward her. Although reluctant, she still responded out of courtesy, “You are?”

The little girl was visibly disappointed. She wanted to pass the gift in her hand to Megan, but the latter wasn’t a kind or naive person. Hence, she merely stared at what looked very much like a lunchbox with no intention to accept it.

“Megan, I really, really ship you and Jonas Wulff! The interaction between the two of you on Twitter was just too cute!” The little girl held out the lunchbox with excitement written all over her face. Even her originally pale complexion seemed to glow from it.

Megan was taken aback for a moment and suddenly fell into deep thought. In a few years’ time, these shipper fans would only increase in number. Shipper fans basically emerged when love or friendship was portrayed between male and female leads in films.

Hence, Megan found it peculiar that this girl would ship her and Jonas merely because of an interaction she saw on Twitter. If memory served her right, it was only a single sentence. Not to mention, it was a one-sided conversation on Jonas’ end.

“Oh… I see. Then, thank you for your support,” Megan gave a casual response and smiled perfunctorily. Then, she signaled Donna with her eyes and was about to leave.

However, the girl noticed the little message that passed between them. Without warning, she stepped in between them and shoved the lunchbox into Megan’s arms.

“This is a lunchbox I personally made for you. Don’t forget to eat it, Megan!”

Before Megan could react, the girl let go of the lunchbox, spun on her heels and scurried off. Megan looked at the lunchbox in her hand with furrowed brows, planning to throw it away.

“Hey, aren’t you going to see what’s inside? You don’t have to eat it.” When Donna saw Megan walking toward a trash bin, her curiosity got the best of her again.

“What’s there to see?” Contrary to Donna, Megan wasn’t as curious. Right before she threw away the lunchbox, Donna’s hand shot out to stop her.

With reluctance lining her features, she said, “What if she’s really a fan? She’d be heartbroken if she found out you threw it away. Besides, what if you’re caught on camera doing this? So I think you should really take a look.”

Megan lowered her gaze and sighed in defeat. Since Donna insisted, she didn’t put up a fight anymore. Thus, she placed the lunchbox on the cover of the trash bin and was about to open it.