Ch. 3281..3290
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3281
Cheating
“Is there anyone else who would like to place your bets?”
“Nope, just reveal the cards.”
Herman was unable to conceal his delight when he heard that. He stood up immediately and turned his cards over with an ecstatic expression on his face.
“24 points. All four million belongs to me now!”
Everyone in the crowd could not help but glance at Herman’s cards which were laid out in front of him. However, the looks of envy on their faces turned into looks of confusion just a second later.
“Is this man crazy?”
“I didn’t know mentally-ill people are also allowed into the casino.”
Hushed tones of discussion traveled to Megan and Herman’s ears and both of them had different expressions on their faces. The sum of the cards on the table made up to only 14 points, and not the 24 points Herman thought he had.
Unable to believe his eyes, Herman slumped into the chair in shock. As if he had a sudden thought, his face suddenly lit up.
Pointing at the dealer and the casino staff, the man started yelling hysterically, “You guys must have cheated! Otherwise, why would my cards be gone? I’m sure I had 24 points. Give me my four million!”
It felt horrible to believe that something was yours only to see it slip away for a reason that did not make sense. Ignoring the casino’s bouncers who were slowly approaching him, Herman started throwing a fit.
Observing the situation, Megan knew that it spelled trouble for her too if the casino were to pursue the matter, as she had been seen together with Herman all the while. If that happened, the casino might take legal action against both of them.
In order to protect herself, Megan no longer wanted to witness the commotion and left quietly by the casino’s backdoor while no one was watching.
Shortly after, Megan got into a cab and hurried back to the hotel.
She was finally able to heave a sigh of relief after she reached her hotel room and plopped herself onto the soft bed. She only felt a little better after thinking about what was going to happen to Herman next.
The man would be faced with huge debts in addition to potential physical harm by both the loan sharks, who were likely part of the underworld, as well as the casino.
My dear Herman, I bet you would never have expected that your smugness would be the cause of your downfall!
Megan let out a cold sneer and felt a sense of serenity. In her past life, even though she was ignorant about many things, she knew Herman extremely well. There was no way that that useless man would be a match for her.
However, Mia seemed to be getting out of hand. That woman was even instigating Herman to scheme against her! Thank God Herman is so dumb and I know him well. If it were another man, I might have already gotten into trouble.
Megan’s expression darkened as she thought about that. She and Mia were in the same predicament currently. All they could do was to create problems for each other. None of them were actually capable of destroying the other.
Judging by the numerous moves Mia had made recently, Megan suspected that her objective was to force her out of the entertainment industry entirely.
However, Mia was still not powerful enough to be capable of that. Megan decided that she would teach her sister a lesson to put her in her place after dealing with Herman.
Ring! Ring!
Still lost in deep thought, Megan was startled by the ringing of her phone and sat up on her bed. In a slight daze, she climbed out of bed and took her phone from the table.
Taking a glance at the screen, she saw that it was Jake calling.
Even though Megan hesitated to pick up the call, she still answered at the last minute.
“Hello.” Megan heard the man’s sonorous voice the moment she put her phone to her ear and her heart skipped a beat.
“What’s the matter?” Megan answered in low spirits, perhaps partly because of what happened at the casino earlier on and partly because she was upset with Jake for taking so long to return her call.
Even Megan herself was not exactly sure why she was feeling so low.
“I was in a meeting when you called me just now,” Jake replied indifferently as he sat in front of the desk at his office.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3282
Feelings
Herman was smart enough to tell that Megan was feeling moody from the tone of her voice. He wanted to comfort her but there was also something that he wanted to verify.
“Yup, I called to tell you that I’ve boarded the plane. I thought you might worry, so I called to let you know,” Megan replied placidly albeit with a hint of indignation in her voice as she said “I thought”. She played with her hair distractedly while chatting with Jake on her bed.
Jake picked up the whiny tone in the woman’s voice which piqued his interest. Cocking his brows, he chuckled softly and the gloom on his face disappeared as he replied, “Yup, I was indeed worried about you. Right after my meeting, I found out that you had taken Herman to the casino. You even gave him your own money and he lost it all?”
Megan was momentarily stunned to hear that. With a frown, she straightened her back and asked curiously, “How did you know that when you’re not even here?”
Jake raised his brows and snorted softly. Holding a document in one hand, he replied, “I am wherever you are. I can’t let you escape from me. Anyway, don’t try to change the topic.”
Jake had already told Megan previously that he had placed a few of his informants around her. However, he seldom mentioned to her the reports he received from his informants.
That included her private meetings and conversations with Jonas. As such, she kept forgetting that she was actually constantly under Jake’s surveillance and felt uneasy when she was reminded of it.
“You’re still keeping me under surveillance?” Megan asked with a hint of annoyance.
After a moment of silence, Jake replied calmly, “I’m not keeping you under surveillance, I’m protecting you. The moneylender you took a loan from earlier on is from the most established underworld organization in Lostaria. Be careful not to get into trouble.
Megan froze for a second when she heard that. She was prepared for Jake to lecture her about going to a casino with a man or lending capital to a man to gamble.
As such, she was surprised by what he actually said. Is he worried about me?
“Are you… worried about me?” Megan struggled slightly to ask that question as if she was unable to believe that Jake was concerned about her. After all, their relationship with each other had been rather ambiguous all along.
Jake did not seem to have detected the disbelief in the woman’s voice and replied in a serious and sincere tone, “Yup, don’t be so reckless next time. If you encounter any difficult situations over there, just give me a call.”
Every word he spoke echoed in her mind and excited every part of her. Megan felt as if she was walking on clouds.
So, he does care about me. Being in a foreign land all by herself, Megan felt especially warm at that thought.
It always felt good to be missed by someone, just like how Garret was always thinking about Mia. Finally, she was also able to experience that feeling.
Megan was in a delightful mood and felt warm and fuzzy inside. Beaming, she lay down on her bed and replied, “OK, I will. It’s getting late here. I should rest. I’ll contact you when I get back.”
“Sure, have a good rest.”
After the call ended, Megan hugged her blanket, unable to contain her smile.
What should I do? Am I falling for Jake? The woman felt that her feelings towards Jake were getting stronger.
Even though she knew that she might plunge into an abyss if she did not stop, she was not willing to turn back. No matter what the outcome was, that was her choice.
On her second day in Lostaria, Megan awoke from a beautiful dream. In that dream, she was getting married to Jake under the accompaniment of the Wedding March. She was dressed in a pure white gown and it was such a bliss.
However, the relentless ringing of the alarm clock did not allow her to fall back into her dream. The woman had no choice but to wash up and meet up with the crew.
At 8 a.m., the morning sun was shining brightly outside the hotel, casting a rosy hue in the sky. The crew enjoyed the fresh air while traveling in the car. Soon after, they reached the filming venue, a natatorium.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3283
Threat
“You guys should be familiar with your scripts. We will be filming a running scene at the pool today and it will be quite strenuous. Remember to warm up properly,” the director briefed the group after bringing them to the pool area.
Then, he instructed the artists to get prepared while asking the production crew to get the cameras ready.
Megan looked around, observing her surroundings as well as the guest artists for the episode. While she was doing that, the scenes of Let’s Run from her past life surfaced in her mind.
The first episode of Let’s Run was very well done, fully showcasing the lively and energetic sides of the artists and it turned out to be very popular among the younger crowd.
The swimming pool episode that the crew was currently filming, which also happened to be the first episode of the program, had a similar theme.
After the guest artists were done warming up, they went into the dressing room to change into their swimming costumes. At the same time, the filming equipment had also been set up and test shoots had already begun in the natatorium.
“OK! I need everyone to stay focused. Even though we have a script, the performance will still depend on your effort,” the director said as he scanned the artists in front of him. Everyone tensed up when they saw the serious expression on his face. Actual filming was about to begin.
After filming started, Megan’s performance remained stellar throughout. Even when she was pushed into the pool by the guys or when her face got hit by props, she kept the smile on her face and did not get angry.
The men at the filming site were all impressed with Megan’s professionalism and respected her tenacity.
“Wow, Megan, I couldn’t tell that you’re so tough!”
Bruce, who was in the same team as Megan, was just a D-list artiste. During break time, he couldn’t help but strike up a conversation with Megan. As he spoke, he wasn’t able to keep his eyes off her as they glimmered with excitement.
Megan was sitting by the side of the pool and shot a glance at Bruce. However, she wasn’t very keen to talk to him.
That was because, in her past life, that man started messing around after he became famous. To her, he was the epitome of a scumbag.
“That’s nothing. I’m just being professional,” Megan replied only for the sake of their “camaraderie” as teammates.
Bruce’s interest was piqued after seeing that the woman was being so cold towards him.
Smiling, he sat down next to Megan by the side of the pool and just like her, started kicking his legs in the water casually. Only dressed in swimming trunks, the man left no gap between himself and Megan.
“Tsk, tsk! Seems like you’re pretty aloof. There are not many women who can resist looking at me.”
As Megan had her head lowered, Bruce, with his handsome face filled with curiosity, bent forward, trying to see her expression.
However, Megan did not pay attention to the man. She was not the least attracted to Bruce, who flirted with women anywhere he went, especially when she already had Jake.
“Hey, why are you ignoring me?”
Megan sat very still by the side of the pool, just like a statue. Apart from the short reply she gave him at the beginning of their conversation, she had completely ignored Bruce currently.
“You are very noisy.”
Megan, who had already lost her patience, took a side glance at the man coldly as the surrounding atmosphere suddenly turned heavy with awkwardness.
Bruce was taken aback and shifted slightly backward subconsciously. After he regained his composure, he felt a flash of irritation.
Until then, no women had dared to treat him in such a manner.
Bruce’s tanned skin glistened with water droplets from the pool as he gritted his teeth and moved an inch closer to Megan. From afar, it seemed like the two of them were rather intimate and looked like they were almost kissing.
“It seems like you’re not yet aware of the situation you’re currently in. We are at the other pool. Even if anything happened to you now, no one would be able to save you in time.”
Megan couldn’t help but turn to look at Bruce after he threatened her. She wondered where he even got the guts to offend her. Could it be that he had done the same to other women before?
Unfazed, she stood up calmly and looked down at Bruce, who was still sitting by the pool. With a sneer, she said, “How dare you threaten me? Do I look like a pushover to you?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3284
What A Joke
Her brazen words stunned Bruce.
Looking away, he thought about who Megan’s patron was. The only person that came to his mind was Jonas, who was embroiled in a rumor together with her.
Is she trying to be famous just by riding on Jonas’ popularity? What a joke.
Standing up, Bruce stared at Megan with contempt written all over his face.
“I can’t believe how arrogant you are. Do you really think that you’re that desirable?”
When she heard his baseless accusations, Megan wasn’t even bothered to react. Just when she turned to leave, Bruce stopped her and pressed on with his questions.
Can he not be so clingy?
Rolling her eyes, Megan turned around and sneered, “Even if I am useless, you have no right to harass me. I think you need to wake yourself up in the pool. Let me help you with it.”
Just as she spoke, Megan gave Bruce a sympathetic look before throwing her foot at him, kicking him into the pool with a loud splash.
“You!”
As Bruce knew how to swim, he stretched out his arms to help himself float. The rage within him had swelled to the brink of explosion. How dare this insolent woman kick me into the water?
“Huh! Stay in there and calm yourself down. You are not that young. Can’t you differentiate by now whom you should and shouldn’t mess with?”
Megan no longer had any patience to talk to him. Obviously, he was frustrated because he couldn’t get what he wanted.
Ignoring the curses behind her, Megan left the pool in exasperation before rejoining the film crew. Her mood had been drastically affected by what had happened.
Since both of them seldom interacted in her past life, she now realized that Bruce was not only a playboy but also extremely annoying.
“What’s wrong, Megan? Is something bugging you?”
Silas was different from Bruce. One could easily see that he was someone honest and sincere. Hence, Megan didn’t resent his show of concern.
She shook her head with her mind somewhere else. “It’s nothing. Filming is about to start, so let’s get ready.”
Just as she spoke, Megan smiled at Silas before heading aside to warm up. Despite having something to say, Silas’ words seemed to be stuck in his throat instead.
The filming session in the afternoon went exceptionally well. Although Megan and Bruce were involved in a minor altercation, they acted professionally and didn’t let their feelings get in the way of work.
As they went through the day with mixed emotions, the day quickly ended before they knew it.
At night, everyone returned to the hotel to rest.
Sitting on her bed, Megan wanted to give Jake a call to chat about what happened during the day. However, when she considered the time difference, she figured that he must be in a meeting. Hence, she sighed as she decided against calling him.
Feeling bored overseas, Megan brought up her social media account and updated her status.
However, in less than ten seconds, her account seemed to freeze before everything disappeared.
“What’s going on?”
Assuming that her phone was at fault, she waited for a few minutes before logging in again. The moment she saw the trending topics, she was shocked to her core.
It read: Jonas revealed to be gay after late-night liaison with a rich man.
Megan felt as if she was about to be blinded by the jarring words. Everything was fine the last time we met. How did things turn out this way?
It must… it must be someone trying to smear his name. After all, she was certain that Jonas wasn’t gay.
Confused, she quickly picked up her phone and gave Jonas a call. Unfortunately, no one answered.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3285
What A Coincidence
What’s going on?
Tightening her grip on the phone, she read through the article along with its pictures and evidence. Suddenly, she was no longer sure of her own judgment. Perhaps, he really is…
“No, it’s impossible!”
The evidence was so convincing that even those close to Jonas would begin to suspect him, let alone the fans who only got to know him through the media.
Megan felt disturbed as she didn’t want to see him lose everything just like that.
After all, the country was still conservative and discriminated against gays. As long as one was accused of being queer, the public’s perception of one would change.
Just the thought of Jonas being ostracized caused Megan to feel indignant. After a slight hesitation, she got up and ran to Jerry’s room.
The filming of the first episode of Let’s Run was more or less completed. The only task pending was some post-production work and any potential reshoots or changes in the script.
However, all Megan could think of was Jonas and no longer had the patience to stay on. Knocking on Jerry’s door, she quickly explained the purpose of her visit.
Within the small room, Jerry was sitting on a chair as he stared silently at Megan for a long time.
Raising his gaze at her helplessly, he remarked with his eyes closed, “Silas just came by and told me that he wants to return home. This will result in the cast missing two crucial members which is unacceptable. You will have to discuss with him who stays and who goes.”
Silas?
Megan was briefly stunned as she recalled his face, feeling confused. At such a crucial moment, she didn’t want anyone standing in her way.
“Alright, I’ll see him right away.”
Without any hesitation, Megan darted to Silas’ room at once.
The moment she arrived, she banged on the door impatiently.
“Coming.” With the sound of approaching footsteps, he opened the door and was greeted by Megan’s anxious expression.
Surprised, Silas stepped aside to allow her to enter. After all, he had no idea why she suddenly visited.
“What brings you here all of a sudden?”
Upon entering, Megan saw his luggage on the floor. It was obvious that he was preparing to fly back today.
Given the desperate circumstances, Megan furrowed her eyebrows and got to the point. “Mr. Thompson told me that you’re going back today. However, I want to go back too. But, he will only allow one of us to leave.”
Silas quickly understood the situation given how clear Megan made herself. His gaze changed slightly as he scrutinized her.
“I may not be able to help you as the person I’m going to see is very important. If you tell me who you’re going back to see…”
“I’m going back to see Jonas.”
Megan interrupted him with a resolute answer.
After being briefly stunned, a smile broke out on his face. As his eyes lit up, the frown he had on a moment ago dissipated. “It seems we are returning for the sake of the same person.”
Having heard Silas’ words, Megan’s eyes widened in surprise. As she didn’t know Jonas that well in her past life, she naturally wasn’t aware of who his friends were either. Most of what she knew was just hearsay.
“Is that so, what a coincidence.” Megan smiled with an unsettled look on her face.
Cognizant that she was worried about Jonas, Silas patted her on the shoulder just like an elder brother would. “Alright now, don’t worry. During filming today, I had wanted to ask you about your thoughts with regards to Jonas. However, I didn’t expect something like this to happen at night.”
Both of their moods were equally dampened as they were aware of what was to come.
Clenching her fists, Megan recalled the numerous times Jonas had helped her. This time, she wanted to save him no matter what.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3286
Fullerton Hotel
“Let’s talk about this next time. As of now, I really want to go back and see him. Once I do, I’ll update you on his situation.”
Raising her head, Megan had a resolute expression on her face. Given that Silas understood where she was coming from, he didn’t insist on having his way. Nodding intently, he watched as she rushed out of the door.
Taking the overnight flight back, Megan had never felt so troubled before. At that moment, she couldn’t even bring herself to imagine the torment that Jonas was going through.
Just the thought of the repulsive comments on social media alone caused Megan’s worries to intensify. The pictures of him holding hands and in intimate positions taken through the window were the nails in the coffin for him.
Who is the vicious person behind this?
Megan wasn’t able to figure it out. Shaking her head, she knew she had to hear the truth from the horse’s mouth before delving any further.
After getting off the plane, Megan headed straight for the top floor of Fullerton Hotel. She remembered Jonas telling her that there was where he would be when hiding from the paparazzi.
Given the precarious situation he was in, she figured she would likely find him there.
As Megan ran toward the last room along the corridor, the image of her running into Jake the last time she was here flashed across her mind.
At that time, both of them hardly knew each other. But now, everything about their relationship had changed.
Sighing slightly, Megan collected her thoughts. She knew now wasn’t the time to think about that. Despite knocking on the door, no one responded.
“Jonas. It’s me, Megan.”
After standing at the door for a long time, there still wasn’t any answer. Furrowing her eyebrows, she couldn’t think of anywhere else Jonas would be other than here.
Having considered the situation, she suddenly had an idea.
“Jonas! Open the door! The reporters are here! There’s a horde of them!”
Sounding anxious, Megan banged on the door desperately. Suddenly the door opened from inside. The next moment, a hand reached out and pulled her into the room by her waist.
“Where’s the media?” The familiar voice sounded confused.
Inside the room, the lights were turned off while the curtains were tightly shut. As darkness covered every corner of the room, Megan couldn’t make out who it was. Nevertheless, she could still sense Jonas’ familiar breath within her surroundings.
As his breath blew gently across her face, it caused her eyelashes to itch. Blinking gently, the insecurities in her heart began to settle.
“Why didn’t you open the door just now? Do you know how many of us out there are worried about you?”
Jonas released Megan and turned on the room lights. The sudden glare from the lights caused both of them to be unable to open their eyes.
“There are also tons of people trying to fabricate rumors about me. That’s why I can’t open the door just for anyone.” Jonas rubbed his eyes which were visibly exhausted.
Looking at Jonas, Megan sympathized with him. A young man with a bright future was now devastated by some baseless rumors.
With a headful of messy hair and stubble underneath his chin, Jonas was now a shadow of his former self who used to glow from every angle.
“Do I really look terrible now? The look on your eyes says it all, you know.” Scratching his hair, Jonas let out a wry smile.
Megan shook her head with a deep sigh. Walking up to him, she sat down on the chair in front of him. Her eyes gazed intently into his. “Now is not the time to talk about that. Instead, we should focus on dealing with the crisis you are facing.”
Having heard Megan’s words, Jonas placed his palms on his knees while biting his lip in silence. His hunched back made it look like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“It’s of no use as Mr. Whittemore is the one out to get me. He is still holding a grudge over what happened the last time. And now, I have become an outcast within Sky Entertainment.”
With a dejected expression, Jonas had lost the sparkle in his eye. Looking at his forlorn figure, Megan was filled with a myriad of emotions.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3287
It Has To Be Me
The bad blood between Jonas and Mr. Whittemore started after he helped her at one of the drinking sessions. Ever since he met Megan, Jonas’ luck seemed to have been heading downhill.
She felt as if she was a curse to him.
Holding that thought, Megan endeavored to help Jonas no matter what. Or else, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
Patting him on the shoulders, she reassured, “Don’t worry. Since the rumors are of you being gay, all you need to do is find a girlfriend. It’s not that complicated, so don’t overthink it.”
Nevertheless, both of them were cognizant of how serious the repercussions of the scandal were. Megan’s words were no more than just a consolation. Clenching his fists, Jonas desperately racked his brains for a solution.
“It’s not complicated but neither is it a walk in the park. Even if I announced I have a girlfriend now, everyone would assume it’s just a cover-up.”
Megan nodded in agreement as Jonas did have a point. Leaning back into her chair deep in thought, Megan suddenly thought of someone.
“Hey! I know who the best person is to be your girlfriend!”
With her eyes sparkling, Megan jumped right in front of Jonas, catching him off guard. As he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows in surprise, he stared at her glowing face.
“Who do you have in mind?”
In spite of his doubtful tone, Megan smiled confidently and pointed proudly to herself. She declared, “Of course it’s me!”
The moment he heard her suggestion, Jonas fell into a long and deep silence. As his gaze darkened, he stared intently at Megan, not knowing if she was joking or was actually serious.
“Is that really your plan?”
Jake was visibly skeptical. Not just because of her relationship with Jake, but also for his own selfish reasons.
If Megan really agreed to it, he might not be able to control himself from turning the act into reality.
No matter how hard he tried, Jonas felt that it was too hard to pretend not to care for Megan. If that was the case, he wondered if Megan would find him annoying.
As the questions and concerns within him grew, Jonas didn’t dare delve too much into it. However, the resolve in Megan’s eyes seemed to pressure the truth out of him. His initial desire to reject her turned into a skeptical question instead.
“Of course!” Megan replied without any hesitation as she had not noticed the conflicting emotions within Jonas’ eyes. Standing up, she explained eagerly, “Since there have always been rumors about us, it would be more a confirmation than a cover-up if we make it public now.”
That was indeed the best plan they had. But, it would be the equivalent of linking Megan up with Jonas in the public eye. Under such circumstances, Jake would be put in an awkward situation.
Megan had taken all these factors into consideration but chose to ignore them instead. Furthermore, she was prepared to suffer the wrath of Jake’s rage when he found out.
At the same time, she knew she had to inform Jake of her plan in advance. Or else, the consequences would be even more serious.
“It does make sense, but…” Jonas furrowed his eyebrows as he felt conflicted. On one hand, he hoped that Megan would agree. On the other hand, he was worried that Jake would make things difficult for her.
After struggling with himself, Jonas closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
No matter what, he couldn’t bring himself to let Megan suffer for his sake.
When he opened his eyes, his gaze was calm. He proceeded to explain the possible consequences. “I’m sure you have thought of Jake. If you do this, he isn’t going to let you off easily.”
Megan’s eyebrows twitched in response.
She obviously knew what would happen. But, she was already mentally prepared and didn’t want to think about it.
Hence, she smiled with a nonchalant expression. “It’s alright. Don’t worry about that. What we should do next is to wear some couple accessories when we are out. We don’t have to overdo it as long as we allow them to take pictures.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3288
Must I Drag You In
“Megan…” When he saw the lengths she was willing to go to help him, Jonas suddenly felt touched. Looking at her, he wanted to say his thanks but the words just wouldn’t leave his mouth.
Instead, he had the urge to hug and kiss her passionately if possible.
Unfortunately, he was too late to the game as she had long belonged to someone else. All he could do now was to keep his distance and suppress his emotions as a “friend”.
As Jonas smiled in a self-deprecating manner, emotions filled his eyes. Despite the passion welling up in his heart, he didn’t dare express it to her. Instead, he could only wallow in it by himself.
A few days later, Megan finished filming and returned from Lostaria again.
Just before the flight landed, she put on the couple accessory which she had prepared together with Jonas. After disembarking, she flaunted it at the airport casually, allowing the paparazzi to take their photos discreetly.
After all, the airport was a common hunting ground for the media to latch onto any new rumors.
Nevertheless, Megan still felt uneasy. Although she had declared that she would ignore Jake’s feelings, she couldn’t help but speculate how he would react when he found out.
He will likely admonish me with his finger pointed at me. If he really does that, I will not have any excuse to defend myself. Hence, all I can do is try my best to pacify his anger.
Feeling gloomy, Megan signed a few autographs in a distracted state. Just when she was about to leave the terminal, a man gradually approached her.
Megan instinctively stopped in her tracks as she felt a sense of danger. Looking at the man warily, she noticed that he was dressed smartly in his dark glasses and black suit.
Before she could utter a word, the man introduced himself, “Ms. Rockford, I am Mr. Wilson’s secretary. His car is waiting for you at the main entrance.”
Jake?
Megan was stunned. Scrutinizing the unfamiliar man, she asked curiously, “I have never seen you before. How did you know I was going to be here?”
The man was caught by surprise by Megan’s skepticism as he didn’t expect such a detailed question at all. Smiling slightly, he emitted an extremely professional aura. “It was Mr. Wilson who instructed me to pick you up. As for the details, you will need to ask him yourself in the car.”
Megan was in a dilemma as she had not prepared herself to face him. But now, she had no choice but to do so.
Gritting her teeth, she wanted to decline. However, the man insisted on blocking her way just like an automaton.
Left without a choice, Megan let out a long sigh. She braced herself and nodded with a gloomy expression. “Alright, lead the way.”
“Sure, this way please.”
Ignoring Megan’s reluctance, the secretary walked quickly in front of her. In order to avoid the needless attention of the paparazzi, he led her through a special pathway instead.
In a few minutes, Megan could see Jake’s car parked from afar.
As her heart tightened, she could feel her heartbeat begin to race. At the same time, her feet started to grow increasingly heavy.
The rumors about her and Jonas had already been swirling around a few days ago. Furthermore, they didn’t talk over the phone recently. Therefore, Megan couldn’t imagine how Jake was going to react when he saw her later.
“Alright, please get in.” After leading Megan to the Mercedes-Benz, the secretary opened the door for her politely.
However, when Megan looked into the dark confines of the car, her legs could barely move.
She couldn’t tell if it was guilt or fear, but Megan felt more nervous now than she was during the interview.
After lingering by the door for God knows how long, Megan still didn’t seem like she intended to get it. Suddenly, a cold voice rang out from the car. It felt as if she had been splashed by a bucket of icy cold water.
“What’s wrong? Must I drag you in?”
Jake’s voice was deep and tinged with displeasure. Biting her lip, Megan looked at her own shadow in silence.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3289
Pierced In The Heart
At that point, she was trapped between a rock and a hard place. However, all she could do was move forward.
“I…”
“Stop talking. I’ll give you three seconds to get in.”
Just when she wanted to retort, Jake interrupted her blatantly. Having lost her rhythm, she suddenly didn’t know what to say.
At that moment, she figured obeying him was the best course of action.
With that in mind, she no longer resisted. She then got in silently with her heart filled with anxiousness.
“Did the filming go well?”
As the car began to drive, Megan listened to Jake’s dispassionate words. Suddenly, she was unable to grasp what his thoughts were and stumbled in her replies.
When he saw how nervous she was, Jake tsk-tsked her and could no longer hold back the exasperation he felt.
Despite being the person being “cheated” on, do I now have to care about her feelings instead?
Squinting his eyes and pursing his lips, Jake bellowed, “Megan, we need to talk!”
Combined with the rumble of the speeding car, his shout shook her to the core. With her shoulders trembling, she knew this was the storm she had to face.
Taking a deep breath, Megan decided to cast aside the words that she had prepared. Instead, she raised her head and looked intently at Jake.
Crossing her legs, she collected herself and sincerely explained, “Those rumors are not true. Jonas has been framed, so I have to help him.”
After explaining the situation in simple terms to him, she stared at Jake’s lowered face. As the shadows that fell across it hid his emotions, Megan was unsettled by the guilt that started to well up within her.
She didn’t think that Jake would accept her explanation. But she hoped that after he was done being angry with her, he could understand her feelings and where she was coming from.
If they intended for the relationship to go further, this was a necessary trial which she had just brought forward on their behalf.
After a long silence, Jake finally lifted his head out of the shadows. Turning around slightly, his gaze was filled with contempt. “You sound as if you have done the right thing. Do you actually feel that you have come up with the perfect excuse?”
Megan had expected him to be demanding in his questions. Ignoring his incendiary tone, she lowered her gaze and didn’t intend to defend herself.
“That never crossed my mind. I know that you will be angry with the result but I don’t have a choice.”
Don’t have a choice? Jake sneered as he lifted her chin. His insidious laughter didn’t contain an ounce of emotion.
“No one forced you to do it. At the end of the day, Mr. Whittemore, the man responsible for slandering Jonas, is a member of Sky Entertainment. Despite having waited many days for your call, you never intended to tell me about this. Therefore, is starting a rumor with Jonas part of your plan to leave me?”
Jake uttered every word through his gritted teeth. Despite her chin turning red from his forceful pinch, he had no intention of letting go.
Megan gritted her teeth to endure the pain. She neither yelled nor cried. Staring intently at him, she showed little emotion on her face.
She had long expected that once the trust disappeared, suspicion would only grow between them.
When she didn’t respond, the frustration within him intensified, tormenting him further. Hence, his expression changed drastically while his tone became icy cold.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Is this your way of implicitly admitting to it? Before this, you denied that you were two-timing. So what do you have to say for yourself now?”
Unable to tolerate her silence, Jake chose the most hurtful words to vent his frustrations. However, Megan wasn’t affected by it and only let out a long sigh at the end.
Raising her gaze, her eyes were filled with helplessness and exhaustion. The moment Jake saw it, he felt as if he was pierced right in the center of his already fragile heart.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3290
Moving In Together
“I’m sure you’re aware that I don’t like to seek your help. Furthermore, I should be the one to repay my debt of gratitude to him. Even if I called you, the most you could do was to punish him. However, the rumors in the public sphere will be extremely damaging to him.”
Megan’s words were so selfless that they caused Jake’s heart to sink. Loosening his grip, the anger and insecurity in his eyes dissipated instantly.
The car suddenly fell into silence, causing the atmosphere to return to how it was when they had just met. As Jake suddenly became distant, the smirk on his face felt like a knife slicing through her heart.
“Fine. If you think public opinion will hurt him, did it then not occur to you that it will hurt me too?”
Unable to hide his trembling voice, Jake’s gaze darkened.
Megan’s expression changed drastically. The conflicting emotions of guilt and self-blame began to overwhelm her. She couldn’t deny that she had been too selfish and reckless in her decision.
When Jake, who had all this while been someone domineering, could no longer hide the hurt he felt, Megan realized that she had overestimated how emotionally strong he was.
Clenching her fists and on the brink of tears, she bit her lip gently and replied, “I’m sorry, I have unilaterally put you in the spot…”
Jake who had his head lowered throughout raised it slightly and let out a self-deprecating laugh. He sneered, “Are you finally willing to admit your mistake?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
When he saw her finally willing to admit her mistake, Jake couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. As his steely gaze showed no sign of softening, he raised his eyebrows while his expression remained just as gloomy.
“Since you have realized your folly, you shouldn’t involve yourself in Jonas’ problem anymore as I will deal with it. With regards to whose girl you are, I’ll be the one responsible for declaring it.”
Jake’s domineering attitude caught Megan by surprise. Widening her eyes in shock, she tightened the grip on her sleeves and protested, “No, we’re already seeing positive developments to the plan. If you get involved now, wouldn’t you derail it instead? It’s true that I didn’t think through the plan properly. But, you can get me to do anything other than what you have just suggested.”
Pfft! Jake expressed his utter displeasure. As Megan’s gentle and pinkish cheeks leaned closer to him voluntarily, her lips almost touched his face. Glancing at her, his gaze darkened as he suddenly had another idea.
The next moment, he suggested, “Fine. I won’t interfere only if you promise to move in with me.”
His words were so shocking that Megan was dumbfounded upon hearing them. Her mind drew a blank as she gaped at him.
“Wh-what?”
Jake was unfazed by her shocked expression. Raising his eyebrows, he explained, “It’s simple. Since you do not want to be mine in name, you will have to do so physically instead.”
Shocked by his request, Megan was still in a daze. Blinking her eyes, she remained visibly confused.
“Wait, are you asking me to move in for good?”
“Don’t let me repeat myself.” Looking upset, Jake shot a glance at her. It was obvious that his earlier anger had yet to subside. “We will go to your house immediately to pack or we can just go and buy whatever you need.”
Jake’s tone was firm as he made the decision for her. Given that she was in the wrong, she didn’t dare to protest at all.
Despite the panic, she tried to maintain a calm facade. After all, she had not emotionally prepared herself for such a momentous decision.
After a long silence, Megan had no choice but to nod in agreement.
“There’s no need to grab my things. Let’s just go straight to your place.”
However, it was a way for her to defuse the situation. Given how busy Jake was and that she would be out filming most of the time, it was unlikely that they would frequently see each other at home. As for her belongings, she would leave them with Donna so that she could still return anytime.