Chapter 6

I replied cheerfully, "I'd been planning to come visit you all anyway. See you in a few days."

Gareth was over the moon, his excitement so evident as he said, "Really? That's awesome! I can't wait!"

I knew why he wanted me to come. Apparently, Kai had recently visited Evelyn on set. I chuckled, "Whatever other kids get, you'll get too."

"Thanks, Sue!"

As the weather turned colder, I made sure to bring hot drinks for the entire crew when I visited the set. Gareth was still in costume from his scene, wearing a perfectly tailored 1930s military uniform that made him look dashing and charismatic.

Seeing me, Gareth lit up like a lost puppy reunited with his owner, practically wagging his tail. I patted his head and then his shoulder. Though Gareth was only six months younger than me, our dynamic often felt like... well, parent and child? Owner and pet?

Today, some media were also on set for interviews. After gulping down his hot coffee, Gareth was pulled aside by the director for a press interview. He and Evelyn sat together on camera, mics in hand.

After some standard questions, the reporter targeted Gareth: "As newcomers, what do you two think of each other’s performances?"

Evelyn turned on her performance mode and said with exaggerated sweetness, "Gareth is great with everyone; he's charming and always knows how to make people smile. Everyone adores him. Our producer even came today just to see him. I've heard Gareth was a personal recommendation by our producer, and they're college mates. I’m sure he has qualities that really stand out, which is why the producer took special interest in him."

Evelyn was just a step away from saying Gareth got his role by cozying up to the boss. It's true I was promoting Gareth, but he had the talent to back it up. And let’s not forget Evelyn was only here because Kai paid big bucks to get her in. Pot calling the kettle black!

The reporter chuckled awkwardly and turned to Gareth, "Gareth, what do you think of Evelyn?"

Gareth flashed an impish grin, "I admire Evelyn a lot. She’s come up with a brilliant way to remember her lines. She gets her assistant to write them all on big cue cards and reads off them during scenes. It’s genius! Saves so much time on memorizing. Why didn’t I think of that? Gosh, I'm really slow!"

His words dripped with sarcasm, leaving Evelyn fuming and forcing a smile. The awkward tension was palpable, with some crew members stifling laughter.

Evelyn forced a laugh, "That's not true... I only use the cards as a backup. I don't really look at them during takes..."

Gareth didn't let up, "Oh, I’m just bad at memorizing, so I use my meal breaks to study my lines. Not like Evelyn, who’s both beautiful and clever. She spends her breaks video chatting with her boyfriend. So sweet and enviable..."

Gareth pretended to be shocked, covering his mouth, "Wait, was I not supposed to say that? Can we cut that part out?"

Evelyn's face turned green, her eyes rolling in exasperation. The reporter quickly changed the subject, trying to steer the interview back on track.

Media folks know better than to air dirty laundry that tarnishes everyone involved. Sometimes, it takes a real jerk to beat another jerk at their own game. Internally, I rated Evelyn: "Prideful but clueless, daring to mess with Gareth—good luck!"

In the entertainment industry, actors pulling each other’s hair in private isn't unheard of. Companies usually don't step in unless things get out of hand. But some folks just can’t let things go.

Not long after, I attended a business event with my brother and ran into Kai. Pulling me aside, he got straight to the point: "You need to consider enrolling your little boyfriend in manners classes, teach him some etiquette."