The Manipulated Villainess

Chapter 16 - Repay Some Debt

Aston went down to the garage where his van and his manager was waiting for him. As soon as he gets inside the van, his back leaned towards the seat and he closed his eyes for a while without saying anything.

His action really worried his manager. Did he make some mistakes in the meeting? Just one glance and everyone could tell that the top actor was a mess!

"Is everything alright? Did you make a mistake again? Why don't you listen to me when I say that I will come with you?!" Derin Lee started bombarding him with questions after questions but he remained calm without a single movement.

"Hey! Aston!" Derin grabbed him on the shoulders and shake him with a little force which made him finally react.

"Will you just let me rest? I'm tired." He put his manager's hand away from his shoulders and simply closed his eyes again.

"Do you plan to let me die out of curiosity? I ask you how did the meeting go?" Derin yelled at Aston as he realized that it was always the most effective way to get him to listen to him. The top actor could never tolerate noise.

"You're so noisy! It went very well. Happy now?" Aston pushed away Derin who almost hovered over him but it leads to other endless questions as the nosy manager had a glimpse of his hand when he did that.

"Wait! This was not treated when you left before. How come it's covered with bandaid now? What happened at the meeting? Are you sure you don't mess up?"

Aston narrowed his eyes and when he saw the bandaid, he gently rubbed with his other hand and a small smile escaped his lips. "Let's go now. I still have a shooting."

* * *

Nicole sat still in her office after Aston left. Strangely, the scene of the actor's shivering hand cannot leave her mind. It was repeatedly replayed in her mind.

She was curious. What made the seemingly carefree man shivered like that?

That night in the garden, he asked her why she smiled so sad. But now, she wanted to ask him the exact question.

Why did the most famous and successful celebrity of the country smile so sad? She didn't know why she felt this way but when she looked into his eyes, she sensed a hint of darkness in it. An undeniable sadness, that's what her instincts told her.

But the man was just like her. He kept on smiling to fool others. Maybe he was desperate to hide his pain, just like how she was desperate to hide her weakness.

In a split second, the coat that she owed him suddenly entered her mind out of nowhere. "The coat!" She exclaimed to herself. She had completely forgotten about it! Debts should always be cleared as fast as possible.

She approached her desk and take her phone. She then calls someone who picked up in the first ring.

"Hello, Director. This is Nicole Yang. I call to ask you for a favour."

She was greeted by the friendly voice of the most lavish Department Store Director of the country who was a woman in her 40s.

"I want to book the whole of your Department Store for around an hour or two. I will inform you when I get the exact time, so will you please make arrangements for me? I need to repay some debt to a business partner."

After she confirmed with the Director, she ended the call and sat on her chair, thinking that she could finally do her work. But when she looked at the time, she noticed that it was already 4 in the evening.

She frowned when she realized that she had an appointment with her fiance. It's not like they like each other, so she won't call it a date. It's much more like a duty to fulfil.

She grabbed her car keys and bags and left for the Gold Porcelain Museum.

* * *

The Museum was filled with murmurs and gossips when their Director's fiancee was making her way to the Museum.

Curious stares, admirable stares and even jealous stares; Nicole received all as Leon was quite popular in a good way among his employees. Many female employees had a crush on their handsome Director who always treated his employees with kindness.

Unfazed by all the eyes on her, she made her way to the potter's studio and saw the potter in action. He was so invested in his art which made the woman knocked on the door of the studio.

Leon turned his head around with a puzzled face when the sound of the knocking door aroused him. When he saw his fiancee standing on the door with a nonchalant face, he was happy but he didn't show it.

"You're here." He rose from his seat, take down his apron and went to the washroom to wash his hands. He came out in a minute.

Nicole stepped inside and take a look at the studio. It was her first time there and of course, she was fascinated by it. But before she could enjoy the breathtaking view for long, her fiance dragged her out of the studio.

"Will it hurt to let me stay there for just another more minute?" Nicole frowned as she complained about how stingy the man was.

"No one had never landed their foot in my studio apart from me. Consider yourself lucky that you got to see it for even just a minute." He coldly responded to her as always.

When he saw her displeased face, he finds it quite amusing. "Don't worry. The main hall where my works are displayed will be much more fascinating than my studio." He told her and led her to the main hall.

Nicole could hardly stop her mouth from being wide open when she saw the enchanting pieces of porcelains displayed in the main hall. She gawked and her legs were rooted to the floor. "Did you made all these?" She asked with her gaze fixated on the porcelains.

"Most of them. Some are the works of other famous potters." Leon said and when his eyes scanned the displayed works, a satisfying smile appeared on his face. It showed how much he loved his works.

He shifted his gaze and realized that the woman had already left his side. He turned his head around and saw her walking around everywhere, then he chuckled to himself. Did she like his works that much?

He walked after her and stand next to her. "What are you looking at?"

Nicole stood before one porcelain for a while now and he could tell that this piece truly fascinated her, but when he looked at the porcelain; his smile slipped a bit.

It was a white porcelain decorated by a drawing of blue hydrangeas in it. It was one of his newest work.

"Will you sell this to me? I will pay whatever price you name." Nicole said with her gaze never leave the porcelain.

"But Director -" The curator of the Museum was about to say something but Leon silenced the man with his nodding approval.

Nicole turned around and saw the strange situation. "Is there something wrong with the porcelain?" She asked Leon.

"No. You can have it. Just consider as the first gift from me." He quickly replied, not even pondering around for a second.

Nicole didn't want to reject his offer in public but made a mental note to pay him nicely for the porcelain. She turned around and stared at the enchanting porcelain again. Before this, she never knew that she had a thing for porcelains!

The employees and the curator wondered why their Director easily gave this porcelain to his fiancee. Not to mention that the First Lady had already decided to buy this exact porcelain just an hour ago.....