Ch. 296: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 296

Chapter 296

When Levi saw Norah, he greeted her with concern. "Madam, why are you here? I was just about to knock on your door."

Norah chose not to mention her encounter with Jace. Instead, she replied calmly, "I got caught up in a long discussion with my editor-in-chief. It took longer than expected. Let’s go."

Levi nodded, but as Norah approached, he caught a faint scent of blood.

"Madam, are you injured?" he asked, his tone tinged with worry.

"No," Norah replied quickly. She realized the smell might have lingered from Jace. "It’s probably from Captain Edwards."

Levi didn’t press further but noticed the string of beads now adorning her hand.

Throughout the journey, Norah kept touching the beads absentmindedly, unable to shake off her thoughts about Jace. She didn’t understand why he had insisted she wear them. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a faint trace of blood inside the beads.

Was it always like this? she wondered, feeling a surge of unanswered questions about Jace and his past. Despite everything, one thing remained certain—Jace would never harm her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a call from Emani.

"Norah, Sasha’s role in the drama got taken," Emani said without preamble.

Surprised, Norah asked, "Who took it? What happened?"

Emani sounded frustrated. "I’m not sure, but someone’s obviously backing her competition. Whoever it is, they’ve got the resources to pull strings."

Norah frowned. She shared Emani’s suspicion. Sasha had just gained public attention and built momentum in her career, making her the obvious choice for the role. It didn’t make sense for her to lose it unless there was interference.

Norah dug deeper into the situation. Sasha had initially been cast as the lead in a modern drama, but now she’d been replaced—by a newcomer.

The choice of replacement wasn’t just puzzling—it was insulting. The newcomer had previously played minor roles, like a maid. The change felt less like a professional decision and more like an intentional slight against Sasha.

Norah’s suspicions grew when she traced the newcomer’s agency back to Kevin’s company. Given Bianca’s connection to Kevin, the pieces began to fall into place.

Her face darkened at the realization, and she immediately called Sasha.

"Are you free to meet?" Norah asked directly.

"Of course," Sasha replied.

"Let’s meet at the café," Norah suggested.

As they headed there, Levi hesitated. "Madam, Captain Edwards said we’re to escort you back safely."

Norah considered the tangled web involving Kevin, Bianca, and the newcomer. She felt the weight of their influence but refused to let it affect her ability to support Sasha.

"I’m just meeting a friend," she said firmly. "Surely I’m allowed to see friends."

Levi picked up on her frustration but didn’t argue. Still, he made sure to update Kevin about their location.

When Norah arrived at the café, Sasha was already waiting. She took off her sunglasses and waved her over.

"Norah, over here!" Sasha called out.

Norah approached, noticing the subtle exhaustion on Sasha’s face despite her composed demeanor.

"Your role got taken?" Norah asked bluntly as she sat down.

Sasha touched her earlobe, her expression bittersweet. "Yeah, it happened. But I’m not giving up. I’ve already reached out to some contacts, and there’s still a chance I’ll land another role."

Norah’s tone turned serious. "You can’t just let this slide. There’s someone pulling strings behind the scenes, and you can’t afford to stay passive. This is your moment—your traffic’s surging, and you need to capitalize on it."

Sasha gave a weak smile. "What can I do? I don’t have a sponsor or a powerful backer. I’ve realized hard work alone isn’t enough in this industry."

Norah’s gaze hardened with determination. "I can help you."