Chapter 128

He had asked "why" countless times tonight. Some of those questions he already knew the answer to, but in this moment, his heart was filled with genuine confusion. He had never imagined that he would struggle to even say the word "love." The way she defined "love" carried a weight he couldn't quite explain, as though this "liking" would bring endless disaster and suffering, which was why she had chosen to reject it. His thoughts inevitably drifted back to that phone call he had overheard by accident. "So, you really love someone else, even though he's married, and you can't be together, which is why you agreed to our contract?" Van's heart felt as if it were being crushed by a heavy stone, the pain unbearable. The weight of that stone continued to roll down, striking his heart, leaving him gasping for air. "You just want a little bit of fake affection within the boundaries of the contract, so the money you earn won't feel too meaningless." Winnie could hear the dissatisfaction in his words. Just as she was about to retort, Van sighed deeply and smiled gently. "See, I really am not good at telling whether there's a place for me in someone's heart." His tenderness was laced with self-mockery, as if releasing an unspoken sense of relief. "Mr. Marlowe—" Winnie called out to him urgently. Van gently pressed his fingers to her lips, stopping her from continuing. His gaze remained soft, his lowered brows filled with delicate emotion, and he lightly kissed her lips. They kissed quietly, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. After pulling back slightly, he calmly said, "I thought you loved me. I guess I was wrong." Just as he turned to leave, Winnie called out to him without hesitation. "Who said someone with a family couldn't be with me?" Van stopped, remained silent for a moment, then quietly replied, "The actor from earlier today." He didn't say his name directly. "Aaron?" Winnie froze, suddenly understanding. "You overheard my phone call?" "Yeah, you didn't hang up. I heard him talking to you..." Van took a deep breath, facing away from her. "I'm sorry." "I've only worked with him; it really doesn't mean anything. I don't like him, and we have no relationship. He calls me Tina, which is the name of my character in the movie..." Winnie hurriedly shook her head. "None of that matters. I don't like him, and I never will." Van nodded. "I should have asked you directly, instead of eavesdropping on your phone call. But to be honest, I don't have the right to ask you these things, and I didn't want you to know I did something like that." "You asked the wrong way. It would've been better if you had just asked me directly." Van chuckled softly. "Yeah, I apologize." He opened the door and put on a black mask. "You get yourself ready. I'll wait for you outside." He realized he was out of cigarettes and spent a long time washing his hands in the bathroom. When he heard the click of the door lock turning, his movements paused, and he turned off the faucet, shutting it off with a quick motion. "Let's go." Outside the theater, the blinding spotlights illuminated the dim sky, and fans gathered around, unwilling to leave, hoping for a glimpse of their idol. Once they entered the elevator, the noise around them gradually faded away. Neither of them spoke during the ride. The driver, who had already been informed, was waiting in the elevator lobby. Upon seeing Van, he respectfully opened the car door for him. Winnie and Van sat down, one on each side. Van thoughtfully had the driver lower the window shade, but didn't mention anything else. The red flashing lights from the street outside reflected through the gaps in the curtain, shining into Winnie's eyes. She didn't say anything, quietly sitting there. When she turned around, she saw Van with his eyes closed, leaning against the back of the seat, looking exhausted, as if he had already fallen asleep. His silver glasses made him appear less stern and, in fact, gave him a more peaceful look. Suddenly, Winnie felt that his silence and the tension in his posture stirred up a complex, indescribable feeling inside her. Upon arriving at the seaside estate, Van accompanied her upstairs and politely wished her goodnight. Then, unexpectedly, he spoke up, "We should find a time. I'll take you to meet my mother." Winnie froze for a moment, then nervously responded, "Okay, is there anything I need to prepare?" "No need. Just be yourself. The main thing is for her to know that I'm in a relationship." Winnie nodded, her expression growing even more tense. Standing nearby, Eric frowned slightly and glanced at Van. Van had been carefully avoiding letting Gina know before, even explicitly reminding everyone not to leak anything. Now, why was he suddenly deciding to introduce her to his mother? But Eric didn't say anything. Van recalled Winnie's reaction at that moment, clear and deep, but those memories felt locked away in his heart. He didn't dare to think about them further: "Winnie, because you are in my heart." "Mr. Marlowe, please don't love me. Or, at least give me only a moderate amount of liking. Some that fits within the contract. A little fake liking." "Why?" His affection felt like an invisible flame, one that burned too intensely for her to endure. She had never been able to bear the weight of that emotion he carried, though he had never truly understood how heavy it felt in her heart. The memory tugged him back to the conversation he had overheard by sheer accident: "So, you really love someone else, even though he's married, and you can't be together, which is why you agreed to our contract? You just want a little bit of fake affection within the boundaries of the contract, so the money you earn won't feel too meaningless. See, I really am not good at telling whether there's a place for me in someone's heart." "Mr. Marlowe—"