Chapter 641 Paint Splattered On The Wall
Tiffany sat dejectedly on the couch and remarked, “It’s obvious that someone is trying to stall the filming of the movie. I’m a best-selling author, not an heir to a conglomerate owned by a powerful family. It just feels like I’m powerless to ensure the completion of my work.”
“With Oscar around, I’m sure your novel will be successfully adapted into a movie.”
“I’m confident that filming will be completed. It’s just that every single day’s worth of delay caused by the troublemakers results in losses, on top of us falling behind schedule. Consequently, all the money that your husband, and the other major investors, invested in the movie would have gone down the drain.
If the film adaptation fails, it will not only affect future adaptations, but readers might also start to doubt the quality of my written works,” Tiffany explained in a disheartened tone. The rumors generated from previous accusations of plagiarism and refusal to compensate for injuries continued to fuel negative publicity for the film.
Amelia changed the topic. “Tiff, I heard that there’s a telescope at the newly built pavilion at Mount Locus. By paying a small fee of a hundred, one can use it to admire the surrounding scenery. Since there’s no way you can generate any ideas in your current condition, why don’t we go hiking to clear our minds?”
Upon giving it some thought, Tiffany nodded in agreement. “Sure.”
After changing into the appropriate outfits, Amelia and Tiffany set off.
They drove to Mount Locus and parked their car upon their arrival. From there, they climbed the steps up the hill and were greeted by the newly-built pavilion with a telescope in place. They had earlier assumed that it was just a simple telescope and didn’t expect to find an array of sophisticated equipment laid out inside the pavilion.
Moreover, there was a crowd surrounding it with everyone enthusiastically paying the fee to use the telescope. Observing the scene, Amelia remarked, “The proprietor must have an excellent business acumen to have come up with such a brilliant idea.”
Tiffany shared her opinion. “Clearly, this high-end telescope and its corresponding equipment must have cost at least a few million. If someone carelessly damages them, it would be a disaster. Hence, my gut feeling tells me that the owner isn’t doing this for money but more to while away his time.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Amelia replied, “I don’t really care. Come, let’s go and take a look.”
Tiffany nodded.
Just when both of them approached and paid two hundred, a familiar voice rang out from behind them. “Amelia, what an honor it is to run into you here.”
Unable to control herself, Amelia cursed in her heart. This damn evil spirit just can’t stop haunting me.
The person who called out to them was none other than June.
Given that she kept running into him everywhere, Amelia was understandably irate.
She replied awkwardly, “Mr. Wick, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I am the one who paid for this pavilion to be built, for it has been my wish to admire the beautiful scenery here. Nonetheless, I didn’t expect it to have attracted your attention and for fate to have brought you here,” June explained as he walked over.
As Tiffany gave the handsome foreigner a curious look, she found him familiar but couldn’t remember who he was.
She asked softly, “Babe, who is this? Is he an acquaintance?”
“He is Cassie’s fiancé,” Amelia answered in resignation.
Initially, Tiffany was interested in getting to know June better. However, her face turned grim once she heard Amelia explain his identity.
“Babe, let’s go. The air feels kind of polluted here,” Tiffany urged as she tugged Amelia’s arm.
June smiled calmly at Tiffany, “Miss, I’m sure you must have the wrong impression of me.”
“No, I do not discriminate against those who are good-looking. I just don’t like Cassie. Since you’re her fiancé, that resentment naturally extends to you,” Tiffany answered candidly.
She was never one to be a hypocrite. Whether she liked someone or not, she would clearly show it.
June clapped his hand. “Interesting! Pretty miss, can I have the honor of learning your name?”
Tiffany squirmed her lips. “I’m not going to tell you. Babe, let’s go.”
June took a big step in front of them and suggested with a smile, “Ladies, since it’s a wonderful coincidence to run into both of you, shall we have a chat over coffee?”
“Forget it, I don’t think there’s anything for us to talk about,” Tiffany rejected at once.
Subsequently, she went down the hill with Amelia in tow. After getting into the car, she grumbled, “What an unlucky day!”
“Are you angry?”
“How can I not be? I was supposed to go on a hike to clear my mind but didn’t expect to run into a man like that.” Tiffany added, “Babe, tell me, has he been stalking you for a long time? Or else, how do you know him so well?”
“I met him a few times before.” Amelia summarized how she got to know June and how pictures of them were even sent to Oscar.
“Damn it, how shameless can he be?” Tiffany was further outraged. Only a despicable man can resort to such drastic measures.
“Calm down, he’s just an egoistic and narcissistic man, isn’t he?”
“I’m just worried that Cassie sent him to seduce you given how crafty she is. The fact that she can get her fiancé to take on such a dirty job even though things are over between Oscar and her shows that she is truly capable of anything.”
“I don’t care about how others see us. All that matters is that I keep to my own principles.”
Tiffany gave her a look. “Babe, you seem to be unexpectedly calm.”
“What else do you expect me to do? Cut him down with a machete? Report him to the police for harassment? Or shamelessly declare that he is actually interested in me? Perhaps, I can accuse him of trying to seek revenge over the fact that his fiancée was dumped? After all, no man would be that magnanimous to accept his fiancée’s past without doing anything,” Amelia explained calmly.
Tiffany was dumbstruck.
A short while later, she replied with a shrug, “Babe, you win.”
While both of them were debating the matter, Tiffany received a call from a member of the film crew.
Upon answering, an anxious male voice rang out. “Tiffany, come over here quickly. Someone has painted the words ‘Tiffany is nothing but a plagiarist’ on the film site’s wall. As of now, a bunch of reporters are taking photos of it. If you have time, you had better head over here at once.”
“All right, I understand. I’ll be right over,” Tiffany replied with a sullen expression.
After ending the call, Amelia asked, “Tiffany, what happened?”
“Someone has vandalized the film site and alerted the reporters to it. Thus, I have to rush over to take a look.” Tiffany was surprisingly calm. “Babe, I’ll take a taxi there, while you head home first. I’m afraid you might be shocked by what you find there.”
“Sit tight, I’ll step on it,” Amelia declared in a domineering tone as she shot Tiffany a glance.
“Babe…”
“Not another word. There’s no way I’m going to let you walk into the jaws of danger alone.”
Tiffany had no reason to object.
By the time both of them arrived, the reporters have been asked to leave, while the writings on the wall have also been washed off. Nonetheless, there were a few members of the crew whose arms were injured. On top of that, Oscar and Derrick were also present albeit with grim expressions on their faces.
“Oscar, what’s going on? How did all this happen out of nowhere?” Amelia asked as she approached them.
“A few imbeciles came here to mess things up, but I have gotten the bodyguards to remove them.” Oscar stroked her face and asked softly, “Who called you and asked you to come?”
“A member of the crew gave Tiffany a call, telling her that someone splashed her name across a wall. Worried that the matter would escalate, she decided to come over right away.”
“Everything is fine now. You and Tiffany should go home and let us men deal with this.”
Amelia placed her hands on top of his. “Oscar, I want to stay behind, for there’s more to this than some innocent troublemaking. Someone is definitely plotting all of this. Hence, I think we should go to the police.”
“No, I don’t plan to get the police involved. I have to teach whoever is challenging me a lesson they won’t forget. Or else, they will no longer respect my authority,” Oscar declared solemnly with a narrowed gaze. This time, Oscar was truly infuriated that someone had openly provoked him and caused him to lose millions. Even though the amount didn’t mean much to him, it was the first time someone had disrupted his business in a major way. Ever since he became a businessman, he was the one that would ruin his enemies, while they were always helpless against him.
In the end, Amelia pursed her lips and nodded.
Now that they were sure someone was scheming against them, they were cognizant that the police would be of no help at all. The only way to resolve the matter once and for all was to deal with it through private means.
Meanwhile, Tiffany and Derrick joined them. Pretending to be relaxed, Tiffany remarked with a smile, “Oscar, you must be down on your luck to have run into such problems on our very first project together. Why don’t you withdraw your investment? If someone causes trouble here every other day, I don’t think we’ll be able to complete filming anyway.”
Glancing at her, Oscar broke into an undiscernible smile. “I’m surprised to see the usually feisty Tiffany admit defeat. This is a truly rare occasion indeed.”
She replied with a shrug, “Go ahead and laugh. After all, the film adaptation of my novel is turning into a joke within the industry. Going forward, I don’t think anyone will dare invest in adapting my novels anymore. Hence, I had better resign myself to going back to my old career.”
Derrick stroked the back of her head. “Tiffany, enough of your silly words. As long as you continue writing novels, I’ll help you publish, promote, and adapt them into films. I’ll definitely not let your dream be interrupted. As for the filming, we can continue tomorrow. Mr. Clinton and I have come up with a plan. Therefore, everything will proceed smoothly this time.”
Tiffany was filled with disbelief. “Is it really true?”
“Don’t worry. I’m still powerful enough to deal with something as trivial as this. Mr. Clinton and I have already made the necessary arrangements. This matter will not appear in the press tomorrow.”
Tiffany nodded in acknowledgment. Despite still feeling troubled, she didn’t express any of it.
