Chapter 161
“Aunt Nicole, are you feeling unwell? Is your back acting up again?” Lila asked worriedly, noticing Nicole’s unusual behavior.
“It’s nothing. I’m just getting old, so I need to be careful not to strain my back with any sudden movements,” Nicole replied with a gentle smile.
She lovingly patted Lila’s cheek. “Did you have a long day? Your grandparents are waiting for you inside, so let’s go in. We even prepared a present for you.”
“Isn’t that a bit too much?”
“Not when this is your first time producing a film as an assistant director. I’m sure our darling Lila will become a brilliant director one day,” Nicole praised warmly.
A motherly smile lit up her face, the faint wrinkles around her eyes adding to her elegance.
She reached out to take Lila’s hand and spotted the gold bracelet on her wrist.
“Where’d you get this bracelet?” Nicole asked curiously.
Lila grinned. “Isn’t it pretty? It’s a present from Uncle Kieran for finishing the film.”
She glanced at Kieran, who maintained his usual stoic expression. He only glanced at them briefly at the mention of his name, but his face remained the
same.
Nicole wanted to tell Lila the bracelet’s significance but decided to swallow her words.
Kieran looked so indifferent that Nicole figured she must have been overthinking things.
Knowing how considerate Lila was, there was a high chance she would feel uneasy after knowing the bracelet’s price.
So, Nicole merely smiled and said, “It sure is. Kieran did one-up me this time. Your bracelet makes my gift pale in comparison.”
She held Lila’s hand and guided her toward the room. “Go say hi to your grandparents first. They would’ve gone to see you this morning if you weren’t working.”
“Lila, come sit with me,” Hazel and Frances said in unison when they spotted Lila.
Hazel shot her husband a playful glare before beaming at Lila.
“Come here, Lila. I have a present for you. Let me know what you think,” she said eagerly, holding a small gift box.
Lila smiled sweetly and went over to give Hazel a big, warm hug.
The corner of Hazel’s eyes crinkled as she broke out into a beam. “Oh, my darling. You’re the best.”
“Such nonsense,” Frances muttered, his voice laced with jealousy.
“Did you miss me, Grandpa?” Lila asked, making sure to hug him next.
“Of course, I missed my darling granddaughter!” Frances laughed just as heartily, earning an eye-roll from his wife.
“Women and their jealousy are scary!” Frances thought.
Before Lila could respond, a playful voice cut through. “Hey, how come I never get this kind of welcome even when I’m away for months?”
Surprised, she spun around. “N-Noah, when did you get back?”
Noah stood there with his unruly, platinum-blonde hair. He wore a punk-inspired outfit as his fingers fiddled with a lollipop. He looked just as mischievous as he sounded.
Seeing him, Nicole felt her head throb. She wanted nothing more than to grab a pair of scissors and snip off that nest he called hair.
“Can’t you fix that messy hair of yours before coming home?”
Noah grinned lazily, unbothered by his mother’s admonishment.
Towering over her, he slung an arm around her shoulders like they were buddies. “Mom, you don’t get it. This is in fashion right now. Haven’t you seen how much my fans love it?”
He added, “Don’t believe me? Ask Lila. I’m sure her industry thinks this is cool too.”