Everyone present couldn't help but sit up straight.
Durrell Landon was slightly taken aback, but quickly let out a low laugh, the sound carrying a hint of pleasure: "You're the first to dare treat me this way."
"Is that so? That's because you're the second young master of the Landon Family. Others respect you, fear you, but I don't care. If you really anger me, don't blame me for dragging us both down."
Durrell Landon looked up at her, and in that instant when their eyes met, her gaze burned with a fire that seemed capable of consuming everything, yet within those flames, a fog lurked, impossible to see through.
For a moment, he had the illusion that the two of them were alike.
A slight smile curved at his lips; he truly found it harder and harder to let go.
Julian Haworth, seeing that Quiana Sutton wouldn't let go, couldn't help but feel anxious:
"Quiana Sutton, if you dare to hurt Durrell, I can guarantee you won't walk out of the North Star's doors."
Hearing this, Quiana Sutton increased her grip, the veins beneath her fair skin vaguely visible, almost begging for someone to add a bit of ruinous art on top.
Oliver Gale leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, seemingly enjoying the show.
Quiana was doing what he hadn't dared to do in his entire life, and in his heart, she'd already been labeled a warrior.
Suddenly, Quiana Sutton lost interest and released her hold.
"You all play, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave first."
After Quiana Sutton left, Durrell Landon instinctively touched his neck, where the warmth from her fingers still lingered.
Quiana Sutton left the booth and stood in the hallway, casually lighting a cigarette, allowing the smoke to blur her outline.
Recently, she'd been smoking more frequently, which wasn't a good sign.
Yet she still enjoyed this feeling, as if she could conceal everything in the darkness, away from prying eyes.
Not far away.
Two figures slowly emerged; Xia Qingqing and Shen Yi were quite surprised, never expecting to run into Quiana Sutton at North Star.
Shen Yi was even more shocked, "Qingqing, Quiana Sutton is smoking."
Quiana Sutton was a peculiar presence in showbiz, with hordes of haters, but also many fans. As long as she didn't act, she could occasionally clean her image, but Shen Yi couldn't. Even if she barely reached the same level as Quiana Sutton, her popularity was far less than Quiana Sutton's.
Several times during endorsement discussions, the other party had explicitly stated they'd rather choose Quiana Sutton over someone like Shen Yi, who couldn't stir up the slightest storm.
It had infuriated her enough to hold a grudge against Quiana Sutton ever since.
Xia Qingqing didn't care about Quiana Sutton at all, looking at her as if she were an ant.
They were artists of the same period, and she had long left Quiana far behind. Quiana would never catch up with her. Her goal was to stand on the Oscar podium like her idol, Evelyn Windsor.
As for Quiana Sutton, she was just an occasional diversion in life.
Unhurriedly, she spoke: "Quiana Sutton always set up her image as a gentle and refined lady, right? If her fans saw her smoking now, wouldn't that image collapse?"
Glints of ambiguous emotions flashed in Shen Yi's eyes as she discreetly snapped a photo and sent it to YXH.
How YXH would promote it was not her concern.
…
After leaving North Star, Quiana Sutton went to a psychologist's office, the doctor seemingly a longtime acquaintance of hers.
Upon seeing her, he immediately said, "You haven't been around for a while, what made you suddenly decide to come today?"
Quiana Sutton didn't bother with small talk: "The usual, prescribe me some medicine."
The doctor obviously disapproved: "Medicine is three parts poison, you can't always rely on it."
Previously, he'd tried to conduct some psychological guidance for Quiana Sutton, but her defenses were so strong that he almost became depressed himself, ultimately choosing to give up.
Initially, when they first met, she wasn't seriously affected, but later on, her condition fluctuated between severe and seemingly recovered.
But deep down, he knew that someone like Miss Sutton could never fully recover; she was already far gone.
Perhaps doctors inherently possess a bit of compassion; he still hoped Miss Sutton could live a bit happier. He spoke gently:
"Find someone to accompany you, maybe you'll truly find yourself again."
Quiana Sutton found it laughable:
"You mean find someone to redeem and save me?"
The doctor nodded, indicating that was indeed his intention.
She let out a cool laugh, a touch mocking.
The concept of redemption had never suited her; she'd never sought salvation from others. The only one who could pull herself from the mire of hell was herself.
"Just prescribe me some medicine."
With a helpless sigh, the doctor knew further persuasion was useless, ultimately handing her a bottle of medicine.
Quiana glanced at it, threw it into her bag carelessly, then waved her hand: "I'm leaving, remember not to tell anyone I was here."
"Understood."
After Quiana left, the doctor poured himself a cup of coffee, stirring slowly.
Miss Sutton was the most surprising patient he had encountered, clearly beyond cure, yet seeming as normal as anyone else.
Even doing better than many others.
At the same time, he was curious about one thing: if one were to peel away Miss Sutton's formidable exterior, would the inside be rusted and rotten or so deep in darkness that she couldn't even see?
Have you heard of the balloon theory?
The point of explosion is often just a threshold away, and Miss Sutton was nearing that threshold. Even if her facade was immaculate, one day she'd inevitably collapse.
Quiana Sutton sat in the driver's seat, casually tossing her bag aside. The bag rolled over the seat, and the contents scattered inside the car.
She bent down to pick up the scattered items.
Alongside some lipsticks and the bottle of medicine, there was a peace charm.
Seeing the peace charm, a faint and nearly imperceptible haze appeared in her eyes, yet it existed.
Back when she was filming in the crew, an accident occurred, and she stayed in the hospital for a while due to an injury.
When she returned to her apartment, he gave her this peace charm.
She always thought she had thrown it away long ago, not realizing she had kept it in her bag.
Suddenly, she remembered what the psychologist had said earlier.
Find someone to save yourself.
Ha ha ha...
She never believed nor needed it. Instead of stuffing the peace charm back into her bag, she threw it out the window.
Returning to Imperial View Manor, she immediately ran into Zeke Landon, who was preparing to leave.
When Zeke Landon saw her, he wasn't too surprised; it was just that mysterious emotions rolled in his dark eyes.
As they were about to pass by each other, Zeke Landon called out to her.
"Hold on."
She stopped, looking back at him: "What is it?"
The wind that had been bustling subsided.
His gaze fell on her.
"Miss Sutton, pleasure to meet you."