Audrey's mind was occupied with thoughts, but she wasn't as uncomfortable as she had been at the beginning.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a villa.
Anthea carefully helped Audrey out of the car. The two of them walked through the garden in silence. Just before entering the house, Anthea suddenly whispered to Audrey, "Audrey, there are some things that never really belonged to us. You should pursue what you truly enjoy. You have your own life."
Audrey was slightly taken aback. It was only now that she realized Anthea had always knew her daughter's intentions.
"Mom, I know. I was dumb, but I won't be anymore."
Audrey said these words in a solumn tone.
Anthea sighed inwardly. Over the years, she was well aware of the things Audrey had done and understood Audrey's determination. She didn't dare hope that a few words would bring about a change in Audrey.
She could only slowly persuade her over time in the future.
"As long as you've thought it through, let's go inside." Anthea held her hand and they entered the house.
As soon as they stepped into the living room, both of them were startled.
Stepfather Gary and second brother Eric were each sitting at one end of the sofa. They didn't exchange words either, with one reading a newspaper and the other playing with a mobile phone. There was a palpable distance between them, as if separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and they didn't look like father and son at all.
"You are back already?" Gary appeared somewhat surprised. "Then John must have made a wasted trip."
John was Gary's assistant. Upon learning that Audrey was hospitalized, he instructed John to visit her at the hospital after work.
Anthea didn't have much of an opinion. After all, Gary had always been like this. He showed minimal concern for his own biological children, let alone Audrey, his stepdaughter.
Audrey looked at Gary's mild expression and sighed inwardly. She thought, "Sure enough, the original host of this body fantasized that her accident and hospitalization would make Gary come to see her. It's wishful thinking."
"Thank you, Uncle Gary, for your concern. There wasn't really anything to worry about," Audrey said with a smile.
Just as she finished speaking, she noticed Eric's disdainful gaze beside her.
Audrey looked over.
Eric didn't bother hiding his emotions. He looked at Audrey with a derisive smile, and his eyes clearly conveyed the message: "You think so highly of yourself. Can't you tell he's just pretending to care?"
Audrey was a bit speechless. Based on the book's description and the original host's memories, this stepbrother of hers was often seen as not serious in the eyes of many. Initially, he was focused on his directing career, and by the time he wanted to compete for the family business with his elder brother, it was already too late.
However, he did have talent as a director. If it were up to Audrey, she'd wonder why he bothered with the family business when he had shares in the company and could enjoy dividends every year to fund his directing endeavors.
[There are indeed people who don't know how to enjoy life!!]
Eric was waiting to see how things would play out when suddenly his smile froze on his face.
Just a moment ago, he had watched a large dialogue box appear above Audrey's head, displaying a line of text.
It was like the scrolling comments that appeared at the top of the screen during live-streamed TV shows.
What the hell?
Eric tightly shut his eyes, even rubbing them as if trying to dispel the illusion. When he opened them again and looked, Audrey was simply there, speaking to Gary, with nothing above her head.
Could it have all been his imagination?
"Audrey, if you truly want to join the company, you're welcome to. However, the work there is complex, and you'd need to start from the bottom as an entry-level employee, just like your sister," Gary suddenly interjected.
The other three people present were taken aback, perplexed by his sudden change of heart.
Audrey quickly regained her composure and earnestly replied, "Thank you, Uncle Gary, but that won't be necessary. While I appreciate the offer, I've already found something I'm passionate about."
After a brief pause, Audrey continued, "I aspire to become an actress."
A moment of silence enveloped the room. Eventually, Gary was the first to break it, his confusion evident as he looked at Audrey. "Why the sudden decision? My initial concern with you joining the company was due to the demanding nature of the work."
Unbeknownst to Audrey, Eric rolled his eyes beside Gary. His father was quite adept at putting on a show, making grand pronouncements.
Only Gary caught this exchange. Audrey, preoccupied with her thoughts, remained oblivious.
Audrey explained, "I've actually nurtured a passion for acting for quite some time. I was actively involved in the drama club during college. Recently, a talent agency approached me, and I've signed a contract with them."
Anthea's voice carried an air of disbelief as she exclaimed, "You've already signed a contract?"
Both Gary and Eric regarded her with surprise. After all, not long ago, Audrey was insistent on joining the company, adamant that she didn't desire anything else. Now, she had a signed contract as an actress.
Audrey looked at Anthea and reassured her, "Mom, please rest assured. I had legal professionals review the contract thoroughly. It's completely sound. Furthermore, the agent who's guiding me is highly reputable within the industry. I'm in good hands."
Anthea let out a soft sigh, her tone becoming more somber. "Audrey, the path of an actress is far from easy. Don't make impulsive decisions that might lead to future regrets."
Gary glanced at Anthea and then at Audrey, echoing the sentiment, "Indeed, Audrey. Take your time to contemplate this decision. Regarding the contract, you can always rely on your second brother to assist you with the legal aspects."