"Hey, sweetheart, how about our whole family going to see a movie tonight?" Jared put down the newspaper and smiled at Angela, who was having breakfast. Today, he had done something unusual and changed out of his pajamas before breakfast.
The little girl had just taken a bite of a French pastry when she seemed to choke upon hearing her father's words. With a furrowed brow, she made an effort to swallow it down and quickly regained her composure. "No, Dad, it's not necessary."
"Really? It's a rare opportunity, you know," Jared calmly commented, taking a sip of his coffee.
Angela tightened her grip on her spoon, giving her father a stern look. After a moment, she replied through gritted teeth, "No, Dad, I'm serious."
"Why?" Her father shrugged, his face filled with confusion.
Elena, who had just joined them and taken a seat, overheard the question and asked, "Why are you asking why?"
Instead of directly answering, Jared changed the subject, asking, "Dear, are you available today?"
"I just need to send the necklace design to the company, why?" Elena replied truthfully, even though she didn't understand why her husband was asking this question.
"Let's go see a movie tonight, just the two of us. I asked Chris, but she's not going," Jared continued to smile.
Upon hearing the word "movie," Elena instantly grasped the situation, and a knowing smile spread across her face, while the little girl protested with a pout, "Dad!"
"Alright, alright, listen to me for a moment," Jared said, picking up the newspaper and began reading aloud, "It's evident that Nancy Meyers and Charles Sawyer aimed to give the children's summer a perfect conclusion, but unfortunately, the movie fell short of achieving the desired impact. The storyline lacked depth, and the only standout moment was the bar scene featuring Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts. On the other hand, Angela Mason, in her dual roles, was simply adorable."
After he finished reading, he flipped through the first page of the newspaper and remarked, "Hmm, this is from《The Washington Post》. Let's see what other newspapers have to say."
With that, he picked up the《Los Angeles Times》and flipped to the entertainment section, searching for the film review. Reading aloud, he shared, "In the movie, Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts portray a love triangle. Although Julia emerges victorious on screen, in reality, Dennis Quaid remains by Meg's side. However, both actresses still seem to follow the 'naive older sister' archetype, playing it safe. The bar scene brings a lot of enjoyment. As for Miss Angela Mason, the emerging talent who portrays dual roles on the big screen, some critics may be overly critical, but her performance is praiseworthy, despite a slight inconsistency in her British accent.
"Her accent? Maybe the reviewer hasn't spent much time in England," Elena remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, dear. There are more reviews. Let me continue reading," Jared reassured her, waving his hand as he picked up another newspaper, which seemed to be the《New York Times》.
The little girl stood up as if pleading, "Okay, Dad, can you please stop reading?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you might enjoy it. Since you're not attending the premiere and don't want to go to the movie theater, at least listening to the reviews should be okay, right?" Father grinned and shrugged.
"I'll go in the evening. That should be fine," Angela said through clenched teeth, her frustration becoming more apparent.
"Alright, that settles it then." Jared finished his coffee in one gulp, ruffled the little one's hair, ignored her murderous gaze, kissed his wife goodbye, and headed out.
At the entrance, the driver David Dick had already brought the car over and was waiting for him, as usual. After getting into the car, David looked at him through the rearview mirror and smiled, saying, "Mr. Mason, your daughter is adorable."
Jared was momentarily surprised but politely replied with a thank you, not dwelling on it too much. However, upon arriving at the office, he quickly sensed that something was amiss. Every time he walked by, the employees would whisper among themselves, which he found unsettling, even though he rarely reprimanded his staff.
Upon entering his office, Miss Daisy, his secretary, promptly brought in the neatly categorized documents. However, as she was about to leave, she gave him a smile similar to David's earlier and remarked, "Mr. Mason, your daughter is adorable."
"Oh? Thank you." Jared was once again taken aback. Putting the pieces together from the earlier encounters, he finally realized what was happening. Could it be that all the employees of the company had collectively watched the movie last night?
If the little girl were here, she would probably recognize it as the infamous office gossip culture, where even the smallest piece of information spreads like wildfire among colleagues. Rumors have a way of traveling faster than the speed of light in such environments.
However, Jared was unaware of these dynamics, so he couldn't fully comprehend the situation. He couldn't help but feel frustrated but decided not to dwell on it too much. Perhaps this trouble was caused because he teased the little one this morning? "Hey, I wasn't teasing her! I was merely trying to help her face her responsibilities head-on!"
As Jared was lost in his thoughts, the phone on his desk rang, and Daisy's voice came through, "Mr. Mason, Mr. Benjamin is on line 3."
Brian? Why would he be calling me now? Is it about Chris's movie? Jared tapped the table and eventually picked up the phone, saying, "Put him through, Daisy."
The call connected quickly, but before Jared could say a word, a somewhat noisy voice came from the other end, "Jared, what the hell is going on? Am I the last one to know again? I'm the little one's godfather, you know!"
"Alright, alright, Brian, can you calm down and speak slowly? Your loud voice is almost deafening me." Jared felt tempted to throw the handset.
"Fine, then tell me, what's going on?" Brian calmed down on the other end and spoke more slowly.
"Alright, but do you want to hear some good news?"
"What?"
"Considering the timing of your call, you're definitely not the last one to know."
"Ugh, fine, I get it. After all the drama in your family, I'll pretend not to notice."
"You rascal." Jared laughed and scolded, then briefly explained what Angela had been up to during this time.
So, you're saying the little one played a role in her own script?" Brian exclaimed on the other end. "Well, I always knew my goddaughter was extraordinary. She's a genius. I bet her performance was incredible."
"Really? I haven't gone to see it yet," Jared shrugged on his end of the call.
"What? Yesterday was the premiere, and Chris should have attended, right?"
"Chris lacks confidence in her own work. She not only declined Disney's invitation to the premiere, but she also didn't want us to go either," Jared said with a hint of resignation.
Just as he finished speaking, the phone on his desk rang once again. "Mr. Mason, Miss Ruth is on line 4. Should I put her on hold?"
Jared smiled wryly and swiftly responded through the handset, "Alright, Brian, Ruth's call is coming in. It's likely the same type of inquiry, so I must bid you farewell for now."
"Please give my regards to Ruth, but no need to convey them to Elena and the little one because I'll be visiting Los Angeles soon," Brian stated.
"I hope that when you arrive, we won't be home," Jared replied, pressing the end button. He then turned to Daisy and instructed, "Daisy, please connect Ruth's call."
Soon, a cheerful female voice came through the earpiece. "Jeddy, are you there?"
"Yes, I'm here, Ruth. You're not calling because of Chris's movie as well, are you?" Jared asked with a bitter smile.
There was a brief hesitation on the other end before Ruth replied, "What? Has Dad already called?"
"It's Brian, not my stubborn father," Jared's tone involuntarily carried a hint of laziness when he mentioned his father.
"Jeddy!" Ruth emphasized.
"Okay, Ruth, you know how it is between me and Dad. It's not something that happened overnight," Jared rubbed his temples. "It seems like you're asking about Chris, right?"
Just as Jared was about to respond, the phone rang once more. "Mr. Mason, your father is on line 5. Should I ask him to wait?" Daisy informed him.
It's like the universe is playing a trick on me, Jared thought to himself, slapping his forehead. He then spoke into the handset, "Alright, my dear sister, Dad's on the line. If you want to know something, you can call Elena or Brian."
"I understand, but try not to argue with Dad," Ruth advised.
"Alright, don't treat me like a child," Jared said, shaking his head before pressing the end button once again. He took a deep breath and spoke into the handset, "Daisy, connect my father's call."
After a brief pause, a slightly hoarse and elderly voice came through the handset. "Jared, you've been neglectful."
"Is that what you think? Just because I allowed Chris to make a movie?" Jared took another deep breath, trying to maintain a calm tone.
"Yes, I don't understand what you're thinking, but what possible reason could there be to let a child make a movie?! Or have you been in Los Angeles for so long that you no longer care about the child?!" The old man's tone grew increasingly stern.
"Dad, this entire thing was Chris's own choice from beginning to end, and we simply respect her decision."
"But you're her guardian, and your role extends beyond mere respect!"
"Well, what would you have me do? Restrain her? Let's not forget the commotion caused when she ran away in a fit of anger in London at the age of four!"
"And that was your carelessness."
"Is that all you have to say?" Jared's annoyance grew, and his tone turned cold. "Mr. Kleist Mason, I have other matters to attend to. I've been inundated with calls about Angela all morning, and it's seriously impacting my work. If you have any questions, you can come to California or wait for us to visit New York for Christmas. That's it."
With those words, he hung up the phone with a click. Sitting in his chair, he took a deep breath, realizing that he had spent a considerable amount of time talking to his father without achieving anything meaningful. It was truly baffling.
Jared let out a bitter smile, and just as he did, the phone rang once again. "Mr. Mason, Mr. Oliver is on line 3. Should I ask him to wait?"
"Alright, alright, today has turned into a press conference for the little one, hasn't it? Or is it because I teased her earlier? Damn it!"
"Hey, sweetheart, how about our whole family going to see a movie tonight?" Jared put down the newspaper and smiled at Angela, who was having breakfast. Today, he had done something unusual and changed out of his pajamas before breakfast.
The little girl had just taken a bite of a French pastry when she seemed to choke upon hearing her father's words. With a furrowed brow, she made an effort to swallow it down and quickly regained her composure. "No, Dad, it's not necessary."
"Really? It's a rare opportunity, you know," Jared calmly commented, taking a sip of his coffee.
Angela tightened her grip on her spoon, giving her father a stern look. After a moment, she replied through gritted teeth, "No, Dad, I'm serious."
"Why?" Her father shrugged, his face filled with confusion.
Elena, who had just joined them and taken a seat, overheard the question and asked, "Why are you asking why?"
Instead of directly answering, Jared changed the subject, asking, "Dear, are you available today?"
"I just need to send the necklace design to the company, why?" Elena replied truthfully, even though she didn't understand why her husband was asking this question.
"Let's go see a movie tonight, just the two of us. I asked Chris, but she's not going," Jared continued to smile.
Upon hearing the word "movie," Elena instantly grasped the situation, and a knowing smile spread across her face, while the little girl protested with a pout, "Dad!"
"Alright, alright, listen to me for a moment," Jared said, picking up the newspaper and began reading aloud, "It's evident that Nancy Meyers and Charles Sawyer aimed to give the children's summer a perfect conclusion, but unfortunately, the movie fell short of achieving the desired impact. The storyline lacked depth, and the only standout moment was the bar scene featuring Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts. On the other hand, Angela Mason, in her dual roles, was simply adorable."
After he finished reading, he flipped through the first page of the newspaper and remarked, "Hmm, this is from《The Washington Post》. Let's see what other newspapers have to say."
With that, he picked up the《Los Angeles Times》and flipped to the entertainment section, searching for the film review. Reading aloud, he shared, "In the movie, Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts portray a love triangle. Although Julia emerges victorious on screen, in reality, Dennis Quaid remains by Meg's side. However, both actresses still seem to follow the 'naive older sister' archetype, playing it safe. The bar scene brings a lot of enjoyment. As for Miss Angela Mason, the emerging talent who portrays dual roles on the big screen, some critics may be overly critical, but her performance is praiseworthy, despite a slight inconsistency in her British accent.
"Her accent? Maybe the reviewer hasn't spent much time in England," Elena remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, dear. There are more reviews. Let me continue reading," Jared reassured her, waving his hand as he picked up another newspaper, which seemed to be the《New York Times》.
The little girl stood up as if pleading, "Okay, Dad, can you please stop reading?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you might enjoy it. Since you're not attending the premiere and don't want to go to the movie theater, at least listening to the reviews should be okay, right?" Father grinned and shrugged.
"I'll go in the evening. That should be fine," Angela said through clenched teeth, her frustration becoming more apparent.
"Alright, that settles it then." Jared finished his coffee in one gulp, ruffled the little one's hair, ignored her murderous gaze, kissed his wife goodbye, and headed out.
At the entrance, the driver David Dick had already brought the car over and was waiting for him, as usual. After getting into the car, David looked at him through the rearview mirror and smiled, saying, "Mr. Mason, your daughter is adorable."
Jared was momentarily surprised but politely replied with a thank you, not dwelling on it too much. However, upon arriving at the office, he quickly sensed that something was amiss. Every time he walked by, the employees would whisper among themselves, which he found unsettling, even though he rarely reprimanded his staff.
Upon entering his office, Miss Daisy, his secretary, promptly brought in the neatly categorized documents. However, as she was about to leave, she gave him a smile similar to David's earlier and remarked, "Mr. Mason, your daughter is adorable."
"Oh? Thank you." Jared was once again taken aback. Putting the pieces together from the earlier encounters, he finally realized what was happening. Could it be that all the employees of the company had collectively watched the movie last night?
If the little girl were here, she would probably recognize it as the infamous office gossip culture, where even the smallest piece of information spreads like wildfire among colleagues. Rumors have a way of traveling faster than the speed of light in such environments.
However, Jared was unaware of these dynamics, so he couldn't fully comprehend the situation. He couldn't help but feel frustrated but decided not to dwell on it too much. Perhaps this trouble was caused because he teased the little one this morning? "Hey, I wasn't teasing her! I was merely trying to help her face her responsibilities head-on!"
As Jared was lost in his thoughts, the phone on his desk rang, and Daisy's voice came through, "Mr. Mason, Mr. Benjamin is on line 3."
Brian? Why would he be calling me now? Is it about Chris's movie? Jared tapped the table and eventually picked up the phone, saying, "Put him through, Daisy."
The call connected quickly, but before Jared could say a word, a somewhat noisy voice came from the other end, "Jared, what the hell is going on? Am I the last one to know again? I'm the little one's godfather, you know!"
"Alright, alright, Brian, can you calm down and speak slowly? Your loud voice is almost deafening me." Jared felt tempted to throw the handset.
"Fine, then tell me, what's going on?" Brian calmed down on the other end and spoke more slowly.
"Alright, but do you want to hear some good news?"
"What?"
"Considering the timing of your call, you're definitely not the last one to know."
"Ugh, fine, I get it. After all the drama in your family, I'll pretend not to notice."
"You rascal." Jared laughed and scolded, then briefly explained what Angela had been up to during this time.
So, you're saying the little one played a role in her own script?" Brian exclaimed on the other end. "Well, I always knew my goddaughter was extraordinary. She's a genius. I bet her performance was incredible."
"Really? I haven't gone to see it yet," Jared shrugged on his end of the call.
"What? Yesterday was the premiere, and Chris should have attended, right?"
"Chris lacks confidence in her own work. She not only declined Disney's invitation to the premiere, but she also didn't want us to go either," Jared said with a hint of resignation.
Just as he finished speaking, the phone on his desk rang once again. "Mr. Mason, Miss Ruth is on line 4. Should I put her on hold?"
Jared smiled wryly and swiftly responded through the handset, "Alright, Brian, Ruth's call is coming in. It's likely the same type of inquiry, so I must bid you farewell for now."
"Please give my regards to Ruth, but no need to convey them to Elena and the little one because I'll be visiting Los Angeles soon," Brian stated.
"I hope that when you arrive, we won't be home," Jared replied, pressing the end button. He then turned to Daisy and instructed, "Daisy, please connect Ruth's call."
Soon, a cheerful female voice came through the earpiece. "Jeddy, are you there?"
"Yes, I'm here, Ruth. You're not calling because of Chris's movie as well, are you?" Jared asked with a bitter smile.
There was a brief hesitation on the other end before Ruth replied, "What? Has Dad already called?"
"It's Brian, not my stubborn father," Jared's tone involuntarily carried a hint of laziness when he mentioned his father.
"Jeddy!" Ruth emphasized.
"Okay, Ruth, you know how it is between me and Dad. It's not something that happened overnight," Jared rubbed his temples. "It seems like you're asking about Chris, right?"
Just as Jared was about to respond, the phone rang once more. "Mr. Mason, your father is on line 5. Should I ask him to wait?" Daisy informed him.
It's like the universe is playing a trick on me, Jared thought to himself, slapping his forehead. He then spoke into the handset, "Alright, my dear sister, Dad's on the line. If you want to know something, you can call Elena or Brian."
"I understand, but try not to argue with Dad," Ruth advised.
"Alright, don't treat me like a child," Jared said, shaking his head before pressing the end button once again. He took a deep breath and spoke into the handset, "Daisy, connect my father's call."
After a brief pause, a slightly hoarse and elderly voice came through the handset. "Jared, you've been neglectful."
"Is that what you think? Just because I allowed Chris to make a movie?" Jared took another deep breath, trying to maintain a calm tone.
"Yes, I don't understand what you're thinking, but what possible reason could there be to let a child make a movie?! Or have you been in Los Angeles for so long that you no longer care about the child?!" The old man's tone grew increasingly stern.
"Dad, this entire thing was Chris's own choice from beginning to end, and we simply respect her decision."
"But you're her guardian, and your role extends beyond mere respect!"
"Well, what would you have me do? Restrain her? Let's not forget the commotion caused when she ran away in a fit of anger in London at the age of four!"
"And that was your carelessness."
"Is that all you have to say?" Jared's annoyance grew, and his tone turned cold. "Mr. Kleist Mason, I have other matters to attend to. I've been inundated with calls about Angela all morning, and it's seriously impacting my work. If you have any questions, you can come to California or wait for us to visit New York for Christmas. That's it."
With those words, he hung up the phone with a click. Sitting in his chair, he took a deep breath, realizing that he had spent a considerable amount of time talking to his father without achieving anything meaningful. It was truly baffling.
Jared let out a bitter smile, and just as he did, the phone rang once again. "Mr. Mason, Mr. Oliver is on line 3. Should I ask him to wait?"
"Alright, alright, today has turned into a press conference for the little one, hasn't it? Or is it because I teased her earlier? Damn it!"
