Three days later Anna and Kevin arrived at the soundstage entrance. Anna nearly stopped in her tracks when she spotted Betty waiting by the gate.
"Big Sis! It’s so good to see you!" Betty grinned ear to ear, practically bouncing.
"Betty—what are you doing here? What about your classes?" Anna began, only for Kevin to step in.
"I hired her as your assistant," he said, watching Anna carefully.
Anna’s brow lifted. A manager wasn’t enough? Now she had an assistant too — and one who was still studying.
Kevin noticed the look on her face and hurried to explain. "Don’t worry. Her exams finished last week. She asked for the job — extra cash, experience. She insisted."
Anna glanced at Betty, a flicker of disappointnt crossing her features. "Betty, why didn’t you tell beforehand?" she asked, a little hurt. She knew Betty worked odd jobs to fund her studies; she’d asked the girl to tell her everything, so the secrecy stung.
Betty’s smile faltered and she rushed forward, taking Anna’s hand. "Big Sis, don’t be upset. I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d say no. I couldn’t waste my break doing nothing. And this way we get to spend more ti together."
Kevin watched them exchange a look and filed away the closeness between them — he’d been told by Daniel that Betty and Anna had only recently beco friends, but their warmth seed deeper than that.
Since the film announcent, press and gossip had clustered around one na: Anna. The rumor about a lover had died down once she denied it, and for the most part things had quieted. This was her second ti on set; everything still felt oddly new. Kevin had arranged a personal vanity, fittings, and a gentle schedule so she could settle in.
As Anna began to get ready, her phone buzzed.
"Hello?" she answered without looking at the screen. There was only silence on the other end. She pulled the phone away and frowned — the call was still connected, but nobody spoke.
"Hello?" she tried again, and the line cut out.
"Sis, are you okay?" Betty’s voice, worried, pulled Anna back.
Anna forced a smile. "I’m good," she said, and set the phone aside. It rang again almost imdiately. This ti the caller ID read Unknown.
She hesitated, then picked up. "Hello?"
Silence.
A cold prickle crawled up her spine; she pressed the phone closer, waiting for a voice that never ca. On her first day of shooting, phantom calls felt like a bad on.
When the line went dead she felt ridiculous — and annoyed. The phone lit up once more. Her patience snapped.
She yanked it to her ear and snapped, "Listen, asshole — if this is a prank, stop it now. If I find you I will—"
Her voice carried across the prep area. Heads turned; a few crew mbers paused their tasks.
"Heh—she’s just rehearsing her lines," soone offered weakly to cover the awkward silence.
Betty’s face went white; she darted to Anna’s side and grabbed the handset. "Big Sis—"
Anna didn’t notice the attention. She kept the phone clamped to her ear, jaw tight, cheeks flushed with anger. The staff exchanged uneasy looks. Whispers circulated like static.
"Big Sis, please don’t scare everyone," Betty murmured, trying to steer Anna back to calm.
The more Anna ignored the call, the stronger the chill in her spine grew — until a familiar voice suddenly broke the silence.
"My wife sounds upset about sothing. Is everything all right on set? Is soone bothering you?"
Daniel’s deep voice cut through the static, instantly lting the unease that had been creeping up her skin.
Anna froze, blinking rapidly as she pulled the phone away to check the screen. Sure enough — his na glowed mockingly back at her.
Damn you, Anna.
She smacked her forehead ntally before pressing the phone back to her ear.
"Is this your new way of bothering , Daniel?" she snapped. "Why would you prank call when I’m trying to prepare?"
Across the room, the staff stilled, half expecting her to explode again. Betty gave an awkward laugh, gesturing for everyone to relax.
"Please, continue. She’s fine now," she said with a tight smile.
The makeup artist hesitated before leaning back in. "I think she won’t snap at us this ti," soone whispered under their breath.
anwhile, Betty sighed quietly. Big Sis, you just called your husband an asshole. Again.
Anna’s husband wasn’t exactly an ordinary man — and yet she treated him like one she could scold whenever she pleased.
On the other end, Daniel’s calm voice ca through the line, laced with mild confusion. "Wait — when did I prank you?"
Anna scoffed, ready to argue, but the sincerity in his tone made her pause.
"You didn’t?" she asked, her voice softening as realization dawned.
Her mind raced back to the earlier calls — the silent ones, the unknown number flashing on her screen. If Daniel hadn’t been the one calling her, then who—
"Anna?" Daniel’s voice broke through her thoughts again, pulling her back.
"Eh? Yeah—yes! What were you saying?" she stamred, brushing off the flicker of unease in her chest.
Before Daniel could reply, a crew mber stepped forward. "Miss Anna, the shot’s ready!"
Anna exhaled and ended the call in a hurry.
"...Hello?" Daniel said, only to be t with the empty tone of a disconnected line.
He stared at his phone, stunned for a mont, before his brows drew together.
"She hung up on ," he muttered in disbelief. "Again."
Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his temples with a sigh, though the faint curl of amusent tugged at his lips.
"That woman will be the death of ," Daniel muttered under his breath, pushing back his chair. The frustration in his tone didn’t quite hide the trace of fondness beneath it.
He stood abruptly, straightening his jacket just as Henry entered the office with a file in hand.
"Boss, about the Anderson project—" Henry’s voice trailed off the mont he saw Daniel striding past him toward the door.
"Henry," Daniel interrupted without slowing, "we’re heading to Anna’s movie set."
Henry froze mid-step, blinking. "What? Now? But—the eting—"
His protest fell on deaf ears. Daniel had already reached the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button without a glance back.
"Boss! Wait for !" Henry scrambled after him, clutching the file as he dashed down the hall.
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