The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!

Chapter 281: Maya, Long Time No See

Maya Monroe can no longer recall how long it had been since she last saw Leo Lancaster; thus, seeing him created a feeling of surrealness.

He was just as warm and gentle as ever, a refined smile appearing on his handsome face as he lightly waved in greeting.

Maya waved back, walking towards him.

"Maya, long time no see."

Leo’s gaze lingered almost hungrily on her face, but he restrained himself, shifting his gaze away to appear less abrupt.

"Brother Leo, long time no see. I didn’t expect to see you here in the film crew. Isn’t it strange? I don’t recall seeing you on the cast list."

He chuckled softly: "It was a last-minute decision to come over, just a role with few scenes..." Leo sighed regretfully, "I should have acted sooner; maybe then I could have gotten a role with more scenes."

Maya smiled, "Brother Leo, you haven’t been very active in the domestic scene lately, have you? Your acting career is going so well, congratulations."

Leo lowered his eyes, then lifted them again to look at her, "Thank you."

He exclaimed: "The script of ’Solara’ is excellently produced; this is a great opportunity. I didn’t expect you to land the leading female role so swiftly... No, I shouldn’t say that. Actually, there’s nothing surprising when it comes to you."

Suddenly, Maya’s ringtone interrupted them, and she apologized, taking out her phone from her pocket.

It was Ian Rowe calling.

"Okay, I’ll be right down, wait for me a moment, it won’t be long."

After hanging up, Maya noticed Leo’s gaze remained fixed on her.

Leo smiled softly and said warmly, "Is it Ian? Did he need something?"

Maya acknowledged, "I’ve been talking about Sichuan cuisine for a while now; he said there’s a restaurant that’s quite authentic and decided to take me to try it."

Leo forced a smile, "You and Ian... your relationship has already..."

As if realizing his words were inappropriate, he stopped himself and changed the topic, "I mean, it’s good that you..."

"Brother Leo, Ian is waiting for me. I should go now."

"...Alright."

Maya hastily fished out a ring from her bag and put it on. She would remove the ring while filming as it was inconvenient, but whenever she was meeting Ian, wearing the ring was a necessity.

Ian’s obsession with this ring was very deep.

Leo blinked to ensure he wasn’t seeing things; the ring snugly fit on her ring finger felt like a needle stabbing into his heart, as if it were bleeding.

He himself didn’t understand why it hurt this much.

He opened his mouth but ultimately found there was nothing to say, nor did he have any standing to speak.

"Brother Leo, I better go."

He watched as she left with her assistant’s guidance; her steps were light and swift like a bird.

Leo slowly exhaled, feeling as though a dark cloud lingered between his brows.

What had become of their relationship during the time he had not been paying attention?

Beside him, the assistant noticed his pale complexion and advised, "Brother Leo, are you suffering from heatstroke? Your face seems quite pale; shall we find a place to rest?"

He waved his hand weakly, dejectedly saying, "Let me stay here for a while."

*

The reunion with Serena Sawyer took place on a warm afternoon, with the sun like a churned hot sphere constantly emitting heat, yet her complexion wasn’t looking well.

Recently, Serena had been entangled in troubles, and they hadn’t been in contact for quite some time.

They were in a quiet coffee shop, apart from the sound of the wind, there was almost no other noise.

Maya held her coffee, speaking with concern, "You don’t look well. Have you been facing some troubles?"

Seated opposite, Serena forced a smile, "I’ve always been strong-minded, handling everything on my own; this situation isn’t different. But only now do I realize that some things need to be spoken about, or the heart will never find peace."

Maya looked at her and said, "I’m happy to be your listener."

"This is not a pleasant message, maybe I shouldn’t share it with you."

"I’ve divorced."

Her heavy words fell, with Serena stirring her coffee, her expression calm after the silence, "The paperwork was completed this morning, it’s all over."

Maya showed a hint of surprise but refrained from asking questions that might touch on Serena’s wounds.

"Honestly, I’m quite surprised. But you’re such an exceptional person, I’ve always believed you deserve the best."

"Thank you." Serena slowly smiled, but her smile revealed a touch of bitterness, "I never thought this would happen to me. We’ve been together for so many years, through many storms, yet he still cheated."

"Isn’t it laughable? While I’m still alive, he found a mole who resembles me."

It was a heavy topic.

Maya then noticed Serena’s face showed signs of weariness, her usual attention to image disregarded, with the shirt buttons misplaced.

Maya moved her dessert in front of Serena and said each word with emphasis, "He doesn’t deserve you; someone like that is not worth your sorrow."

Serena nodded slowly, "We had many conflicts, but each time we could move past them. Only this time, perhaps there’s no moving past. I can’t accept his betrayal... Each time I think of being in the same room with him, it sickens me beyond words."

She forced a smile at the corner of her lips, "If I hadn’t uncovered his secret, who knows how long he would have fooled me, a year? Two years? Or a lifetime?"

Maya remained silent for a moment, then suddenly gripped her hand, "You haven’t rested well recently, have you? Let me take you out to eat, then you can get a good sleep."

"Nothing is insurmountable, actually this is a good thing because you stopped the loss early, no need to continue dealing with such a loathsome person."

Maya slowly walked to her side, allowing Serena to lean her head lightly against her. Serena sighed, "You’re right, Maya. I just need to rest, rest well for a while..."

The coffee barely touched, dessert left untouched.

Maya and Serena walked out side by side.

Suddenly, a man in a suit rushed forward, wearing an expensive watch. From his slightly bloated face, one could see traces of his formerly handsome features.

He tightly grasped Serena’s hand, "Serena, give me one more chance, just one more chance..." He pleaded, "I really don’t want to divorce, I never intended to leave you for someone else!"

"This is the last time; I won’t make you sad again!"

"Serena, one more chance!"

"Get lost!" Serena coldly pushed his hand away, but he continued his relentless pursuit.

Maya kicked towards him, her voice icy:

"Didn’t you hear her tell you to get lost?"