When Love Breaks (Josephine)

"What?" That was the last thing anyone had expected to hear. Even Matthew was stunned. "Well, I never took you for such a romantic, Mr. Dane! In that case, let's raise our glasses for our first toast-to your love! May you win her heart soon and start a happy family!"

"To love and happiness!" The rest of the table echoed his words, lifting their glasses in unison.

Josephine had no choice but to follow along, clinking glasses with Ethan, still unsure what to make of his confession. "I hope you find true love soon and have a happy family."

A glimmer of amusement flickered in Ethan's eyes as he held his glass, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Do you mean that sincerely?"

Josephine nodded. "Of course I do!"

"Then, I'll be waiting for the good news."

Wait, what? What good news? Before she could figure out what he meant, Ethan had already tilted his head back, finishing his drink in one smooth motion.noveldrama

The others at the table exchanged knowing glances. Ethan was in love with her, yet Josephine had no idea.

Now that they had picked up on the relationship between the two, Matthew and the others decided to ease up. Since Ethan was clearly interested in Josephine, they didn't want to push her too hard with drinks.

Instead, they shifted their attention back to Ethan-raising their glasses, chatting him up, and steering the conversation in his direction. Meanwhile, Josephine suddenly felt like an extra at her own dinner.

What the hell was going on? They invited her here, yet they were only drinking and chatting with Ethan?

But she didn't dwell on it for too long. In a way, it was actually nice to be ignored. She had no interest in engaging in small talk with a bunch of corporate big shots, so she focused on enjoying her food and sipping her champagne.

Every now and then, she placed some food on Ethan's plate, just to make sure he wasn't drinking on an empty stomach.

After several rounds of drinks, a faint

flush had spread across Ethan's cheeks. He was clearly starting to get tipsy Concerned, she excused herself and went to ask the waiter for a glass of chamomile tea. But when she returned, Matthew suddenly called her over and waved a young woman over.

"Ms. Dunn, let me introduce you to someone-this is my niece, Jasmine Zimmerman. She's loved acting since she was a kid, and she's actually a big fan of yours. When she heard you were working on a new film, she was eager to be a part of it. So, she asked me to introduce her to you-do you think you could give her a role in your film?"

So, that was what this dinner was about. It all clicked into place. Matthew had invited her to dinner because he wanted her to give his niece a break in the industry.

Josephine wasn't particularly fond of these kinds of arrangements, but that was just how the world worked. Being too rigid about these things would only make it harder to survive in this industry. So, she put on a polite smile and turned to Jasmine.

Jasmine wasn't conventionally stunning by industry standards, but she had her own charm. She had delicate features and a soft, sweet look. She seemed well- behaved.

However, the young woman seemed painfully shy. She kept her head down, nervously playing with the hem of her clothes, and didn't say a word.

Trying to be diplomatic, Josephine offered a few compliments first. "She has great potential; a very cinematic face."

Then, she got to the tricky part. "That said... My film doesn't have a leading female role. The roles for women in this project are all supporting characters."

"That's fine! She's just starting out and doesn't have much experience. We don't expect her to land a lead role right away. But since she's getting a chance to act, I'd appreciate it if you could give her a few more lines."

So, it wasn't just about getting her into the movie. He wanted Jasmine to have more screen time. Josephine's brows knitted together as she hesitated, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Giving her a role was already pushing it, and yet they still wanted more...