The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1740

The rain grew heavier as Tobias and Jacqueline chatted.

Jacqueline was puzzled by how the weather had changed so suddenly, but she continued, "You should reach out to Ms. Quinnell more if you miss her. After all, you're siblings."

"Wynter's too busy. I don't want to add to her worries," Tobias said, though his voice carried an unmistakable pride. "Let's go. It's time to eat."

Knowing how close the Quinnell siblings were, Jacqueline dropped the topic and opened the umbrella to shield him.

Just then, an actress wearing the bridal gown from their earlier scene approached, her voice soft as she called out, "Mr. Quinnell."

Tobias stopped and turned back. "What is it?"

"It's nothing, really. I just wanted to thank you. If it weren't for you, who knows how many more slaps I would've had to endure?"

She was referring to their scene together from just now.

Tobias, on the other hand, didn't seem to take it to heart. "It was the least I could do."

With that, he continued walking with Jacqueline, boarding the MPV without lingering at the set.

However, Jacqueline seemed worried about the earlier interaction. Unable to keep it to herself, she finally spoke up. "You know how big your reputation is—everyone wants a piece of the spotlight.

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with her, but you need to be cautious. After all, Ms. Quinnell specifically told you to avoid entanglements with women."

"Ms. Jacqueline, you're overthinking it. That wasn't my intention. Besides, Wynter already reminded me to be careful on set," Tobias replied with a laugh.

Right now, his sole focus was on his career. Acting well and staying professional were his top priorities.

Jacqueline let out a long sigh and murmured, almost as if talking to herself. "You may not have that kind of intention, but others might."

Having spent so much time in the industry, she'd seen it all. That actress' gaze earlier wasn't exactly innocent—she'd definitely taken an interest in Tobias. And to make matters worse, he'd played the hero in her moment of need.

Shaking her head, Jacqueline made a mental note to mention this to Wynter. She also decided to warn the assistants.

While romantic storylines were inevitable in the show, they couldn't allow any of it to spill over into real life. Their team firmly rejected fabricated romances for publicity.

It wasn't because of the actresses, but it was just that being in the acting industry required careful planning and thinking ahead.

Wynter had also made that point very clear. Reflecting on it, Jacqueline couldn't help but admire her. She was barely 20 years old but was already able to foresee potential issues with such precision. If it weren't for Wynter's reminder, Jacqueline wouldn't have even considered these possibilities.

"From now on, you're to keep your distance from all the actresses," Jacqueline ordered firmly.

Glancing at his script notes, Tobias nodded absentmindedly, clearly not taking today's events seriously.

However, after they left, the actress squinted, her hand tightening into a fist.

Her assistant cautiously called out, "Ms. Wreyn, Tobias acts the same way with everyone. The rain is getting heavier. Should we head back to the hotel?"

Luna Wreyn shot her assistant a cold glance. "All you ever think about is eating. I seriously have no idea why the company assigned someone like you to me. Not only do you fail to create opportunities for me, but you even stopped me earlier."

"I-I was just worried about his manager, Jacqueline. You know how ruthless she is. If she catches on to your intentions, she'll definitely..." her assistant, Evelyn Fawne, stammered nervously.

Luna cut her off with a sharp tone. "My intentions? What intentions? Watch what you say! You're my assistant—don't waste my time with useless nonsense. Next time, I expect to see rumors about Tobias and me from the next scene!"

This was completely unrealistic. Anyone who dared to make a move on Tobias, male or female, would immediately be dealt with by Wynter. And not to forget that Tobias himself was an actor who played by the rules.

Evelyn was truly at a loss, panicking over what to do, but Luna couldn't care less. She had been spoiled by her fans, and to her, these workers were there to serve her.

Not to mention, who was Evelyn to say she shouldn't aim to create a buzz with Tobias? What a joke!

To Luna, Tobias wasn't just any actor—he was a member of the influential Quinnell family. Even without that, his popularity alone could propel her career back into the spotlight.

Though she'd debuted years ago with some notable works, her recent streak of five or six flops had significantly diminished her commercial value. She needed a way to rise again!

Amidst the rain, Luna watched the direction where the MPV had disappeared, her gaze dark and calculating. She was determined to make Tobias fall for her.

Her current expression was entirely at odds with the pure and innocent image she projected to the public. The entertainment industry had always believed her to be a pure, innocent lady. But those working closest to her knew the truth—Luna was far from easy to please.

She was a skilled performer off-screen as well.

Even in the heavy rain, she didn't leave the set. Instead, she approached the filming crew and said sweetly, "I ordered tea for the entire crew. It's getting late, and with this rain, everyone should have something warm to drink."

"Thank you, Ms. Wryen!" The director's impression of her improved.

The crew members were all smiles, praising Luna for her kindness and professionalism. To outsiders, she seemed like the perfect actress.

In the entertainment industry, their education level might be questioned, but never their acting skills—after all, many actors were award-worthy performers off the set.

After turning away, Luna's pleasant facade dropped, replaced by irritation. Maintaining her persona in the rain was exhausting.

She couldn't be like Tobias, who, with his powerful background, could leave whenever he wanted.

Her expression darkened as she walked to the resting area, only to notice a small wooden doll left on the chair where Tobias had been sitting.

"Well, who would've thought? He has a childish side, after all," Luna chuckled as she approached the chair.

She picked up the doll that was dressed in traditional Foplyan attire, its head adorned with long black hair.

To most people, it would appear eerie, evoking a chill that deterred any thoughts of picking it up. But Luna was enchanted after just one glance, slipping it into her handbag.

"Tomorrow's conversation topic is sorted," she murmured to herself.

Her plan was simple. She was going to return the doll to Tobias the next day, giving her an excuse to strike up a conversation.

What she didn't notice, however, was that the moment the doll was placed in her bag, its wooden face twisted into an eerie smile. It seemed to have come alive.

…

As soon as Jacqueline arrived at the hotel, she immediately informed Wynter about what had happened on set that day. Not wanting to disturb Wynter's rest, she sent the details via text.

However, Wynter was far from resting. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw the message.

Ever since arriving in Colifernia and realizing that everything here was deeply intertwined with the Arcane Way and divination, she had been deliberately keeping a low profile.

The matter with the virus was an exception—she had to intervene to stop it. However, she was fully aware of the person trying to instigate the pandemic.

Behind the hospital was the Chamber of Commerce, and behind the chamber was Eric. Adding the situation with the River God's wife, all the clues pointed to one conclusion—Eric was connected to the cultivator she had been searching for all along.

Ever since the old man left Clyde's body and got a new identity, the only person he came into contact with was Eric. Previously, anyone who interacted with Clyde was dealing with his former self.

This was precisely why Wynter had refrained from making any moves against Eric. She wanted him to believe that he still had the upper hand and that she was being led by the nose.

While baiting the enemy might be frowned upon, it was undeniably effective. Her favorite tactic had always been luring her enemies into a trap. She wasn't afraid of the other party taking action. In fact, she feared they wouldn't.

Her goal was to exploit any mistakes she made and lure them into thinking there was an opportunity to strike. This was also why she hadn't stopped Cleo from seeking out the elders left behind by Gordon.

In truth, with the gold-eyed goldfish in her possession, she could have easily taken control of the Chamber of Commerce. Keeping Eric around was her way of ensuring he remained in contact with the mysterious cultivator, revealing further clues.

Wynter watched his expression and didn't miss the flash of avoidance in his gaze. "What if I ask you to divine his fate?"

Whitley figured it would be better for Wynter to just kill him outright. Or, maybe he could just break the contract and endure divine retribution. He might still have his life intact, after all.

Wynter was adept at reading expressions. She chuckled lightly. "It's that difficult, huh?"

Whitley changed the topic. "Perhaps... I could meet this Wolf guy you mentioned instead."

Hearing this, Wynter immediately understood. "So, in your eyes, my fiancé is even more intimidating than Wolf."

In other words, Dalton was someone not to be trifled with.

Wynter had many things to handle, but she never overlooked details, especially when it came to Dalton.

The peculiarities she sensed after leaving the River God's domain weren't lost on her. Those strange feelings were precisely why she refrained from speaking too plainly about certain matters.

"So, according to you, my fiancé should be able to handle this doll." Wynter steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.

Although Whitley didn't know what kind of doll she was referring to, he was confident that there was likely nothing Dalton couldn't handle. With a serious face, he nodded earnestly.

Wynter became lost in thought. "Good to know."

Since she couldn't leave here, she decided that Dalton could do the job for her.

Furthermore, all eyes were on her now. If she moved, the carefully set trap would fall apart, and Eric wouldn't continue acting so brazenly. Besides, Blake's situation required her immediate presence.

With that thought, she sent a message to Dalton. "Are you busy?"

Dalton was in the middle of a meeting. After hearing about the incident at the rally, he immediately considered the potential media fallout. But seeing Wynter wasn't stepping in, he knew she must have a plan. Hence, he refrained from interfering.

Besides, Blackie's words from before still lingered in his mind. Some truths couldn't be revealed too soon, not when her focus on him alone was still intact—something he found immensely satisfying.

The executives on the other end of the video conference exchanged nervous glances. When their usually cold and emotionless boss finally smiled, they collectively exhaled in relief. After all, today had been slated as a scolding session.

Raising a hand, Dalton signaled for a brief pause. Who in their right mind would dare disobey?

They watched as their aloof and composed leader lowered his gaze, seemingly responding to a message, his expression unusually soft and gentle.

"No. What's up?"

Wynter replied swiftly, "Can you do me a favor?"

Dalton raised an eyebrow. If memory served, this was the first time she'd ever asked him for help outright. Her rare initiative delighted him. "Go on."

Wynter continued, "Go check on Tobias and see if there's anything unusual around him, like, say, a wooden doll."

Dalton's finger hovered over the phrase "wooden doll" without changing his expression.

In truth, no type of malevolent spirit was particularly challenging for him. But this was different—this was the very same doll tied to her disappearance before.

In reality, Wynter had phrased her request this way to test his reaction. To her surprise, his response was simple and direct.

"Okay."

Wynter lifted her gaze toward Whitley. "Am I being overly suspicious? He seems pretty normal."

Whitley dared not voice his thoughts aloud. However, he knew that it was normal for Dalton to handle these matters. The only abnormal thing was him courting Wynter.