The following evening soon arrived.
As Helen stepped out of the Advanced Studies Building, she spotted a man bundled in a mask and a baseball cap, completely obscuring his features.
He was deliberately hiding behind some greenery, trying to avoid being noticed by passing students.
Helen recognized him immediately. Striding over, she called out, "Ryan."
Ryan flinched at first, but when he saw it was Helen, he sighed in relief. He pulled down his mask, looking like a child caught in the act. "Hey, Helen," he murmured.
"Let's find a place to talk," she suggested.
As the last class of the afternoon ended, students began to fill the campus, making it an unsuitable setting for a private conversation.
With that in mind, Helen decided to take Ryan back to the villa.
Once inside, Ryan felt safe enough to remove his hat, glasses, and mask.
Meanwhile, Scarlett descended the stairs. Upon seeing them enter the living room, she asked, "Who might this gentleman be?"
Ignoring her question, Helen turned to Ryan and instructed, "Go wait for me in the study upstairs."
Ryan nodded and made his way up.
Once he was out of sight, Helen shifted her focus back to Scarlett. With a firm expression, she stated, "Ms. Baird, just to clarify, the upstairs is a private area designated for Chandler and me.
"Without our permission, no one is allowed up there. I don't care if my mother-in-law arranged for you to be here; you have no special privileges."
Scarlett remained calm and composed, her lips curving into a faint smile. "But if I don't go up there, how can I manage housekeeping duties like cleaning and changing the bedding? It's my responsibility to ensure Mr. Newton is comfortable, so please trust my expertise, Ms. Spencer."
The name Ryan Ferrer definitely rang a bell. Without delay, Scarlett swiftly looked for him on Twitter. What she uncovered caused her eyes to sparkle with excitement.
Wasn't that the man who had just gone upstairs? It turned out he was the hot topic of entertainment news today.
"Helen, it looks like you're really asking for trouble by bringing such a hot potato into your home. Whatever happens next, you have only yourself to blame," Scarlett thought.
She replied to the reporter, "Yes, it's him."
After sending the message, she turned off her phone. With her arms crossed, she shot a smug glance up the stairs.
Having once been a serious news reporter, she had always held a low opinion of the paparazzi. Who would have imagined she'd eventually find herself leveraging their influence?
It seemed that connections were truly invaluable.
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