The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 41

"Amara, we could have minded our own business, but you just had to provoke me time and time again. Do you really not know me at all, or did you think I'd just put up with you forever like I used to?"

Thinking about it only deepened her disgust for Jonah.

Amara had pulled stunts like this plenty of times in the past, and Jonah had always played the peacemaker, urging Vivian to let it slide.

A crowd of onlookers began to gather around them.

Amara's eyes welled with tears as she took an involuntary step back.

"Vivian..." she said, gently shaking her head. The victim act came to her effortlessly. "I won't do it again. Please don't be mad at me."

"Ha."

Vivian let out a sharp laugh, utterly speechless.

She wasn't in the mood to watch the woman's theatrical performance and gestured for Zoe to leave.

"Vivian, what did you do this time?"

The man's icy voice successfully stopped her in her tracks.

Turning around, she found Jonah staring at her with an expressionless face.

Jonah had only stepped away to greet an acquaintance, and in that short time, the two women were at each other's throats again.

Was this woman just too confrontational, or were they simply destined to clash?

Seeing Vivian remain silent, his gaze shifted to Amara.

Though his brow was still furrowed, his voice softened considerably. "What happened?"

Amara bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. "Vivian is jealous that you're always giving me things, Mr. Granger. She thinks I don't deserve your care and attention... I know she's right. It's all my fault."

Vivian raised an eyebrow, genuinely finding it a bit of a pity.

If she had put this much effort into acting, she wouldn't be some nameless little extra.

She probably would have skyrocketed to fame by now with these acting chops.

She glanced at Jonah. Tsk, he really looked heartbroken for her.

Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Jonah took off his suit jacket and draped it over Amara's shoulders, looking every bit the knight protecting his princess.

"No matter what anyone else thinks, everything I do for you is justified. You're worth it."

The man glared at her darkly, gritting his teeth. "Don't play dumb. I've explained everything I needed to explain. What more do you want?"

"Explained?" With only three days left before her departure, Vivian had no desire to keep playing along. "Jonah, you know exactly what's going on between you and Amara. You don't need to keep making excuses to me."

Jonah's brow furrowed deeper. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Vivian casually kicked a pebble at her feet, her high heel striking it dead center. "I'm just saying, you two can do whatever you want. I don't care."

To Jonah's ears, this just sounded like she was throwing a tantrum.

He actually breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Vivian had been acting very differently lately, leaving him feeling unsettled.

But her reaction today was enough to prove that she was simply jealous, doing all this just to get his attention.

Jonah hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the woman's hand. "Vivian, I promise you, once we get back from Switzerland, you'll never have to see her face again. Okay?"

That was because she would most likely die in Switzerland.