From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 364: Chapter 364

Even on her last day on set, Gary didn't let Paisley off the hook. To make matters worse, things at the studio were a mess, and Lucy kept calling her every now and then.
The entire day flew by, and aside from handling work, she barely had time for anything else. It wasn't until the sun had set that she finally wrapped up everything and could take a breather.
Just as she was about to check her phone for missed calls and unread messages, Gary appeared beside her, personally handing her a bouquet of flowers.
"Today is Nion's last day on set. We want to thank her for all the help and support she's given us. Everyone, let's give her a big round of applause!" Gary announced loudly, leading the applause himself.
As soon as he finished speaking, the studio erupted into thunderous claps. Words of gratitude echoed one after another. Smiling, Paisley accepted the bouquet, feeling a surge of emotions.
Without realizing it, she had been back in Harrowfell for over six months and had spent nearly five months with this crew. So much had happened during these five months, and somehow, the set had been at the center of it all.
At this moment, Paisley felt a wave of sentimentality and reluctance. But more than anything, she felt the relief and sense of accomplishment that came with finishing something significant.
"I also want to thank everyone for their cooperation and Gary for his trust," Paisley said sincerely. "This isn't my first time joining a crew, nor is it my first time working with Gary and all of you. But—"
She paused and then smiled playfully. "I think this has been the most exciting and unforgettable experience of my life. This journey will be a defining chapter in my story."
Her words stirred memories in many of the people present, especially Gary, who nearly teared up when he heard her speak. He thought, 'Yeah, this experience really has been incredible.'
First, he had been pressured by powerful investors to cast an inexperienced and unpopular actress as the female lead. That led to other actors quitting one after another, nearly shutting the entire production down.
Just when he was about to give up, things took an unexpected turn. Not only did they manage to get rid of the unpopular actress, but they were also lucky enough to bring Sheela on board as the new female lead.
He thought everything would go smoothly from then on, but due to a management oversight, Nion had almost been crushed to death on set. Even now, whenever Gary thought back to that day, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Thankfully, Nion hadn't held it against them, and the production was able to continue without being shut down. There was also Dominick—the big shot who kept showing up to stir things up. But looking back now, it all seemed kind of ridiculous and amusing.
Watching Gary, whose posture had become slightly hunched, Paisley felt a deep sense of emotion. She still remembered the day she first returned to Harrowfell and saw Gary—back then, he had been a slightly chubby middle-aged man.
But now, he had become so thin that he was almost unrecognizable. His back was slightly hunched, and he looked much older.
"Sorry, Gary. Because of me, you've had to worry along with everyone else during this time." Although Paisley didn't want to admit it, she had to.
The hardships the crew had endured were largely tied to her. Even though it wasn't intentional on her part, she couldn't deny the connection.
Gary chuckled, waved his hands dismissively, and gave Paisley a reassuring hug. "Nion, we have plenty of time ahead. I still want to work with you in the future."
Paisley smiled and nodded. "Alright, let's keep working together."
Sheela skipped over and eagerly hooked her arm around Paisley's. Ever since that incident at the kindergarten, the relationship between Sheela and Paisley had changed significantly.
"Paisy, let's take a picture!" she said.
"Yeah," Gary chimed in. "Let's all take a group photo."
Hearing Gary's call, the male lead, Sam, and his agent finally walked over.
Ever since Dominick had warned and humiliated him, Sam—the so-called soon-to-be star—had been much more restrained. At the very least, he no longer put on airs in front of Paisley.
Whatever Paisley said, that was the rule. However she directed him to act, he followed. Sometimes, Paisley's words carried more weight with him than even Gary's.
Paisley knew that Sam wasn't afraid of her—he was afraid of Dominick.
No one in the crew, including Gary, knew about Paisley's other identities beyond being a screenwriter and Dominick's ex-wife. And she had no intention of telling them.
As for why Sam feared Dominick, she neither cared nor paid attention. As long as he completed his filming duties as required, that was enough.
However, Paisley had always felt that Sheela's situation—constantly exploited by her agent and company, relying on her popularity to support newcomers—was unfair. But she also understood that every situation had its own set of rules.
Since Sheela hadn't resisted, an outsider like Paisley had no place to interfere. That had always been her principle—she didn't meddle in others' affairs lightly.
But if Sheela ever came to her for help one day, she would definitely do her best. After all, she owed Sheela a favor. A life-saving favor.
After the photo session, Sheela kept hold of Paisley's arm. "We wrapped early today. Why don't we go out for dinner to celebrate?"
Gary had the same idea. Hearing Sheela's suggestion, he nodded enthusiastically. "I was just about to say that! I already made a reservation. The whole crew is coming—my treat."
The moment they heard the director was paying, the crew got excited. Seeing their enthusiasm, Paisley found it hard to refuse. After all, Gary had arranged this early wrap-up and dinner to celebrate her.
"Alright, I got it. Let me make a call first." She still remembered the agreement she made with Dominick that morning. She had just glanced at her phone and saw that he had already sent her the restaurant address.
As soon as she dialed, the call connected within a second, and Dominick's voice came through. "Are you done with work? Are you on your way? Do you need me to pick you up? Or maybe I should just come get you—"
"Dominick, my crew is having a celebration dinner tonight, so let's reschedule," Paisley cut him off.
"No," he rejected her immediately. "It has to be today. Only today."
Paisley was puzzled. "It's just a meal. Why does it have to be today? I already promised you, and I'll keep my word. How about tomorrow? Wouldn't that work?"
Tomorrow, she wouldn't need to report to the set. She would have plenty of time. In fact, if Dominick wanted to see Serena, she could even bring their child along. Paisley thought that after saying this much, the man would finally agree.
But he said, "No. Paisley, you promised me. Dinner tonight. It has to be today. Not tomorrow, not the day after, not any other day—only today."
Paisley took a deep breath. "Dominick, are you being unreasonable right now?"
"How am I the unreasonable one? Paisley, you promised me first. Why are you backing out now? I don't care—you have to come tonight. Otherwise, I don't know what I might do to your crew," he said.
Paisley was speechless. So, when throwing a tantrum didn't work, he resorted to threats.
"What exactly do you plan to do to the crew? Tell me, I'd love to hear it," she responded with a calm indifference.
If she had been just an insignificant screenwriter, she might have compromised at this point. But she wasn't. And she was glad she wasn't.
There was silence on the other end of the call. After a long silence, he finally muttered, "Paisley, you promised me. No matter how late it gets, I'll wait for you."
That same sentence again. Hearing it made Paisley feel incredibly annoyed.
Just then, Gary walked over and said, "Nion, let's go. Everyone's heading out together. It's that seafood restaurant next to the base."
Paisley looked up at Sheela, who was waving at her from not far away, along with the other crew members. She smiled lightly and said, "Alright, let's go."
'That insufferable man—let him wait if he wants to. Who knows what got into him, insisting on having dinner today of all days,' she thought.