Under the Veil I Rule novel Chapter 16

Amara tightly pressed her lips together as she walked past him and left.

Keith, that guy, was just as childish and irritating as he had been three years ago. But once upon a time, back when they were kids, Amara had really, really liked him.

They had known each other since they were in diapers, growing up together as the best of friends.

Three years ago, though, things took a turn. She wanted to marry into the Everly family to bring some good fortune, and Keith had been furious. He scolded her, saying she was jumping into a pit of fire. But she was determined, and after a heated argument, Keith begrudgingly “agreed”.

Since then, she devoted herself to Finnian, giving all she could without expecting anything in return. Keith couldn’t stand it, and they argued constantly, with him calling her useless.

Their friendship, which had been strong for over two decades, finally shattered after one particularly intense argument. They hadn’t seen each other for over three years since then.

Amara felt a pang of regret. She did value Keith as a friend, but now it seemed like their bond was beyond repair. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on her work, heading to the set to observe the filming and take notes.

The first scene was Liliana’s solo, and she did a decent job, even if she didn’t quite fit the image of Isabella. Her acting was passable.

The second scene involved Liliana and Keith, who was playing the king.

During the second scene, Finnian was hovering nearby, watching Liliana with unwavering attention. His dedication didn’t go unnoticed, and whispers began to circulate.

“Why is the investor still here? And why is he watching Liliana so closely? What’s their deal?”

“Maybe they’re in a relationship. He seems pretty invested in her.”

Amara’s heart tightened. Finnian’s concern for Liliana was apparent to everyone, and it had to mean something significant.

She tried to brush off these thoughts, reminding herself to focus on work and not let emotions derail her. She repeated this mantra over and over.

Just as Amara got into her groove, something happened with Liliana. After completing a complex move, Liliana suddenly went pale for exerting herself, lost balance and collapsed.

They’d been married for three years, and she had never called him “hubby”. What right did Liliana have to claim that endearment so boldly, and so naturally? And Finnian didn’t even object!

Amara couldn’t stand it any longer. Luckily, Cedric called for a break to let the actors rest, so she quickly left the set.

Back in the quiet of the break room, she waited for her heart to stop aching. She decided to leave, but on her way out, she bumped into Keith.

They were about twenty feet apart, but somehow, maybe out of guilt, she saw the mockery in Keith’s eyes. Her heart felt like it had been pierced again, and she instinctively wanted to avoid Keith’s judgment. She took a different path, hoping to slip away unnoticed.

But this time, she ran straight into Liliana.

Liliana had regained her composure, still in costume, holding her skirt as she approached Amara with a confident air that made Amara uncomfortable.

She tried to walk past, but Liliana blocked her path and said. “Ms. Sullivan, I made a mistake in front of the director earlier. I needed Finn to back me up, so I called him ‘hubby’ in public. I hope you don’t mind.”