My Repentant Brothers (Madeline Larson)

Madeline had no trouble today. She was used to waiting around and keeping busy. Back when she was a background actor, she had to wait for hours, sometimes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., only to not even appear in the scene. Getting a role wasn't easy-when she did, she was exhausted, and even then, the work was often cut.

Soon, it came time to call it a day. Some people complimented her acting, but Madeline just nodded. There wasn't much skill needed in the sweet scenes so far. Luisa smiled and handed her some water. "Madeline, should we head back? I've contacted the driver, and he's waiting."

"Yeah." Madeline nodded. "Today's part was easy. Tomorrow, I've got a scene with the lead actor." Yohannes was talking to Sylas when Madeline spotted him. She waved. "Mr. Yandell, I'm leaving now." Yohannes didn't even look up. "Okay."

Senna was nearby, watching Madeline with disdain. When she saw Madeline trying to butter up Yohannes, she turned away and started gossiping with Camille. "Cammie, Madeline's getting off work. She didn't have many scenes today and spent most of her time alone." "I don't think she's got any big connections. I thought Yohannes had a thing for her, but he's barely spoken to her. From what I've seen, he's totally indifferent." Senna's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Camille shrugged. "Maybe someone told him to help out some newcomers, and he's annoyed by it."

"Well, who does Yohannes think he is? They're at the same level," Senna said, feeling relieved now that she knew Madeline wasn't supported by anyone powerful. She grinned, thinking, 'As the female lead's assistant, I'm bound to get some special treatment too.' It wasn't just Senna bearing those thoughts. Even Sylas, who knew some of the behind-the-scenes gossip, was surprised by how distant Yohannes and Madeline seemed. "Wasn't she the one the company assigned? Didn't Yohannes bring her along?" he questioned. The film crew of "Fake Confessions" stayed in a nearby hotel. As soon as Madeline got to her room, she headed for the bathroom to wash off the day's weariness. Half an hour later, she emerged in pajamas, her wet hair wrapped in a towel, and a moisturizing mask on her face.

Knock, knock.

Someone rapped on the door. Madeline checked the video doorbell and saw Yohannes standing outside, holding snacks. 'He must have just returned from the set, she thought.

When she opened the door, he said indifferently, "I grabbed some snacks earlier, ordered too much, so I brought you some. I heard you didn't eat your dinner tonight. Tomorrow's an early start, and you might not have time for breakfast." He added quickly, "Don't think I care about you. I just don't want you slowing me down."

Madeline chuckled inwardly, thinking, 'My acting won't slow you down, Yohannes.' But she took the food graciously, standing in the doorway without inviting him in. She didn't want any rumors starting, and for that reason, had always been cautious. "Thank you, Mr. Yandell. But I won't invite you in at this hour," she said.

Yohannes gave a slight, unhappy smile as he stood there, backlit by the hallway light. His usually pink hair was now dyed black for the role. The shadows on his face highlighted his striking, delicate features. "You don't have to call me 'Mr. Yandell." Inwardly, he fumed, 'Besides, I'm a gentleman! Even if she did invite me into her room, I wouldn't do any- I wouldn't even step in there in the first place!'

Madeline smiled. "What should I call you then, Yohannes? Wouldn't that seem disrespectful in the eyes of others?"

"You don't need to worry about what others think." His mouth twitched as he looked off to the side, a bit uncomfortable. "As I was saying, we've got a big scene together tomorrow. If you need help practicing, talk to my manager. I'm a busy guy, you know." 'Gee, thanks a lot then, Madeline thought, slightly speechless.

Yohannes glanced at his watch. "I'm leaving."

"See you tomorrow!" Madeline waved at him.

Yohannes paused, turning back to glance at her smiling face before walking away. Watching him leave, Madeline looked down at the snacks in her hand, thinking, "He went downtown for these? Does he really have time for that?"

Shrugging, she headed inside for a late-night snack. She was hungrier than she realized-the boxed dinner earlier had been terrible. With the snacks Yohannes brought, she could finally eat something decent.

Meanwhile, Yohannes stood in his room, looking out over the quiet scenery. Soon, the film crew would move to a university city to film. He'd never been to university, and around Madeline, he always felt a little insecure. He pulled out his phone and stared at her WhatsApp profile, hesitating to send a message.

1/2

3:46 PM

The screen showed: [The other party is typing]. Seeing this, Yohannes quickly returned to the home screen. He hadn't typed anything yet, so she shouldn't know he was looking. Ding!

Madeline had texted: [Thanks for the snacks. They were great!]

Yohannes remained expressionless as he glanced at the message, tossed his phone aside, and headed to the shower. But his relaxed eyes gave away his good mood.

The next morning was freezing, and Madeline arrived on set an hour early, around six in the morning. When Sylas saw her, he was surprised. "Madeline, why are you here so early? Your call time isn't until eight o'clock."

'I wanted to watch Mr. Yandell's scene first and learn from him. I'm new here, so I need to work harder to catch up with everyone." She smiled, looking a bit shy.

Sylas nodded approvingly. He liked actors who showed initiative. His worries about Madeline had faded completely. Unbeknownst to Madeline, Yohannes stood five or six steps behind her, watching.NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

He wore a black coat and gold-rimmed glasses as he casually sipped milk through a straw. "Didn't expect you to admire me so much."

Madeline froze when she turned around and found him standing there. She hadn't noticed him at all, and there weren't many people around. Where did he come from?' she mused.

Yohannes smirked, seeming to read her thoughts. "I was just sitting nearby, changing into my outfit and getting my makeup done. I heard everything."

Madeline's face turned red. Flustered, she stammered, "Well, Mr. Yandell, you're the male lead, so your skills are definitely worth learning from, especially for a rookie like me."

Yohannes leaned in, his voice low and teasing. "I don't like sweet talk. Be sincere, and I'll act with you." As he passed her, he slipped a small, beautifully wrapped candy into her hand. Madeline stared at the candy and muttered, "Childish."