Just as her mind began to haze over, a pair of arms suddenly encircled her waist. Amanda knew that someone from the crew would eventually jump in to save them, but she hadn't expected her rescuer to press his lips against hers to breathe life back into her lungs.
Captured by the sensation, Amanda's eyes flew open. In the depths of the murky lake, she could only make out a dark, blurred silhouette.
A memory flickered in the back of her mind—a fragment from when she was sixteen. She had nearly drowned in the ocean, and it was Javier who had saved her. That was the moment she had given him her whole heart. Thinking of this, Amanda suddenly struggled, trying to push her rescuer away. Deprived of oxygen once more, she slipped into unconsciousness.
On the shore, Quentin—soaked to the bone—laid Amanda on the ground and immediately began performing CPR.
"Quick, get a towel!" someone shouted.
The film crew was in a state of total chaos. Jasper stood nearby, pacing impatiently; though he had intended to jump in the moment the accident happened, a figure had rushed past him like the wind, beating him to the water by a split second.
Quentin remained deathly silent as he worked to revive her, his calm exterior masking a paralyzing fear. Finally, Amanda gasped, coughing up a mouthful of water. Quentin let out a ragged breath of relief and pulled her up so she could lean against his lap.
As her senses returned, Amanda felt a wave of regret. She had been too impulsive, acting without considering the consequences. Exhausted and trembling, she pressed her head against Quentin's broad chest, struggling to catch her breath.
Once he was sure she was stable, Quentin scooped her up to take her to a warm room. Her assistant, Winter, ran alongside them, frantically trying to wrap Amanda in a towel.
Celia was vibrating with fury. Seeing that Amanda was safe, she whirled around and pointed a finger at Elena, who had also been dragged out of the water.
"Elena Lewis! You used this scene to settle a private grudge, didn't you? You beat Mandy and then pushed her into the lake! You're a cruel woman with the heart of a wolf!"
Elena, shivering and miserable, felt the sting of injustice. She had nearly died, and now she was being cursed at. "She fell on purpose!" Elena shrieked, her voice cracking with frustration. "How dare you slander me!"
Celia let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Slander? Do I need to ask Director Mark to play back the footage for everyone?"
Elena's voice died in her throat. She looked around at the crew, only to find them watching her with cold, distant expressions. Even those she considered friends avoided her gaze.
"I..." Elena stammered, but the words wouldn't come.
Celia didn't give her the chance. "If anything happens to Mandy, don't even dream of finishing this movie!"
The threat hung in the air, leaving the entire set in a state of chilled silence.
Inside the dressing room, Amanda sat on the sofa wrapped in thick towels. She looked up, startled to see who was kneeling on the floor in front of her.
"Why are you here? Cough, cough!"
The moment she spoke, her throat burned. Quentin, still half-kneeling, ignored his own soaked clothes and continued to dry her hair with a towel.
"If I wasn't here, were you planning to just let yourself drown?"
Amanda flinched at the palpable anger in his voice. Feeling a pang of guilt, she lowered her head and mumbled, "It... it was an accident."
Quentin's grip tightened on the towel. He reached out, tilting her chin up so she had to meet his eyes. "If something really happened to you," he whispered, his voice low and strained, "what was I supposed to do?"
The raw worry in his eyes made Amanda's heart skip a beat. A strange, unfamiliar warmth began to thaw the icy walls around her heart. She opened her mouth to speak, but a sudden sharp heat in her lower abdomen made her freeze.
Quentin noticed her expression change and worried he had frightened her. He moved to sit on the sofa and pull her into a hug, but she abruptly pushed him away.
"Quentin! Get Winter in here. Now!"
Startled by the rejection, Quentin felt a momentary sting of hurt, but her frantic tone suggested something was wrong. "Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?"
Amanda gritted her teeth, her face flushing. "No! I just need to change. Just call Winter!"
Quentin was skeptical but stood up to find Winter, who was currently occupied fetching hot ginger tea.
Stepping outside, the winter wind hit Quentin's wet skin, but he didn't feel the chill. Secretary James rushed over, draping a dry coat over his shoulders. "President Harris, you need to change immediately. It's December—the lake water is bone-chilling." James was terrified his boss would fall ill, knowing it would triple his own workload.
Quentin ignored the advice, his eyes scanning the crowd with a freezing intensity. "Cut all of Elena Lewis's remaining scenes," he commanded. "Effective immediately, she is banned from all future projects under the Harris Group. I never want to see her face again."
James hesitated. "But sir... Elena is signed to Stars Tomorrow, and she has Javier's support."
Quentin gave him a look that silenced any further protest. He wasn't just firing an actress; he was slapping Javier in the face to avenge his wife. "I said, I don't want to see her."
"Yes, sir. I understand."
Quentin took another towel and began to dry his hair, his eyes fixed on the closed door of the dressing room. He was still trembling internally. When he had seen her disappear under the surface of the water, his heart had nearly stopped.
"Bring me a change of clothes," he told James. He would change quickly, then go back inside to check on her.