All Chapters of After The Divorce, She Became The Nation’s Sweetheart: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Prime ManorWhen Riven’s car pulled into the driveway, the air still held the faint trace of rain from earlier. He stepped out quickly, his movements brisk. The call from the matriarch’s driver had caught him off guard — she had come by his house unexpectedly.He didn’t even bother to take off his coat when he entered.But what he found wasn’t the scene he’d imagined.The living room was calm. Isabelle sat cross-legged beside Aimee on the rug, showing her how to arrange a set of small picture cards into animal pairs. The faint tune of Aimee’s music box played softly from the table nearby.And across from them, seated with the ease of someone who’d long claimed the space as her own, was his grandmother.The elderly woman glanced up first. Her expression was composed, her tea cup held with delicate precision. “You came rushing back as if the house were on fire,” she remarked mildly.Riven froze in the doorway. “You should’ve told me you were coming,” he said, the tension in his voice be

The morning came softly, with the pale wash of dawn spilling through the windows. Isabelle stood by the mirror, fastening her earrings as Aimee hovered near the door, still in her pajamas, her bunny plush tucked under one arm.The little girl was half-asleep, her hair sticking up in soft tufts as she stepped forward, clinging to Isabelle’s pants and silently refusing to let go.Isabelle smiled gently.The filming was starting tomorrow and since the location was in the suburbs, she had to leave early to get settled in. She was going to meet up with Camille at the agency to get set up before the final drive there.She had already briefed Aimee on everything since two days ago but the girl still seemed depressed at the thought that Isabelle wouldn’t be home for a while.“Be good for Papa, okay?” Isabelle asked gently as she looked down at the girl. Aimee nodded, her lips pressed together, the faint crease between her brows betraying her reluctance.“Sweetheart,” Isabelle said softly, kn

“What did I miss?” she asked, popping up beside them.Her voice was smooth, though her smile didn’t reach her eyes.Vincent turned toward her easily. “Nothing tragic, don’t worry.”Sophia’s gaze flicked to Isabelle, then back to him. “You sure? Looked entertaining from over there.”Vincent just smiled and said nothing more. Isabelle and Chris didn’t add a word either.Sophia’s fingers tightened slightly around her script when she saw that they didn’t let her in on the joke. But, she managed to keep her tone polite. “Right. Well, let’s get started then.”Director Joe clapped once, breaking the tension. “Exactly. Vincent, Sophia, you’ll get your makeup and costume first. Chris, you can take a break or observe if you’d like. Isabelle, you can get ready too. Once the first scene wraps, we’ll move straight to yours.”He turned to Vincent with a grin. “Make sure you take care of your little sister, Prince Aldric.”Vincent grinned back. “Wouldn’t dare do otherwise.”Isabelle laughed softly,

No one moved immediately.Then someone in the crew exhaled softly.“...Damn,” the sound man muttered under his breath.Even Sophia, standing just off camera, hadn’t blinked. Her smile wavered slightly before she looked away.Vincent finally found his voice again. He turned to Isabelle, still half in character. “You made it too easy to believe you’re a naive sixteen year old,” he murmured.She glanced at him, still smiling faintly, her face serene. “Then that means I did my job.”Director Joe broke into a grin. “You did more than that.” He turned to the crew. “That’s our take. Perfect energy, keep that. We’ll move on in ten.”Applause broke out, scattered at first but gradually a bit more. And at the center of it, Isabelle simply stood there, still half-lit by gold, her reflection trembling softly across the pond.***By the time they wrapped for the day, the sun had already begun to dip behind the hills.The once-bustling set was quieter now with only the sound of crew members packing

The courtyard set was quiet, save for the shuffle of crew members adjusting props and the faint clack of boots across the stone tiles. The painted banners of the royal hall swayed slightly in the artificial breeze, their colors light under the studio lights.Director Joe stepped forward with a clipboard in hand, his gaze sweeping over the assembled cast. “Alright, everyone,” he began, his voice firm. He didn’t have his usual smile on as he briefed them: “This scene is delicate.”He paused, letting the words sink in.Today’s scene was Elara’s first real confrontation with Miren, the previous Emperor’s youngest consort. She had secretly been intercepting the princess’s letters to the Emperor. It was a pivotal moment in the story, where Elara’s “naive” front begins to crumble and her wits show through for the first time.“Elara is naive but sharp, so make sure to keep the balance. Miren,” he added, his voice dropping slightly, “you have malice beneath your courtesy. We’re not looking for