Kristen hadn't even spent much time with Cassius before she was dragged away by Dakota Fanning!
The two girls huddled together, heads almost touching, whispering and occasionally letting out stifled giggles.
As they spoke, their eyes occasionally darted toward Cassius.
The looks were filled with curiosity and the tacit amusement of girls sharing secrets.
Cassius felt a bit uncomfortable under their gaze, like a monkey being watched in a zoo.
He tried to maintain a facade of calm, pretending to focus on savoring the now-flat champagne in his hand.
"What are they talking about?"
Robert wandered over again at some point, followed Cassius's gaze, and raised an eyebrow knowingly.
"Dakota and Kristen have always been close! Probably discussing you. After all, you're the man who stole our Bella away!"
Cassius coughed dryly. "Discussing?"
"Of course!"
Robert smiled with a hint of schadenfreude.
"A best friend's boyfriend always has to go through strict quality control, especially given Kristen's previous... well, you know."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clearly referring to Kristen's past rumors, both true and false, and public relationships.
Cassius muttered internally: Could Dakota and Kristen have something going on?
Looking at Dakota's elfin, pure yet precociously perceptive eyes, he felt this girl might harbor some wild ideas.
It wasn't impossible!
He immediately had the urge to drag Kristen away!
He had finally straightened her out; he couldn't let her bend again!
Just then!
The party gradually dispersed.
Cassius breathed a sigh of relief.
The production had arranged buses to take the actors back to the hotel.
Since the filming location wasn't in Los Angeles but near Louisiana, everyone was staying at the same hotel.
Arriving at the hotel floor.
Cassius was just about to return to their suite with Kristen when Dakota Fanning followed like a little tail.
"K~"
Dakota linked arms with Kristen, her voice slightly coquettish, but her eyes shone brightly as she looked at Cassius.
"Can I sleep with you tonight? We haven't chatted properly in so long!"
Cassius paused, his heart skipping a beat.
What's the situation?
The third wheel wants a sleepover?
Kristen was obviously surprised too. She looked at Cassius, then at Dakota, looking a bit torn.
"Dakota, this..."
"Aiya, it's settled!"
Dakota didn't give her a chance to refuse, dragging Kristen directly into the suite while turning back to give Cassius a seemingly innocent smile.
"Cass, you don't mind, right? Just borrowing K for one night!"
What could Cassius say?
Could he fight a girl who had just turned adult over someone?
Or shamefully say: I want her too!
Cassius could only force a somewhat stiff smile.
"Of course I don't mind!"
He watched Kristen being half-dragged into the master bedroom by Dakota.
Click~
A soft sound.
The door closed, leaving Cassius alone in the living room.
Cassius shook his head helplessly.
The suite arranged by the production was nice, with a spacious living room. Besides the master bedroom, there was a guest bedroom nearby.
Luckily there wasn't just one room, otherwise he'd be sleeping on the sofa tonight!
He pushed open the door to the guest bedroom.
The furnishings were simple but clean and tidy.
He put down his carry-on luggage, collapsed on the bed, and stared at the ceiling.
His mind replayed Dakota's meaningful smile and the apologetic yet amused look Kristen gave him as she was dragged away.
Cassius tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Occasional indistinct chatter and light laughter came from the master bedroom, scratching at his heart like kitten claws.
Uncontrollable thoughts popped into his head.
He knew Dakota and Kristen were close, but close enough to squeeze into one bed on wrap night?
And deliberately kick him, the official boyfriend, to the guest room?
This felt suspiciously like those tabloid stories where female stars used beard marriages as cover while actually being with their best friends!
"No way!"
Cassius stared at the ceiling, muttering to himself. "Am I the beard?"
He shivered at his own imagination but couldn't help finding it more suspicious the more he thought about it.
The way Dakota looked at Kristen, and their whispering at the party just now...
The key was Dakota insisting on sleeping with Kristen; the act itself was very ambiguous!
While he was going through rich inner drama, the sounds from the master bedroom gradually died down. It seemed they had gone to sleep.
"Looks like nothing's happening tonight!"
Cassius rolled over somewhat depressingly, forcing himself to close his eyes.
Click~
Just as he was half-asleep, he groggily heard an extremely faint sound of a door opening from the master bedroom.
He snapped his eyes open, holding his breath to listen carefully.
In the darkness, there seemed to be extremely faint footsteps approaching the guest bedroom door.
The handle turned gently, and the door opened a crack silently.
A familiar figure in a silk nightgown slipped in like a thief and gently closed the door behind her.
It was Kristen.
By the faint moonlight from the window, Cassius could see a smirk of successful mischief on her face, along with the languor of having just left a warm bed.
"Why did you come over?"
Cassius lowered his voice, propping himself up.
"Shh—keep it down!"
Kristen tiptoed to the bedside and slipped into his covers like a slippery fish, bringing a rush of cool air and her scent.
"Dakota fell asleep~"
She leaned against him, her body warm and soft.
Cassius naturally reached out and pulled her into his arms, instantly filling the emptiness he felt just now.
"Done chatting?"
Cassius couldn't help being curious, rubbing his chin against her hair.
"Mmhmm~"
Kristen found a comfortable spot in his arms, her voice sleepy but amused.
"Chatted about a lot! Including whether a certain someone was overthinking things!"
Cassius stiffened. "What was I overthinking?"
"You tell me?"
Kristen looked up at him in the dark, her eyes shining.
"Were you wondering if Dakota and I have some special relationship?"
Having his thoughts exposed, Cassius was a bit embarrassed. Luckily, the darkness hid his burning face.
"No..."
"Come on!"
Kristen chuckled low, tracing circles on his chest with her finger.
"Dakota is just childish and possessive! She thinks she gets less time with me now that I'm dating, so she deliberately caused some trouble!"
"And she is indeed curious about you!"
"Curious about what?"
"Curious about what magic you possess to handle the stubborn Kristen Stewart!"
Kristen's tone carried a hint of teasing.
"I even bet with her that you definitely wouldn't get angry and would obediently sleep in the guest room!"
"So I was part of your bet?"
Cassius laughed and cried, feeling played by these two women.
"Aren't I here to compensate you now~"
Kristen leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth.
The kiss quickly deepened.
Senses became exceptionally sharp in the darkness.
The friction of pajama fabric made rustling sounds, and breathing gradually grew heavier.
Cassius's hand wandered over her smooth back, feeling her skin growing hot.
Just as passion intensified and Cassius's hand began to explore downwards unruly, Kristen suddenly pinned his hand down, whispering breathlessly in his ear:
"Can't~"
Cassius paused, looking at her in confusion.
"Dakota is next door..."
Kristen's voice carried suppressed desire and helplessness.
"The soundproofing isn't good... and I promised to sleep with her. If I sneak out too long, I'll be discovered!"
It felt like an arrow on the bowstring, forcibly called off.
Cassius was depressed enough to bang his head against the wall, the restless fire in his body having nowhere to vent.
Seeing his aggrieved look, Kristen felt a mix of pity and amusement. She kissed his cheek soothingly.
Then went straight down.
Hiss~
Cassius sucked in a breath of cold air.
...
After everything ended.
Kristen lingered in bed for a while, feeling each other's body temperature and heartbeat, but ultimately dared not stay too long.
"I'm going back!"
Reluctantly, Kristen climbed up, put her nightgown back on, and slipped out of the guest room as silently as she came.
Silence returned to the room.