Chapter 327: We Are Family

As Lily thought about what Martin has done for her family, She left the lounge and headed to the backstage waiting area. Lily's anxious hands fidgeted, her heart raced, and she felt like it might leap out of her chest at any moment, like a frog.

The female producer of the show expressed relief, offering comforting words, "Take a deep breath and relax. It's no big deal. Helen has been chatting with you for a long time, and she's very kind, right? She won't embarrass you. Martin grew up with you..."

Despite taking several deep breaths, Lily couldn't calm down. After all, she was just 17 years old.

Lily asked, "Am I inferior? I haven't seen much of the world."

The female producer was incredibly encouraging, saying, "You're very good, much better than most first-time camera performers. Be brave and confident."

Lily's heart still raced, and she couldn't help but revert to her old habit, muttering, "Fake! Fake..." Strangely, this helped her calm down a little.

The female producer heard this and gently patted Lily's back, saying, "Come on stage."

Lily, despite her nervousness, was not lacking in courage. She clenched her fists and stepped onto the stage.

As she reached the exit, she spotted Martin and couldn't help but reminisce about their life. Over the years, Martin and Elena had often protected her.

A moment of self-doubt washed over Lily. She couldn't believe her own audacity.

However, as she stood there, her brother Martin, understanding her nervousness, approached her, gesturing for the audience to applaud, encouraging Lily.

The applause filled the air, and Lily regained her composure. She stammered, "I'm sorry, I should have said hello before coming over, I..."

Martin hugged her gently and assured her, "We are family."

A genuine smile appeared on Lily's face, erasing her nervousness and embarrassment. She realized she was here because of her bond with Martin.

The audience continued to applaud, and Helen approached, asking, "What did you say?"

As Martin approached, he removed their microphones and replied, "Family secrets."

Helen invited them to sit down and offered Lily a bottle of water, while Martin opened it for her. A sip of water eased her nerves again.

The audience, both in the studio and at home, could see that Lily was a camera novice, visibly nervous, but her beauty and authenticity made her story incredibly compelling.

Helen, now friendly and empathetic, asked, "Lily, can you tell me what happened that night?"

Lily's condition had improved, and she could speak clearly, "I remember clearly that there were frequent shootings in our neighborhood. To protect us, Martin moved to our living room to sleep, and he hung some cans filled with stones on the wire fence in the yard..."

Helen interrupted, "Were those Coca-Cola cans?"

Lily nodded eagerly, "Yes."

Helen playfully picked up a Coca-Cola can from the table, opened it, and said, "Live commercial time! Coke, the coke god forever!" Laughter and applause filled the studio.

These small moments helped calm Lily's nerves. She continued, "My brother Hal even dug a hole on the inside of the fence. That night, I heard the clatter of cans and gunshots."

Helen asked, "Why?"

Lily explained, her voice filled with a hint of hurt, "Martin told me to go back to the bedroom and hide behind the masonry wall without showing my head."

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room. Helen, now smiling, noticed Lily's rapid adjustment to the situation.

Lily recounted the events that night, focusing on the strong family bonds.

Seeing the audience's positive reaction to Lily's beauty and personality, Helen decided to give her more time.

Helen asked, "You mentioned you're studying sculpture at the California Institute of the Arts?"

Lily looked at Martin, her eyes expressing a mix of gratitude and frustration. She said, "Yes, I'm skilled in crafts and have a talent for it. Martin, when he moved to Los Angeles, sent me raw materials to practice with. His support helped me improve quickly."

Helen turned to Martin, asking, "Have you given her a lot of support?"

Martin, with a smile, couldn't reveal the true goal of turning Australia's crocodiles and bison into protected animals. Instead, he nodded and said, "I've given her a lot of support."

He then added, "I will send more in the future."

Lily's impending response was abruptly halted, and she sank back onto the sofa, momentarily lost for words.

Helen sensed something amiss and suggested, "How about a live performance?"

Lily nodded slightly and inquired, "Do you have any colored clay for sculpture?" A staff member promptly provided it.

Without a carving knife, Lily began crafting a clown sculpture, using a knife supplied by the crew to refine her work. The figure quickly took shape, with its red mouth, white face, and purple suit bearing a slight rawness in close-up, but still reminiscent of Martin.

Meanwhile, at a mansion on Sunset Boulevard, Nicholson set down his wine glass and walked over to a shelf displaying a gift from Martin, a collection of carvings, including one of the Joker.

Nicholson chuckled, "This guy is interesting."

In a Beverly Hills villa, Angelina Jolie watched the show, holding a 30cm clown sculpture with awkwardly shaped legs and a massive head. She discovered that all these carvings were created by the talented Lily Carter.

Jolie nodded, recognizing Lily's carving skills as impressive, though that wasn't her main focus. She wondered whether Martin would truly reconcile with Aniston.

At the same time, Hollywood professionals shifted their attention from the TV to the crew's souvenirs. Few complained, appreciating the handcrafted souvenirs, unlike industrial mass-produced items. The material and craftsmanship, along with Martin's personal touch, made them special.

As the episode concluded, Lily quickly rose from her seat and said, "I need to use the restroom." An assistant promptly escorted her there.

Helen consoled Martin, "It's normal to be nervous."

Martin playfully retorted, "You didn't say hello to me in advance."

Helen grinned, "This is called a surprise. So, were you surprised?"

The two left together, and Martin quipped, "I thought you were going to invite Jolie and Aniston over."

Helen's eyes sparkled, "Let's discuss it. You can sleep with them and invite them over to reconcile on my show."

In a hushed tone, she added, "No matter the cost."

Martin remained resolute, "You should reach out to Jolie and Aniston directly."

Helen couldn't help but chuckle.

Lily returned from the bathroom, and Martin instructed, "Follow me."

She followed him into the dressing room, raising her fist, "I don't need you to fight for me."

Martin gently lowered her fist, "No need for that. I'm not blaming you."

Her confidence surged, "Those fools were slandering you, and I just wanted to do something. You've always protected us. I'm not familiar with Los Angeles. In Atlanta, I had already grabbed a carving knife and was ready to engrave 'Bitch' on their chests. The men..."

"I understand," Martin interjected, "Who suggested this to you? Was it Thomas?"

Lily honestly admitted, "It was Louise. I called her, and she made the suggestion. I thought it could help you."

Martin agreed, "Indeed, it's more convincing coming from you." He advised, "Go back to school and avoid the media for a while."

Lily nodded vigorously, "I get it. Those entertainment reporters love making things up."

Martin couldn't help but notice the News of the World reporters were quite professional from this perspective alone.

Afterward, they left the studio and got into Bruce's car. Martin said, "I'll take you back to school."

Knowing Martin's busy schedule, Lily assured, "I won't go out once I'm back. I'll focus on studying and attending classes."

Before leaving Burbank, Lily received a call from Elena. It was a typical sisterly chat.

Only after Martin took the phone for a while did Elena hang up.

After dropping Lily off at school, Martin instructed Bruce to drive back to Sherman Oaks and go directly to Louise's residence.

Inside the living room, Louise sat at the bar, sipping wine and rewatching Helen's show.

She poured a glass for Martin and explained, "Lily wanted to help you, and her enthusiasm was unstoppable. She could genuinely assist you, so I supported her idea casually, and it worked well."

She grinned, "I called a few old friends, and they also watched the show. They all said their opinion of you has improved. Women naturally admire a man who protects his family."

Martin pulled up a high chair and sat down beside her, saying, "Let me know in advance next time."

Louise laughed, "Wasn't it a surprise?"

Martin raised his glass, intending to educate her, and there was no doubt it would be a lesson with a firm hand.