44: Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"The female lead, his wife, told him to focus on their children rather than her. She knew well enough that he's doing his best, that's why she decided not to send those letters to him when she was in the hospital, because she wanted him and her children to move on from her eventual death," Kate said. "It's a tragic tale, but the male lead is not a scum, he's just misunderstood."0

"How about you? What do you think about the ending, are you with the Director or the Author?" Kate asked him back. 

Henry pondered for a while and then replied, "The Author."

Kate's brows creased instantly, "That's surprising. I thought you'd agree with me."

"I understand your point, but I like the original ending more," Henry said. "If the male lead really loved his wife, then he would never have abandoned her. She was alone on her deathbed as she endured a lot of pain. The male lead in that story didn't try hard enough for his dying wife. He simply drowned himself in work to avoid depression from his wife's unsalvageable cancer. He gave up, and no man in love with his wife will do that, the female lead deserved better."

Kate snorted, "I never knew that Mr. Henry Grant was a hopeless romantic, I didn't expect you to be the type that would insist that a man be loyal to his spouse. Though, I doubt you'll ever act on it."

"I am the loyal type, I'm a one woman man," Henry claimed with a serious expression on his face. "I will never cheat, nor leave the woman I truly love."

"And have you ever done that?"

"I've never been in love with anyone in my life," Henry replied. "I've had plenty of casual relationships, but I did not love any of them."

"As expected," Kate shrugged. "I don't believe that you are capable of ever showing that kind of loyalty to any woman in your life."

Henry glanced at Kate. He said nothing but clenched the steering wheel as he took a sharp turn as he entered the headquarters' driveway.

Kate flinched because of the sudden sharp turn, she glared at Henry, but the latter only had a smug smile as he stopped his car in front of the lobby, "We're here, Princess."

"You're seriously annoying, Mr. Grant," Kate said contemptuously. She opened the car door and exited the car, slamming the door behind her 

Henry parked the car in the VIP spot as Kate told the security guard that they were from Emperor Publishing. 

Henry joined Kate as they were escorted by a receptionist at the front desk to the meeting room where everyone was waiting for them. 

Kate and Henry entered the meeting room and were greeted by the sight of the Director, Jack Quinn, and the Author, Irene Banks, sitting across each other on the table, and both carried a sour expression on their faces.

"Good morning, Mr. Quinn, Mrs. Banks," Kate greeted as she shook the Director and the author's hands. 

"Morning, Mrs. Woods, and this must be Mr. Grant I presume?" Jack Quinn said as he gave a respectful bow while shaking Henry's hand, much to Kate's surprise.

She wondered how Jack Quinn knew about Henry, but this wasn't the time for that.

"Good morning, Mrs. Woods, and uhm… Mr. Grant," Irene Banks looked a bit shy when she was shaking Henry's hand, much to Kate's annoyance. 

She didn't know what happened between Henry and Irene when they met without her in the cafe yesterday, but she definitely had to lecture Henry about being professional and how he couldn't just seduce any author they had with his good looks.

Kate sat between Henry and Irene, fearing they might not focus on the meeting because they were busy getting intimate with each other. 

Henry gave Kate a questioning gaze when she told him to sit next to her instead of Irene, but an idea slowly formed in his mind. 

Jack Quinn cleared his throat to start the meeting. Just like what Kate told Henry in the car earlier, they were still debating about the ending of the book that was about to get adapted.

Jack Quinn didn't like the original ending. He wanted the male and female lead to at least meet for the last time before the female lead died.

In contrast, Irene Banks wanted to keep the original ending where the male lead completely drowned himself in work and focused too much on the children to the point that he didn't know about his wife's death. 

After a long debate between Jack Quinn and Irene Banks, they finally gave up and turned their heads towards Kate who acted as their mediator.

"What do you think, Mrs. Woods? We need a third opinion in this," Jack Quinn asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Woods, but you should know that I will never sign this if they decide to change the ending!" Irene Banks insisted.

Kate has been faced with the same unresolved problem since the last meeting. 

Truthfully, she agreed with the Director on this matter, but she couldn't say that hastily because Irene Banks was her author, Irene was a person she shouldn't offend. She couldn't lose Irene Banks and all the profit she would bring with her next book.

'Is there any other way for us to give a satisfying ending for the story without offending Irene?' Kate pondered for a while. 

Henry, who had been silent for the whole meeting, finally raised his voice, "I have an idea."

Everyone's eyes darted towards Henry, both Jack Quinn and Irene Banks seemed to have a lot of expectations for Henry, either from admiration or love, which Kate couldn't understand at all.

But she was also curious as to what Henry wanted to say next, so she stayed silent and waited for him to speak. 

Henry cleared his throat, "Why don't we make the female lead die without sending any of her letters, so the male lead still doesn't know about the unsent letters and his wife's death while he's busy with his life."

Jack Quinn was about to protest before Henry quickly added, "However, do you remember that one nurse who personally takes care of the female lead on her deathbed? Let her send all of the letters to the male lead instead, so the male lead will visit his dead wife's body. Let him grieve while hugging her cold corpse because that's all he could do, a punishment fitting for a neglectful husband who by all accounts still loved the woman but failed her."

"With that, we can keep the essence of the story from the original novel, while also giving a heart wrenching, tearful goodbye that the director wants for this adaptation," Henry explained. 

Henry was met with silence as all of them were stunned by his advice. Because that was what Jack Quinn and Irene Banks wanted!

"Mr. Grant's advice is very good, I don't mind that ending for the adaptation," Irene Banks said.

Jack Quinn nodded in agreement, "Yes, I don't mind that ending as well. It is a good way to end the adaptation as well."

Henry smiled and stood from his chair, "So, when are we signing the contract?"

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