Chapter 772

Penelope blinked, feeling like there was a flaw in that math somewhere, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

The pre-production for the new film was nearly complete. Natalie absolutely loved the script. After reading through it, she was practically buzzing with excitement. Never before had a role captivated her so completely; she couldn't wait to throw herself into the character and bring her to life.

Filming was set to begin in two days, so Natalie packed her bags and headed to the location early.

The shooting schedule was tight, demanding full commitment from the cast, which meant taking time off was highly discouraged. As the leading lady, Natalie was more than willing to cooperate with the production's demands.

She felt completely at ease leaving Kristin in Penelope's care, though she worried it might be too much of a burden on Theodore, since he was the one primarily watching the kids at home right now. Then there was Marico. She couldn't shake the feeling that the man was plotting something massive, ready to turn everything upside down at any given moment.

Technically, Marico's drama was none of her business, but he had gotten hurt saving her and her daughter. She felt a moral obligation to check on him.

Once Natalie had settled into her hotel room, her new assistant arrived.

"Her name is Annabelle," Penelope explained over the phone. "I hired her temporarily to stay with you on set and manage your day-to-day schedule. I'm already setting up your personal management team, but finding an agent with the right industry connections takes time, so you'll have to bear with me a little longer. If you need anything, just call me. I might not be a professional Hollywood agent, but I can play the part for now."

Natalie only cared about acting, not the business side of things, so she had partnered with Penelope for her management. Penelope handled all the operations, leaving Natalie free to focus entirely on her performances and press events.

Natalie laughed softly. "Having the CEO of a major tech company act as my agent? I'm honored, though I hope it won't be too much trouble for you."

"If you keep talking like that, I'm going to get mad," Penelope teased.

Natalie quickly backpedaled. "Who else am I supposed to bother? You're my rock, my family, and the only person I trust!"

"That's more like it."

Annabelle had experience assisting big-name celebrities. She was young and had a bubbly personality, but she was incredibly detail oriented She jumped straight into her duties, insisting Natalie rest while she headed over to the production office to sort out the schedule.

Laying in her room, Natalie thought back to when she left the hospital that morning. Marico had been badgering the doctor about his. discharge date. When the doctor insisted he needed another week, Marco had lost it, accusing the hospital of keeping him hostage just

to milk his insurance.

His rage had seemed erratic at the time. Natalie had been too annoyed to overthink

it, but looking back, she suspected he was planning something reckless.

Unable to shake her unease, Natalie dialed Marico's number. It rang for a long time before a nurse finally picked up.

"Is this Ms. Taylor? Mr. Stapleton is gone!"

Natalie froze. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"Shortly after you left this morning, we went into his room to check his vitals, but he wasn't there. His phone was still on the nightstand, so we assum med he had just gone for a walk down the hall. But it's past noon and he still hasn't returned. We've been searching the entire building, and there's no sign of him."

After hanging up, Natalie paced the room. Her anxiety won out. She left a quick message for Annabelle and immediately drove back to the city.

By the time she reached the hospital, the staff still hadn't found him. The nurse

handed over Marico's phone just as it began to ring. It was Marico's father calling.