The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 774: JUST OBLIVIOUS

LAUREN took a bite of the braised beef, and his eyes widened a little. It was really good. He didn’t realize how hungry he was until he started eating. He went for a second bite quickly, then tried the roasted vegetables. The rich taste of the stew reminded him of the food Astrid sometimes made, though Astrid’s was maybe just a bit better. Still, the food on the table was very delicious.

Emmy watched Lauren eat with such obvious enjoyment and smiled to herself. She always enjoyed seeing her guests appreciate her cooking. But as she kept looking at him, that feeling that he seemed familiar came back. So she stared a little longer, trying to figure it out. Then, an image from a movie scene she had watched flashed in her mind.

It was the movie Astrid had acted in when he first went to the capital. The shock of finally recognizing him made her speak without thinking. "Oh! You’re the villain from [The Sleeping God]!"

She hadn’t recognized him right away because of his different hairstyle and the color of his hair and eyes in the movie. But his face, his features, they were exactly the same. Now that she knew, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t figured it out sooner.

Her sudden outburst made Gage look at Lauren more closely. He frowned a little, finally understanding what his wife meant. "Wait, you mean he’s that actor Aster worked with in that movie? That playboy?"

When they first found out that Astrid would act in a movie, they had made sure to research all the people their son would work with. They didn’t do that sort of thing anymore, of course, but for that first job, they couldn’t help but worry. The one who had stood out the most was Lauren. It wasn’t because of his acting skill or his appearance. It was because of all the dating rumors he was always involved in. They had been concerned that the older, more experienced actor might try to hit on their son, which made them even more nervous about the whole situation.

And now, that same actor was sitting right in their home. Wait, he had introduced himself as a friend of both Astrid and Reas. How did that even happen?

Lauren choked on the tea he was drinking when he heard the word ’playboy’ from Reas’ father. He couldn’t believe his reputation had reached all the way to Reas’ parents who both seemed to have no interest in the entertainment industry. For the first time in a long while, he regretted being so friendly with everyone he met. That easygoing nature of his was the main reason for all those dating rumors. And not a single one of them had even been true!

He scrambled to think of a way to explain himself. He really didn’t want Reas’ parents to think he was actually a playboy. They didn’t even know he was dating their son yet. He didn’t want them to dislike him before Reas had a chance to tell them he was his boyfriend.

But before Lauren could say anything, he felt Reas’s hand on his back, patting him gently. It was probably to help him calm down and breathe after choking. He would have given Reas a thankful look if not for what Reas said next.

"Mom, Dad, Lauren isn’t a playboy," Reas said calmly. "Those were just rumors people made up. He’s just... really friendly. And honestly, he’s a little oblivious sometimes. Put those two things together when you’re an actor, and it’s basically a rumor magnet."

Lauren was touched at first, but after hearing the rest of what Reas said, he didn’t know whether to be grateful or annoyed. Yes, Reas was defending him by saying he wasn’t a playboy, but he was also calling him oblivious. Lauren wasn’t sure which was worse for Reas’s parents to think of him - a playboy or a fool.

"Oh, I see," Emmy said, not sure how to react to what her son had just said.

She felt a little awkward for Lauren, who was now staring at Reas with wide eyes. She didn’t really care if Lauren had a playboy reputation, as long as he was a good friend to her sons. Hearing he was just overly friendly did make her feel relieved. But the way Reas had phrased it was probably embarrassing for the poor young man.

Gage, on the other hand, couldn’t stop himself from laughing. A person who was overly friendly but oblivious was indeed a dangerous mix. He looked at Lauren with open amusement. "You must have broken a lot of hearts."

Lauren felt his whole face heat up. He knew he was probably bright red. "N-no, I don’t think so? I don’t think anyone was ever actually heartbroken because of me. Maybe some people were disappointed, but not truly heartbroken. At least, I hope not. I mean--" He stopped and took a shaky breath. "Sorry, I’m rambling."

Gage chuckled, clearly finding the whole situation and the flustered young man very entertaining. He only stopped when Emmy slapped his arm lightly and gave him a firm, warning look. He cleared his throat and made an effort to stop laughing.

Anthony, watching this, raised an eyebrow. Once again, he saw how clearly his daughter was the one in charge in their relationship. He was thankful for that. At least he could be sure Gage would do nothing to hurt Emmaline. He would always put her first, before anything or anyone else. That was the only thing that really mattered to Anthony.

Emmy looked at Lauren with an apologetic smile. "I’m so sorry, Lauren. Please excuse my husband and my son. Sometimes they can be insensitive fools."

Lauren shook his head quickly. "No, no, it’s really okay. Please, don’t worry about it."

They went back to eating lunch after that. The rest of the meal passed with lighter conversation. Then, just as they were finishing, Reas dropped a bomb on his parents and the Duke.

"By the way, Lauren and I are dating."