When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 91

If she became famous, that was great, but it also meant being tied to her on-screen characters, complete with passionate fans shipping them as a couple. How many men of high society would be okay with that?

If she didn't become famous, it would be even more ridiculous. The wife of a top-tier family becoming a nobody in a TV series? It was an invitation for ridicule.

So, Henrietta genuinely wasn't sure if a man like Yosef would accept her career choice. She remembered Joaquin demanding she quit her job to be a stay-at-home wife and uphold the family's reputation. His request wasn't entirely wrong; that was the expected role for wives in their circle.

Just as she expected, Yosef fell silent at her words, seemingly taken aback.

Henrietta felt the need to explain. "It's mainly because I'm not interested in other fields. I majored in acting, and besides that, I don't really know what else I'd do. I'm not that old, so I'd like to work for a couple of years. If it becomes necessary later, I can transition to a behind-the-scenes role or stop working altogether."

She was at an awkward age. Twenty-five was prime for marriage and starting a family, but it was also a critical period for building a career. Most of her time and energy after graduation had been devoted to Matteo, helping him rise to stardom while her own career stagnated. If it weren't for him, she'd likely be at her professional peak right now, not having to awkwardly negotiate her career during a marriage meeting.

Yosef remained silent after her explanation, appearing to weigh her words with great care. Henrietta waited patiently.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He glanced at it and said, "Excuse me, it's a work call. I need to take this."

Her thoughts drifted to her own bittersweet youth. She had always been the pretty girl, the most popular in her elementary, middle, and high schools. Back then, her older brother Quinton had been her protector, warding off any boys who tried to get too close.

But when he went abroad for college to study business, she pursued acting. After that, her youth seemed to revolve entirely around Matteo. She had given him all the innocence of her college years, all her dreams of a first love. For two years after graduation, she had put his career before her own, thinking they would get engaged on her birthday and then plan their wedding.

They were in the same industry; she imagined them as a power couple, working together. Instead, she was betrayed and plotted against. Looking back, her youth and career felt like a barren wasteland.