Chapter 89: Alarm Lifted

After saying goodbye to Hank and Lucas, who was eagerly looking forward to Clark's next visit for an autograph, Castle walked out of the New York Medical Examiner's office building. The reason Alexis had called was that Martha had returned today. Having not seen each other for so long, grandmother and granddaughter decided to have dad treat them to a feast. Additionally, Alexis wanted to remind her dad to figure out a way to dissuade her mom from settling down in New York.

Meeting up with his mother Martha and daughter Alexis at the restaurant, Castle had barely sat down when he heard his mother's complaint: "Rick, Alexis told me that Meredith is planning to move back to New York? Are you crazy? How could you agree to let her settle here? Have you forgotten how she used to torment you?"

Looking at the two red-haired beauties, one big and one small, in front of him, Castle said weakly, "I don't want her to live in New York either. I opposed it when she mentioned it yesterday. But she never listens to me, as you both know. Even Alexis doesn't want to live in the same city as her mom. But I can't change her mind! Meredith is my nemesis. With just one thought, she can make our family uneasy. But I really can't do anything about it. I can't just shoot her, can I?"

Alexis also looked at her dad with a pitiful gaze: "She went apartment hunting with a real estate agent today. I bet she'll call you in a few days to tell you she found her dream home. Dad, you need to think of a way to stop mom from this horrible idea! Please!"

Castle felt more wronged than anyone could imagine. This was truly a case of disaster striking from nowhere. He thought, "Meredith is my kryptonite. With one simple idea, she can make the three of us uneasy. But there's nothing I can do. I can't just shoot her."

Castle had a splitting headache. After thinking it over, he waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Let's not talk about this depressing topic now. Let's enjoy our meal as a family, and we'll discuss it when we get home!"

But despite these words, the shadow cast by Meredith loomed too large. The meal ended with the three of them heavy-hearted.

Returning home, the three disheartened family members sat in the living room, hoping someone would step up to confront the terrifying Meredith. But no one wanted to take on the task.

Martha was the first to give up. She stood up and sympathetically said to Castle and Alexis, "Since Meredith won't interfere with me even if she lives in New York, you two figure it out. I'm going to rest."

With that, Martha turned and walked away, ignoring the distressed looks of father and daughter.

"Dad..." Alexis looked at her dad, who usually had all sorts of crazy ideas, hoping he could come up with a solution.

Castle, with a headache, looked at his precious daughter and said, "Alright, Alexis. Go to your room and rest. I'll handle your mom."

"Yay!" Alexis jumped up, kissed her dad on the cheek, and hopped upstairs like a little rabbit. Left alone in the living room, Castle continued to rack his brains on how to get his ex-wife back to Los Angeles.

Desperate, Castle even turned to his system for help: "System, do you have any way to get Meredith back to Los Angeles?"

The system, maintaining its tradition of answering questions, replied: "Your ex-wife is an actress. Shouldn't you find a way to give her an offer she can't refuse that requires her to leave New York?"

Castle was suddenly enlightened. Yes, Meredith is an actress. If a film crew offers her an audition, it would temporarily derail her plans to settle in New York. How could he have forgotten such a simple solution?

Just as Castle felt a glimmer of hope, he realized he had no friends in the film industry, let alone any connections to major film crews that could offer an irresistible audition.

"What should I do?" Castle was frustrated, pulling at his hair in distress.

At this moment, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Castle felt a wave of despair as Meredith's name flashed on the screen.

"Damn it, if it's trouble, you can't avoid it..." With a resigned heart, Castle answered the phone.

"Rick, darling, you won't believe it! I got an audition invitation from Christopher Nolan! I'm so excited I could explode!"

Castle only caught part of Meredith's excited rant, but it was the most crucial part.

"What did you say? You got an audition invitation from Christopher Nolan? Is he blind?"

"What did you say, Rick?"

"Oh, nothing, I meant congratulations... That's Christopher Nolan, a major director. Is he casting you for Batman?"

Meredith, caught up in her excitement, didn't notice anything strange in Castle's words and continued happily, "No, he's casting for his new project, but it's confidential. I have to fly back to Hollywood tonight. It's a shame, though. I found a great apartment today!"

Castle, who had barely escaped disaster, wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. He threw his pride into the Hudson River and said, "Meredith, you should seize this opportunity. I believe you'll shine in Nolan's new film. You're a great actress; you just needed the right role. This time, you must seize it!"

The self-absorbed Meredith agreed wholeheartedly: "Rick, you always understand me. Oh, and say goodbye to Alexis for me. I'm heading to the airport now. I have to catch the next flight to Los Angeles, so I won't have time to say goodbye to her."

With a face twisted in glee, Castle made his voice low: "Okay, Meredith. I'll let Alexis know. Focus on your audition and get the role. We'll talk about everything else after you're done."

After hanging up, Castle jumped up in excitement. "Thank heavens, just as I thought of this plan, Christopher Nolan came through! It wasn't in vain that I loved his movies so much in my past life!"

"Alexis, are you resting? Your mom called. She's flying back to Los Angeles tonight for an audition with Christopher Nolan. Crisis averted. I doubt she'll think about settling in New York for at least six months. By then, she might forget about it entirely!"

Standing on the second-floor stairs, Alexis breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness, Mom has work. Otherwise, Dad, she would've driven us crazy!"

"Exactly. But thank God, she's heading to Kennedy Airport now. I think our crisis is over."

Castle relaxed, slumping on the sofa like a salted fish, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

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