- 2.
Ethan was completely bewildered. He could
believe my post–prison demeanor. Even Nc
was stunned. I didn’t leave him out, of cour
As I passed him, I delivered a resounding sl Equal opportunity for all. Only Olivia remain
to complete the trio.
Perhaps it was my erratic behavior that kept Ethan and Noah at bay, though they sent me
to tail me.
I went to a bank. I had no intention of hiding. Ashley’s grandfather had left her a safety net
– several million dollars in an offshore
account. A last resort he’d prepared for his granddaughter. A pity for the old man who
had tried to protect her.
L
With the money, I booked the presidential
suite in Redwood City’s most luxurious hote
As a demon, I never compromised on
comfort. Soaking in the tub, enjoying the
pleasures of the human world, I scrolled
through the internet on my phone.
A trailer for Olivia’s new movie was trending.
[OMG Olivia is the most beautiful! The best
ever!!]
[She’s stunning! 29–year–old actress,
engaged to Redwood City’s golden boy.
#lifegoals】
[So romantic! I heard they’re getting married
next year, on her 30th birthday. Childhood sweethearts, straight out of a novel!]
[… Does no one remember how her fiancé
screwed over the Millers to build his
screwed over the Millers to build his
empire?]
[Careful, whoever posted that, you might get
your account suspended. How dare you
question the golden boy?!]
A flicker of interest sparked within me. Ethan
practically controlled the internet, yet
someone dared to speak out. I refreshed the
page. Sure enough, the comment was gone,
but the account remained. The wording
suggested someone familiar with the story.
Dismissing my curiosity, I saw the endless
praise for Olivia and an idea formed. How to
inflict the most pain and despair on a wicked
soul? By striking at what they held dear.
I had the hotel staff buy me expensive
<
I had the hotel staff buy me expensive
skincare products, spending nearly a month
secluded in my suite. I had money, and the
hotel was happy to cater to a high–spending
guest. Ethan, despite his wealth, couldn’t
breach the hotel’s privacy to spy on a
presidential suite guest. He seemed unaware
of the fortune Ashley’s grandfather had left
her.
I got a new phone and credit cards. No one
knew where I was.
Over the weeks, I used my powers to
transform my physical form. The day I opened
the door in my robe to a hotel waitress, she
nearly dropped her tray. The shock and awe
in her eyes were palpable. A month ago, I had
been a skeletal figure, my features gaunt.
<
Now, I had Ashley s beauty back, enhanced
with a supernatural allure no human could
possess. Even with her professional training,
the waitress stammered. “Y–your… your
coffee, ma’am.”
I chuckled. “Leave it there.” My voice, like a
plucked string, sent a shiver down her spine.
As she backed away, her eyes lingered. This
guest… so breathtakingly beautiful. And she’d
been here all month! Strangely, she seemed
to have forgotten what Ashley looked like
when she first arrived.
Back in my suite, I called a renowned director,
Benjamin Carter. By looking at a person’s
face, I could see their life story. He was about
to start filming “Eternal Tides,” a big–budget
period drama, Olivia’s ambitious foray into
<
period drama, Olivia’s ambitious foray into
television. Ethan was financing it, Olivia was
starring, and Carter, an award–winning
director with powerful connections, even
Olivia treated him with deference.
My call was direct. “I want the role of
Seraphina, the second female lead.”
Carter scoffed. Who is this? Some wannabe
starlet with delusions of grandeur? In my
world, even A–listers audition.”
Oh? Olivia hadn’t gotten the part through
connections?
“You have a son,” I said languidly. “Ten years
old, living abroad. Shall I tell your wife which
school he attends?” The child, naturally,
wasn’t his wife’s. He owed his success to his
wasn’t his wife’s. He owed his success to his
wife, whose family background was so
formidable even Ethan wouldn’t cross her. If
this secret came out, Carter would vanish
from the face of the earth.
A long silence followed. I heard his ragged
breathing, the sound of suppressed fury.
Finally, he spoke, his voice hoarse. “You’d
better be stunning. This role needs to
outshine Olivia.” He deliberately set the bar
high. Few in the industry could surpass
Olivia’s beauty.
“Next week,” I said, giving him an address.
“We’ll sign the contract.”
I smiled. “Don’t try anything funny, Benjamin. Not only are you powerless against me, but
should anything happen to me, an email with
should anything happen to me, an email with
all the details will be automatically sent to
your wife’s phone.” It was a bluff, of course.
He had no power against a demon.
Carter gritted his teeth, gave me a different
address, and slammed the phone down),
sipped my coffee, a satisfied smile playing
on my lips. Humans certainly knew how to
enjoy themselves.
Perhaps the threat bothered him more than
he let on. He wanted to see who I was, this
person who held his life in her hands. He
came himself, contract in hand, to sign me.
The moment he saw me, the shock and awe
were unmistakable. A demon, traversing time
and realms, drawn to the wicked souls of
<
and realms, drawn to the wicked souls of
humans, held a fatal allure for them. I was the
most beautiful poison, one they would
willingly swallow.
Carter’s hostility seemed to dissipate. “I’ve
never seen you before,” he murmured. “You’d
be a sensation.” Such exquisite, captivating
beauty, like a creature born from the most
fragrant and decadent flower. A unique
presence the industry had never seen. She
would cause a stir. Carter suddenly felt that
Olivia, in comparison, was utterly mundane.
“Is that so?” I smiled, signing the contract.
“You don’t resent me threatening you?”
Carter flinched at the mention of his secret, a
flicker of malice in his eyes. He looked at my
face, struggling internally. Finally, he asked,
<
Carter flinched at the mention of his secret, a
flicker of malice in his eyes. He looked at my
face, struggling internally. Finally, he asked,
“How did you know?”
Impressive. He could resist a demon’s natural
charm and maintain his composure. No
wonder he’d kept his secret for so long.
“That’s for me to know,” I said. “As long as
you don’t ask, I won’t tell.”
Carter lowered his head. I didn’t miss the momentary flash of murderous intent, the accompanying wave of stench. To him, I
remained a ticking time bomb. No matter how beautiful, I threatened his world.
Looking up, he was once again the suave
く
Looking up, he was once again the suave
director, extending his hand. “Pleasure doing
business with you, Miss Miller.” He knew who
I was. Ashley Miller. The hit–and–run case five
years ago was infamous in Redwood City. He
understood my motive for joining the cast.
I shook his hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Carter.” If he didn’t reek so badly, I might
have believed him.
The news broke online: “Seraphina cast in ‘Eternal Tides‘.” The internet exploded. Everyone knew Olivia was playing the lead, but Seraphina, the antagonist, was arguably the most compelling character, beautiful and unhinged, initially stealing the show. The casting was highly anticipated. Though
auditions were supposedly still ongoing, the
IL
s were supposedly still ongoing, the role had been filled. Seraphina’s fans were
the first to react.
【They were still auditioning a few days ago, weren’t they?]
[Who the hell is this actress? Who has the guts to outshine Olivia?!)
[No one can play Seraphina but my chosen actress! She’s a total femme fatale. Who in
Hollywood has that kind of presence? They’re all a bunch of ingenues!]
The news surprised not only the fans but also Olivia. She’d been closely following the casting, especially for a role meant to be her foil. She called Benjamin Carter directly.
“Benjamin,” she said, her voice laced with
suspicion. “Seraphina’s been cast already?
く
all a bunch of ingenues!]
The news surprised not only the fans but als
Olivia. She’d been closely following the
casting, especially for a role meant to be he
foil. She called Benjamin Carter directly.
“Benjamin,” she said, her voice laced with suspicion. “Seraphina’s been cast already? Weren’t you saying just yesterday you hadn’t found anyone suitable?”
A brief silence. Then Carter’s voice, tinged with a strange malice. “Ashley Miller wants the part.” He hung up.
Olivia turned deathly pale.
