I was born with an extraordinary talent for being slow.

In elementary school, my classmates laughed in my face for being an orphan. I proudly said, "That's right. I'm the only orphan in the whole school. That makes me the coolest!"

The principal happened to pass by and thought I had been bullied so badly I had snapped. Furious, he called their parents and they gave them a beating when they got home.

During my freshman year of high school, a boy tried to prank me by confessing to me with a bouquet of white lilies. I accepted them with a smile. "Thank you. How did you know lilies were my favorite?"

After that, every time I saw him at school, I would smile and say, "I really liked the white lilies you gave me."

For the next three years, everyone called him Lily instead.

Later, my wealthy biological parents found me and brought me home.

On my first day there, the fake heiress set me up by pretending I had pushed her down, then cried, "I made a mistake. Please don't hurt me!"

My parents and older brother rushed over in a panic, but before they could accuse me of anything, realization struck. "You're practicing acting, right? I haven't even done my part yet! Let's do it again!"

With that, I pulled her up and shoved her hard to the floor again. When my family saw how calm I was, they nodded in relief.

Later, the whole family went to Harbor City for a banquet for the rich, and the fake heiress pushed me into a dark room.

In front of me stood Harbor City's ruthless ruler.

On the floor lay a man covered in blood, barely alive.

I covered my mouth in surprise.

The man narrowed his eyes dangerously and walked toward me.

I said excitedly, "This is my first time seeing a movie set. Can I be in it too?"

The man froze. His face was hidden in shadow, so I could not make out his expression. However, I could see that his bright eyes were staring straight at me, as if trying to study my face.

Theodore Jensen knew his reputation preceded him. Violent, ruthless, unpredictable, a man who slaughtered without batting an eye...

Naturally, all of it was true.

As for the last person who had seen him handle something personally, he had already been sent to the Southern Isles. Whether he was still alive was another question, but he was definitely missing a few organs.

It was possible for me to be acting out of fear.

In that case, he did not mind playing along.

He pointed at the door behind him. "The door isn't locked. You can leave."

Of course, he was lying to me.

If I turned and left, it would prove everything I had done earlier was an act. The moment I turned and took one step away, his bodyguards would run out from the corner and restrain me. Then, all that was left was interrogation.

But after waiting a few seconds, he saw that I not only stayed where I was. I walked farther into the room instead and crouched in front of the injured man.

I poked him, and my pale fingertip was soon stained red. "So this is imitation blood? It looks so real."

The man on the floor coughed up blood and rasped, "Help... help me..."

I stared at him in silence, then turned to look at the man behind me. "What line am I supposed to say here? Should I say… Yes? Or no?"

Theodore's brow seemed to raise slightly as he snapped his fingers.

Two men in black suddenly walked out from the corner. They then stuffed the man on the floor into a sack and carried him out.

While they were doing that, I walked around the room, looking for cameras.

Unfortunately, I found nothing.

I quickly figured everything out.

They must be using pinhole cameras!

After the man was carried out, the door closed again. Theodore sat down in a chair not far away.

He asked, "Your name."

I paused for a moment, then immediately brought my legs together and let my arms hang straight at my sides. I raised my head and straightened my back before in a loud, clear voice, "My name is Rebecca Lane! My strengths are that I'm hardworking and can handle hardship! No matter what role it is, I'm confident I can do it well! Please give me a chance, director!"

The corner of Theodore's mouth twitched. But what had happened earlier involved certain family secrets, and he could not let anyone leak them.

So, he said, "That scene just now... It was confidential footage. You are not allowed to reveal it to anyone."

I nodded seriously. "I promise I'll keep it a secret!"

After that, he waved for me to leave.

My mood sank instantly.

Looks like I did not pass the audition.

After leaving the room, I walked toward the banquet hall.

With just a glance, I saw Nora chatting excitedly with the guests. So, I walked over and patted her shoulder.

When she turned and saw me, she jumped in fright and cried out, "You're okay?!"

I sighed in front of Nora. "You went through all that trouble to get me this chance, but too bad I didn't make the cut."

Nora's mouth twitched. She had no idea what I was talking about. She had paid a steep price to learn that Theodore was dealing with a traitor in that room. The mere mention of Harbor City's ruler was enough to terrify people, and he never tolerated anything like this.

Anyone who stumbled onto a scene like that would either be silenced for good or sent somewhere far away, never to return home to Centra.

Nora had thought she could finally get rid of the thorn in her eye this way. She had not expected me to come back safe and sound. She was so furious that she almost wanted to grind her teeth.

Just then, a commotion rose from the crowd in the distance.

A man dressed in black walked into the banquet hall under everyone's fearful eyes.

The moment I saw him, my eyes lit up. "It's him! Nora, help me again! You managed to get me one audition, so you can definitely get me a second one too, right?"

"Huh?" She frowned.

Before she could react, I had already grabbed her hand and rushed over to Theodore.

When he saw me, he stopped talking to the person beside him.

I played with my fingers and said shyly, "Um, director, sir... Can you give me another chance for Nora's sake? She pushed me into the room so suddenly just now that I got too nervous and didn't prepare well. I'll definitely do better next time."

After saying that, I gave him an innocent smile and looked completely harmless.

Theodore smiled, but there was no amusement in his eyes. "You're saying she pushed you into the room?"

"Yes, yes! Nora was the one who helped me get this chance!" I said cheerfully.

The moment I said that, Nora's face turned pale. She froze, her legs nearly giving out. Even so, she still tried her best not to get involved. "Don't… Don't make things up! I don't know anything! I was in the banquet hall the whole time. I have no idea where you went!"

I smiled. "Come on! You clearly said you were taking me to see something interesting. I just didn't realize you had prepared an audition surprise for me!"

After all, I had been deeply interested in acting ever since I was little.

Nora always said she hated me, but she was actually so nice to me. I knew she was all bark and no bite.

Nora panicked. "I can find someone to prove it!"

With that, she pulled one of her friends over and asked whether they had been together the entire time after she entered the banquet hall. That friend of hers had already accepted something from Nora earlier and was just about to nod.

Then she looked up and saw that Theodore was the one questioning her. Her legs instantly went weak, and she complained that she felt dizzy, using it as an excuse to leave.

Nora stomped her foot hard.

Compared with my calmness, Nora's obvious guilt made her look much more suspicious.

Theodore was no idiot. He understood what had happened with just one glance. It seemed to him that the woman in front of him had used certain means to learn about his business.

However, there were too many people in the banquet hall. It would be… Inconvenient to make a move here. So, he smiled at me and said, "I can give you another chance. I'll send word to you."

I nodded hard.

After Theodore left, Nora let out a long breath of relief.

She glared at me. "Rebecca, you nearly got me killed!"

I looked blank. "Huh?"

A few seconds later, realization dawned on me. "Did you secretly use your connections to get me in there? You don't know him? No wonder he looked at you so oddly. Oops, my fault."

Nora cursed as she left.

I was still obediently reflecting on myself.

Well, I would simply have to explain it to him the next time we meet.

Three days later, Theodore's family sent an invitation to our villa in Harbor City.

Theodore invited me to meet him at a restaurant at seven on Saturday night.

That was enough to shock the entire family, then they became worried.

Theodore held enormous influence and power in Harbor City, and his temper was even harder to predict. Someone had once said the wrong thing in front of him and Theodore had bankrupted him for it.

As for me, I was so oblivious that even if someone held a knife to my throat, I would still grin and say, "That knife looks so real!"

My father, Kenny, was so worried he paced in circles.

My mother, Caroline, was so anxious she cried.

My older brother, Tommy, kept sighing too.

Only Nora covered her mouth smugly. She thought Theodore had figured out what had happened and wanted to deal with me.

I was completely confused. "I'm just going to an audition. You should be happy for me."

Afraid that the family would stop me, Nora quickly added, "Exactly, Dad, Mom, Tommy. Rebecca really is going to an audition. Maybe if Mr. Jensen is pleased, he'll even reward her with something nice. Besides, he has already sent an invitation. We can't possibly refuse, right?"

Of course, they could not reject the man who ruled Harbor City from behind the scenes. Although the Lane Family's main sphere of influence was outside of the island Harbor City was in. However, they also had plenty of business in Harbor City.

If they wanted their business to keep developing steadily, they could not afford to cross Theodore.

After thinking it over again and again, the family could only accept it helplessly.

They held my hand and reminded me repeatedly. "Rebecca, you have to watch what you say and do."

I nodded. To make sure the audition went well, I would definitely perform properly.

Before I went out on Saturday, Nora brought me to a corner.

She secretly stuffed a small switchblade into my hand.

Then she said mysteriously, "This is a prop I prepared just for you. I heard their movie is an action movie. When you audition, take this knife out, and he'll definitely see you in a whole new light!"

I held her hand gratefully. "Thank you for thinking this far ahead for me. I'll make good use of it!"

Nora burst out laughing as she watched me leave. "What an idiot! Pulling a knife in front of Theodore? Time to die, idiot."

The meeting was at seven, but I arrived at the private room ten minutes early. I had not expected Theodore to arrive even earlier as he was already sitting inside.

As soon as I walked in, he told me to sit and ask what I wanted to eat. I said seriously, "I can eat anything, but when does our audition start?"

He turned his eyes from the menu in his hand to my face. After confirming that I was serious and not joking, he raised an eyebrow in interest. After all, this was his first time meeting someone as slow and oblivious as me.

With that thought in mind, he put down the menu and said, "Now, then."

I looked around. The men playing the men-in-black bodyguards from the dark room were not there.

Now, only Theodore and I were in the private room. Which meant he wanted me to roleplay with him. There was no script either, so he must want me to improvise.

Thinking of how Nora had said this movie was an action movie, I pulled the switchblade out of my pants pocket and pointed the tip at Theodore.

My gaze darkened, and my whole presence suddenly turned cold as I sneered. "Today is the day you die!"

Theodore's amused expression suddenly darkened.

His hand had already moved on instinct toward the gun hidden by his thigh. But before he could draw the gun, the private room door was kicked open.

A figure rushed in, the gun in his hand aimed straight at Theodore's head. "Theodore! Today is the day you die!"

I froze.

Huh?

The same line?

Damn it! Was he trying to steal my spotlight?

Did he not see that my audition was not over yet?

Theodore's heart sank, and hostility surged inside him.

When it rained, it poured.

He could not help suspecting that I was with that man.

His hand had already touched the grip of his gun.

He was about to send us both off to Hell one by one before he saw me rush at the man with incredible speed. Before the man could react, I had already knocked him to the floor. I kicked the gun away, before pinning him to the ground, and pressed the switchblade against his neck. "Tell me! Who sent you?"