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?"

The man's attention had been on Theodore the whole time and he had not even noticed someone else was in the room. He had not expected me to be so good in a fight either.

The power that burst out of me was indomitable.

With the tip of my knife was about to pierce his neck, he was so scared that he confessed everything. After he revealed who was behind it, the men in black came in and took him away.

Theodore was silent for a long while before he spoke. "Weren't you afraid the gun might hit you?"

I was secretly delighted. He had finally said his line. Tying it back to what had just happened, I said coolly, "No one gets to touch you except me."

Theodore looked deeply at me, then smiled. "Very good. You're hired."

After that, I happily waited at home for the notice that filming was starting. But all I received was Theodore's marriage proposal.

Kenny and Caroline read the written marriage proposal several times, and they confirmed that the Jensen family's crest on it was real.

The whole family looked at me in disbelief.

Nora was so shocked that her jaw nearly dropped.

That day, after seeing me come back safe and sound again. She asked me whether I had ignored her instructions and never taken out the switchblade. I said I had taken it out, and that I had performed very well too.

Her face filled with despair.

Although Theodore's reputation was terrible, his power was obvious to everyone. He controlled everything in Harbor City, and plenty of wealthy families wanted to build ties with his family through marriage across the country.

This was a prize falling right into our laps.

But my parents still asked for my opinion.

Then, without even looking up, I said, "Sure."

Although we had only met twice, I had a pretty good impression of him, especially since he had recognized my acting skills.

A true admirer is so hard to find nowadays!

So my parents immediately replied to the Jensen family, and his family soon set the engagement date.

After word spread that I was going to marry Theodore, quite a few families came to congratulate us, hoping to build a connection with me. Their gifts filled an entire room.

Nora was so jealous that she became furious.

Every day, she tried to scare me by whispering in my ear.

"Rebecca, you have no idea, do you? Theodore kills without a second thought. If he gets upset, he takes it out on the people around him. You're walking right into a lion's den! If you ask me, you should give up. But we can't reject his family's engagement offer either… How about this? I'll sacrifice myself and go to your place..."

My eyes widened. "How would that be okay? If it's really that dangerous, I definitely can't let you go! You're my dear sister!"

Nora was so angry she almost choked.

Just like that, the day of the engagement arrived.

The venue was at Theodore's private estate. Thousands of guests attended, and every important figure in Harbor City had gathered there. I was arranged to wait in a room on the estate before going out with Theodore later.

Very soon, only Nora and I were left in the room.

She glared at me, then suddenly walked over and handed me a small bottle with a smile. "Rebecca, I asked around. Theodore likes sweet things, but he doesn't want outsiders to know, so he always adds something to his drinks. There are too many people at the banquet today, so it won't be convenient for him to do it himself. Put this syrup in for him."

I took it without the slightest suspicion.

After watching me pour it into Theodore's glass with her own eyes, Nora smiled in satisfaction and left.

A moment later, Theodore appeared, and we walked downstairs toward the hall together.

He took the wine from my hand and was just about to drink when Nora suddenly rushed out from the side in terror and shouted, "Don't drink it! The wine is poisoned!"

The crowd erupted.

Theodore frowned. "How do you know the wine is poisoned?"

Nora raised her hand and pointed at me. "I saw her put something in the wine with my own eyes!"

After saying that, she projected the security camera footage she had just pulled up onto the big screen.

In the footage, I poured a small bottle of clear liquid into the wineglass.

Theodore's expression instantly darkened, and he gripped my wrist hard.

I cried out softly from the pain.

The bodyguards hidden in the hall also moved at once and surrounded me. The guests looked at me with sympathy, as if they had already seen me die.

Nora continued smugly. "I just found that bottle in the trash. Testing showed that it contained a deadly poison. Just one sip would kill someone within an hour by melting their organs! Rebecca, how could you be so vicious?"

But as soon as Nora finished speaking, a cry of surprise came from the crowd.

On the big screen, after pouring the poisoned liquid into the wine, I murmured. "Will it really turn sweet? He probably won't notice if I sneak one sip, right?"

The next second, I actually lifted the glass and took a sip.

At the same time, my vision suddenly went black as I collapsed to the floor with a thud.

My family rushed over, crying out. "Rebecca!"

Theodore caught me with a pale face and snapped, "Call a doctor!"