2

Nora Calloway had been putting on a high-and-mighty attitude, but my proactively greeting her seemed to throw her for a loop.

She curled her lip, puffing out her chest. "What are you doing here? A Z-list star like you has business with Mr. Kincaid?"

...

'Fine. It's all the same level of obscurity anyway.'

"I just wrapped a show. I'm back to check in with Mr. Kincaid," I replied, not wanting to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Nora Calloway flicked her hair. Success really suited her. She stared into my eyes, her displeasure obvious. "Silas and I are getting married. I don't like my husband having overly close contact with other women. Stay away from Silas from now on."

I could hear the warning in her voice.

I wanted to stay away from Silas Kincaid too, just to stop people from gossiping about me.

So I just smiled and said, "Nora, why don't you go tell Mr. Kincaid that yourself? Otherwise, if he wants to see me, it's not like I can refuse. Don't you think?"

'This way, I'd get to see less of Silas Kincaid too!'

Nora Calloway paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You have a good point."

Holding her head high, Nora Calloway strode into Silas Kincaid's office without closing the door and said to him point-blank, "I don't like that Zia Ellsworth. I don't want you to see her anymore."

...

'Ms. Calloway, could you at least shut the door? I can hear everything. If you're not embarrassed, I am!'

I quietly walked over and carefully tried to close the door, doing my best not to make a sound.

But just as I reached for it, I heard Silas Kincaid's deep voice drift through the crack in the door. "And you are?"

"It's me, Nora Calloway! The new Best Actress. And your fiancée."

Nora Calloway said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Silas, your parents and my parents are all for us getting married. They say we're a perfect match, both from high society. You're the reigning Best Actor, and I'm the new Best Actress. Could there be a more well-matched couple in the entire world?"

She spoke loudly, as if she wanted the whole world to hear.

Outside the door, I found myself nodding along. Nora Calloway was right. When it came to family backgrounds, they were a perfect fit.

'Why couldn't I have been born into a family like that?'

My parents are divorced. My dad ran off with his mistress, and my mom is now raising my high-school-aged little brother.

Which means I have to pay for their living expenses. But no matter how much money I bring home, my mom just complains all day about how useless I am, saying I'll never make it big...

'The gap between people is just so vast, isn't it?'

3

Silas Kincaid's voice rang out again, tinged with a hint of impatience. "If there's nothing else, please leave."

From his tone, you could tell Silas Kincaid didn't like Nora Calloway.

'So what?'

All that mattered was that Silas Kincaid's parents liked Nora Calloway. In prominent families like theirs, marriage wasn't something you got to decide for yourself.

'So there was still a very good chance Nora Calloway would one day be Mrs. Kincaid.'

I thought that after Silas Kincaid was so blunt, Nora Calloway would surely fly into a rage. Word in the industry was that Nora had a terrible temper and was always acting like a diva—a textbook pampered little rich girl.

But instead…

"Silas, you're so cool! I love you!"

Nora Calloway was actually staring at Silas Kincaid with stars in her eyes, her tone completely devoid of annoyance. She looked like she was about to rush over and throw her arms around him.

'Seriously?'

'But I didn't want to listen anymore. It had nothing to do with me, anyway.'

I quietly pulled the door shut and headed for the elevator.

Unexpectedly, the CLACK CLACK of high heels sounded behind me again. It was Nora Calloway; she'd come out.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Nora Calloway strode over, glaring at me irritably. Then her demeanor shifted. "Were you eavesdropping on me and Silas?"

'...' 'You were practically shouting for the whole world to hear, and you're blaming me?'

But I couldn't say that if I wanted to keep my job.

A fake, professional smile spread across my face. "Nora, I heard everything. I think you're right—you and Mr. Kincaid are the perfect match."

Nora Calloway was glaring at me fiercely, clearly about to reprimand me, but my words made her expression soften.

"Do you really think so?" she asked, half-doubting.

"Of course."

I smiled and nodded. 'In terms of family background and status, they really were a perfect match.'

Nora Calloway curved her lips into a satisfied smile. "You may be a nobody, but you're quite perceptive."

She got into the elevator with me. "Remember what I just told you. I'm Silas's fiancée. I don't want other women hanging around him, so you'd better stay far away."

"Okay, I'll remember."

'I'd remember, sure, but I probably couldn't follow through. I had just been cast in a movie, and Silas Kincaid was the male lead.'

Soon, the movie was officially announced. Silas Kincaid was one of the rare actors in the industry who had both critical acclaim and a massive, dedicated following. His fans were ferocious.

So, after the announcement, my little social media feed was quickly flooded. Silas Kincaid's fans all said I wasn't worthy of acting opposite him and demanded the production team recast the female lead.

They also said that, as a nobody, I was just trying to ride Silas Kincaid's coattails.

I glanced at the comments but didn't want to respond. In terms of industry status, it was true that I was a mismatch for Silas Kincaid. But he was the one who had chosen this film.

He was the one who cast the female lead. As his employee, I had no room to refuse.

But I never expected it.

Soon, The Kincaid Studio stepped in. Their PR team was no joke. They issued a simple statement asking the fans to give Silas Kincaid the freedom to make his own choices.

The fans quickly fell silent, and the voices of opposition vanished.

But just as the fans quieted down, Nora Calloway's rage erupted like a tidal wave.

She found me and practically snarled, "You still dare to act in a movie with Silas? Didn't you promise me you'd stay away from him?"