Ch. 16..20: Fatal Kiss Of The Vampire Chapter 16-20

Chapter 16: In The Act of Rebelliousness

On noticing that he was keeping a safe distance from her, Kylie managed to relax a bit. But she still felt strained, and couldn’t sleep very well.

Since her mother had died, she had always slept alone, and now there was someone beside her, which made her uncomfortable.

How could she spend three years with this man? She was worried.

Now, she could only hope that she would be able to behave correctly for a month and ask that they sleep in separate beds.

“Read a book if you’re not sleepy?” He showed her the book he was reading.

Kylie glanced at the cover: The Newest Movements In Martial Arts.

Kylie was afraid that she’d want to beat up that bastard if she read this book. She shook her head to indicate ‘no.’

“Or do you want to read something else?” Ethan put his book down and leaned towards her.

“Stay away from me!” Kylie stiffened and prepared to fight with him if he took further action.

Ethan whistled. “Don’t be nervous, and I’m not interested in you for the time being.”

“Not interested, or able?” Even though she hadn’t wanted anything to happen between the two of them, it hurt her pride to be shot down like that.

“It seems that you want me to do something.”

Kylie didn’t know how to answer. She tossed and turned, but couldn’t figure out how to fall asleep.

The man beside her was concentrating on his book. She didn’t know if that was an illusion since he seemed to be reading the same page all night.

Kylie was nervous, and much different thoughts flitted through her mind. But at last, she could no longer resist her sleepiness.

It wasn’t until he was certain she was sleeping, that Lord Ethan put his book down. He hadn’t been able to read a single word all night.

He turned off the light and gently held her in his arms.

Then, he stretched out one arm to open the curtain an inch. Bright moonlight penetrated the spacious bedroom. Kylie looked as though she was enveloped in a white mist, which made her complexion more charming.

Ethan lowered his eyes and looked at the woman in his arms. She was pursing her lips and clearly enjoying a safe and sound sleep. Ethan played with her lips; he liked her smile.

She sensed that something was touching her lips, so Kylie shook her head, and unconsciously nuzzled against his chest.

Ethan smirked, then reduced the temperature of the air-conditioning to its coldest. Her cold face flashed a smile of satisfaction, like a mischievous teenager.

After a while, when Kylie felt too cold, she moved closer against his warm body and tightly hugged his waist. She was nearly cocooned in his arms, with a contented smile on her lips.

Ethan was satisfied with this outcome that he had long expected.

In fact, Kylie was naturally very beautiful. But, in the act of rebelliousness, she liked to wear lots of makeup. Yet, once she had removed all the makeup, her exquisite features were easily noticeable, with small smile lines revealed at the tips of her eyes.

Ethan couldn’t help himself from tightening his grip. His cold heart melted in an instant.

“Good girl…” Ethan briefly touched her lips again. And for a moment, he never wanted to remove his fingers.

The next day, when Kylie got up, Ethan was no longer in the room.

She grabbed the remote control and took a look at the temperature. But it was normal, and not at all unusual. “Is the temperature difference between day and night too huge? Why did I feel so cold last night?” she spoke out loud to herself.

Kylie confusedly walked into the bathroom and noticed men’s washing supplies laid out neatly on the shelf. Then she woke up completely and remembered all the events from the previous day.

Within a day, she had changed from a girl to a wife. She felt lucky that her husband was gay; at least she was still a virgin.

But on recalling Ethan’s expression, and on seeing his toothbrush, she realized that she was still very angry with him.

“Humph! Get inside the toilet, poisonous mouth!” She cursed and tossed his toothbrush into the toilet.

“Woof!”

Kylie quickly recovered the toothbrush and put it back inside the cup. She turned and smiled at Pupu.

“Pupu, good morning!”

She realized that his eyes were all over this house; evil deeds could easily be discovered…

Pupu was standing at the bathroom door, wagging his tail. Seeing that Kylie was smiling at him, he quickly pounced on her.

“Ah!” Pupu was a heavy dog and almost knocked her over. His eyes were bright, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

Kylie played with his fur, and casually rubbed his chin, laughing. “I have nothing else to do today; how about I just play with you?”

As soon as she finished saying that, Pupu squeezed out the door, and returned a little later, after Kylie had finished dressing, with a ball in his mouth.

“Let’s play outside.” Kylie took the ball from his mouth. When they walked downstairs, Kylie did not see Ethan.

The housekeeper and the other servants have prepared breakfast for her and did not mention their master. She assumed that he had gone to work early.

After breakfast, Kylie was still worried that some unexpected situation would occur. After all, she had not had a dog for a long time and wasn’t used to Pupu’s habits.

But everything turned out alright. She sat on the lawn, tossing the ball for Pupu, and reading through her scripts. A girl and a dog, one static and one moving, looked very harmonious.

Lucy, one of the servants, was stealthily observing Kylie. She found that Kylie was not what she had expected. She had expected her to snoop through her husband’s things while he was away, but Kylie simply sat on the lawn and played with the dog.

Lucy had heard of Kylie’s bad reputation, so the servant had been alert and afraid that her appearance had deceived Lord Ethan.

In the city, there were tons of women who longed to be with Lord Ethan. And Lucy knew of thousands of women who wanted to play with Pupu, simply to get closer to Ethan.

Unbeknownst to Kylie, two hours went by. Kylie had almost finished reading her script, and a tired Pupu was lying at her feet.

“Pupu, your master, is not only a neat-freak, but he’s obsessive…

“When he was in the army, do you think he’d take a ruler to measure the running distance when punishing others?

“If he weren’t rich, who would want to marry such an annoying man!

“I was probably a playgirl in a previous life, so I was punished by never being allowed to have sex in this life…”

Pupu looked at her and listened to the chattering complaints. Kylie looked at Pupu, and suddenly asked: “Aw, you’ve been with him so long, you must know who his boyfriend is!”

Pupu responded with a woof and ran away. Soon, he returned with something in his mouth.

Kylie took it, flipped it over, and looked at it seriously. Then she realized what it was, and burst out laughing.

“Are you actually telling me that his boyfriend is a piece of shit?!”

Chapter 17: Do You Have Enough Money?

“Woof!” Pupu must have thought that Kylie was complimenting him, the way he happily wagged his tail.

“Don’t worry, and it’s a secret between you and me. I won’t betray you.” Kylie embraced Pupu and kissed his face. Pupu’s wagging even more crazily. He reached out his tongue to lick her face.

Kylie dodged it with a smile, but Pupu was persistent. At the same time, footsteps sounded behind their backs.

Pupu instantly kept his distance from Kylie and sat in solemnity. Kylie looked behind her; Ethan Parker unexpectedly came into her line of vision.

The man wore a black I-shaped vest, workout shorts, and a towel was wrapped around his neck. His step was energetic as he walked out of the living room.

Normally, Ethan appeared too cool, and often aloof. But his energy after a workout was so different, and aggressively alluring that any woman would find it impossible not to yield.

Kylie stared at him for a long time before she said: “Lord Ethan, you’re in charge of the empire, and yet you left me alone here?”

“Today’s the weekend,” Ethan airily replied.

Kylie wiped the sweat off her forehead and realized that she worked any day of the week and weekend, but big companies provided that two-day holiday.

A big boss like him must usually wake up so early to fit in some gym time before work.

“What happened here?” Ethan was apparently surprised when he saw the mud in Kylie’s hands. “Pupu gave it to me as a present. Can I keep it?” Kylie responded, while rubbing down the fur on Pupu’s back.

“No,” the man interjected, without hesitation. He removed the towel from his neck and began to wipe away some of the sweat on his face. He continued: “If you’re uncomfortable in this house, you can get the housekeeper to redecorate it-but both my room and the room beside it are off-limits.”

Without thinking about it, Kylie threw the mud in her hand at Ethan, but he caught it easily.

Kylie wanted to ask him about the locked room when the phone in her pocket began to ring and interrupted their conversation.

It was from Lucas Jackson. Had he arranged a new role for her?

“Dear Lucas, hello.”

“Kylie Finch. 6 pm. It’s the Tea House opening ceremony, at the Baleney scenic zone.”

“PM? On what day?”

“Today.”

“The Baleney scenic zone?! I couldn’t arrive in time even if I bought a train ticket right now!”

“You took this role upon yourself; I don’t care whether you can get there or not.”

“But the company didn’t oppose it, and…” And he would get his agent fee, wouldn’t he?

“If you regret your decision now, I can help you turn it down. Otherwise, figure out a way to get here on your own.” Lucas Jackson hung up before Kylie could say another word.

“Fuck! Bloody sissy, fuck your hole!” Kylie was so angry, that she immediately jumped off the ground. After she had finished swearing, she felt stiff and cold all over.

Pupu looked at her, not knowing what was going on. Ethan also looked at her, speechless. Fine, take back my fortune. Kylie understood that her grand allowance was gone.

Kylie sighed and took out a pen. She glanced at Ethan, and asked: “Hole isn’t a dirty word, right?”

“No, but ‘Fuck your hole’ is,” he replied.

After strokes of her pen, Kylie finally threw the slip of paper, with a list of her offenses, at Ethan. “Here’s the note… you can calculate the allowance at the end of the month.”

There was a smile in Ethan’s eyes. “What happened?” he asked.

Kylie angrily raised her hands high up in the air. She forcefully seized two handfuls of airs, before bringing her arms down. “Tea House is shooting at the Baleney scenic zone this evening. I don’t think I can make it; I’d have to get a train, then transfer to a bus to get there… If only I could fly!”

“Why not? I believe you can,” Ethan replied.

Kylie was struck dumb for a while. Fine, now she regretted saving his toothbrush; this man was so cruel.

Kylie nodded forcefully. “Yep! I’m beautiful, and I can cook. I can stand up to my mistress and beat up gangsters! Even though I’m almighty, I could never show up to the opening ceremony without dressing up perfectly!”

Kylie was going crazy, pacing in circles, and angrily tearing at her hair. She had already upset the director by being late the last time. If she was late again, and for the opening ceremony, she would be absolutely despised by the director for her lack of punctuality. Without the director’s approval, an actress could never stand out, even if she was incredible at acting.

While Kylie expressed her frustration in this way, the man’s low voice reached her ears. “There is another way.”

“What could you do?!” Kylie was a little upset and kicked at some loose stones. “It’s the summer vacation and a high time for tourism. Even if the opening ceremony was delayed an extra day, it would still be near impossible for me to book a train ticket!”

Pupu felt Kylie’s exasperation and expectantly turned to Ethan. Ethan coldly looked over Kylie’s sadness, then walked into the house, removing his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number.

Kylie walked to the living room, and lay askew on the sofa, with a heavy heart. She thought to herself: I used to imagine every cloud has a silver lining, and that I would eventually be the center of the stage, but it was all a dream…”

Half an hour later, the wind suddenly roared outside the door. The two-story green plants were blown hither thither. A typhoon? Kylie thought. But the weather forecast hasn’t predicted that.

When Kylie realized that Pupu was still out there, she immediately ran outside. The massive, powerful airflow blew at the hair, and her eyesight was mostly obstructed.

About ten minutes later, the wind weakened, and Kylie could see again. She looked around wildly.

At the absolute center of the yard, there was a helicopter! The door of the helicopter was open, and a man wearing a leather jacket, leather pants, and a pair of high-top military boots jumped down.

Such a masculine appearance was rarely accompanied by a cunning, and an attractive face. The man smiled mildly, in a manner that could drive anyone crazy!

“Lord Ethan, we’re free to go,” Nate Bass finished saying, snapping his fingers. Ethan nodded and waved Kylie over.

Kylie sauntered towards Lord Ethan. She pointed at the helicopter and asked: “What’s all this about?”

Ethan didn’t answer immediately, then spoke: “It only takes three hours from here to Baleney. Are you onboard or not?”

“Onboard, of course!” Kylie accepted without hesitation. Then she cautiously looked at Nate Bass and asked Ethan in a low voice: “How much does it cost?”

Riding in a private helicopter was something Kylie had only read about in-network novels, but now it was part of her reality. Kylie was certainly very eager to attend the opening ceremony, but she still had to consider the cost of such an extravagance.

“Do you have enough money?” Ethan asked, with a smile.

“I don’t, but you do!”

“So… do you plan on paying me back with your body?” Ethan wore an expression of kindness, as though he was completely fair.

Kylie suddenly felt cornered. She approached Ethan’s ear and spoke in a low voice: “How dare you say it out loud! If you dare to flirt with me in public again, I will…”

“What will you do?” Ethan asked in a very domineering tone.

Chapter 18: Her Beautiful Appearance

What will you do? He was so shameless even to ask.

Kylie smoothed down her hair. “Lord Ethan, don’t forget why you married me. If anyone else knows your secret, that you don’t fancy women…” Hmm, if his secret was leaked, the stock price of Century Group would dive. Kylie believed that Ethan would panic.

Ethan raised his hand and glanced at his watch. “You have two hours and forty minutes left.”

Kylie felt like she was being ignored again! It was she who was threatening him, but the story always ended up the opposite way!

Kylie nodded with a struggle. Ethan held her hand and led her towards one side of the helicopter. He opened the door for her. “Safe travels.”

He was about to close the door behind her, but Kylie stopped him. “You’re not going?”

Although Kylie knew that he was not obligated to go with her, the idea of being left alone in the helicopter with that strange man made her nervous and uncomfortable. They would be two and a half hours in a confined space.

“I have something to deal with later,” he replied. Ethan directly shut the helicopter door.

Kylie saw Ethan talking to Nate Bass, who wore a smile on his face. Then, she noticed the smile slowly disappear. At last, the man seemed really reluctant to jump back into the driver’s seat.

The propeller was beginning to spin once again, and the buzzing sound made Kylie, who was in a helicopter for the first time in her life, utterly nervous.

Kylie gripped the seat with eyes closed. She was too afraid to look down, but she still lost control and screamed when the helicopter tilted a little at departure. Nate Bass looked back at her with a puzzled expression.

When Nate had received the call from Lord Ethan, he had been beyond happy, believing that Ethan had called to get together and reminisce about old times. Instead, Nate was simply asked to be a driver, and not even for Lord Ethan, but for this woman sitting behind him. Who the hell was she?!

He thought his helicopter was too precious to allow countless female celebrities to touch it. Still, today he was flying it for an unknown actress he didn’t even recognize. Why did Lord Ethan ask him to fly her…

Upon thinking about what Lord Ethan had asked him to do, Nate’s expression immediately became aggrieved.

They had been flying into the blue sky for long enough, so the helicopter was moving at a steady slow pace. Kylie’s fear was replaced by a fresh excitement, despite the unbearably loud noise.

Nate looked back at her again and started to feel that something was wrong. Was this woman his boss’s target? Because Lord Ethan only changed completely for very special assignments.

“Miss Finch.” Nate opened his mouth and spoke icily.

“Hm?” Kylie glanced back from the window.

“Behind you, there’s a box with some stuff you might need.”

Kylie turned her head in puzzlement. There is a large paper box. She untied the white ribbon around the box and shouted out in surprise.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she asked.

***

The Baleney scenic zone was a perfect summer resort. Plus, most of the tourists merely visited the historic city center, instead of staying overnight in the mountains. Probably due to the area’s inconvenient transportation.

But today at the Baleney scenic zone, there were tons of people. Not only because of the movie’s opening ceremony but because two different film companies were shooting at exactly the same type of movie at the exact same place and time.

The other film with an opening ceremony that evening was Blossom.

All of the main cast had arrived, and flashbulbs kept suddenly going off. Media, and fans, circled the area.

Khloe Finch, the leading actress, and Tim Kerry, the leading actor, were the most popular couple on the internet these days. A handsome man beside a beautiful woman: both were smiling into the cameras.

“Khloe, you two are the most sought-after couple. Are you ever going to make it a reality?”

“Tim Kerry is very considerate and caring. But sorry to disappoint you guys, I’m already engaged.” Khloe finished speaking and began smoothing out her long hair, in order to show off the diamond ring on her finger.

Khloe Finch was often called “The Lost Angel In the World.” Many stars had often complimented her in public, proclaiming her as virtuous, kind, and destined to be an excellent wife.

The fans were simultaneously excited and worried; they were concerned that she had become engaged to the wrong man, or that she would miss out on a marriage that would be better for her career.

This time, Khloe’s revelations about her upcoming wedding ceremony raised questions among the media: “Who was the lucky man to marry this angel?”

Tim Kerry, who was standing beside her, brushed his hand through his hair. “Khloe, my heart is broken.”

When the reporters were about to ask more questions, a loud whirring unexpectedly sounded from above.

In the deep, dark sky, several red lights flashed abruptly. Someone with good eyesight yelled out: “Helicopter! It’s a helicopter!” All camera lenses immediately turned towards it.

Khloe’s hands, now fallen to her sides, were clenched into fists. No matter how well she pretended she didn’t care, his angry eyes spoke the truth: that she was deeply frustrated.

How on earth could someone emerge in such a special way? She, the leading actress, was now totally overshadowed! Was this a slight to her, or towards Garcia Entertainment?

The helicopter first appeared just over Khloe’s head, and within a few seconds, altered its direction. It slowly landed in the resting area for the Tea House crew. Some shrewd reporters instantly understood that there was a big fish in that helicopter. Moreover, that big fish had clearly been invited by the Tea House crew.

Director Johnson, who had previously been ignored, was now the main focus.

“Director Johnson, your new movie, Tea House, begins to shoot at the same time as Blossom. Are you worried about the attendance rate?”

“We’ve done our job, and the rest is up to the audience,” Johnson replied, smiling.

“Why haven’t we seen the leading actor and actress for your film? Can you tell us who they are?”

“No problem. The leading actor is the most popular winner of the Golden Horse Awards, and for the leading actress, we decided to use a newcomer.”

“It is said that Garcia Entertainment has recommended Lily Lawrence to you. Can you explain why you have chosen the risk of a newcomer, rather than the winner of this year’s Best New Artist?”

This media outlet was clearly on the lookout for trouble, knowing full well that mention of Lily Lawrence’s name always provoked a battle.

However, Julian Johnson was an experienced director who was equally adept in rhetoric. “Lily Lawrence is an absolute talent when it comes to acting, but the role in Tea House is very complicated. We need to stay loyal to the script.”

“Aren’t you concerned with the negative influence a newcomer could have at the box office, and that it wouldn’t reach your expectations?”

At that moment, a tall, slim man walked out from backstage, and said: “With my involvement, are you still worried about the box office?” The man was Golden Horse Award winner, Cliff Benjamin.

One of the reporters suddenly asked: “Is it because the newcomer is more beautiful than Lily Lawrence, that you didn’t choose Lily?” It seemed that they would never let go of this line of questioning.

Khloe, who had been standing nearby, alternated between feelings of outrage and depression, she simply couldn’t believe that Kylie Finch was going to star opposite Cliff Benjamin in her very first serious acting gig.

Not to mention that Cliff Benjamin was famous for his bad temper and unwillingness to cooperate in the entertainment industry. At today’s opening ceremony, she thought Cliff had arrived in a lofty manner by helicopter, while Kylie, the lead actress, had yet to make her appearance.

Cliff would definitely feel affronted, Khloe hoped. Kylie Finch, you’re going to have bad blood with an experienced actor, and now you’re doomed!

Chapter 19: Could She Handle It Well?

But things didn’t always unfold that smoothly.

Julian Johnson glanced at the spot from whence Cliff Benjamin had emerged. The person he was expecting was still absent. Unconsciously, he frowned.

Although Lord Ethan had recommended Kylie Finch, she still didn’t have much of an outstanding resume.

On the one hand, she was late for the opening ceremony, which would simply provoke more cruel questions from the media sources. Could she handle it well?

And on the other hand, the opponent company had chosen to hold an opening ceremony at the same time and location, for the mere purpose of comparison. Their big fish had arrived, but ours…

The media had the same thought as Director Johnson, realizing that the lead actress wouldn’t appear soon, some of the cameramen and journalists returned to Garcia Entertainment for interviews.

Khloe Finch raised her eyebrow, with pride and contempt. She knew without a doubt that she was the main focus tonight.

Kylie Finch’s lateness would not only upset the Best Actor, but the director and the reporters would feel snubbed as well. Those reporters, whose pens were sharper than knife blades, would never let Kylie Finch get away with this.

While Khloe continues to bask in her success, a familiar figure appears on the set of Tea House. At first, nobody noticed a person walking across the stage, but Best Actor Cliff Benjamin gained all the reporters’ attention by saying: “A walking white and blue porcelain.”

It was Kylie Finch, slowly walking towards center stage. She was wearing a cheongsam with a blue and white porcelain pattern. Her neck was accentuated and long because of the collar. Kylie’s charming curves were made apparent by the wavy bottom of the dress, which dragged along the steps.

Cheongsam had extremely strict standards for a woman’s body shape. Even the slightest incompetence would make a person’s bosom look too small, hips too big, or legs too stocky. Additionally, any normal person couldn’t do justice to the elegant quality of the cheongsam, and neither could the beautiful Best Actress from In the Mood for Love.

Yet Kylie Finch could pull off the cheongsam; she had an attractive mixture of a young girl’s cuteness and a mature woman’s allure. She walked in a pleasant, confident, and graceful manner. This dress had been a gift from Lord Ethan, bestowed upon her by Nate Bass.

Kylie’s first reaction had been confusion. She had believed that a billionaire would send something like a gown as a gift, or a pair of crystal shoes… Ha, she laughed, novels were truly fiction.

At first, Kylie Finch had been very reluctant to wear this dress. Only once she had stepped off the helicopter had she realized that she was dressed in loungewear! Jesus, how could she be so miserable!

Against her initial will, Kylie had changed into the cheongsam. And when she had walked backstage, a strange woman had pulled her aside to put some makeup on her, without explanation.

Afterward, even Kylie could barely recognize herself, with all that makeup. But she was still a little nervous about facing all those cameras.

Kylie had never walked down a red carpet, though for years she had watched others on TV doing it, and imagined herself in their shoes. But when her chance finally arrived, she was completely anxious and thought she might have a panic attack.

Fortunately, Kylie was a good actress. No matter how insecure she felt on the inside, she could pretend she was calm and slowly walk towards Director Julian Johnson.

But, beyond anyone’s predictions, Kylie suddenly slipped and nearly fell over when she was a mere meter away from Julian Johnson!

Khloe Finch, who was standing to the other side of the stage, encountered a gamut of emotions.

At first, she had alternated between disdain and surprise when she had first seen Kylie walking out, wearing the cheongsam that she had once seen in a master’s clothing exhibition. That master had been highly unusual because all of his items were similar, and he often sold his clothes out of affection for the buyer. If he didn’t like you, you couldn’t buy a single piece, no matter how much money you offered.

So, the exhibition was full of photos of his clothes but never showcased any of the actual materials. If a piece of clothing already had an owner, there would be a star sign under the appropriate photo. Khloe had fallen in love with that cheongsam at first sight.

Khloe had no other hobbies besides buying luxuries. As for luxuries, the most expensive pieces were the best, especially those with such limited production, that they would certainly accentuate her high social status.

Thus, she had asked Laurence Finch to contact someone who knew the master, to buy the cheongsam at a high price. But the master had unexpectedly rejected their offer. Now the cheongsam was on Kylie’s body-nothing was more shameful to Khloe than witnessing that!

Feelings of jealousy soon turned into coldness, followed by anger. How could Kylie Finch have bought that dress, given how low her income was? The money she had earned acting as an extra or a corpse could barely get her a second-hand Alto.

Khloe decided that the dress Kylie was wearing was simply a high-quality knockoff, produced in some small factory in the middle of nowhere. It simply looked similar.

“You are what you wear,” she mumbled to herself. Tim Kerry, who was standing beside her, was dazed for an instant, and then turned to look at Kylie Finch. He and Kylie were from the same agency, and he knew well enough about her status quo. He decided to mock along. “Outsider,” he said.

The discussion between the two was briefly overheard by a reporter who was standing nearby. She turned to Khloe Finch. “What did you say, please?”

Khloe wore a secret smile and said: “We were just talking about how only Kylie can wear that cheongsam so well. It looks so gorgeous and fits her so perfectly.”

Khloe had been kind on purpose. She pretended to think highly of Kylie and waited to witness how hard Kylie would fall once the fraud was uncovered. Soon enough, it would be known that Kylie’s dress was a knockoff.

“What’s your opinion on Kylie’s involvement in the Tea House then?” the reporter followed.

“Actually, Garcia Entertainment has many excellent actors who lack opportunities to represent themselves. Kylie deserves to win the lead role this time. I honestly give her my best wishes, and hope she can be widely popular because of Tea House.”

No jealousy, no disdain. Khloe’s generosity and heartfelt wishes for an actor from her family’s company increased the positivity surrounding her image, in the eyes of the media and her fans.

“So, from your perspective, Tea House or Blossom-which one is more popular?” The reporter’s aim was quite obvious: she wants Khloe to reveal whether she thought Kylie, or herself, was the better actress.

A normal person would claim that they were the best one, but Khloe unexpectedly responded: “I think Blossom has an outstanding director and producer, and a wonderful cast. Everyone is spectacular. We just need to do our best, and that’s enough.”

“And you…” Just as the reporter for about to follow up with more questions, there was an accident on the opposite stage. The female star had fallen on the red carpet! It was so astonishing.

The reporters who had been surrounding Khloe Finch now surged towards the other side. That’s when Khloe discovered that Kylie was in trouble.

Khloe snorted, and heavily cursed Kylie’s face-plant. But unexpectedly, Kylie’s body slid so that all of her strength landed in her legs, which allowed her to stabilize her body. Not only did Kylie not actually fall over, but she also maintained a perfect smile.

It seemed like she had simply been playing around with the media reporters.

Kylie, in that final picture, appeared lively and polite, sexy, and a little bit naughty. Everyone present applauded.

Chapter 20: Steal Her Thunder

The reporters had planned to ask questions like: “Kylie Finch, do you think you’re qualified to be the leading actress?” and “Kylie Finch, did you become part of the crew through a personal relationship?” and “Kylie Finch, what is your advantage over someone like Lily Lawrence?”

But all these questions vanished amid the applause, which made Khloe, who was standing at the other end, clench her teeth.

Fine, she thought, you can enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame for a little while. Let’s see what you can do to attract their attention during the Q&A session with the reporters later.

In Khloe’s mind, Kylie had fallen and maintained that elegant smile on purpose. Kylie Finch only wanted to steal her thunder!

But only Kylie knew how much her ankle ached after she had slipped and twisted it…

Kylie walked to the furthest tip of the stage, and bowed respectfully in the direction of the media, then stepped towards the signature wall, with the guidance of Cliff Benjamin.

Cliff whispered beside Kylie’s ear: “That was great make-believe.” Kylie looked at him calmly and didn’t explain anything.

She understood that it was highly unusual and commendable to have Cliff speak kindly towards a newcomer. He usually ignored a newcomer, even though everyone always wanted to ride on Cliff’s coattails.

The most important factor for him was a person’s acting skills. If she was a poor actor, Cliff would absolutely be affected. Not only would she be a complete waste of time, but she would lower the box office returns.

The two turned around as though nothing had happened. Cliff Benjamin presented himself to the cameramen with a cool posture, and one hand in the right pocket of his pants, paying no attention to Kylie, who stood beside him.

Most of the time, if an actor and actress were a couple in the film, they would pretend to be very close, even if they didn’t get along in private, like the couple from Blossom. The media needed material with which to create a publicity stunt!

The ignored Kylie didn’t feel embarrassed at all. Instead, she looked at Cliff with a smile, and said in a mild tone: “Is this because I married a tea businessman without your agreement?”

Cliff Benjamin was stunned, and so was the media, because this was a line from Tea House. Luckily, Cliff had deeply studied the script, so he immediately responded with his line, to avoid embarrassment: “I don’t blame you. I’m the one who’s to blame…”

After that, Cliff walked towards Kylie Finch and grasped her jaw with both his hands. “Miss Tea, I hope we can be a couple in the next lifetime.”

Cliff Benjamin’s eyes were full of love, and the pain of forbidden love was vividly portrayed in front of the camera. Kylie Finch, who was forced to meet his eyes, was not at all timid, but seemed full of persistence. Even though she couldn’t be with him in this lifetime, she looked like she would spare no effort to find him in the next.

The two suddenly started acting their parts, right there in public…

The flashbulbs were going off like crazy. That spectacular moment covered Kylie’s embarrassment, and Cliff had a new opinion on Kylie due to her acute reaction. This woman had outstanding acting skills and knew when to use them.

Seeing that the opposite side had successfully stolen her thunder, Khloe Finch furiously glared at Lucas Jackson, who was standing in a corner. Lucas frowned, not knowing quite what had happened. He waved his hand at Khloe; all of this was none of his business-he had simply followed her orders.

Khloe quietly clenched her teeth. She was the one who had asked Lucas to invite Kylie at the last minute, to prevent her from coming. She wouldn’t have been able to get here in time by train-so, how had she made it to the opening ceremony?

Kylie was Khloe’s nemesis. If she hadn’t shown up, she wouldn’t have snatched the reporters’ attention, again and again! Khloe was too angry to think properly.

Her sight landed on a few reporters, who had stayed behind. One of them was especially paid by Khloe only to follow her around.

That reporter got the hint when she noticed Khloe’s expression. She was the first to ask Kylie a question at the Q&A session: “Kylie Finch, may I ask-is this cheongsam you’re wearing from Henry Alexander, the master of national culture?”

Everyone was silent after the question was asked. Khloe Finch looked at Kylie with indifference to see how she would justify herself. Wearing a knockoff at an opening ceremony would be the most shameful thing for an actor.

Kylie was speechless. The master of national culture? She had briefly heard of this master, but she had never once met him…

Kylie unconsciously looked down and focused on the cheongsam with the blue and white porcelain pattern. A cheongsam from a master’s hands couldn’t possibly be packed in a cake box. It hadn’t even been a particularly nice cake box. So… this one was definitely not authentic.

Cliff Benjamin, who was sitting across from Kylie Finch, looked at her in a meaningful way. It was actually easy to recognize whether this dress was from the master at first glance, simply because Cliff had one masterpiece himself.

The master was accustomed to sewing his symbol, a capital’ Z,’ at the bottom of his clothes. Men were on the left, while women were on the right. Cliff had clearly seen the symbol the moment Kylie almost fell.

The actor calmly opened his mouth: “Whether this is from the master doesn’t really matter. The point is that the dress fits her well.” It was unexpected for Cliff to come to anyone’s rescue like that. Kylie smiled at him to show her appreciation.

Then someone had something to say about her makeup: “Miss Finch, is Jimmy, your makeup artist?”

Jimmy? Kylie blinked, trying to remember the strange man who had pulled her into the makeup room. Was he Jimmy? No way…

“Sorry, I have bad eyesight,” the reporter said before Kylie could offer any explanation. Cliff, who had been wearing a large smile, had made a face at the reporter. Jimmy was Cliff’s exclusive makeup artist. Most importantly, Cliff was from Peak Pictures.

Peak Pictures had recently started and was developing with dramatic speed, threatening to topple Garcia Entertainment, the current alpha company, within the next five years.

Thus, the actors and makeup artists from those two companies were deadly foes. They vigorously competed with each other whenever they could. How could the top makeup artist from Peak Pictures be doing makeup for a newcomer from an enemy company? What a joke!

Kylie calmed down a little, and spoke, through her own initiative, and to avoid more difficult questions: “Today’s opening ceremony of Tea House. I bet you have lots of questions about the movie itself.”

Reporters were finally on the right path. “Miss Finch, it’s said that you’re a newcomer. Are you a professional actress?”

“My major in college wasn’t exactly acting, but something related to it. As for being a newcomer, you can tell from my face that I’m not ‘new’ enough,” she replied.

Everyone laughed, given that no actress would admit that she was old. Most would never reveal their true age. So, Kylie’s outgoing personality left a good impression on the media.

“Can you tell us some of your previous work?” A reporter followed. Kylie wasn’t embarrassed at all and directly talked about her past roles.

In high school, Kylie had received some aid through Star, but she hadn’t wanted to rely entirely on the help of others, for the rest of her life. So, she had started to be an extra in TV and films, to earn some extra money while studying in college.

Actually, she has been in some successful TV series, in countless scenes. But the reason she didn’t tell anyone about these, is that Laurence Finch had deleted all of her parts after he had discovered the name of the investor.

Besides, she didn’t want anyone to know that her father was the boss of Garcia Entertainment, because Laurence Finch had never publicly revealed that she was his daughter.

After some serious consideration, Kylie simply discussed several of her normal roles, which shocked the reporters a great deal.