Reid's post basically confirmed he'd given the second female lead role to Eulalia.Reid was known for being stubborn as a mule in the industry, not very diplomatic. Once he made up his mind, no one could change it.His usual supporters were confused about what was going on with him.Suddenly, fans of the show, haters, novel fans, and Barry's fans all changed their profile pics to say "United in Boycotting Eulalia".This was the first major boycott of a female artist in the entertainment world in recent years.But Eulalia couldn't care less. What could they do to her through a computer screen anyway?The trending topic #NaomiResponds was because Naomi posted saying she saw Eulalia at the audition, confirming the rumor that Eulalia auditioned for The Palace.But how did Eulalia auditioning for the third female lead turn into her stealing Barry's second lead role?Word was that while others' auditions lasted 20 minutes tops, Eulalia's went on for over 40 minutes - twice as long. This nat
Victor's schedule was always kept under wraps. Fans only knew he was flying to Windwatch today, but not the exact time. Even so, it caused quite a stir, with fans camping out at the airport before dawn.But Victor was too good at disguising himself. He made it onto the plane through the VIP lane without being noticed.He didn't like traveling with an entourage, just his manager accompanying him.Victor had only entered showbiz two and a half years ago. His very first movie earned him a grand slam of awards. He gained tons of fans thanks to his excellent acting and handsome looks.While other stars who debuted at the same time were still figuring out how to act, he was already at the top of his game from day one.In just two short years, he'd starred in three movies, all rated above 8.8.When people assumed he was just coasting on his looks, he insisted on relying on skill instead. And he was so incredibly talented that he achieved a reputation of "No bad movies with Victor Truex."His
Victor asked the flight attendant for an iced coffee. She recognized him right away and got all flustered, bringing over a bunch of sugar packets with the coffee.Victor loves coffee but can't handle the bitterness - all his fans know that.He mumbled a "thanks" in that lazy, deep voice of his. When he talks low like that, it's a bit raspy and sends shivers down your spine.The flight attendant was blushing hard. If she wasn't on the job, she totally would've asked for his autograph.Victor drank half the coffee before setting it aside and pulling out his phone to scroll through Twitter. His manager glanced over and immediately frowned."Why are you still looking at her trending topics?" he asked.Victor was checking out Eulalia's trending posts. He didn't know why he was so into this chick, but he'd even made a burner account just to follow her."Don't tell me you've got a thing for her," his manager said, looking horrified. It wasn't crazy for him to think that - Victor had never fo
The manager secretly checked out Eulalia's looks, but couldn't see her full face since she was wearing a mask.Still, her vibe was way different from her online image. Her makeup-free skin was delicate and clear, and her hair wasn't like crazy - just naturally flowing down her back.Maybe feeling hot, she casually braided her long hair and tossed it over her shoulder. Her fluffy hair made the back of her head look nice and round, with cute little ear tips peeking out that you just wanted to pinch.Even from far away, you could see her long eyelashes framing those almond-shaped eyes. Eulalia's eyes were definitely her best feature - slightly upturned at the corners, super captivating when she looked at you intently."She seems pretty different from the Eulalia I know online and in person?" the manager said.Honestly, if he hadn't looked closely, he wouldn't have recognized her as Eulalia at all. He had no idea how Victor, who's usually bad with women's faces, spotted her right away."S
When they arrived in Windwatch, the flight attendants did their final safety checks and reminded passengers to prepare for landing.Eulalia slowly woke up, her eyes still sleepy. She rubbed her shoulders and quietly waited for the plane to land.During the 10-15 seconds of landing, there's a feeling of weightlessness. Eulalia looked out at the scenery - Windwatch was still the same city, not much had changed in three years.After the plane stopped, Eulalia got up and walked towards the VIP exit. She moved unhurriedly, turning with her bag.Seeing Eulalia coming, Victor suddenly stood up, blocking her path like a mountain.Victor was very tall - Eulalia only came up to his shoulder. She took a step back to keep some distance, raising her eyes to meet his gaze directly.Victor's previous excitement completely crumbled under Eulalia's stare. He tensed up and ave
Eulalia pushed down her thoughts. "Mr. Truex, could you move aside? I'm in a hurry to get off the plane."Victor obediently stepped back. Seeing Eulalia heading for the VIP exit, he quickly caught up and started babbling behind her."Where are you going after you get off? Straight to the hotel the staff set up? I'm heading there too. How much luggage do you have? I can get my manager to help you carry it..."Bob thought to himself: "...I'm your manager, not a porter. Even if I was an assistant, I'm not here to help you hit on girls."Eulalia kept walking without slowing down. She just said coolly, "Your fans are waiting outside. I don't want to be seen with you."Victor felt a pang in his heart. For the first time, he felt like being super famous was a mistake.Why did he even get into showbiz in the first place?It was because he kept hearing a voice in his head, telling him to stand in the spotlight so a certain girl would notice him.He didn't understand why he had such a cringey t
Eulalia listened to her quiet murmurs, her eyes suddenly stinging. So even after her death, someone still remembered her and cared about how she was doing.Eulalia smiled softly. "Don't worry... I think she's doing just fine..."The owner gazed at her face, lost in thought. "Yeah, good things happen to good people. Kind souls are blessed by God. She must be doing well."The owner went back to the kitchen. Sizzling sounds came from inside, and two minutes later she brought out a fried egg, placing it on Eulalia's table. "This is on the house."Eulalia didn't refuse. She thanked her and took a bite of the egg in front of the owner. It was crispy on the outside, tender inside, and incredibly tasty.The owner was in her fifties. She'd been working on this street for over 30 years, watching many people grow up.No matter how much they try to take care of their skin, people who run restaurants can't keep it looking good. Her wrinkles were deep, and her hair was starting to turn gray.Eulali
The next morning, Eulalia got up and did her usual hour of yoga before ordering breakfast.The room service guy showed up in less than 10 minutes with a cart full of all kinds of breakfast goodies."Didn't I just order dumplings?" Eulalia asked.The waiter explained, "A Mr. Truex asked us to prepare this for you in advance."Eulalia got it right away, but there was no way she could eat all this by herself."I'll just take what I can eat. Could you please take the rest back? Let's not waste food."The waiter nodded in agreement.Eulalia grabbed the dumplings. This was already more than enough to stuff her."Enjoy your meal," said the waiter as he wheeled the cart out.Eulalia went back to her bedroom and unplugged her phone that had been charging all night. She sent Victor a text:"Thanks for the breakfast."She was about to put her phone down when she saw "typing..." pop up. She paused, waiting patiently for his reply."I didn't know what you liked, so I ordered one of everything the
#Barry AnimalAbuse#This trending topic suddenly appeared at the top of social media.Barry rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating from stress or if there was an issue with her phone. Hadn't Evette just told her on the call that #Eulalia AnimalAbuse# was trending? Why was she seeing something different?Barry's heart pounded, and a growing sense of unease filled her. She carefully opened her eyes again and looked at her phone. Nothing had changed from what she saw earlier, except the trending topic kept rising in popularity.Barry's face went pale, and her breath grew cold. Though autumn hadn't arrived yet, she felt a winter chill. The air entering her nose felt like icy vapor, freezing her heart. The cold sensation spread down her spine.How could this be happening?Why was it completely different from what Evette had said?Didn't Evette say Eulalia was trending? Why was she herself the top trend instead?Though animal abuse wasn't technically illegal, and what's done wa
Victor's large, warm hands enveloped Eulalia's cold ones completely.Victor was the golden boy, a perfect specimen in the entertainment world. This perfection wasn't just about his looks, but also his voice and his very soul.They say that pretty faces are a dime a dozen, while fascinating souls are one in a million. Victor had both.Those who knew him well were aware of his quirks - he could be a total dork sometimes, clueless about romance despite being overly narcissistic. His face would betray his Evettery emotion, and his ears would wiggle when he got cocky. For all his self-admiration, he'd turn beet red whenEvetter his crush was near.With Eulalia, he was gentle, wanting to get close but afraid of scaring her off. When she was in trouble, he stood firmly by her side, even if she didn't spare him a glance.Victor's affection for Eulalia was obvious, but his approach was cautious.Eulalia watched his lips move, his soft voice reaching her ears like a gentle breeze, slowly soothin
Eulalia gently stroked the singed fur of the ragdoll cat, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her gray eyes were filled with moisture, stinging painfully.Her eyes were either unable to cry or unable to stop once they started. Now they seemed almost blind with grief. She tilted her head back, veins bulging in her neck, mouth slightly open and eyes tightly shut as she let out a hoarse, anguished cry.Her choked, raspy voice was broken, like a rusty knife scraping against a whetstone - so harsh and painful to hear that it made one's heart clench.Victor's eyes were red too, but he turned away silently. He couldn't show any weakness, afraid he wouldn't be able to support Eulalia if he did.Kneeling on the ground, Eulalia slowly scattered dirt over Misty's body, burying her until she was no longer visible. Eulalia's thin frame shook violently, her fragmented sobs growing from quiet to loud as her grief reached its peak.Eulalia had never imagined she could feel heartbreak like t
As much as she wanted to block out the world, cruel voices kept invading Eulalia's ears. Misty wasn't just a cat; she had saved Eulalia's life. They had promised to be together forever. Misty was family, a lifeline in her darkest moments, a light in the shadows.Eulalia's voice was hoarse, her tear-choked words barely intelligible as she called out "Misty" over and over. The pain in her chest was unbearable, desperately needing something to fill the void. Her grip on Victor's shirt loosened as she clutched Misty's collar tightly to her heart."Eulalia," Victor whispered. The girl in his arms was ice-cold, shivering uncontrollably. Her anguished sobs had faded to quiet whimpers.Even after crying her heart out, Eulalia wasn't feeling any better. Her veins were bulging, her temples throbbing. Her body alternated between freezing shivers and feverish heat, her back burning and itching.Victor's heart clenched. He opened his mouth, but no words of comfort came out.Kneeling down, Victor g
Eulalia's hands trembled as she reached out to touch Misty's wounded body. Her hands came away bloody. Ropes had cut deeply into Misty's limbs, and blood covered the cat's body, tail, paws, and head."Misty..." Eulalia's eyes were terrifyingly red, dry from the intensity of her grief. The pain was so extreme she couldn't even cry.In a daze, Eulalia somehow managed to untie the ropes binding Misty. All she could see were the burn wounds on Misty's skin and the blood oozing from four small punctures in the cat's mouth. Misty's sharpest fangs had been viciously pulled out. How much agony had Misty endured?"Misty, I'm here now. Look at me. Didn't we promise to always be together?" Eulalia's body shook as she cradled the bloodied cat. "I'll cancel all my work... I'll stay by your side from now on. I'll never leave you with anyone else again. Please, just hang on a little longer..."Misty lay in Eulalia's arms, struggling to open her eyes at the sound of Eulalia's voice.It's Eulalia... E
Barry noticed the collar around the cat's neck and tried to cut it off with a knife, but it wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she gave up—she couldn’t waste time on a collar.Gripping the cat's jaw, she forced its mouth open, grabbing its sharp teeth with pliers. "You want to bite me? I’ll pull out every last tooth and see if you try that again."Misty trembled, lying helpless on the ground, bound and unable to move. After all, it was just a cat—no way to beg for mercy.Barry's eyes darkened, and with a sharp tug, a sickening crack rang out, like bones being torn from flesh. Misty's scream filled the air."Meow..." Blood spilled from the cat's mouth, staining its once-pristine fur. Misty lay there, defeated, and in that moment, all it could think about was Eulalia."I just wanted to spend more time with you... I wanted to see you again…"...After dinner, Eulalia was told to get ready for the next scene. She glanced at the door, feeling uneasy—Jane hadn't returned yet. Eulalia called her, a
Eulalia took the phone Jane handed her and attached the tracking device to Misty’s collar. “Misty's well-behaved; she won't run off.” “I know, but just in case… too many people dislike me. If they can’t get to me, they might target Misty. A tracker at least adds some safety.” Eulalia focused on the device, missing the brief flicker in Jane’s expression. Jane pressed her lips together, hesitating like she wanted to say something, but held back. “All done,” Eulalia returned the phone, noticing Jane still looked tense. She ruffled her hair. “If something’s on your mind, tell me, don’t bottle it up.” “I…” Jane started, then glanced at Misty in her arms, “I’m fine, really.” “Alright, if you say so.” Eulalia could sense something off, but couldn’t quite place it. Maybe Jane had issues at home these past few days. It wasn’t her place to pry if Jane didn’t want to talk.Just then, Reid called, telling Eulalia to get ready for her scenes. The day was packed with her shoot, and wrap
Percival’s heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows at the thought of Eulalia in bed with Victor. It was only 1 a.m. when he glanced at the clock, and he reached under his pillow for the wedding photo of him and Eulalia. In the picture, she smiled cautiously, her dimples soft, eyes gentle. The photo wasn’t big, but he pressed it to his chest alongside the well-worn journal he often read, then lay back down.That night, he didn’t dream. But when he woke, his eyes were damp, his face sticky with tears that left his skin stinging.As a cancer patient, Percival's body was weak, and he often caught colds easily. The open window and a night of cold wind, combined with the emotional breakdown after seeing the picture Victor posted, left him feverish.The housekeeper was the first to notice and rushed to inform Mr. Lee, who promptly called for a doctor. The doctor came, measured Percival's temperature, and set up an IV. But as the doctor tried to insert the needle, he noticed
Eulalia had never seen a post about herself deleted so quickly before.She sat cradling Misty in one arm, absently fingering the tag on the cat's collar. After a few minutes, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:"Eulalia, I don't want you as a replacement anymore. Stay by my side and I can protect you. Percival is ruthless - if you want a better life, stay far away from that madman."Eulalia frowned as she read the message. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard to reply "Go to hell," but she thought better of it and deleted the draft. There was nothing worth saying to someone like Trent. She blocked the number and set up a custom auto-reply instead.Meanwhile, Trent was anxiously awaiting Eulalia's response. He thought he had made himself clear - surely the small-town girl would get the hint. But after half an hour of silence, doubt crept in. Had she not seen the message? Or was she too afraid to reply?He sent another text:"If you come back to me obediently, I'm will