North City.Trent never watched variety shows. If he hadn't overheard the staff mention "Eulalia," he might have forgotten all about Riley.Riley meant nothing to him. She was just a stand-in, trash to be tossed aside and forgotten.He'd only ever used Riley. He chose her solely for her resemblance to Eulalia.He'd pulled some strings to get her signed with an agency and brought to him, to mold her into the perfect stand-in. He treated her well, hired tutors, taught her violin.Riley was obedient. Her personality was very different from Eulalia's - more timid. Maybe because of her family background, she lacked confidence. When faced with problems, she'd hide under the covers and cry instead of solving them or asking for help.She cried the most while learning violin. Her eyes were red every day, fingers bleeding, nails cracked, but she kept at it.Trent was naturally cruel and enjoyed tormenting people. But he never felt the urge to torment Riley. Maybe because she was so weak, there
Riley started working hard to learn Eulalia's every glance and smile, trying to be a worthy replacement.When Trent saw that she'd learned enough, he set a time for her to go keep Percival company.From the very beginning, he hadn't made Riley into Eulalia's replacement for himself. He wanted to use this little stand-in to keep Percival in check.For the past three years, Percival had been half-dead because of Eulalia's death. Give him a replacement, and he might even be grateful.In Trent's eyes, Riley had always been obedient. Even knowing she was just a replacement, she played the part without complaint, accepting it easily.Telling her to go be with another man - she probably wouldn't refuse that either.Riley didn't refuse. She just said in a hoarse voice, "Once you give something away, you can't take it back."At some point, she'd stopped seeing herself as a person. She was just a thing, an object Trent could use and manipulate however he wanted, something he could give away fre
Trent knew about what went down between Riley and Percival that night she went to his room. He thought it was weird - how could Percival not feel anything for someone who looked so much like Eulalia? Even Trent himself was a little shook.After Riley left, just like she said, she never came back.When Riley returned to showbiz, she got bullied hard since she had no connections. Everyone assumed Trent had dumped her because he totally ghosted her.Leaving without a word like that made it easy for people to think she must've pissed Trent off somehow.And who was Trent?The richest dude in Luminara. Nobody dared mess with him.Riley was like a ticking time bomb. The agency that signed her totally misread Trent's intentions. They figured he must hate Riley's guts and want payback, so they took it upon themselves to show him what's up. They bullied her left and right, made her life hell, and squeezed every last drop they could out of her.Trent's cold indifference said it all - he was gett
Eulalia spoke clearly and confidently, her words well thought out.Taking down X Entertainment from the inside wouldn't be easy. They had quite a roster of artists, including the super popular Evette, who'd won Actress of the Year.Victor had been fed up with X Entertainment for a while now. Even if Eulalia hadn't come to him today, he would've made a move to wipe out the company sooner or later.Others might not know, but after nearly three years in showbiz, he was all too familiar with its dirty underbelly.Take Eulalia's case, for instance. The company signed her just to be a scapegoat for others. What's ridiculous is that without a single photo, clear video, or audio recording, they could sway public opinion with just a few lines on social media.Ruining someone's reputation was that simple.As Eulalia had said before, it's like village dogs. One dog barks, and the rest join in. They're barking in the depths of the village, not even knowing why they're barking.But in Victor's opi
Eulalia Island Amusement Park was built by Percival for his beloved wife, Eulalia. He spent almost 5 million just to buy the island, and the park became famous even before construction began. Percival invested another $500 million, bringing the total cost to a cool billion.In the three years since Eulalia's death, Percival poured most of his energy into this project. Knowing Eulalia's love for candied haws, he had the designers incorporate many elements inspired by the treat. Because she had a sweet tooth, he made sure the park looked like a candy house straight out of a fairy tale. He even included paper stars and cranes, which Eulalia used to fold.The entire project took three years to complete. Percival often visited Windwatch, spending most of his time at three places: the small villa where he and Eulalia lived for four years, Mrs. Young's dumpling shop, and this amusement park. He'd often come at night when the park was closed, sitting beneath the Ferris wheel, lost in memories
As they walked in, snippets of conversation floated around them.Eulalia and Victor turned heads the moment they appeared. Despite wearing masks and trying to blend in, their height and build, not to mention their natural aura, made them impossible to ignore.An older lady approached them casually. "Are you two here for the matchmaking event?"Victor felt his face heat up under his mask. He glanced at Eulalia, who calmly shook her head.Eulalia's long eyelashes were like delicate fans when she lowered her gaze. Victor had to resist the urge to reach out and touch them.The older lady's eyes lit up when she saw Eulalia shake her head. "Oh, I see! You must be siblings. Big brother accompanying his little sister to find a match, right?" She rubbed her hands together eagerly, giving Eulalia a quick once-over.Even with her face covered, those exposed eyes were enough to tell she was a real beauty. Good skin, tall - she looked like quite the catch."Young lady, I can tell you're single. Ho
Eulalia let out a soft "Mm" and said, "Why don't you hold her?"Victor tensed up again, unsure how to handle the situation.In the end, Eulalia gently placed Misty in his arms. He held her stiffly, like a newborn baby, every movement careful and tentative, afraid of hurting the little creature.Eulalia couldn't help but laugh at his wooden posture. "You won't hurt her. Try petting her back - Misty used to love being stroked. And scratch under her chin too."Victor began earnestly grooming the cat in his arms, scratching her neck with such concentration that he started to sweat.At first, Misty was a bit nervous too, but once she realized Victor meant no harm, she relaxed.Eulalia reached out to stroke Misty's head, her fingertips brushing over the cat's damaged ear. Her heart clenched with a sudden pang.Victor noticed her change in mood. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, like where the cat came from and how she got those burn scars. But he chose not to pry, knowing these wer
"I don't think this is about finding a parking spot," Eulalia mused. "do you want to come over?"Victor felt like he'd been caught red-handed. His ears twitched nervously, and after a moment's hesitation, he decided to be direct: "Can I come home with you?"Eulalia had said "come over," but Victor said "come home." One word made all the difference.Eulalia was momentarily speechless, staring at his face without reacting.She had just been making small talk, but Victor took it seriously.In her mind, Victor was like a teenage boy just entering puberty – passionate about his feelings but also cautious and shy.She used to tease him by calling him "Mr. Hollywood," and his ears would turn red, the blush spreading down to his neck like a cooked shrimp.She expected him to shy away this time too, but surprisingly, he stared at her stubbornly, like a puppy waiting for its owner to take it home."I'm sorry, that was too sudden," Victor finally backed down. He took a deep breath and popped fou
#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