Chapter 6 Fall in Love at First Sight
He was indeed a handsome guy I fell for at first glance.
He was Donald Winner, the sole heir of the prominent Winner Family in Japris. He was the kind of man who casually stepped into the entertainment industry for fun and ended up snagging multiple Best Actor awards. He had countless fans and was a man at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry.
As soon as Alicia saw him, her eyes lit up. Completely ignoring the scowl on her male lead fiance Jeremy’s face, she shamelessly clung to Donald like a moth to a flame.
While the director droned on about the lengthy rules, I kept my head down, counting ants on the ground as my thoughts wandered.
‘Names really do matter. Look at Donald Winner. “Winner” means “someone who has won,” and it’s like he was born with a winning hand. That face, that family background–he was destined to come out on top. Then there’s me. Yunice Stone. And boy, have I lived up to it. I didn’t enjoy a single day of the Stone Family’s wealth and still ended up saddled with ten years of debt. Is it too late to change my name?‘
“Yunice!” The director’s sharp voice sounded. “Listen carefully!”
I was frightened and straightened instinctively.
‘Caught slacking. Next time, I’ll find a better hiding spot!‘ I thought to myself.
Was it just my imagination, or did it feel like everyone present, including the ridiculously handsome Donald, was looking at me?
This show must have been conceived by some kind of mastermind, but it had practically gathered all the key ⚫ players in one place.
We had Alicia, the leading lady; Jeremy, the male lead; the three Stone siblings, including myself; rising starlet Angela Creek; popular idol Henry Bacon; and Donald, here to guest star as a favor to the producer. There was even a seasoned actor, Zachary Levi, who hadn’t made his entrance yet.
The line–up was stellar. Everyone could tell it would be a sure–fire hit. Alicia was brimming with confidence, determined to shine on the show and leave me in the dust.
The director was still rambling on, but my mind began to wander again.
‘Not that it matters. This show will only manage to film one episode before everything gets shelved in post- production. Ah, the woes of a world where only the director is trying!‘
Suddenly, the set fell into a dead silence. The director froze mid–sentence, looking as if someone had pressed his mute button.
Then, I noticed him exchanging a questioning glance with Jimmy. Even after receiving an answer, he remained visibly frustrated, his face a mix of disbelief and annoyance
“Mr. Levi is stuck in traffic and will be late. Let’s start without him for now,” said the director.
‘Traffic? More like he’s taken too many drugs to show his face!‘ I said inwardly.
“Impossible!” the director shot back sharply, his voice suddenly louder than before.
“Huh?” I looked up in confusion, only to see the director swallow his retort. His expression was a mix of indignation and restraint.
The next moment, the deep male voice of a man whom the director had been worrying about came through loud
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Chapter 6 Fall in Love at First Sight
and clear. “Apologies for being late.”
‘With unsteady steps and swollen, bloodshot eyes, if he’s not on drugs, who is?‘ I said internally.
Zachary then scanned the gathered guests with a sharp gaze.
‘Holy crap! This guy’s gotten someone killed! Turns out, that boy they lured over to hang out just jumped from Zachary’s hotel. The police have received the news and are already on their way to arrest him!‘ I said inwardly.
Everyone instinctively took a step back.
Zachary, who had been scowling ferociously just moments ago, suddenly panicked and bolted for the door. The director shouted angrily, “Stop him!”
Donald reacted instantly. His eyes locked on an apple sitting on the table, and with a flick of his wrist, he hurled it straight at Zachary’s head. The precision and force behind it could only come from someone who had spent at least a decade practicing.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, leaving Zachary dumbfounded.
I looked around, confused. ‘How did they all know Zachary was trying to run because of some crime?‘
The director cleared his throat. “The production team just received word. Zachary’s a suspect, and the police asked for our cooperation in apprehending him.”
Donald glanced at me, his gaze intense. “It was just a reflex.”
I narrowed my eyes at him skeptically. “Quite the convenient reflex you’ve got there.”
He looked completely unbothered.
The chaos finally subsided, and Zachary was handed over to the authorities.
The director let out a long breath of relief. “Alright, back to work!”
No matter what, the show had to go on. After all, he had sunk a fortune into this production, and nothing, not even an incident like this, was going to derail it.
His beady eyes darted across the group of guests on the stage. Finally, his gaze landed on me, and a sly, almost predatory smile spread across his face.
“Yunice, isn’t it interesting how you share the same surname as Jimmy, Harvey, and Alicia? What a coincidence!”
Alicia’s eyes lit up. She glanced at me with a smug expression.
Her health wasn’t great, so her brothers were worried she would be upset. Before I came back, they had already agreed in private not to reveal my true identity. At most, they would mention I was an adopted daughter.
‘But she’s been waiting for this moment, hasn’t she? She’s probably got the smear campaign ready to go. Soon, my brothers will deny my identity, announce that she’s the only legitimate daughter of the Stone Family, and I’ll end up being dragged through the mud, accused of riding the wave for attention, and torn apart online.‘
‘Not that I even want to admit I’m their sister,‘ I said inwardly with a cold laugh. ‘If I refuse now, I’ll just take a few insults and move on. Quietly cutting ties later would be simple enough. But if I acknowledge them now and get thrown out later, I’d be humiliated on a much grander scale.‘
Alicia’s fiance, Jeremy, was watching us thoughtfully, his sharp eyes darting back and forth between us.
When I raised my head, our eyes met. He flashed me a smile.
Alicia immediately noticed this subtle interaction. Her face darkened, and she shot me a glare before clutching his
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arm tightly as if to make a statement.
The two of them were gearing up to market themselves as the perfect couple. On the show, they didn’t bother hiding their over–the–top displays of affection.
I instinctively stepped a little closer to Donald.
‘What bad luck,‘ I muttered inwardly. ‘That over–excited little terrier has the nerve to think he’s male lead material? He’s not even worth a single strand of Donald’s hair.‘
The man in question, Donald, let out a soft cough, his lips curling into a faint smile as he cast a quick, dismissive glance at Jeremy.
But I wasn’t done yet. ‘Alicia treats that worthless man like a treasure, thinking everything will magically work out once she marries him. She doesn’t realize his stepmother is a seasoned schemer, and there’s even a so–called ‘ younger brother‘ in the family ready to cause trouble.‘
Alicia whipped her head around to look at Jeremy, who seemed anxious. Her eyes were blazing with fury. Standing next to him, Henry couldn’t help but cover his mouth and winked playfully at Jeremy. “Dude, you’re playing a risky game here.”
I shot a glance at Henry, who was grinning foolishly.
‘Look at this joker,‘ I muttered inwardly. ‘He’s clueless–getting cheated and still acting all carefree.‘
Henry quickly averted his eyes, his expression suddenly serious as he fixed his gaze on me with exaggerated focus.
But my attention shifted back to the main couple. The atmosphere between Jeremy and Alicia had grown even tenser. Just moments ago, they had been basking in their sweet, romantic harmony, but now, it was clear something was wrong. Their faces flushed red, and they looked like they were struggling to breathe.
‘Huh? What’s going on with them?‘ I asked inwardly, puzzled. ‘Why do they look like they’re suffocating?‘
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