Chapter 7

His snide tone made it clear Evelyn had complained to him, and Kai was here to defend his precious girl. I crossed my arms, unbothered, "Mr. Dawson, if you have something to say, say it straight. Where did you pick up this passive-aggressive attitude?"

Kai looked a bit embarrassed but quickly regained his composure, "Evelyn truly loves this project. I helped her secure the main role because of that. Since you agreed to let her participate, don’t make things difficult for her. I always considered you a reasonable person. Don’t ruin that impression."

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. For heaven’s sake, who’s making things difficult? I had better things to do. And it was Evelyn who started it, Gareth merely retaliated. But expecting Kai to be objective was wishful thinking. Defending your girl is natural.

Seeing my silence, Kai continued, "I know seeing Evelyn and me together hurts you... I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you in other ways. But don't take it out on Evelyn; she knows nothing. It’s me you should be mad at."

This sounded too much like those dramatic TV clichés, and I couldn’t stand it. Cutting him off, I fired back, "Mr. Dawson, we are long over. I have no lingering feelings for you. And I’ve never targeted your girlfriend. She added me as a friend, sent me your sleeping videos. I have no interest in your playtime preferences. I just care about my company."

"Evelyn... couldn’t have," Kai looked genuinely confused, unable to believe his sweet girlfriend could be so petty.

I pulled up my chat logs with Evelyn as proof. Seeing the evidence, Kai was dumbstruck. I continued, "Invest in a few acting classes for your girlfriend. As an actress, she should focus on honing her skills. Viewers can tell when actors aren’t putting in the effort. If you can’t bear to see her struggle, marry her and pamper her at home. Don’t rob hardworking people of their roles."

Ignoring Kai’s pale face, I walked away.

A month later, "Misty Mist" wrapped filming. The distribution company was pleased and planned to release it during the lucrative New Year’s season. I also heard that Kai had arranged for Evelyn to get a Best Actress award. Since my family financed the film, I didn’t mind Kai adding some shine to it.

Gareth’s manager suggested, "Let’s have Gareth contend for the Best Newcomer award too."

"Sure," I agreed, "but let's do it on merit. No buying votes."

"Got it. Even a nomination would be great for him at this point."

Believing that "character is fated to follow talent," I was determined to guide Gareth on a steady career path.

Shortly after, director Daniel Williams, an influential figure in international cinema, got impressed by Gareth through word of mouth. Known for resisting financial influence, Daniel auditioned Gareth, who landed a small part in one of his films. Even a minor role in a Daniel Williams film is an honor.

While Gareth continued progressing steadily, Evelyn’s team bragged about only taking leading roles in major productions. Her next gig was in an S+ fantasy historical drama, supported by a slew of popular stars Kai paid for. When the cast was announced, Twitter blew up, labeling Evelyn a talentless resource hog. Kai had his PR team manage the backlash quickly, preventing it from escalating.

Lily joked, "Evelyn lands the female lead while your Gareth plays a bit part. You’re tough on boys but spoil girls. You and Kai think alike in that way."

""Actually, this part is perfect for Gareth. A good role, even a small one, can make a big impact," I explained. "I prefer steady, genuine growth over artificial boosts."

Lily fully agreed, "You’re right; forced fame brings bad luck. Don't take on a job you're not ready for."

Little did I know, Lily’s words would come true...