Chapter 3

Seeing that Lauren could no longer distance herself from Charles, I seized the moment to add fuel to the fire. "Yeah, I'm super jealous that you'll get to enjoy all the wealth and luxury later on. But since he's already your fiancé, I guess I'll just wish you a long and happy marriage—and may you have children soon."

Now Lauren couldn't fake a faint and escape the mess—she was doomed to deal with it herself.

I finally exhaled in relief.

The thought of Lauren having to endure the chaos and headaches of living with Charles made me smirk secretly.

Ethan watched my every move with a faint smile.

To salvage her reputation, Lauren forced herself to shout at me. "Charles said you drugged his drink. You're clearly scheming.

"I won't let this go. I'll make the whole world see that you tried to seduce my fiancé, you despicable slut."

Before I could respond, Ethan spoke calmly on my behalf, his voice steady, "What a coincidence. I also accidentally drank a spiked bottle today, and it almost caused a serious incident. I've already had my assistant call the police."

He gestured toward the hotel's surveillance cameras, his expression unshaken. "Luckily, the hotel is full of cameras. I trust that once the police investigate, the truth will come out soon enough."

He smiled slightly at Lauren, "And when the time comes, I'll ask the police to check on the incident involving your fiancé drinking the wrong drink, too.

"Don't worry. You are my fiancée's sister. Anything concerning you is my business. Consider it a small favor, no need for thanks."

Ethan's words carried both authority and effortless composure.

His presence convinced me that he truly was the legendary Best Actor and super heir everyone had whispered about.

Though I didn't understand why he was willing to help me, I bowed in gratitude. "Thank you."

Lauren realized that if the police dug deeper, everything she and Charles had done would be exposed.

For a moment, she stuttered in panic, "W-What are you? You're just an actor, Samantha paid to act here, pretending to be a celebrity. Once the police arrive, they'll arrest you immediately."

The entire room erupted in laughter at Lauren's arrogance.

Not just the film crew, but even the guests she had invited couldn't help but mock her.

"Lauren, are your eyes okay? This is the newly crowned Best Actor, Ethan."

"He's not just Best Actor—he's the Shay Group heir, with billions in assets."

People eagerly pulled out photos to prove it to Lauren.

Some acquaintances of mine even stepped forward to chat.

"Samantha, I can't believe your luck—such an amazing boyfriend, and he's so low-key."

"Samantha, make sure to invite us to your wedding. We want to bring gifts."

Seeing things go badly, Charles had no choice but to scold Lauren, "Stop talking. We messed with the wrong person this time.

"How could Samantha hook up with such a powerful backer, and you didn't tell me? We're doomed."

Lauren's face turned red, still refusing to accept reality. "Impossible. Samantha isn't prettier than me; her figure isn't as good. She's inferior in every way. How could she marry Best Actor and a rich heir?"

I had always felt slightly inferior under Lauren's shadow, but now I straightened my spine with confidence. "Lauren, even if I'm worse than you in everything, at least I'm kind. And kindness—that's the rarest quality a person can have."

My words earned Ethan's applause.

He turned to me, his expression instantly softening. "It's your kindness that moved me, which is why I decided—"

Ethan's previous words occurred in my mind at once.

I blushed under all eyes and quickly covered his mouth. "I can explain what just happened. Let's find a quiet place to talk."

I hadn't expected the high-profile Best Actor to agree to my request.

He signaled to the crew, then had his bodyguard escort us to a quiet break room.

Once the door was closed, I said, "So you're not really disabled. Oh, I get it. You were filming today, and that disability certificate was just a prop, right?"

Ethan's gaze was approving. "Exactly. You're smart. That's exactly it. In this film, I play a legendary master thief. Today, the thief is disguised as a disabled delivery man to carry out a mission in this hotel."

I was amazed. "So it's a play within a play. You're incredible."

I gave him a genuine thumbs-up. "Before you revealed your true face, I genuinely thought you were a poor but strong disabled delivery guy. There was no trace of acting at all—you were amazing."