Chapter 4

Frederick was so stunned by what I said that he couldn't speak for ages.

He probably had never met a celebrity like me before.

Most people would do anything to clean up their image and get rid of their bad rep.

But me? I was actually asking to keep ruining my own reputation.

"Lily, do you even know what you're saying?" Frederick's voice was hoarse. "The whole internet is feeling sorry for you right now. This is your best shot at making a comeback.

"If you just ride this wave, your exposure and commercial value will go through the roof. Why are you turning your back on all this money?"

I leaned back in my chair, looking completely unfazed. "Frederick, I think you've got it all wrong. I took this job for triple the pay, and I'm here to play the scheming girl.

"We're only halfway through the project, and if you guys unilaterally terminate the contract now, that's a breach. I don't agree."

I wasn't backing down.

Frederick stared at me, his face shifting from shock to confusion, then settling into a mix of emotions he couldn't quite put into words. Honestly, he probably thought I'd lost my mind.

But I wasn't crazy. If anything, I was more clear-headed than anyone else. All that internet sympathy? Just a fleeting surge of emotion from the crowd.

The internet forgot fast. Once the hype died down, nobody would remember me.

Money in hand was the only thing I could count on.

I'd stick to this contract till the very last second.

The door to the conference room opened, and Jason walked in.

He must've caught the tail end of our conversation.

His eyes locked onto me, and there was an emotion there I couldn't figure out.

"Frederick, I need to talk to Lily alone," Jason said. His voice was calm, but there was a force behind it that brooked no argument.

Frederick glanced at him, then at me, and finally nodded, getting up and leaving.

Now, it was just me and Jason left in the conference room.

For the first time, we were alone together with no cameras around. Things felt kind of awkward between us.

"Why?" Jason asked, same as Frederick. "Why aren't you signing the new contract?"

I looked him right in the eye and shot back, "Do you think I should?"

Jason fell silent. He walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down right across from me.

We were sitting so close, I could easily catch that clean, woody scent on him without even leaning in.

"Lily," he said, his voice soft but serious. "You're not the kind of person they say you are."

"They?" I asked, playing dumb.

"The comments, the netizens, and... Emily," he said, his tone flat when he mentioned Emily. "You don't have to pretend."

I smiled, but it never reached my eyes. "Jason, did you forget? We're only playing our roles here. This is a reality show, not some dating show.

"You acting all concerned about me and me throwing you those lingering glances are part of the script. My storyline got messy, but yours is still rolling, isn't it?"

My words slashed right through the phony flirtation between us like a knife.

Jason's gaze darkened, and he stared at me for so long, I thought he was about to snap. But then, out of nowhere, he did something I never expected.

He reached out and lightly touched my hair, his fingertips warm against me.

"What if I told you, from now on, I'm off-script?" he said.

I blinked, then swatted his hand away and rolled my eyes. "Give me a break," I muttered.

I walked out of the conference room, my expression as calm as ever.

Jason followed behind me. He didn't say a word, but his gaze felt almost tangible on my back the whole way.

Back in the living room, Frederick had already composed himself. He announced that the show would go on as planned, and my scheming girl storyline was still in play.

Emily's face instantly soured, while Alex looked ready to sit back and enjoy the drama.

The afternoon shoot was all about indoor games. One of them was called "Mind Meld."

The guests were paired up, with one giving clues through gestures and the other trying to guess.

Jason and I were, of course, put together. Just another scripted move.

For the first round, I was acting out the clues, and Jason was guessing. The word was "unscrew the bottle cap."

I went full method, slipping right into character.

I grabbed a water bottle from the table, scrunched up my brows, and tried with all my might to twist the cap off.

My wrists looked so dainty, making the cap seem like it was glued on. I twisted and twisted until my cheeks were flushed and I was huffing and puffing.

"Oh," I pouted, shooting Jason a pleading look. "Jason, I can't open it. Can you help me? Pretty please?"

If this had been a few days ago, the live chat would've been roasting me alive. But now, the vibe was totally different.

[Here we go. Lily's shift started.]

[Oscar-worthy acting. That helpless, delicate act? I'm giving her a hundred out of a hundred.]

[Lily's inner monologue: Just get through this scene and clock out. I've got firewood to chop in the backyard.]

[Feeling bad for Lily, forced to perform for triple pay.]

Jason looked at me, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips. He didn't answer right away.

Instead, he walked over, took the bottle from my hand, and effortlessly twisted the cap off with one hand.

But instead of handing it back, he brought the bottle right up to my lips. His gaze was soft and intent, full of gentle focus.

"Thirsty?" His voice, amplified by the mic, rang out clear across the studio. "Let me feed you."

I went stiff all over. This definitely wasn't in the script.

My brain kicked into overdrive.

If I was playing the part, I should've looked down, looking all bashful, and taken a sip like a good girl.

But my body moved on its own. I instinctively stepped back, dodging him.

For a split second, the vibe in the room just froze.

The live chat exploded right away.

[OMG, what is Jason doing?]

[Is he teasing Lily back? Is he actually flirting with her?]

[I'm going crazy! That eye contact and him feeding her water... This is too sweet.]

[Lily's reaction is so real. She actually dodged him. Is she shy or what?]

[Come on, guys, that's Lily sticking to her professional boundaries. If it's not in the script, she's not doing it. Pay up if you want extra scenes.]

Emily's face was as pale as a sheet. She was gripping the hem of her dress so hard, her knuckles had turned white.

Jason wasn't fazed at all when I dodged him.

He retracted his hand, took a drink himself, and then finally passed the bottle to me.

He met my eyes and, in a low voice meant just for me, said, "Guess dodging is part of your self-defense repertoire too."

My heart skipped a beat.

The game went on, but from that moment, everyone could feel it. Something had changed about Jason.

He wasn't just sticking to the script, acting cold and resigned anymore.

Instead, there was an assertive, almost mischievous curiosity in him, like he was eager to see what I'd do next.

He seemed to genuinely enjoy watching me put on the scheming girl act.

And he tirelessly found all sorts of unexpected ways to break my performance, always looking for new ways to throw me off.

When it was Jason's turn to give clues and mine to guess, the word was "so pitiful that you want to protect them."

He didn't do anything. He just stood there, watching me, not saying a word.

With those deep eyes that looked like they could swallow me whole.

After three seconds, he parted his lips and mouthed my name, "Lily," without making a sound.

I froze right where I stood, so stunned I couldn't even move.

Everyone lost it. The crowd went wild, and the livestream nearly broke the internet with so many people piling in at once.