[Chapter 22: Possession, Paying the Bill]
Katherine and Daniel locked eyes.
Daniel felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
In Katherine's gaze, he didn't see the lightness of a typical young woman. Instead, there was a weight, an air of someone who had endured hardship and lived through bitter truths.
Could it be...?
That bold suspicion flickered in Daniel's mind.
Noticing the change in Daniel's expression, Katherine's face shifted subtly. When Daniel looked again, her eyes had returned to that of an ordinary young woman.
Thump, thump... Suddenly, Douglas tapped his cane against the floor with a sharp, mocking tone. "I got Katherine back without spending a hundred grand."
Daniel's eyes shifted to him. "So you came here just to show off?"
Douglas chuckled, "I'm just telling you you aren't worth that hundred thousand."
Daniel shook his head, laughing. "You're so loaded, yet you come here just to belittle me. You're not only dull, but incredibly narrow-minded."
Douglas's round face soured instantly.
"My decision to work with the police instead of hiring you to find Katherine was the best call I ever made. Don't ever think about earning a single penny from me again."
"That's your freedom," Daniel said, spreading his hands in a casual smile. "I wish you a harmonious family, Mr. Douglas."
"Keep your cheap blessings -- I don't need them. Let's go," Douglas snapped.
He turned his stout frame, took Katherine's hand, and they walked out.
The butler hurried forward to open the car door.
Douglas had what he wanted and didn't even glance back at Daniel.
But just as they were about to get in, Katherine suddenly turned her head and fixed a deep, unreadable stare on Daniel.
Daniel returned her glance with a smile, but Katherine's expression remained profound, almost haunting.
The Rolls-Royce pulled away.
...
Immediately, Daniel dialed Lara.
"Lara, was the case you needed my help with the other day the one about Douglas looking for his daughter?"
There was surprise in Lara's voice. "How did you know, Mr. Cross?"
Daniel's face darkened. It was exactly that case.
"How did he finally find her?"
Lara explained, "You asked for a hundred thousand dollars, but Mr. Douglas refused. So we introduced him to two cheaper psychics who only charged a few thousand. He agreed easily. But after their rituals, they initially failed to locate his daughter. Just when we thought all was lost, she showed up at home on her own."
Daniel's brow furrowed. "You mean she came back by herself?"
Lara affirmed, "Yes, but the psychics insisted it was their work that brought her back."
Daniel mentally dismissed that last piece.
"Did Katherine say where she'd been?"
"She said she was hanging out with friends and didn't want to be disturbed, so she turned off her phone for a few days."
Daniel asked a few more questions, and Lara answered each patiently.
"Thank you, Lara."
...
After hanging up, Daniel's thoughts churned.
Something was definitely off with Katherine.
Just as he suspected, she was no longer really herself -- someone else had taken over.
And this wasn't simple ghost possession.
True ghost possession rarely manifests openly during daylight, since spirits carry negative energies too harmful for a living body to handle for long without decay.
A ghost wanting to live as a human must either frequently swap bodies or possess some powerful energy -- the kind that often lets them manifest a physical form obvious to daylight, eliminating the need for a human vessel.
Only genuine possession allows one to walk freely in the sun.
The chaotic energy surrounding Katherine proved this.
Because the possession was recent and their power was average, the soul hadn't yet stabilized -- that's why the energy field flared unpredictably.
Daniel smirked grimly.
"Douglas would never guess that the girl who came home isn't really his daughter."
He shook his head and thought, 'I just don't know if this Katherine plans to wait patiently until Douglas dies to claim the estate... or if she'll move aggressively to seize it early.'
He pushed the thought aside. For now, as long as this Katherine kept out of his way, Daniel wasn't planning to get involved.
...
That night, Amanda's house.
Daniel pressed the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door opened halfway. Amanda stood there in a soft, form-fitting slip, the fabric catching the warm light behind her. Her hair fell loosely over one shoulder, and her eyes held a quiet invitation.
"You came," she said, voice low, almost playful. She opened the door fully and stepped aside. "Come in."
The moment he crossed the threshold, the air between them shifted. The polite distance from their earlier meetings was gone, replaced by something charged and immediate.
Amanda reached for his jacket as if to help him out of it, but her hands didn't stop there. Her fingers slid to his chest, feeling the steady beat beneath his shirt.
"Are you always this composed?" she murmured.
"Not always," Daniel said quietly.
Her smile deepened. "Good."
She rose on her toes and kissed him -- softly at first, a greeting more than a claim. But when he answered, his hand settling at her waist, the restraint between them thinned fast.
The kiss grew warmer, slower, then hungry in a way that made words unnecessary. She backed him a step, then another, until his shoulders brushed the wall. A soft laugh escaped her when he turned the momentum around, drawing her close.
"Bedroom?" she whispered near his ear.
He didn't reply in words.
They barely broke contact as they moved down the short hallway, pausing only to find their balance between kisses and quiet breaths. By the time they reached the bed, the world outside her home felt distant and irrelevant.
Time blurred into touches, murmured words, and shared heat, until the world outside the bedroom no longer mattered.
Later, the room was quiet except for their breathing. The night wrapped around them, unhurried, as the last traces of tension melted into comfortable closeness.
[A/N: Tried writing a lime. Let me know how it is. I may or may not write full lemons though.]
...
Amanda was naked, nestled in Daniel's arms, her cheeks still flushed from their earlier entanglement.
Daniel's chest rose and fell steadily as he slowed his racing heartbeat after their intense moment.
Amanda's arms curled around his neck. "Now that I've paid one bill in advance, when are you going to help me change my luck?"
Daniel didn't hesitate. "Tell me what projects you're eligible for right now, and I'll help you pick one."
Amanda blinked, surprised. "Aren't you supposed to change my luck first, then let me decide? That way, I could choose the best role."
Daniel smiled calmly. "Don't worry about the process. Just focus on the results."
Amanda realized he was right.
"Wait right here."
She slipped out from under the blanket, stood naked, and walked out of the bedroom.
...
She returned soon with a laptop, opening a document.
"These are all the projects I can take on right now."
Daniel scanned the list.
Some were recognizable, but most were strange and obscure.
That was typical.
Hollywood churned out so many projects every year, many dying in pre-production, some running out of money midway.
Even those that completed filming might never see theaters or distribution.
Stars were critical.
Stars meant attention.
Attention attracted investment, and investment kept a project alive.
And stars didn't have to be just actors -- it could be directors, screenwriters, or producers.
Daniel studied the list and then asked, "Which one do you want?"
Without hesitation, Amanda pointed. "Kingdom of Heaven. That's Director Ridley's latest project. If I landed the lead female role, it'd make me a household name overnight. But considering my current standing, the female lead is impossible. I'm aiming for a small supporting part."
Daniel's expression twisted oddly.
Amanda noticed. "What is it? You don't think this movie will be good?"
Daniel didn't hold back. "That movie's sure to lose money."
Amanda frowned. "You're certain?"
"Just wait and see," Daniel said.
After a few seconds, Amanda shifted her gaze, then pointed to another project.
Her second choice drew an equally complex reaction from Daniel.
*****
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