Cole Sinclair watched her hand as it nonchalantly toyed with the second button on his shirt. In that instant, it felt as if the button had become a part of his body, making him itch all over. He seized her mischievous little hand. "Alright, I'm leaving. You can go back to sleep."
Riley Perry stood on her tiptoes and kissed his face, then pulled away from his embrace.
Cole Sinclair pressed his lips together, then turned and left.
The door clicked shut, and the look of longing on Riley Perry's face vanished. She'd barely slept last night. Cole Sinclair had been far too energetic, only settling down as dawn broke. She had gotten three hours of sleep at most.
But she wasn't the least bit tired. A single cycle of her Spiritual Energy had completely dispelled her fatigue.
She changed her clothes, went to a breakfast stall outside her complex to eat, and arrived at the company on foot by eight o'clock.
Rhona spotted her from a distance. "Ria, why did you walk over?"
Not only did she walk, she wasn't even wearing sunglasses. What would happen if she ran into haters and got attacked?
"Because I could. It's so close, taking a cab would be a waste of money."
She remembered promising those parents, before she'd even gotten into college, that she would make something of herself in Dragonspire and buy them a big house.
And her little brother, that sweet goofball, who only ever knew how to be good to his big sister. But the imposter hadn't gone back to see them once in three years, impatiently hanging up whenever they called. They must have been heartbroken.
'But that's alright. I'll win the three of them over.'
For a moment, Rhona was at a loss for words. 'When did my artist become so frugal?'
"Nana has something on today, so she said you should head to class on your own. The teacher is already here."
Riley Perry nodded and greeted the staff in the lobby as she walked. The buzz of conversation only started after she stepped into the elevator. "Wow, I never thought Riley Perry was that pretty before. Why does she seem so different today?"
"I got that feeling too! Plus, she always used to look at us with total disdain. Since when does she greet people first?"
"Her skin is so pale and clear. I'd love to know what cosmetics she uses."
...
The elevator went straight to the sixth floor. With five minutes until class, Riley Perry slipped into the classroom through the back door and picked a seat.
Stardust put a strong emphasis on artist development. The entire sixth floor was dedicated to various studios for instruments, dance, acting, deportment, and more.
Many trainees were already in the practice rooms for their daily exercises. Riley Perry went straight to the acting studio. The instructor arrived at eight on the dot to begin the class.
Her acting coach was Professor Lowe, retired from Northwood Film Academy. Joanna had specifically called in a favor, so for the next few days, Professor Lowe would be teaching Riley Perry exclusively.
"Let me introduce myself. My surname is Lowe—Yana Lowe. You can just call me Professor Lowe."
"Your agent spoke with me about your situation, so I took the liberty of looking up some of your videos yesterday."
"To be frank, I was very disappointed. Your acting is absolute garbage."
"If it were up to me, I'd advise you to change lanes entirely. Singing? Dancing? You could probably get by on your looks alone and not starve."
"However, your agent mentioned you passed Director Quinn's audition. That kid has a decent eye, so I'll say this: the next few days are going to be tough."
Riley Perry gave Professor Lowe a deep bow. "Then I'll be in your care, Professor. Thank you for your guidance."
...
At the Province A branch office, Henry Hayes watched the President, who had thrown himself into inspecting the various departments the moment he'd gotten off the plane. 'I have no idea what's gotten into him,' Henry thought. 'He suddenly decides to go on a business trip and acts like he won't be back anytime soon. He was perfectly normal this morning. Surely he didn't get into a fight with Miss Perry in the time it took to change his clothes?'
Just then, a notification chimed. Henry Hayes glanced at the screen and quickly handed the phone over to his boss. "Sir, it's from Miss Perry."
Cole Sinclair tapped the screen to look. It was from Riley Perry: *I just had a two-hour acting class and my brain is fried. Comfort me, Mr. Sinclair?* The message was followed by a sticker of a little kitten begging to be petted.
He glanced at it for a second before turning off the screen. The phone chimed again. Another one from Riley Perry: *Miss you, Mr. Sinclair.*
Cole Sinclair pressed his lips together. A second later, another message arrived. It was a photo. When he got a clear look at it, his hand trembled, and the phone nearly slipped from his grasp.
'That woman... how dare she send him such a revealing photo?'
'So audacious!'
Just as he was starting to feel flustered, another message came through: *See? This is all your fault. It's a huge bruise. Mr. Sinclair really doesn't know how to be gentle with a woman.*
Cole Sinclair was speechless. ... It was only then that he noticed the distinct purplish mark on the patch of exposed skin in the photo.
He pressed his lips together, put his phone away, and didn't reply.
After sending the texts, Riley Perry headed to the company cafeteria for lunch. She had fully anticipated that reaction from Cole Sinclair; it was just like his usual tight-lipped self. She hadn't actually expected a reply. Rhona chattered away beside her, "The company got a new head chef, and his Dongpo pork is amazing! If I wasn't so worried about gaining weight, I'd have two servings all to myself. No, three!"
Riley Perry looked at the chubby little hand waving in front of her and gave a resigned smile. The girl's real name was Irene Lee; Rhona was just a nickname!
As the saying goes, a nickname is never given without reason.
The young woman was a little chubby. Alright, at five-foot-three and around 143 pounds, she was definitely a bit overweight, but Riley Perry found her adorable.
"If you want to eat, then eat. I'll give you something good in a few days. I guarantee you'll be at a healthy weight in less than a month."
'She only needed to lose fifteen or twenty pounds for her height. Any thinner and there'd be less to hug.'
'Rhona isn't a celebrity; she doesn't need to be stick-thin.'
'Back in the Cultivation Realm, even though I was the biological daughter of the Elysian Sect's Sect Master, I hadn't advanced through dual cultivation. Instead, I had pursued the Dao through alchemy.'
'My father was an elder of the Alkahest Sect, the number one alchemy prodigy in the entire Cultivation Realm. It was just a shame that such a formidable man had his power drained by my Sect Master mother for her own cultivation.'
'If my mother hadn't gotten pregnant with me, she probably would have been killed by him.'
'Even so, in the three hundred years I could remember, my parents' relationship never improved. They were constantly at each other's throats, unable to exchange more than a few words without starting a fight.'
'But, I have to admit, they were both truly good to me, their daughter.'
Rhona threw her arms around Riley Perry's. "Really, Ria? You can really help me lose weight?"
"Keep asking and the offer's off the table. Now hurry up and get our food. I have more studying to do this afternoon."
'Professor Lowe gave me a lot of homework this morning. We're all adults here; learning is all about self-discipline. Since I'm new to this business, I have to work hard.'
Rhona nodded eagerly. She led Riley Perry through the line, getting a small portion of all the dishes she thought were the tastiest, before finding a table for them.
'Stardust Corporation really spares no expense,' Riley Perry mused. 'The chefs are all top-notch, and every single dish is delicious. That imposter really had no idea how to live, choosing to order takeout at home instead of eating these amazing free meals.'