Rachel looked around, "Julia, was that you talking to me just now?"
"Who else would it be? Is there anyone else in this room?" Julia replied, putting her suitcase back into the closet.
"What are you talking about? What benefits? I don't understand." Unaiza said, her eyes glued to her phone, looking somewhat dazed.
"Don't play dumb. It's just the two of us here, and only you had the chance to put that necklace in my suitcase. I'm just curious, what did Bailey offer you to frame me like this?" Julia's voice was calm and steady.
Unaiza was at a loss for words. "Are you paranoid? I'm going to sleep!"
With that, she lay down on the bed, turning her back to Julia.
"I just want to remind you, working with Bailey won't end well for you." Julia didn't say anything more and also lay down to sleep.
Vivian returned to her bedroom and sat down at her vanity, letting out a deep sigh.
Jacqueline brought her a glass of water.
"Vivian, why are you helping Julia? She's not related to us at all. Offending Bailey like this... Bailey is Harry's girlfriend, and they're almost engaged. If that's the case, Vivian, signing with Artis International might be difficult..."
Jacqueline trailed off, sighing quietly.
The entertainment industry was teeming with newcomers. It was no longer an era where one could stay popular for a lifetime.
Some people never got their break, while others only enjoyed fleeting moments of fame.
Vivian had managed to stay relevant for a long time, but Star Sovereign International had been struggling lately, and her contract was about to expire.
She was already in a tough spot, and offending Bailey might just ruin her chances with Artis International.
"I just can't stand Bailey's arrogant attitude. Does she really think marrying into a wealthy family makes her untouchable? So naive," Vivian sneered.
"And Bailey is such an idiot. She doesn't even know the details of her own necklace, yet she keeps bragging about how precious it is. I have no idea how someone with her brain managed to win over Harry."
Vivian smiled wryly. Some people just have all the luck. The things she had worked so hard for were easily within reach for others. It was so unfair, truly unfair.
"A wealthy family..."
"Vivian, maybe you should..." Jacqueline started to say, but Vivian cut her off, "Go to bed. I'm going to sleep too."
"Alright, Vivian. Maybe you should go find him. Sometimes, a woman should be reserved, but it's also okay to take the initiative," Jacqueline suggested. When Vivian remained silent, Jacqueline added, "Goodnight, Vivian."
With that, she went to the guest room.
Vivian lifted her left hand, which was wrapped in a pale yellow silk scarf. Slowly, she untied the scarf, revealing a scar on her wrist that looked like a bite mark.
Her right hand gently traced the scar, and her mind drifted back to five years ago.
Despite the turmoil of the previous night, the next day's filming seemed unaffected.
Occasionally, there were a few whispers, but nothing serious.
Julia never expected to have such a stroke of luck.
That evening, the assistant director informed her that the schedules of the actors she had scenes with were all booked up, so her scenes would be postponed. This meant she had two days off.
Hearing the news, Julia was overjoyed! She quickly packed her things and left the Swan City Film Base. Just as she stepped out, a Ferrari LaFerrari pulled up beside her.
The window rolled down slowly, revealing a familiar, devilishly charming face.
"Hey! Royce, did you put a tracker on me or something?" Julia asked, hands on her hips, glaring at Royce.
Royce smirked. "Who said I was here for you? Can't I come here for business?"
Julia turned to look at the massive sign of the Swan City Film Base. "You have business here?"
She suddenly covered her mouth. Of course, those famous actresses are all rich!
"Alright, get in. You owe me, remember?" Royce said, raising an eyebrow.
Julia thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, I have time today."
She got into the car without hesitation.
Royce assumed Julia would take him back to the Prism City villa, but to his surprise, she brought him to an unknown place.
First, they went to a market to buy groceries. Then, Julia led Royce to an old school campus.
This building was ancient, surrounded by towering skyscrapers, yet it stood in a state of disrepair.
Royce couldn't believe that in a bustling place like Zenith City, there could still be such an old building.
Julia confidently led Royce to one of the buildings and walked right in.
The stairs were in terrible condition, and the moment they stepped inside, a chill filled the air, accompanied by a musty smell.
Julia brought Royce to the door on the far right of the fourth floor, took out a key, and opened it. "Come in, this is my home."
Royce walked in skeptically, but once inside, he was pleasantly surprised.
The contrast between the dilapidated exterior and the clean, tidy interior was like night and day.
There wasn't much furniture, but the room was bright and clean, with everything arranged in warm tones, making it feel cozy and comfortable.
"So, this is the place?" Royce looked around. "Do you live here with your husband?"
"Of course not. This is my brother's and my home." She would never bring him to the place she shared with her husband. That would be asking for trouble.
"Oh..."
Royce noticed there were two bedrooms, one with its door closed and the other open.
Naturally, people are more curious about closed doors since the open room offered nothing new to see.
"This must be your room, right? I'm going to take a look." Royce headed straight for the closed door.
Julia immediately blocked his way. "Hey, hey, hey! How can you be so rude? This is my brother's room!"
"I don't believe you! Your brother is a boy; what's in his room that I can't see?" Royce said as he tried to barge in.
Julia quickly stepped in front of Royce. "My brother may be a boy, but he's been frail since childhood and is a bit introverted. No one is allowed in his room—not even me!"
"Are you kidding me? This is definitely your room, and you just don't want me to see it! I'm going in whether you like it or not!"
Royce turned around suddenly. "Hey, your brother's back!"
Julia glanced behind Royce, and in that moment, Royce took the opportunity to move her aside and opened the door to the room.
"Oh! Gotcha!" Royce's face lit up with a mischievous grin as he looked into the room.
"You... how could you..." Julia's words trailed off as she saw the contents of the room, leaving her speechless.