Chapter 2

Five years later.

In the Eton bar, in a corridor on the empty top floor.

Arisen had been drinking for the entire night to accompany some investors. With a splitting headache, she wanted to find somewhere clean and quiet to sober up, but she had not expected that Chance would follow her. She could only gather up her spirit to deal with her, "Sister Chance, is there something you want to say?"

"Arisen let me ask you something. Did you register to audition for the female lead in《Land Under Heaven》?"

"Yes, why?"

"You're not allowed to go tomorrow!" Although Chance was her manager, she was stopping her from auditioning for this role that all the major entertainment companies were jostling for.

Arisen was not at all surprised by this, and only raised her brows and asked: "Reason?"

"You went behind my back and acted by yourself, and you still dare to ask me for the reason? Didn't you know that the company has already arranged for Margaux to audition?"

"This doesn't seem to conflict with the company's arrangements." Arisen smiled faintly at her, "Margaux made you come find me? Don't tell me she's afraid that I, a small-time actress whose name isn't even known, will snatch her role?"

"You think you have the ability to snatch Margaux's role? You're still talking in your dreams! Let me tell you, don't waste your efforts. The Ni family has invested 30 million into this movie, Margaux is already sitting securely in this role!"

"Then why are you so anxious?"

"Since you're my artist, you have to listen to my arrangments!" Chance said as if that was how it ought to be.

"Heh, so sister Chance still knows that I'm an artist under you."

"Arisen, I don't have the time to bicker with you, since you're refusing to comply, don't blame me for resorting to force!"

As she finished speaking, Arisen felt a strong blow from behind. Caught off guard, she was pushed into the storeroom in the corner, and her phone was also taken away.

With a bang, the door was heavily shut.

......

The footsteps outside the door slowly drifted away.

Knowing that shouting was useless, Arisen kept silent. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor with an indifferent expression.

When she had first entered the company, Margaux was still able to restrain herself, and only made Chance arrange for some villain roles for her at most. However, she was growing bolder and starting to go too far. She was even able to throw out such a low level tactic.

If she failed to get the role this time, then she had to find a way to leave Starlight Entertainment.

Amidst her messy thoughts, a small sound travelled to her ears.

Was there a mouse?

Arisen followed the direction of the sound and looked over— and was stunned.

She saw a little boy behind a stack of boxes.

That little guy looked to be about four or five; he looked like a finely carved jade piece, white, soft, like a little bun. He was currently shivering and hiding in the corner, his dark eyes filled with precaution and vigilance.

Uh, why would there be a child in a storeroom of a bar?

There shouldn't be a customer so crazy as to bring their child to a bar, right?

"Hey, little bun, who are you? How did you get in here?"

"Did you sneak in?"

"Were you also shut in here by someone?"

"Do you eat sweets?"

After questioning him for half the day, the child remained silent, but started shaking even more, as if he were a frightened little beast.

Finally, Arisen did not bother continuing to speak, it had nothing to do with her anyway.

The two of them, adult and child, thus peacefully occupied a corner each.

At this moment, the light bulb above them flashed brightly, then went out.

In the darkness, Arisen vaguely heard a chattering sound. After carefully listening for a bit, she realised that it was similar to the sound of teeth chattering.

Arisen laughed in spite of herself, and turned towards the little bun to say, "Scared of the dark?"

The chattering sound paused for a second, before increasing in volume.

Oh, how was he so cowardly?

Arisen patted her bottom and stood up, then walked towards the little guy.

The little bun was so scared of her that his face went pale.

However, Arisen just sat down next to the little bun and did nothing, immediately shutting her eyes and going to sleep.

She had been pushed by Chance to accompany people in drink the whole night, she had a blinding headache right now.

When Arisen finally woke up after a while, she felt that the side of her leg was warm. Lowering her head, she could see that at some point, the little bun had snuggled up to the side of her leg, and his little hand was even holding on to the corner of her shirt.

Arisen could not help but laugh.

Previously, when she was still in the countryside, she had owned a cat. It was particularly cowardly and afraid of people, and would run if it saw any person. However, as long as you did not notice it, it would let its guard down and feel like you were not a threat. Once that happened, it would sneakily snuggle up to your side by itself, even climbing into your lap to sleep.

The little bun seemed to have felt her gaze, his little face blushed a bit, but this time, there was no more panic in his eyes. Instead, his big eyes were filled with curiousity.

He was really just like a little pet cat, even his eyes were the same.

Arisen's lips curved up, her hands were itching to pet him; she gave up on resisting and reached out to pet that adorable fluffy little head.

With that one touch, her face immediately changed.

Why was his forehead this hot!

"You're having a fever?"

Chance would keep her locked up until the audition was over tomorrow, at the very least.

If the child continued burning for that long, it would be too dangerous.

While getting anxious over the time, she found that something was not right. The light bulb had blown, why was there still light in the room?

Raising her head, she saw that there was a small skylight, and light was falling from that small window.

Arisen looked around the storeroom, and finally moved a ladder over.

"Little bun, come over, I'll help you get out!"

The little guy finally showed a response to her words, but he shook his head with a resolute gaze.

Arisen understood his meaning, but smiled and pinched his cheeks, "You're quite loyal after all, you want to suffer together with me? Go up, this window is too small, I can't get out. If you get out first, you can find someone to come save me."

Seeing that the little guy was still hesitating, Arisen carried him and placed him on the ladder, "Quickly, if you're a man, then don't hesitate. I'll protect you from the bottom!"

After finally sending the child out with much difficulty, Arisen felt a wave of dizziness. She lost control of her legs, and fell from the ladder in one movement.

From the edge of the window, the little bun saw this scene, and panic rose up on the previously dull and lifeless little face.

Arisen held on to the last bits of her strength and said one word, "Go......"

Under the light of the stars, the woman's face was pale and fragile, but that did not obscure her startling beauty. Especially that pair of moist and lively eyes, that were like a sea filled with endless stars.

She was no longer the ignorant countryside girl and ugly duckling.

However, what use was that now?

Arisen smiled bitterly, before she had her revenge, she would fall to her death here.

However, before dying, at least she had done a good deed in saving the little bun.

If her child had not died back then, he would probably be around this age.

After the car accident five years ago, in shame, the Ni family had sent her away to a university specialising in accepting wayward children of the elite in America, leaving her to fend for herself.

She withdrew from that university and reapplied for the University of South California, almost going crazy in her pursuit of all kinds of knowledge.

Because she wanted to defeat Margaux Ni, and take back everything that was hers!

Most importantly, acting was the biggest dream of her life.

After returning to her homeland, using this face and a solid foundation of acting skill, she was spotted by Chance, and successfully entered the industry's largest company, Starlight Entertainment.

She should have had a bright future from then, but Margaux followed her into Starlight, and through bribing Chance, was suppressing her from all directions.

To be continued...