Chapter 4

Karina tossed her empty cola cup into a trash can with perfect precision. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her cheap windbreaker and walked down the hallway, heading back to her dressing room for a touch-up.

As she rounded the corner, Candice blocked her path. Two massive bodyguards and an assistant flanked the lead actress.

Candice had already reapplied her makeup. A vicious sneer twisted her lips. The sweet, innocent mask she wore in front of Jefferson was completely gone.

"Karina, don't think you can turn things around just because you got lucky in one scene today," Candice spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You'll never wash off the label of being a desperate, obsessed stalker!"

Karina stopped walking. She kept her hands in her pockets and didn't even lift her eyelids. She looked at Candice as if the woman were nothing more than empty air.

At the far end of the hallway, hidden in the shadows, Jefferson had been on his way out. Hearing the commotion, he stopped. His piercing gaze locked onto the confrontation through the dim light.

[Is this idiot a fly? Why is she buzzing around everywhere I go? ]

Karina's crisp, annoyed thought crossed the physical distance and slammed right into Jefferson's brain.

Jefferson raised an eyebrow. He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned his broad shoulders against the wall, and decided to enjoy the show.

Seeing Karina ignore her, Candice thought she was scared. She took a step forward, emboldened. "Kole and I are going to be the main couple on the reality show. You better behave yourself and play your part as my stepping stone!"

Karina finally looked up. Her eyes were as dead and calm as stagnant water. She stared at Candice, visually assessing the structural integrity of the woman's body.

[That neck is so thin. One quick snap and it's broken. But there are cameras here. Murder is illegal. Too much paperwork. ] Karina weighed her options seriously in her head.

In the shadows, Jefferson heard the casual, murderous thought. His pupils dilated. His heart skipped a beat for no logical reason. She wasn't joking.

Candice felt the hairs on her arms stand up under Karina's dead-eyed stare. Relying on her bodyguards, she yelled, "What are you looking at? ! I'll have them throw you out!"

[If this idiot says one more word, I'm going to give her a beautiful roundhouse kick to the jaw. I guarantee she'll be drinking her meals through a tube for the rest of her life. ] Karina sneered internally.

"Pfft-"

Standing in the dark, Jefferson actually laughed out loud. The mental image was too vivid. He could perfectly picture Candice flying through the air like a broken doll.

The low, rich sound of his laugh was jarring in the quiet hallway. Candice and Karina both snapped their heads toward the shadows.

Jefferson stepped out into the light with slow, deliberate grace. The dim wall sconces illuminated his flawless face, catching the lingering trace of amusement in his eyes.

Candice's face changed instantly. The arrogant bully vanished, replaced by a terrified, fragile rabbit. "Jeff... what are you doing here?"

Karina frowned slightly, a flash of high alert in her eyes. [Does this block of wood have a fetish for eavesdropping? ]

Hearing that, the amusement in Jefferson's eyes deepened. He was absolutely certain now. He wasn't losing his mind. He had acquired a supernatural ability that belonged exclusively to this woman.

He ignored Candice completely. He walked straight up to Karina, his tall frame towering over her. He looked down, his gaze carrying a heavy, probing aggression.

"The security here is garbage. Any random fly can just buzz its way in," Jefferson said coldly. His words were directed at Karina, but his freezing eyes slid over to Candice.

Candice turned ashen. She heard the undisguised insult loud and clear. Her eyes welled with tears, and she bit her lip.

Before things could escalate, director Arthur came running down the hall, clutching a walkie-talkie. "Karina! Thank God you're still here!"

Arthur ignored the bizarre tension in the air. "That scene had so much raw power, I decided to rewrite the script! You're officially wrapped for the day! You can go home early!"

The moment Karina heard the word 'wrapped', the rigid tension in her shoulders vanished.

[Thank God. I can finally go to sleep. Whoever wants to work this garbage job can have it. ]

Jefferson listened to her sudden shift into pure laziness, fighting the urge to smile. He realized he was actually looking forward to hearing more of her unfiltered thoughts.

Karina gave the director a polite nod of thanks. Without sparing a single glance at Jefferson or Candice, she turned and walked into her dressing room, shutting the door.

Candice stood frozen, her nails digging bloody crescents into her palms. Not only had she failed to humiliate Karina, but she had also embarrassed herself in front of Jefferson again.

Jefferson stared at the closed dressing room door for a long moment. He turned his head slightly toward Julian, who was standing behind him.

"Tell the PR department to pull every single piece of data on Karina Abbott's current online reputation," Jefferson ordered.