Just as Bonnie was about to leave with Cathy, Mandy suddenly grabbed her hand. Bonnie instinctively shook her off, not using much force, yet Mandy let out a startled cry and fell straight to the floor.
She was dressed provocatively in a strapless bodycon dress that left little to the imagination, drawing immediate attention from the crowd.
Her face flushed red, tears welled in her eyes, and she looked utterly helpless.
Bonnie frowned deeper, took off her shawl, draped it over Mandy, and helped her up with Cathy's assistance.
"Thank you, thank you both," Mandy said gratefully, her fingers trembling as though she'd been truly frightened.
Bonnie shook her head and asked someone to escort Mandy out. Watching her retreating figure, Cathy scoffed and muttered, "She came dressed like that bet she was hoping to flash something at the big shots. And you gave her a shawl?"
Bonnie glanced at her, brow furrowed. "You think so?"
Cathy patted her on the shoulder. Bonnie might be clever, but she was still a sheltered heiress, too new to the industry's darker side. Cathy had seen plenty like Mandy before.
"In this business, better to stay alert."
Bonnie followed Mandy's direction with a thoughtful gaze and gave a small nod, her eyes darkening.
That night, two gifs went viral on X. One was of Cathy smiling at the camera, dimples sweet and charming. The other was a shot of Bonnie stepping out of a car.
One was lively, the other ethereal. Together, they embodied every fantasy the public had about beautiful women. The original post was shared nearly 100,000 times, and the platform lit up with praise.
"Bonnie's beauty is already legendary, but that other girl held her own. Impressive."
"I'm so confused right now. Has my hidden gem finally gone viral?"
"Who is the girl with the dimples?"
"Every time a hater tries to drag Bonnie with past gossip, I get ambushed by another stunning photo. She's unreal. Also, the girl beside her is super cute. Fans, quick! Tell me what she's been in!"
"The dimple girl is Cathy Jones. She played a minor role in *Allure*. Sweet voice, beautiful face an absolute cutie. Show her some love!"
"Tonight was perfect."
"Perfect +1."
Compared to Bonnie's well-established fame, Cathy was the night's unexpected breakout. The nickname "Dimple Girl" skyrocketed to the top of the trending list. Fans started digging into her past roles, while her small fanbase nervously scrambled to provide info. By the end of the night, a realization slowly sank in: the unknown actress they'd quietly supported for years… was finally famous?
A seasoned fan saw the opportunity and worked overnight to compile a highlight reel of Cathy's interviews and past work. With curiosity at an all-time high, netizens discovered that not only was she cute and lively. She was so hilarious. She'd been playing extras for three years, diligently posting behind-the-scenes stories on X, each entry full of wit that left viewers laughing nonstop.
"She's a treasure! She even writes character bios for her extra roles. I can't stop laughing."
"She dances, sings, has great variety show energy. I just watched a few of her scenes. She's actually good! How is someone like this still unknown? Are the directors blind?"
"Dimple Girl deserves to be a star!"
"She's got the looks and the skills exactly what the entertainment world needs. Directors, open your eyes!"
Dimples Girl was clearly shaken. She called Bonnie . "Bonnie, Bonnie! Am I going viral?"
Bonnie was in the middle of undressing, phone in one hand, the other unfastening the buttons on her cheongsam. She chuckled softly. "You should've gone viral a long time ago."
Even if she hadn't, Bonnie had planned to promote her anyway.
Back when her own career in the entertainment industry was smooth sailing, she had plenty of friends around. But in the aftermath of being attacked online for three relentless months, only Cathy had stayed by her side.
With her talent, looks, and work ethic why shouldn't she become a star?
"Be good. I'll celebrate with you after work tomorrow."
"Oh wow… the way you said that… I feel like I'm some spoiled little fairy adored by a CEO. You're making me blush."
Bonnie laughed, shook her head, and hung up.
Her cheongsam was a bit snug. As she hopped while trying to get out of it, just as she peeled it off one shoulder, she met the gaze of a man leaning leisurely against the doorway.
Startled, Bonnie stumbled and fell flat onto the carpet.
Her face instantly flushed red. "Derek Lee! Do you not know how to knock?"
"I did. You didn't hear," he replied casually, completely unfazed by her attempts to cover herself. He strode in, bent down, and scooped her up with ease.
Bonnie's back went rigid. He lifted her as effortlessly as if she were a kitten. Instead of placing her on the bed, he simply stared at her in that position.
He wasn't wearing a tie, his expression relaxed, peach blossom eyes half-lidded—dangerously charming.
Bonnie caught the scent of alcohol on him. "You've been drinking?"
His voice was low and sexy. "Yeah."
"Put me down!"
She thought she heard him chuckle under his breath. He released one arm, and Bonnie, panicked, clung to his neck. "What are you doing?!"
Noticing the smudged edges of her lipstick, he gently wiped them. "All dolled up, hmm?"
A simple gesture, yet laced with overwhelming intimacy.
Bonnie tensed. "After all these years, you've only gotten more shameless."
He finally set her down on the bed, only after thoroughly enjoying the moment.
She immediately grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face.
Derek leaned his head to the side, dodging easily. Tall and poised, he stood by the bed, pulled a key out of his pocket, and placed it on the table. "Garage key. Take whichever car you like."
Bonnie looked up. "Why would I drive your car?"
He gave a lazy smile. "You're welcome to pay me rental fees if you'd prefer."
Bonnie: "..."
——
The next evening, Bonnie met up with Cathy to celebrate as promised. The two enjoyed a feast and soaked in hot springs until nine.
While Bonnie got a shoulder massage, Cathy sighed dramatically. "So this is the boring, luxurious life of the rich."
Bonnie's skin glowed white under the lights, long legs stretched out, her voice muffled. "It's very relaxing. You should try."
Cathy shook her head. "No way. I'm too ticklish." She pulled out her phone, opened X, and started scrolling through praise-filled comments from netizens. She giggled to herself, but as she refreshed again, a new post from Mandy appeared.
— Mandy Brown: Been in this industry for five years, and I've never felt so humiliated. I just want to die.
Cathy's heart dropped. What drama was this green tea witch trying to stir up now?
Scrolling through the comments, even her fans seemed confused and shocked.
[??? What's going on?]
[…What humiliation?]
[Something happened? Are you okay?]
[Don't scare us!!]
[Mandy, what's wrong?]
[Ugh, she's stirring up drama again. If you want to die so badly, then go.]
[Can you not be so cruel? Haters, get lost.]