Hallie paced the length of her hotel room, her phone clutched so tightly in her hand that her knuckles had turned white. The harsh glow of the screen illuminated her face, but it did nothing to soften the fury twisting her features. Four calls. Four damn calls telling her the same thing—her roles were being recast, directors were suddenly "going in a different direction," producers were "reevaluating their choices."
She had spent the last hour screaming into the phone at her PR team. Demanding. Threatening. Pleading.
"Get those damn videos scrubbed from the internet!" she seethed into the receiver. "I don't care what it costs, I want them gone!"
Her publicist's voice wavered. "We're doing everything we can, Hallie, but the damage—"
"I don't want to hear about the damage, I want solutions!" she snapped. "I don't pay you for excuses."
But she knew, deep down, it was too late. The videos from last night's party were already viral. The drunken slurs, the barely concealed rage, the way she had thrown her drink at that reporter who had dared to ask about Sabrina and Daniel—
It was a PR disaster of epic proportions.
Her phone buzzed again, another incoming call. This time from her agent.
"What now?" she snarled, swiping to answer.
"Hallie, I need you to listen—"
"I swear to God, if you tell me I've lost another role—"
Silence stretched for a beat too long. Her stomach twisted.
"It's not just roles, Hallie," her agent said carefully. "It's endorsements, brand deals. They're pulling out. The studio isn't happy. The investors—"
A guttural scream ripped from her throat as she hurled her phone across the room. It hit the wall with a loud crack, bouncing to the floor, the screen shattered.
Her breath came in ragged gasps as she clenched her fists at her sides. How had it come to this? After everything she had done—after all the manipulation, the careful planning, the lies—she was the one falling apart.
And Sabrina was winning.
A slow, sickening realization settled over her.
No.
She wouldn't let this be the end of her.
Her nails dug into her palms, her pulse steadying as the anger transformed into something else. Something colder. Sharper. It wasn't fair. She had clawed her way to the top, sacrificed everything—friends, dignity, truth—for this career. And now? It was slipping through her fingers like sand. Sabrina hadn't earned her success. She hadn't fought for it the way Hallie had.
She swallowed down the burn of bitterness and forced herself to breathe. If Sabrina thought she had won, she was a fool.
Hallie stalked toward her ruined phone, scooping it up with deliberate care. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. A slow, dangerous smile curled her lips as she dialed a new number—one she hadn't used in a long time.
When the line picked up, she didn't bother with pleasantries. "I need a favor," she said, her voice silky smooth but laced with venom. "It's time to remind Sabrina who she's dealing with."
A pause. Then a dark chuckle on the other end. "Now we're talking."
Hallie sank into the chair by the window, her gaze drifting out to the city beyond, her mind already weaving a plan.
They wanted to ruin her? Fine.
She would drag them all down with her.
_________________________________
The scent of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon filled the breakfast hall at Emerald Bay Resort as Lily, Roxanne, and Jason slid into their booth, each nursing a different level of grogginess from the night before.
"Okay, but can we talk about last night?" Roxanne blurted out, stirring cream into her coffee with barely contained excitement. "Sabrina's birthday party was already wild, and then—bam! Drama bomb. I did not see that coming."
Lily let out a breath, shaking her head. "Right? One second, we're celebrating with cake and champagne, and the next—Hallie's whole world is falling apart in real time."
Jason exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, that was... something. You could feel the tension shift the whole room. One second, people were dancing, and the next, it was dead silent."
"It was the way she tried to play it off," Roxanne said, eyes wide. "Like, 'Oh no, everything's fine!' Girl, no. Your entire life just went up in flames in front of all of us."
Lily winced. "Yeah. I mean, I knew things weren't great for her, but I didn't think it was that bad."
Jason took a slow sip of his coffee. "It was bad."
"Ugh, and the looks people were giving her?" Roxanne groaned. "Like a train wreck they couldn't look away from. It was brutal."
Lily sighed, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "I kind of feel bad for her, though."
Jason raised a brow. "Do you?"
Lily hesitated. "Okay, not entirely—she's made some, uh, choices—but watching someone lose everything like that? It's not fun."
Roxanne scoffed. "Maybe, but let's not pretend she didn't dig her own grave."
Jason leaned back, crossing his arms. "What do you think she's gonna do now?"
"Who knows?" Roxanne shrugged. "But whatever it is, I doubt it'll be quiet."
Jason frowned slightly. "Yeah... I don't think Hallie's the type to go down without a fight."
A brief silence settled over them before Lily cleared her throat. "Okay, enough heavy talk. We need a plan for today."
_____________________________________________
The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Kingsleys' private suite at Emerald Bay Resort, casting a golden glow over the breakfast spread laid out before them. Fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, and coffee had been delivered to their room, a quiet luxury as they enjoyed the peaceful start to their day.
Beau sat with his parents, absently stirring his coffee. He wasn't really hungry—not with everything swirling in his head. His mother noticed immediately.
"You always did have a habit of playing with your food when something was on your mind," she noted, setting down her fork with a knowing look.
Beau smirked. "Or maybe I'm just waiting for Dad to steal my toast again."
His father, reading the business section of his tablet, didn't even glance up. "If you actually ate at a normal pace, I wouldn't have to."
His mother huffed. "Honestly, both of you act like children sometimes."
Beau grinned. "I learned from the best."
The lighthearted moment was cut short by the buzz of his phone against the table. A restricted number.
His stomach tensed. "I need to take this," he muttered, pushing back his chair and stepping onto the private balcony, phone pressed to his ear.
"Beau Kingsley," he answered.
The voice on the other end was hushed, tense. "I checked the records. That person doesn't work here."
Beau frowned. "What?"
A pause. Then, "But they had a uniform. The resort's uniform."
A text notification buzzed. One new image.
Beau opened it, and a cold wave washed over him.
A grainy surveillance photo. A woman, face obscured, leaving a box at Em and Henry's door.
His grip tightened around the phone. "So who the hell are they?"
Silence. Then, in a whisper, "That's what I'm afraid of."
The line went dead.
Beau turned slowly, stepping back inside. His face was pale, his pulse thudding in his ears.
"Mom. Dad." He placed the phone on the table. "Look at this."
His mother's breath hitched. His father's jaw tightened.
"Who sent this?" his father asked, his voice calm but sharp.
"A friend in resort security," Beau said, his voice lower now. "They called to warn me. This woman—whoever she is—she's been lurking around Em's suite for three days now."
His mother's hand trembled slightly as she gripped her cup. "Do we know her?"
Beau shook his head. "No. And security says she doesn't work here. But she has a uniform."
Beau's phone buzzed again. Another message. His breath stalled as he read it.
Another package.
His pulse kicked up. "Damn it." His chair scraped against the floor as he stood abruptly. "Another package was just left at their door."
His father's expression hardened. "We need to confirm if the package was delivered and what was inside. Quietly. No panic."
Beau nodded sharply. "I'll check with security."
His mother hesitated. "What about Henry?"
Beau exhaled. "We tell him, but carefully. If he sees that photo before we have answers..."
His father finished for him. "He'll tear this resort apart."
His father gave him a firm nod. "You need to intercept it."
"I'm going now," Beau said, already heading for the door. He grabbed his keycard, his movements sharp, focused. "Hopefully, Henry and Em haven't woken up yet to see it."
His mother stood, worry etched across her face. "Be careful, Beau."
He gave her a quick nod before stepping into the hall, his mind locked on one thing—getting to that door before they did. Before whoever sent it got what they wanted.
The hunt had officially begun.
_________________________________________
Em stirred as the warmth of Henry's lips pressed against her bare shoulder blade, trailing slowly up her skin. [This novel is available for free exclusively on 抖阴社区. Any other uploads are unauthorized and considered stolen. Please report any illegal copies.] A sleepy hum escaped her as she nestled deeper into the plush sheets, the scent of salt and sunshine lingering on his skin as he pressed closer.
"Good morning, fiancée," he murmured against her skin, his voice thick with sleep and satisfaction.
A smile tugged at her lips. "Mmm... I like the sound of that."
He kissed the curve of her neck. "Say it again."
She turned slightly, just enough to meet his gaze, eyes still heavy with dreams. "Fiancée."
Henry grinned and rewarded her with another kiss, this time along her collarbone. "God, I love you."
Em giggled, threading her fingers through his hair as he continued his path of slow, indulgent kisses down her arm. "You're ridiculously affectionate this morning."
He nipped at her wrist playfully. "Celebrating."
She sighed in contentment, stretching beneath him as their legs tangled together. "I can't believe we're officially engaged."
Henry's hand slid along her waist, his thumb tracing slow circles against her skin. "Believe it, sweetheart. You're stuck with me now."
She shivered as he kissed just below her ear. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Henry shifted, propping himself up on one elbow as he studied her. "So... how do we do this?"
She blinked up at him. "Do what?"
"The announcement." His fingers skimmed along her side absentmindedly. "Do we go big? Press release, social media blast?" He smirked. "Front page of every magazine?"
Em hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "I was thinking... something quieter. Just telling the people we love."
Henry exhaled, his forehead resting against hers for a moment. "That would be nice," he admitted. "But—"
"But?" she prompted, sensing the shift in his tone.
His jaw tightened slightly. "After yesterday... I just keep thinking about security. About keeping you safe."
She reached up, brushing her fingers along his cheek. "You always keep me safe."
His lips found hers in a deep, lingering kiss, as if to seal the promise. "I want to shout it to the world, Em. But if you want quiet, we do quiet."
A soft smile curled her lips. "As long as I have you, nothing else matters."
Henry kissed her once more, slow and savoring. "Forever, baby."
_________________________________________________
Outside their suite, unseen by either of them, Beau moved swiftly. His footsteps were silent as he reached their door, eyes locking onto the small black box resting against it.
He crouched, fingers brushing the surface. It was heavier than he expected. Solid. Something shifted faintly inside as he lifted it, a barely audible sound, and his gut twisted. What the hell was inside?
Without hesitation, he tucked it under his arm and disappeared down the hall.
Inside the suite, Em and Henry remained oblivious, wrapped in each other's arms, lost in the warmth of their love.
Far across the resort, Hallie leaned back in her chair, a slow smirk forming as she watched her phone screen. A message blinked up at her.
Delivery confirmed.
She exhaled, satisfied. Let the games begin.