"Sis, are you dating the famous director?"
Dallas, who usually stayed in the school dormitory, rushed back during his lunch break just to interrogate his sister about whether the reports were true. Had she not only entered the entertainment industry but also hooked up with the most glamorous new director in recent years?
"Get out!" Cierra covered her face with the newspaper, rudely telling Dallas to get out.
Just now, Cynthia had asked her if the reports in the newly bought newspaper were true. That was when she found out that her lunch date with Basil yesterday had made the headlines.
But the consequence of fame, riding on Basil's coattails, was the flood of concern from family and friends. For someone like her, who had just been transported into a book, inexplicably missing six years, and was still resentful, it was a real chore.
More than half of the people calling and texting her out of concern were strangers. Could they all be side characters Cynthia had made up? It left her forced to laugh awkwardly all morning and kept sending "haha" emojis until her fingers almost cramped.
"Don't be like that, sis. Tell me what's going on. All my classmates know the beautiful woman who snagged the famous director is my sister, and I'm so proud." Dallas plopped down on Cierra's bed, clearly intending to stay.
"..." Cierra wondered how this childish idiot had gotten into the best university of the country. Could it really have been solely because of his mom's pen?
"Aren't you going to explain to me?"
"The newspapers are making it up! I'm a bounty hunter, are you stupid?" Cierra kicked Dallas off the bed. "That's all I can tell you. Make sure you don't leak this."
Dallas stood up, rubbing his sore butt. "What! It's not true? So, you won't be starring in any major films then?? I thought my sister had finally wised up and snagged such a great catch, but you're still the same as before, not making any progress."
"What are you talking about? I'm your sister," Cierra said, sitting up and rubbing her messy hair.
"Sis, at least tidy up a bit," Dallas sneered. "If you keep being this sloppy, even in eight hundred years you'll only be a bounty hunter dreaming about love."
"None of your business, get out!"
The result of being too earnest was being thrown out of the room along with the cushion that Cierra hurled at him.
Finally getting rid of her annoying brother, Cierra was about to lie back down on her bed when her phone chimed. It was a message. Cierra frowned, suddenly remembering that the "man" only sent messages and has a preference against using messaging applications.
I'll pick you up at 1 PM!
Cierra was startled and instantly wide awake. Wasn't it 12:40 now? The man left no room for leeway—who would be dressed up all day waiting for someone to pick them up?
She covered her messy hair, jumped out of bed with a look of despair, and planned to get herself presentable in twenty minutes.
Eighteen minutes later, she had changed into a yellow sundress, donned white high-top Converse sneakers, and tied her long hair into a high ponytail.
When Basil arrived, he saw Cierra standing at the door, swaying like a sunflower in the breeze.
"Mr. Logan, what's the task for today?"
Cierra had gotten used to the fact that all her interactions with Basil were due to that contract. As a love manager, she felt frustrated and powerless, like she could only follow Basil's every command without any autonomy. For a genius girl accustomed to independence, this didn't feel good at all.
"Yesterday's news needs to keep fermenting," Basil said coldly, not even blinking.
"Oh!"
After receiving the message, Cierra roughly guessed today's task. It was likely to accompany the director to eat, drink, and show off their affection again. Not difficult; she found herself getting better at it.
The car arrived at the upscale department store. As soon as they got out, the director seemed to slip into character, acting like a different person, being extremely attentive to her.
"Is it tiring?" she couldn't help but tease. He changed his attitude faster than flipping a book; she felt exhausted just watching him.
Basil kept his expression stiff, only slightly moving the corners of his mouth. "That depends on whether it's worth it."
Cierra responded with a meaningful "oh." Today, the director wore thick-framed, artsy glasses, attempting to disguise himself but not too much. After all, directors were different from celebrities; they rarely appeared on screen except for award shows. Even a hint of a story would attract relentless paparazzi.
But she had to admit, this look suited Basil. His usually meticulously styled hair now hung down casually, softening his usual aura of abstinence and giving him the appearance of a friend next door.
They walked into a boutique clothing store, designed with a youthful and trendy style, completely different from the one she had visited with Darnell the other day.
Basil casually walked to the counter and spoke a few words to the sales assistant, who then led Cierra to the VIP dressing room. The sales assistant enthusiastically brought her many outfits to try on, the variety of colors and styles making her dizzy.
Following Basil's instructions, she picked a few outfits she liked and tried them on for him. Seeing the director frequently nodding and pretending to appreciate them made her feel much better. This display should be enough to dispel the notion that she was an unremarkable person, right?
The two of them spent about an hour picking out several outfits suitable for work and going out. During this time, Basil never rushed her, dutifully playing the role of a considerate boyfriend.
Afterward, the director, his hands full of shopping bags, walked out of the store with her. Suddenly, he turned his head to glance at her and leaned in close.
Caught off guard, she stared at him with slightly uneven breaths. "Why are you getting so close?" she asked in a low voice.
Basil leaned close to her ear, gently and considerately tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Don't move! There's a paparazzo—"
