A strange land, a strange bedroom, and a strange, oversized bed.
She vaguely remembered the man getting up, lying down again, and then falling back to sleep. When she awoke again, the room was still dimly lit, making it impossible to tell what time it was.
A sense of unease settled over her.
Last night's chaotic events were a significant shock to her worldview. However, given how powerful and influential this man was, she had not resisted his advances. Whatever he wanted, she had complied.
But what would happen next?
She had no more desire to stay in bed and finally decided to sit up. Yet, once upright, she felt lost again.
Looking around, this bedroom was larger than her home in China. Decorated in pure white tones, its simplicity exuded a kind of luxury that even someone like her—unfamiliar with the finer things in life—could recognize. She glanced toward the end of the bed. The small stage with a cylindrical glass cover she had noticed last night was now gone.
This, in part, was why she felt so anxious.
The man, so handsome, charming, and witty, not to mention carrying an array of jaw-dropping titles, had made her fall for him almost instantly during their first interaction. But she couldn't help wondering: was she just a one-night stand for him, nothing more than a fleeting bed partner?
He hadn't even tried to hide that possibility.
Sitting there blankly for what felt like an eternity, she finally convinced herself to let it go.
It was just a dream, she told herself.
Turning her head, she noticed the crystal ball on the nightstand. She had seen him use it last night and knew what it was. After some hesitation, she reached out and touched it. In an instant, a faint but mystical light flickered inside the crystal ball.
Moments later, the bedroom door opened gently. A blonde woman in a uniform walked in, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Seeing her sitting awkwardly on the bed, the woman greeted her politely in fluent Mandarin: "Good morning, Miss Jiang. Are you ready to get up?"
Her Mandarin was surprisingly good.
Caught off guard, she nodded quickly. "Yes."
She gestured around instinctively, trying to explain herself. She couldn't find her clothes and didn't know what to do once she got out of bed.
The maid showed no hint of mockery or impatience. She walked to the side of the bed, pressed a button discreetly, and soon, the soft hum of machinery filled the room. One wall of the bedroom began to shift, revealing a floor-to-ceiling window. Warm spring sunlight poured into the room, instantly brightening her mood.
For a moment, she even entertained the thought: If only I could live here forever.
The maid opened the curtains and then walked over to a cabinet in the corner of the room. She retrieved a white bathrobe, returned to the bed, and helped her put it on. Then, guiding her to the bathroom, the maid gave a brief yet thorough introduction of its amenities. She even prepared her toothbrush and other necessities before saying, "I'll wait outside. Afterward, I'll take you to pick out some clothes. Do you have any specific needs?"
She instinctively shook her head, hesitated, and then asked, "By the way, what's your name?"
The maid smiled. "Katerina. You can call me Kate."
Feeling her own English name, Angel, sounded a bit outdated compared to Katerina's, she smiled back and said, "Your Mandarin is really impressive, Kate."
"Thank you."
"Oh, right, what time is it now?"
Katerina glanced at her watch. "It's about 10:40 a.m."
She was surprised she had slept so late. Then again, given last night—where he had, well, "bullied" her most of the time—resting a bit longer made sense.
After some hesitation, she asked the question that had been weighing on her mind: "Kate, is Mr. Westeros still here?"
"He is. The boss is resting today."
Hope flickered in her chest.
She took her time freshening up, even soaking in the bath. Afterward, she followed Katerina to an adjoining dressing room. Rows of clothing from luxury brands she had only heard of dazzled her. With Katerina's suggestions, she ultimately chose a loose beige wool sweater, fitted black trousers, and white sneakers.
A casual and relaxed style.
She couldn't help but silently thank spring—the perfect season for versatile clothing choices.
By the time she finished dressing, it was already past 11 a.m.
Though hunger gnawed at her, she hid it well and followed Katerina outside. In the backyard by the pool, she spotted him again: Simon Westeros, lounging on a chair in just a pair of swim trunks and sunglasses.
And...
The pool area was swarming with "mermaids."
Scanning the scene, she noticed that, in addition to the three women who had come back with them last night, several new faces had joined. All the women were clad in revealing swimwear, either laughing and playing in the pool or sunbathing on loungers.
In contrast, her proper outfit made her seem out of place, naturally drawing a few curious glances.
Feeling unsure of herself, she stood frozen until Simon noticed her. He sat up, waved her over, and said something to the other women. Though they pouted and teased him, they all obediently got up or climbed out of the pool, retreating back into the villa.
Once the "sirens" had left, Simon donned a shirt brought over by another maid and walked to a round table shaded by an umbrella. Gesturing for Angel Jiang to sit down, he looked her over and smiled. "You look lovely."
Blushing slightly, she mimicked the Western custom and said, "Thank you."
"Have you had breakfast?"
"No, I just woke up."
"Oh, you must be hungry. Let's eat here—consider it lunch. What would you like?"
"Anything is fine."
Simon motioned for a maid and soon received a menu. Realizing it was in English and she might not understand it, he simply instructed the maid to bring a sampling of everything.
Once the maid left, Simon turned to her and switched back to Mandarin. "It's a French-themed menu. Try everything."
Guessing what he had told the maid earlier, she wanted to be polite but realized that wasn't necessary with Westerners. She simply smiled back. His decision to eat here seemed to have resulted in the other women dining separately, which gave her a faint sense of satisfaction.
At least, she thought, he must like me a little.
The meal lasted over an hour, filled with a steady flow of dishes and lively conversation.
Mostly, he asked questions, and she answered: about her hometown, her childhood, her years studying Peking Opera, landing her first role, getting into the Beijing Film Academy, and the excitement of being cast in Taken last year.
By the end of the meal, she felt as though they were quite familiar with each other. She also realized his Mandarin was far more fluent than he had let on last night. Wisely, she pretended not to notice his earlier act.
Finally, emboldened by the wine, her cheeks flushed with a rosy glow, she worked up the courage to ask, "Simon, do you think I could stay in America?"
"You want to stay?"
"Of course. Who wouldn't?"
"If that's what you want, it's easy. You can live here as long as you like."
Her eyes lit up, but she quickly realized there was a "but" hidden in his words.
Simon, noticing her reaction, smiled. "But staying here wouldn't be the best choice for you."
Hiding her disappointment, she listened intently.
He didn't beat around the bush. "If you stay in America, you can live here—no problem. You could stay as long as you like. In Chinese terms, this would be like 'a golden house to keep a mistress.' But that's all it would be. I know you want to continue acting, but Hollywood isn't very welcoming to Asian actors, especially actresses. Take Chen, for example. She's famous in China, but in America, she's barely a B-list actress. Most of the time, she has to return to the Chinese market for opportunities. Recently, she's even turned to directing, focusing on Chinese-language films."
His words were candid and realistic, leaving her momentarily disheartened. After a pause, she asked, "Then, Simon, will I still see you?"
"Of course. Isn't your contract signed with Jinshu Media? I'm the boss of Jinshu."
Her eyes widened in surprise.
She hadn't paid much attention to this detail before. She only knew that Jinshu had grown rapidly in China over the past two years, with rumored powerful backing. She hadn't expected the man behind it to be sitting right in front of her.
Suddenly, many things became clear.
The role she had landed in Taken last year—had she been chosen by him from the start? If not, why had Jinshu's executives treated her so courteously yet never shown any ulterior motives?
Realizing this, she understood that even if she returned to China, she would remain tied to a certain identity for a long time: Simon Westeros's lover.
The term "lover" wasn't exactly respectable in China. However, if it came with the prefix "Simon Westeros," anyone who found out would only feel envy and jealousy.
Simon Westeros.
Not only the richest man in the world but also young, handsome, and extraordinarily talented.
She thought of an older classmate at her film academy who had proudly flaunted her relationship with a prominent Beijing writer
, acting like a queen in their social circle. Compared to Simon Westeros... well, was there even a comparison?
With that thought, she looked at him with shining eyes. "In that case, Simon, if I go back to China, could you give me some advice?"
A thought crossed her mind again: Boss's wife... one of them, at least.
"Yes, advice," Simon said, giving her a once-over. "It's a coincidence. There's a project in development in China right now—a costume romance drama in the style of Qiong Yao. You could play the lead."
Her eyes blinked rapidly, her tone tinged with slight disappointment. "A TV drama?"
Even though the Chinese film industry was in disarray, there was still a clear distinction between TV stars and film stars. Having just appeared in a Hollywood hit, she wasn't eager to return to television.
Simon, of course, understood her concerns but didn't reveal the future success of Princess Returning Pearl. That would have been too much of a giveaway. Instead, he said, "I just think the lead role suits you perfectly. For an actor, landing a role that fits them is incredibly fortunate, whether it's in a movie or a TV show. But if you don't want to do it, you can wait for other opportunities."
If she didn't take this chance, Simon wouldn't force it. He could always return to the original plan, which was a guaranteed success.
"Okay," she said after some thought, "can I see the script first?"
"The script will take some time," Simon replied. "If you're not in a rush to go back, you can stay here for a while."
Although she wanted to stay, she hesitated before shaking her head. "I need to go back. I only took a two-week leave."
Last year, after finishing her role in Taken, she hadn't expected to be invited back to the U.S. for the film's promotion. After all, she was just a supporting actress, not a star.
Looking back now, it was probably Simon's arrangement.
Simon nodded and added, "By the way, in Beijing, I've invested in some real estate projects. I'll gift you a villa. Also, I'll assign you two assistants and a car. Someone will contact you about the car—pick any brand you like."
She instinctively shook her head. "Simon, that's too much. I can't accept it."
"The house and car are gifts—you don't need to refuse. As for the assistants, all my women have them. They'll be like the maid you met earlier—they can help with anything. And honestly, it's also a small agreement between us. If someday you want to leave me, just tell them. They'll disappear, and our relationship will end. Do you understand?"
It was a straightforward explanation.
After a brief hesitation, she nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Simon."
Internally, she couldn't help but think, So this makes it official... one of the boss's women.
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