Elena entered her room and quietly closed the door behind her. She walked toward the bed and sat down, letting out a slow breath.
After a moment, she picked up the script Emma had asked her to read.
Her eyes paused on the name written at the top of the page.
Iris Valentine.
Iris was once a sweet girl—gentle smiles, warm eyes, and a heart that believed in simple happiness.
She grew up in a loving family. Her world was small but complete: laughter at the dinner table, her mother's soft voice, her father's protective presence. She believed life was kind.
Until the night it wasn't.
One evening, everything was taken from her—
When Iris was a child, she sensed something was wrong. Her mother quickly hid her inside a cupboard and locked it, telling her not to come out no matter what happened outside.
From inside the cupboard, Iris secretly watched everything through a small crack. She saw strangers enter and witnessed her parents being killed right in front of her eyes.
She stayed silent and hidden until everything went quiet.
That night, Iris survived—but she lost her innocence forever. From that day onward, Iris turned cold and merciless.
She walked a path soaked in blood, hunting down her parents' murderers one by one—slowly, patiently, without regret.
Each death brought her closer to the truth.
Until she reached the final name.
The last murderer was not a stranger. He was the father of the male lead.
Victor Raine
(A powerful man who ordered everything from the shadows)
Lucifer Raine knew from the beginning that Iris was hunting her parents' murderers.
So he approached her as a gentle, caring man, earned her trust, and waited until she finally lowered her guard.
When she finally did, Lucifer Raine stabbed her.
As she collapsed, Lucifer confessed the truth:
her revenge had been wrong from the beginning. Her father had caused his mother's accident, forcing him to grow up without a mother's love. In return, his own father had ordered the massacre of Iris's family. She was never meant to survive.
"You should have lived your life," Lucifer said coldly.
"But you chose revenge. So today, I end the problem at its root." She laughed softly at her own foolishness—
for trusting love,
and for believing this world could ever be fair. And with that, Iris died—
not as a villain,
not as a hero,
but as a woman destroyed by betrayal, unfinished revenge, and misplaced trust. Elena closed the script and placed it on the table.
She didn't feel emotional, shaken, or affected.
She simply thought one thing—
the role was good, and she could do it.
Picking up her phone, Elena called Emma.
"I like the script," Elena said honestly. "And I want to audition for this role."
There was a brief pause on the other end—then Emma smiled.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Emma replied. "This role is difficult, but it suits you."
Elena listened quietly.
"It's a small role," Emma continued, "but if you do it well, you'll still gain some fans. In this industry, even short roles can get people talking."
Emma added, "Good actor are noticed for their performance, not the length of their role. If you perform well, other directors and filmmakers will start noticing you."
She paused before saying, "So wait. I'll talk to the director and get your audition fixed. This could be a good step forward for you."
"Thank you," Elena said calmly.
The call ended, leaving Elena with a clear decision in mind.
After the call, Elena called her brothers and started playing games with them.
...
The next morning, Elena's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and saw Emma's name.
"Yes?" Elena answered.
"I've fixed your audition for today," Emma said. "I'm sending you the address and time. Be there."
"Okay," Elena replied.
After the call ended, Elena got up without wasting a second.
She went to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and let the water wake her up completely.
Once done, she walked to her wardrobe and paused for a moment.
Then she chose a fashionable, bold outfit—confident, sharp, and eye-catching. Not overdone, but strong enough to make a statement.
After getting dressed, Elena checked her reflection in the mirror.
Satisfied, she grabbed her bag and stepped out. Elena reached the address Emma had sent her and stopped outside the building.
Just as she was about to walk in, she noticed a small stall nearby.
She paused.
She hadn't eaten anything since morning.
Walking over, Elena ordered a milk tea and took slow sips, letting the warmth settle in. After finishing the drink, she threw the cup away and finally headed inside for her audition. Emma was already there, waiting.
Lucas stood beside her.
When Lucas had found out that Emma was bringing Elena for an audition, he had insisted on coming along. Emma had refused at first, but Lucas didn't back down.
"I just want to see my little fire," he had said stubbornly.
And in the end, Emma had no choice but to bring him with her.
The moment Lucas saw Elena walking toward them, his eyes lit up. Lucas walked straight toward Elena, a bright smile already plastered on his face.
"Little Fire," he said warmly. "You're here. I was waiting for you. Today is your audition, right? I came to support you."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.
"Even if your audition doesn't go well, don't worry. I'll make sure you get this role."
Elena looked at him.
Then at Emma.
And said flatly,
"Emma, why did you bring this headache with you?" Emma rubbed her temple, already tired.
"He forced me. I said no. Multiple times. He didn't listen."
Lucas heard everything.
His expression shifted into full drama mode.
"What?" he said, placing a hand on his chest. "Little Fire, how can you say that? You're hurting your Lucas's feelings."
He sighed dramatically.
"You already hurt me so much," he continued. "Yesterday you just left—no WeChat ID, no goodbye. Do you know how fragile my heart is?" Elena stared at him, expression unchanged.
So this is what his fans see in him? she thought coldly.
All I see is irritation… and an incoming headache.
Turning back to Emma, she said calmly,
"Handle your big star properly. Or I'll personally turn him from a big star into a gone star." Lucas froze.
"Little Fire…" he said in a wounded tone. "You… you—"
He stopped himself mid-sentence.
Right.
Audition day.
She must be nervous.
Lucas straightened, pasted a gentle smile on his face, and said softly,
"Okay. If you want me to be quiet, I'll be quiet. Whatever makes you comfortable."
He lifted his hand, moving closer, about to pinch her cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Big mistake.
Elena caught his wrist instantly.
"Does your hand feel heavy?" she asked coolly. "Is that why you're trying to get rid of it?"
Lucas sucked in a breath.
"Little Fire… you'll feel bad later," Lucas said softly,
"for twisting your Lucas's hand like this."
That warning pushed Elena past her limit.
Her irritation peaked.
She twisted his wrist harder.
Lucas hissed in pain.
Emma watched silently.
Honestly? She felt this was long overdue.
Nearby, Ryan noticed everything. He glanced at Emma, silently asking if he should intervene.
Emma shook her head once.
It's her audition today. I shouldn't annoy Little Fire.
If she gets angry again, the audition might suffer.
I'll talk later, he decided, nodding to himself—
for once choosing silence over drama.
"Okay," he said quickly. "I won't say anything. I promise. Just… let go of my hand."
Elena released him without another word.
Emma immediately stepped in, turning on Lucas.
"When you leave the house," she snapped, "bring your brain with you. You're a celebrity, not some roadside Romeo who starts nonsense everywhere."
Then she looked at Elena.
"Come on, Ele."
Elena nodded and walked inside with Emma without looking back.
Lucas, rubbing his wrist, snapped back into his usual mode and followed after them.
"Little Fire—"
Ignored.
Completely.
Ryan watched them all and sighed internally.
Looks like my workload as an assistant just increased, he thought, before following them inside.
The four of them walked into the cabin together.
The moment the door opened, they realized they weren't alone.
Two men were already inside.
One of them sat behind the desk, his posture calm yet commanding.
He was Adrian Blackwood, the director of the upcoming film Scarlet Silence.
His sharp eyes reflected years of experience in the industry, and his presence alone made the room feel heavier.
Beside him, seated on the couch with a script folder resting on his knee, was Kavin Fonser—
the writer of the film.
The writer still hadn't found anyone suitable for the role of Iris.
No actress matched the image he had in mind.
As a result, the role remained vacant. When the cabin door opened, the writer instinctively looked up.
Emma walked in first, followed by the artists.
When the director lifted his gaze, it landed on Lucas first.
His gaze halted the moment it landed on Lucas.
Surprise flickered across his face.
Lucas was a name that rarely appeared off set.
A star whose dates were booked months in advance, someone usually seen only under studio lights and rolling cameras—not walking casually into a meeting.
And then… he noticed her.
A girl standing beside Lucas.
He studied her quietly—her posture, her stillness, the way she stood without trying to impress anyone. His eyes narrowed slightly, assessing.
"Come in," he said calmly. "Have a seat."
Emma stepped forward with them and took a seat beside Elena.
She smiled politely and spoke,
"Director Blackwood… this is Elena Carter."
Then, turning slightly toward him, Emma continued,
"She's here to audition for the role of Iris—the one I spoke to you about."
Adrian Blackwood leaned back in his chair, his tone measured.
"Emma,You know I respect your judgment, which is why I agreed to this audition."
His gaze returned to Elena—cool, professional.
"But if her performance doesn't satisfy me, I won't move forward.
Even if it's your recommendation."
Emma nodded immediately.
"Yes, Mr. Blackwood. I understand completely."
She glanced at Elena, her voice softening just slightly.
"All I'm asking is that you give her the opportunity to perform as Iris.
After that… the decision is entirely yours."
Elena met Emma's eyes.
A silent exchange passed between them.
The director picked up the script and flipped to a marked page.
"Read this scene," he said, sliding it across the table toward Elena.
"Then perform it."
Elena took the script.
At first, she only read.
Her voice was calm. Neutral.
Like a simple girl speaking lines written on paper.
Then she stopped.
She lowered the script slowly.
Something in her changed.
Her posture straightened.
Her breathing slowed.
When she lifted her eyes again, the softness was gone.
The air in the cabin shifted.
Elena wasn't reading anymore.
She stepped forward.
Her gaze sharpened, her expression turning cold—dangerously composed.
The innocence faded, replaced by a merciless, powerful presence.
She had slipped into the role.
No—
she had become it.
Her voice dropped, controlled and lethal.
Every word carried authority.
Every pause held threat.
It no longer felt like Elena was performing.
It felt like Iris was sitting there.
Speaking.
Judging.
Deciding.
The room froze.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Adrian Blackwood's eyes widened slightly—then a slow, unmistakable smile spread across his face.
He glanced down at the script, making a quiet note, then looked toward the writer.
Kevin Fonser hadn't blinked.
His eyes were locked on Elena, shining with something close to awe.
"Yes," he said softly, almost to himself.
"She's Iris."
A deeper smile appeared on his face as he continued,
"This is the Iris I imagined in every detail.
Cold. Powerful. Merciless."
He didn't look away from her as he finished,
"This is the Iris I was searching for."
She didn't seek attention.
She didn't hesitate.
Her steps were calm, measured—every movement controlled.
When she took her seat, there was no nervousness, no forced smile.
Just cold confidence.
Her eyes were sharp, unreadable.
There was something merciless in the way she observed the room, as if she belonged there long before anyone else.
The writer's pupils dilated.
This…
This was the feeling he had been chasing.
Not softness. Not innocence.
Precision. Power. Silence that intimidated.
She didn't resemble Iris.
She embodied her.
As Elena leaned back, composed and distant, the image in his mind finally locked into place.
After weeks of searching,
the character that had refused to be cast had chosen her own face. Emma watched in stunned silence.
She hadn't known.
She truly hadn't known that Elena could act like this.
How is she this good? Emma thought, her breath caught in her chest.
This level of control… this depth…
Emma had supported Elena because she sensed potential—something raw, something different.
But this?
This was far beyond expectation.
She's not just talented, Emma realized.
She's terrifyingly good.
Thank God I didn't refuse this audition, she realized with a quiet thrill.
I chose the right artist.
A proud smile formed in her mind.
No one can stop me from making her one of the top actresses. I'll support her all the way.
Beside her, Lucas watched in silence and thought
Ah. I see.
The universe didn't cast her… it cast her for me.
He nodded inwardly, completely satisfied.
Excellent taste, universe.