Megan Kane arrived at the mall and began her grand shopping spree.
"Wrap this one up for me. And that one too."
Rowan Monroe, who had been a bit hesitant about spending someone else's money, was completely swept up in the frenzy. She ended up buying even more than Megan Kane.
But before the two could continue their cheerful shopping trip, they saw Blair White walking toward them, clinging coquettishly to Jason Forrester's arm.
"Jason, my birthday is in three days. Did you bring me to the mall today to buy me a birthday present?"
"Actually, after you buy a birthday present, you're supposed to hide it secretly and surprise me on the day of. That's what girls really want, you know."
As Blair White spoke, she made a series of quirky, playful faces.
She was the type to forget the pain as soon as the wound healed, believing the man before her was still the same doting "brother" who loved her.
"Let's pretend we don't see them and walk around. Don't pay any attention to those two lunatics!"
"After all, they're not exactly normal in the head."
Megan Kane had no desire to have her good mood ruined, so she'd much rather take a detour.
She didn't want to get involved, only to have a series of unwanted incidents happen for no reason.
"I'll do what you say." Rowan Monroe trusted that her best friend would never do her harm. But before they could slip away, they were spotted.
"Oh, Miss Kane, Miss Monroe, long time no see! So you're out shopping here too."
"Jason brought me out to buy birthday presents today. I didn't expect to be so lucky as to run into you."
"What are you two up to?"
Blair White flaunted this, intentionally or not, without even waiting to see if they had asked.
"We're just wandering around. We won't disturb you. You two go ahead with your shopping; we're about to head back."
Megan Kane didn't want to spend another minute in front of this man. She wished she could just make a run for it.
'That way, if any trouble starts, it won't have anything to do with me.'
"Since we're all shopping here, let's just shop together."
The words that came out of Jason Forrester's mouth left no room for negotiation.
His gaze was ice-cold. Megan Kane steeled herself and nodded. Her rare shopping trip was pretty much over.
She decided that from now on, she would check the almanac before going out. If it was an unlucky day, she'd just stay home.
Rowan Monroe didn't want to say a single word, cowering timidly behind her best friend.
She had never realized how crazy this man was before. Now she finally knew, but it was too late for regrets.
'If I could turn back time, I would have stayed as far away from him as possible. I never would have provoked this man.'
"Miss Kane, let's all have a good time shopping together, then. You can help me pick out a birthday present. I don't even know what I want to get right now."
"And Jason is just so shy, like a block of wood. He still hasn't decided what gift to pick for me and just keeps dragging me around aimlessly."
"Now that I have you two for a second opinion, we can speed things up."
Blair White was all smiles as she prepared to link arms with Megan Kane.
After all, when best friends shop, they're supposed to link arms. Shopping separately is no fun at all.
Before Rowan Monroe could even react, the two women fell to the ground at the same time and spoke simultaneously.
"Miss Kane, do you not like me? Why did you push me?"
"Miss White, do you hate me? If you do, just say it. You don't have to bully me like this."
The words from Blair White and Megan Kane rang out at the same time. It was the absolute pinnacle of manipulative, "damsel-in-distress" acting.
And both of them, with tears welling up in their eyes, looked toward Jason Forrester, who stood there without moving a muscle.
"Jason..."
"Jason."
Jason Forrester's eyebrows twitched. Not even wanting to look at the two of them, he turned and stalked away.
He wanted to declare on the spot that he didn't know these two women at all, that they had just met by chance.
"President Forrester, are we just going to leave them?"
The assistant, standing by with his hands full of shopping bags, had no idea what to do.
"They're a complete embarrassment. Why bother with them? We're leaving."
"Also, go tell Megan Kane that I'm giving her ten minutes to get home."
"If she can't make it, I'll break her legs."
"All she does is go out and embarrass me all day long."
Jason Forrester was about to die of anger. He thought a shopping trip might improve his mood, but instead, he'd been utterly humiliated.
Megan Kane and Blair White stared at each other, wide-eyed. Both sat on the ground, unsure of what to do next.
"Looks like your little 'damsel in distress' act didn't work. Your 'brother' already left."
Megan Kane sneered. She was perfectly aware of Blair White's predictable little tricks and had long since prepared countermeasures.
Rowan Monroe stood by, dumbfounded. 'These two are incredible actresses. They're practically Oscar-winners.'
"Why don't you two form a group and debut as idols?"
"I'm sure you'd be a huge hit all across the country."
Rowan Monroe was just speaking her mind, but no one paid her any attention.
"Miss, my 'damsel in distress' act is nothing compared to yours."
"I wonder where you got your master's degree in it? You're truly the cream of the crop!"
"Perhaps even those three words, 'damsel in distress,' aren't enough to describe your unique talent."
Blair White was so angry her teeth itched, and she nearly ground them to dust.
Never in her life had any of her schemes failed—except when it came to the woman in front of her. None of her tricks ever worked.
"I can't be bothered talking to you. Your 'brother' left, so why should I keep playing along? Shove your act."
"Besides, you act like you've got a screw loose all day, and now you're putting on this show for me."
"If you want to act, do it far away from me. Just looking at you is bad luck."
"I don't know where you crawled out from, you jinx, but nothing good ever happens when you're around."
Megan Kane sneered and was about to leave when the assistant called out to her.
"Miss Kane, President Forrester just told me that you have ten minutes to get home. Otherwise... he'll break your legs."
After saying his piece, the assistant made a hasty retreat to avoid getting yelled at.
"Holy crap, ten minutes? I couldn't make it back in time even in a helicopter!"
"Blair White, look what you've done, you jinx! You expect me to fly back?"
"I knew it! My whole day is ruined whenever I run into you."
Megan Kane was about to explode with rage. She grabbed at her hair, messing it up until it was completely disheveled. She looked ready to eat someone alive.
Blair White was so frightened she took a few steps back, stammering, not daring to speak. She had a feeling the woman in front of her was about to go berserk.
You don't fear the reckless in this life; you fear the ones who go completely crazy, lose all sense of self-preservation, and try to drag everyone else down with them.
Without a second word, Rowan Monroe fainted and collapsed on the floor. 'Get home in ten minutes.'
'She figured only a god could pull that off!'