The company had always been optimistic about her, but her acting in the last two productions was lackluster. That's why Joanna had only managed to secure her a role as the fifth female lead.
The character was Shannon Sutton, the illegitimate daughter of the Sutton Family Head in Seaborne. With the Sutton Family in decline, the Sutton Matriarch sold Shannon to The Elysian. Thanks to her extraordinary beauty, Shannon Sutton became the top courtesan there.
One day, she accidentally saved a strange man. After learning he was part of the underground resistance, she gave all the Silver Coins she had saved to Eugene Hughes, the male lead.
Eugene Hughes reported Shannon Sutton's situation to his superiors. After passing the organization's tests, Shannon became his subordinate in the network.
From then on, she navigated the circles of powerful and influential men every day, trying every method possible to extract intelligence for the organization.
In the end, Eugene Hughes's identity was exposed. When she got the news, she risked her life to warn him. As they fled, she sacrificed herself by taking a bullet for him.
A glance at the clock showed it was only seven. 'Just how worried was Top Agent Joyce that I wouldn't wake up?'
She got up, washed, and stood before the mirror to inspect her current vessel. 'Not bad, not bad. That impostor, in her quest for fame in the entertainment industry, spent most of her money on this face. It's been well-maintained.'
'But it's not enough.'
She circulated her Spiritual Power through her body. A layer of filthy, greasy, foul-smelling sweat immediately seeped from her skin. She used a Cleaning Technique, then took a long, thorough shower, lathering her entire body with shower gel. Only then did she feel comfortable.
Standing before the mirror again, if her looks were top-tier before, now she radiated an ethereal quality from the inside out. She was so beautiful it was impossible to look away.
After a simple skincare routine, Riley Perry changed into the qipao the man had prepared for her and went downstairs.
Cole Sinclair's private villa was enormous, with dozens of staff both inside and out. As she came down, everyone addressed her respectfully as "Miss Perry."
When she woke up, she had been alone in bed. She'd assumed her great benefactor had left long ago, but there he was, leisurely eating breakfast in the massive dining room.
A jasmine-embroidered qipao should have been the epitome of elegance, but on Riley Perry, it took on an alluring charm.
A flash of astonishment crossed Cole Sinclair's eyes, quickly followed by a flicker of doubt. 'Was this woman this beautiful yesterday?'
'Besides, the way that woman spoke and walked was completely different from the Riley Perry before him now. It couldn't be that she was replaced by a different person overnight, right?'
"You're up?"
Riley Perry walked over with graceful steps. "Good morning, Mr. Sinclair."
'Seeing such a handsome man first thing in the morning really puts one in a good mood.'
Cole Sinclair's eyes flickered. His tone was cold as he said, "Morning. Join me for breakfast."
A servant quickly brought out a serving of breakfast.
Riley Perry took another moment to admire the handsome man's face. 'That impostor really knew how to pick them!'
Cole Sinclair... he was the crown prince of Dragonspire's Sinclair Family, the man at the helm of The Sinclair Conglomerate. Not only that, but he was also the family's sole heir, yet he was incredibly low-key. The only thing you could find about him online was his position at the Sinclair Group; there wasn't even a photo.
The man, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, let out a slight cough. His stern face was expressionless as he said, "Eat your food."
Riley Perry said plaintively, "It's only because you're so handsome that I got lost in thought. Fine, if you don't want me to look, I won't. Once I find someone better-looking, I won't look at you anymore."
Cole Sinclair's previously expressionless face darkened a few shades. 'She dares to look for someone else?'
'This little lover of mine needs to be taught a lesson, doesn't she?'
But Riley Perry had already averted her gaze. Looking at the breakfast before her, she couldn't help but pout. "Mr. Sinclair, is it just sandwiches for breakfast? I'm not used to this. Could we have Chinese food instead?"
Cole Sinclair: "..." "What do you want to eat?"
Riley Perry immediately rattled off a list without hesitation: "Crab roe buns, three-delicacy wontons, fish fillet congee, soy milk and fried dough sticks, soup dumplings, or pan-fried dumplings would all be fine. If you don't have any of those, I could also have a bowl of noodles. The noodles must be hand-pulled, and the broth should be made from bone stock—chicken stock is okay too, but you have to skim all the fat off..."
The butler standing to the side: ...
Cole Sinclair turned his head. "Do as she says."
'This woman is incredibly audacious. He hadn't even forbidden her from looking, and she was already thinking about finding someone better-looking. If he didn't give her the food she wanted, she'd probably dare to switch sponsors on the spot!'
'With a face like that, she really did have the capital to do whatever she wanted!'
Butler: 'The young master is so indulgent. It seems the villa will soon have a mistress.'
Soon, Riley Perry was served a lavish breakfast. She had to admit, the Sinclair Family's chef was quite skilled.
Not only was the food prepared quickly, but it was also incredibly fragrant. The noodles were perfectly chewy, the wontons were savory and fresh, and even the freshly made soy milk was exceptionally rich.
She had forgotten how long it had been since she had eaten normal food. 'Even though there isn't a trace of Spiritual Energy in any of this, who cares? As long as it's delicious.'
Watching her eat with such gusto, Cole Sinclair actually felt a desire to try a bite himself. But it was too late for that today.
He stood up abruptly. "I'm heading to the office. If you need to go out, have the driver take you. If anything comes up, you can contact Special Assistant Hayes."
The same Special Assistant Hayes had handled the contract signing yesterday and had left his number.
Riley Perry stood up, wrapped her arms around the man's neck, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair."
On the surface, Cole Sinclair remained impassive, but a place deep inside him felt seared by the touch. To hide his unusual reaction, he said nothing more and strode away.
After breakfast, Riley Perry elegantly settled into the Sinclair family's car—or rather, one of Cole Sinclair's many luxury cars.
She had picked it out herself: a special custom-edition Bentley. According to the driver, it cost a staggering thirty million. She wasn't the type to settle for less; if something better was available, she would naturally use it.
At 8:55 AM, Riley Perry arrived at Caelus Tower right on time. The moment the car came to a stop, she received a call from Joanna.
"Nana~ I've arrived! I'm in the elevator right now. Eighth floor, I remember. Don't worry, even if I didn't have any lines, I'd still take it seriously, let alone a role as the fifth female lead."
Her voice was incredibly soft. A man in a black T-shirt in the same elevator felt his bones practically melt. His eyes were glued to Riley Perry's face, and in the end, unable to resist, he raised his camera and snapped a picture of her.
Joanna: ... 'Honey, can you please not talk like that? Seriously, even a tough-as-nails girl like me can't handle it.'
"Alright, take your time. There's no rush over here. I've got my assistant holding your spot in line."
Assistant Rhona: ... 'Ermmm, then who was that person just now, pacing anxiously and taking their frustration out on me?'
It wasn't that Joanna was anxious about Riley Perry being late. She was just desperate to get her over here and ask what was going on with that so-called sponsor.
Riley Perry had started as an actress and was now in the prime of her career for a female artist. She was already barely holding on after a string of recent scandals. If news of a sponsor were to break now, the company would have to make some tough choices, no matter how much they valued her.