My Unfazed Mind Saves Me Chapter 02

My Unfazed Mind Saves Me Chapter 02

I let out a sigh. “You went through all that trouble to get me in there, and I still didn’t make the cut.”

Stella’s mouth twitched. She had no idea what I was talking about.

She’d paid a fortune just to learn Victor was handling a traitor in that room. The lord of Bayridge didn’t leave loose ends.

Anyone who stumbled into something like that either disappeared for good or got shipped so far away they’d never set foot in the country again.

She’d been so sure this would finally get rid of me — the thorn in her side she couldn’t get rid of. She never expected me to walk back out without a scratch.

She was seething.

Then a ripple went through the crowd across the hall.

A man in all black walked into the ballroom, and every head turned. People stepped aside like the floor itself was clearing a path for him.

My whole face lit up.

“It’s him! Stella, you have to help me again!”

“You got me in once — you can do it again!”

“What?” She frowned.

I didn’t wait for an answer. I grabbed her hand and dragged her straight to Victor. He saw me coming and stopped mid-conversation.

I fidgeted with my fingers. “Um, Director? I know I blew it earlier, but could you give me one more shot? For Stella’s sake.”

“She shoved me through that door out of nowhere, so I panicked and wasn’t ready. I swear I’ll do better next time.”

I gave him my most innocent smile. Victor’s mouth curved, but none of it reached his eyes.

“She’s the one who pushed you into that room?”

“Yes! Stella set the whole thing up for me!”

Every drop of color drained from Stella’s face. She stood frozen, her knees looking ready to buckle.

But she tried to save herself. “Don’t make things up! I don’t know anything about this! I’ve been in the ballroom all night — I have no clue where she ran off to!”

I grinned. “Oh, come on. You literally told me you wanted to show me something cool. I just didn’t realize you were setting up a surprise audition!”

I’d been obsessed with acting since I was a kid. Stella made a big show of hating me, but deep down, she was sweet.

She was all bark and no bite. I knew that about her.

Stella’s voice pitched higher. “I can get someone to back me up!”

She grabbed a friend from the crowd and yanked her over. “Tell them. You and I have been together all night, right?”

The friend had been paid off ahead of time. She was about to nod.

Then she looked up, realized who was standing in front of her, and nearly collapsed on the spot. She stammered something about feeling dizzy and bolted.

Stella dug her nails into her palms.

Next to me — completely relaxed, not a care in the world — Stella looked like she might be sick. Victor wasn’t stupid. He’d already put the pieces together.

This woman had found out about his business somehow. But the ballroom was packed. He couldn’t deal with her here.

He turned back to me with a smile that almost looked real. “I’ll give you another shot. I’ll be in touch.”

I nodded so hard my neck hurt.

The second Victor was out of earshot, Stella exhaled like she’d been holding her breath for an hour. She turned on me. “Chloe, you almost got me killed!”

I blinked. “What?”

Then it clicked. “Wait. You didn’t pull strings to get me in, did you? You don’t even know him? Oh god, no wonder he was looking at you like that. That’s totally my fault.”

Stella swore under her breath and stormed off. I stood there, still trying to work out what I’d done wrong.

I’d just have to explain everything next time I saw him.

Later that week, an invitation from the Sterling family showed up at the Bennett villa in Bayridge.