Chapter 14 – After the Sparks
Andre followed Mo Yue out of the Starling Media lobby without a single glance back. The interview was tense especially with the two star that have a clash, which they made the news about their conflict. The tension between them tense, for even the host was sitting on pins because of the cold air in the room. Only Andre remained unfazed.
The sunlight outside was glaring, but the heat wasn't enough to erase the sharp, cold edge that lingered between the two men he had just seen.
Mo Yue pulled his sunglasses from his jacket pocket, slipping them on with the ease of someone who knew every camera nearby was watching. "Well," he drawled, stepping off the curb toward the black car waiting for them, "that was a refreshing reminder of why I don't attend media interviews before coffee."
Andre opened the car door without comment, his face an unreadable mask. "You were ten minutes early," he said instead, his tone neutral, almost mechanical.
Mo Yue slid in, resting one arm lazily against the door. "Are you complaining, assistant?" His lips curved faintly. "I thought punctuality was supposed to be a virtue."
Andre shut the door behind him, walking around to the other side before replying, "It is. But you weren't early to impress me."
Mo Yue smirked. "No. I was early because I wanted to see the look on Su Jie's face when I walked in." He tilted his head, letting out a low laugh. "And didn't he look just precious with that sling?"
Andre slid into the seat beside him and buckled up. "You sound as if you put him in it yourself."
Mo Yue's grin widened, but his tone was airy. "Me? Oh, please. I'm innocent. Completely." He paused, then added in a voice so casual it felt deliberate, "But if I were guilty, I wouldn't regret it."
Andre finally turned his head, meeting his gaze with that same unblinking calm that made people feel weighed and measured. "You hate him." It wasn't a question.
Mo Yue rested his chin on his hand, leaning toward the window as the car pulled into traffic. "Hate? Such a strong word. I prefer… mutual distaste. He smiles for the cameras; I tell him what I really think. It's a balance."
"You think he's fake."
Mo Yue gave a soft, humorless chuckle. "He is fake. Behind that angelic smile is someone who'd sell his grandmother if it meant getting a better role." His voice sharpened, losing its lazy drawl. "And he doesn't forgive easily. If he could ruin me, he would. He's tried."
Andre didn't ask how. He didn't need to — Mo Yue's tone was laced with too much truth for it to be just showmanship. "So, the arm?"
Mo Yue's lips twitched, almost a smile. "An abuse from me, of course. Everyone believes that. Isn't that convenient?" He turned to Andre then, eyes glinting behind his sunglasses. "You're not very curious for someone who just saw a storm brewing."
Andre looked ahead, voice low. "Curiosity wastes time. I observe. That's enough."
Mo Yue let out a laugh, rich and warm but edged with something else. "Cold little thing, aren't you?" He leaned back, stretching his legs. "I think I might enjoy working with you."
Andre didn't answer. He simply looked out the window, letting the city blur by. Whatever history lay between Mo Yue and Su Jie was toxic, and it wasn't his job to fix it — only to navigate around it without getting burned.
Still, as Mo Yue hummed under his breath and tapped on his phone, Andre found himself thinking of the way Su Jie had smiled earlier — too polished, too perfect — and the way Mo Yue had smiled back, like a man daring a snake to bite.
If this was only their first public encounter together, Andre suspected the real show hadn't even started.