The air in the penthouse was thick and heavy.
It smelled like expensive white lilies, the kind that looked beautiful but made it hard to breathe. Avery Rivers slowly opened her eyes, her head aching.
The first thing she noticed was the ceiling.
Gold patterns stretched above her, glowing softly under warm lights. A crystal chandelier hung in the center, shining like something from a palace.
"This isn't my room…" she whispered.
She tried to sit up, and pain exploded in her head.
Then memories rushed in.
So many memories.
Cameras flashing. Crowds screaming her name. Red carpets. Interviews. Smiles practiced until they felt natural.
Avery Rivers. Nation's Sweetheart.
But the memories didn't stop there.
They turned dark.
Secret photos. Leaked videos. Edited footage. False rumors spreading online like wildfire. Her agency's cold faces. Contracts being canceled one after another.
Her chest tightened.
She understood.
She wasn't just Avery Rivers.
She was this Avery Rivers—the famous actress who had fallen overnight.
The original Avery had been framed.
Her agency betrayed her. They needed someone to take the blame, and she was chosen. Everything was planned. Every scandal was fake.
A sharp buzzing sound snapped her back to reality.
Her phone vibrated violently on the marble nightstand.
She picked it up.
The screen lit up with endless headlines.
"Avery Rivers: Seven Secret Lovers Revealed in 24 Hours!"
"The Fall of an Angel: Hotel Footage Exposed!"
"15 Brands Cut Ties with Avery Rivers Overnight!"
Her fingers went cold.
Messages flooded in.
Hatred. Mockery. Disgust.
She locked the phone and dropped it on the bed.
Silence filled the room.
Then—
Ding.
A clear, mechanical sound echoed inside her mind.
[Binding: The Entertainment System…]
Avery froze.
A blue screen appeared in front of her eyes.
[Target Confirmed: Avery Rivers.][Current Status: Socially Dead / Professional Pariah.]
She laughed softly.
"So even a system thinks I'm finished."
New text appeared.
[Initial Quest: Survival of the Fittest.][Requirement: Do not break down during the impending confrontation.]
Before she could react, angry footsteps sounded outside the door.
"Avery! Open up!"
Her manager's voice.
The memory surfaced instantly.
This was the moment the original Avery cried. Begged. Lost control.
They recorded it.
And destroyed her completely.
Avery stood up.
Her legs were steady.
She walked to the mirror and looked at her reflection.
Beautiful. Fragile. Famous.
But her eyes were different now.
Cold. Calm. Awake.
"Socially dead?" she murmured.
A slow smile formed.
"Then it's time for a reincarnation."
The knocking grew louder.
She walked toward the door—unafraid.