Four men sat inside a lavish VIP room, their eyes fixed on the large surveillance screen mounted on the wall.
Every slap, every scream, every second of chaos from the hotel room unfolded live before them.
Among them was the man Elena had once brought to her house.
Unlike the others, he watched with absolute calm. A faint, unreadable smile rested on his lips as his sharp gaze followed Elena's every move.
Interesting.
The thought surfaced when he saw her strike without hesitation, her expression cold and merciless.
A man lounging on a chair nearby leaned forward, clearly entertained.
"Second Brother," he said with a grin,
"this woman is exactly my type. Fierce, hot, and feisty."
He turned toward the calm man and added proudly,
"Admit it—my taste is flawless."
Aaron Sebastian spoke confidently to his second brother, Roben Sebastian.
Roben did not respond. The curve of his lips deepened slightly, carrying a dangerous calm that made the air heavier.
Aaron snapped his fingers and looked toward the man standing beside Roben.
"I want everything about her. Past, present, connections—leave nothing out."
"Yes, Young Master," the assistant replied without hesitation.
His name was Victor Gray.
A low chuckle broke the silence.
Roben's best friend, Ethan Cole, crossed his arms, clearly amused.
"Aaron is not wrong," Ethan said casually.
"That woman is impressive. Right, Roben?"
He said it deliberately—because he had noticed it.
That rare expression on Roben's face.
Very few people ever managed to catch Roben Sebastian's attention.
Ethan smirked.
"I think even I should meet her."
Roben finally moved. He slowly shook his head.
Then he turned to Victor and said calmly,
"Aaron seems free these days. Assign him some work."
Aaron's confident smile cracked instantly.
"Second Brother, are you serious? I am buried in work at Starlight Company!"
Before Roben could add another word, Aaron jumped up.
"I just remembered an urgent meeting!"
He disappeared from the room in seconds.
Victor watched silently.
Young Master Aaron clearly understands Sir Roben's interest in this woman… yet he still dares to provoke him.
Ethan laughed softly and shook his head.
"You are not even letting Aaron try. That is cruel," he said, thoroughly enjoying the show.
Roben stood up without answering.
Ethan followed him.
"Where are you going? We are not done yet."
Roben stopped and glanced at him.
A dangerous smile appeared.
"Amusing?" Roben asked calmly.
"Fine. I will entertain you."
Ethan's smile vanished.
"I will call your parents," Roben continued,
"and inform them that you have excessive free time. A blind date should keep you busy."
Ethan stiffened.
"No. Absolutely not. I am extremely busy."
He waved quickly.
"Goodbye."
And escaped straight into his car.
As he drove away, panic flooded his thoughts.
The last time Roben said this, my parents arranged blind dates for an entire month. Even my grandfather joined.
If I had stayed, they might have married me off.
The thought alone made his spine go cold.
Back at the hotel, Roben watched the car vanish into the distance.
A rare smile curved his lips.
He stepped into his car—but before getting in, he paused and looked back at the hotel.
Deep, unknown emotions flickered in his eyes. Something flickered in his eyes—brief, unfamiliar, and unnoticed even by him.
Elena left the hotel without looking back.
Within half an hour, her car stopped in front of Starlight Entertainment Company. The tall glass building stood silently under the afternoon light, calm and professional—just like her expression.
She walked inside without hesitation.
The receptionist straightened immediately when she saw her. The receptionist saw Elena and said nothing. What happened that morning was still fresh in her mind, and she had no intention of challenging her again.
As Elena walked past, people noticed her and quietly moved aside. They still remembered the morning at the reception and chose not to test her.
Elena stopped in front of the manager's cabin.
The nameplate read: Alex Morgan.
Alex Morgan was a rare presence in the industry—upright, disciplined, and unwavering in his principles. He treated his artists fairly and never crossed professional boundaries. When Alex looked up and saw Elena, he paused.
At first glance, she looked the same.
But something felt… different.
Calmer. More composed.
The hesitation that once lingered around her seemed to be gone.
He noticed it—but chose not to comment.
"Elena," he said evenly. "You're here? Did you need something?"
"Yes," she replied.
Alex gestured toward the chair across from his desk.
"Have a seat."
She sat down, her expression steady.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I want to change my agent."
For a brief moment, Alex was stunned.
He had seen this coming long ago.
The previous Elena had wanted the same thing. He knew her agent was mishandling her work, limiting opportunities, adjusting schedules poorly. Alex had even suggested a change back then.
But she had refused.
Not because she was satisfied—
but because she was afraid of Martha.
So he had respected her decision and said nothing more.
Now, hearing those words spoken clearly and without hesitation—
Alex felt relieved.
And quietly pleased.
He had always believed one thing:
when artists grow, the company grows with them.
"I'll arrange a new agent by tomorrow," he said without delay.
"Alright," Elena replied.
She stood up and turned toward the door.
At that moment, the door opened.
Aaron stepped inside.
He stopped when he saw Elena.
Surprise flickered across his face, but he remained silent.
Elena passed him without acknowledging his presence and left the cabin.
After the door closed, Aaron looked at Alex.
"Is she one of our artists?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Alex answered.
Aaron nodded, then asked casually,
"Why did she come?"
"She requested a change of agent," Alex replied. Aaron paused briefly, then said,
"Assign Emma Collins as her new agent."
Alex nodded.
"Understood, sir."
Emma Collins was a capable and professional agent, known for her clear judgment and steady approach. She valued her artists' growth and protected their interests without crossing boundaries.
"He leans back in his chair, fingers tapping the desk lazily.
'Alex,' he says calmly, but there's an unmistakable authority in his voice,
'I want all her details on my desk. Every single thing.'"
"Yes, sir," Alex replies instantly, straightening his posture. Without another word, he turns and dials the number.
"Send me Elena Carter's complete details," he says calmly. Alex turns to Aaron.
"Sir, done. By evening, all her details will be on your desk."
With the matter settled, the two turned their attention to company affairs and continued their discussion.
...
Elena stepped into the house.
In the living room, her mother was talking with Clara Bennett, her uncle's wife.
The moment Grandma noticed Elena, her face softened with relief.
"Ele is home."
Clara immediately walked up to her.
Years of working as a kindergarten teacher had made kindness second nature to her.
"Ele dear, are you feeling okay now?" she asked gently.
"No weakness or dizziness?"
"I'm fine, Aunt Clara," Elena replied with a small smile.
"Just a little tired."
Clara held her hand, concern still clear in her eyes.
"Even tiredness matters," she said softly.
"If you feel even slightly unwell, you tell us right away, alright?"
Elena nodded.
After talking for a while with Grandma, her mom, and Aunt Clara, Elena excused herself.
"I'm going to rest," she said softly.
"Please call me for dinner—I want to eat with everyone."
They nodded, smiling,
as Elena headed to her room, comforted by home. Elena lay on her bed, phone glowing.
The video played—Martha and that man.
A quiet smile.
"Martha," she murmured, "enjoy the gift."
One smooth breach.
One perfect upload—from her phone.
No fingerprints.
No questions.
Elena locked the screen.
Karma delivers itself.
Elena dozed off soon after, wrapped in the quiet comfort of home.
She woke up only when her mother knocked on the door and called her for dinner.
At the dining table, the moment Elena arrived, she paused.
Almost every dish placed there was something she loved.
Before she could even react, her cousin Leo Carter had already noticed.
"Okay," he said, scanning the table dramatically,
"this isn't dinner. This is a tribute."
Everyone looked at him.
"Every single dish," Leo continued, pointing one by one,
"is Sister Elena's favorite." He reached for one dish—
only to be stopped mid-air.
"Leo," his mother said calmly,
"let Elena take first."
Leo froze, then straightened up dramatically.
"So now I can't even taste food in my own house?" he said, wounded.
"Everything is my sister's favorite, and when I want just a little, I get stopped?"
He walked up to his mother, lowering his voice suspiciously.
"Mom… I am your real son, right?"
"You didn't secretly adopt me, did you?"
Before anyone could react—
Aunt Clara twisted his ear.
"Oh really?" she said sweetly.
"Yes, we adopted you. I was just waiting for the right time to tell you."
"AH—WAIT—SORRY!" Leo yelped instantly.
"I was joking! Totally joking!"
He rubbed his ear and added quickly,
"Mom, you take jokes more seriously than an ICU doctor."
For a second there was silence—
then everyone burst out laughing.