Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 539: The Next Target When Heather heard Candy speak, her face lit up with admiration. She looked at Candy with wide, starry eyes. "You're so amazing! You figured something was wrong just from one sentence Gemma said. If something had happened to you, I wouldn't have known what to do. I'm so glad you're okay." Candy smiled. "It's probably just my professional instinct. As an actress, I've learned to pay attention to the smallest details. Over the years in the entertainment industry, I've seen all kinds of people. The moment I got off the plane and saw Gemma, I knew she was someone shallow and flashy. I can't stand people like that.

"If she hadn't added that one sentence, I might not have suspected anything. But with a heart as malicious as hers, she couldn't resist saying it was you who bought the gift. Someone like her, with her personality, would never pass up the chance to take credit herself. She'd be bragging about it toif she had been the one. And then there was the snow. She still had fresh, melting snowflakes on her coat. She thought she could fool me? Not a chance." "Candy, I admire you even more now!" Heather said earnestly. "But why did you tell her on the phone that you had an allergic reaction?" Candy chuckled mischievously. "Oh, that's just to give her a moment of joy. Right now, she's probably thrilled to hear I'm having a reaction. But when I show up at the event perfectly fine, imagine how furious she'll be! Just thinking about her reaction makeshappy." Suddenly, Candy stood up and spun around in a circle, laughing like an innocent child. Her carefree demeanor surprised Heather. She never thought a top-tier celebrity could have such a playful side. It made Heather feel her admiration was justified. Candy wasn't like other stars-there was no pretense or falseness about her.

"I asked you to cso early because I want to visit my old school," Candy explained, putting on a coat. She hadn't even put on makeup yet. "I used to love the buns they sold near the school. My schedule is packed, and I have to leave this afternoon, so I had to make tthis morning." "But, Candy," Heather said hesitantly, "I'm worried something might happen that could delay the event." Heather was a devoted fan of Candy, but she never forgot her responsibilities. If anything happened to Candy, she knew she couldn't bear the consequences. The allergic reaction had already been a false alarm, but the safest course of action would be to head straight to the event venue.

"Don't worry about it," Candy said with a dismissive wave. "We're grown adults-what could possibly happen? Let's go before we run out of time." Without waiting for Heather's response, Candy grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door.

Heather had no choice but to comply. She instructed the driver to take them to the school. Thankfully, the school hadn't been demolished. It had been expanded and renovated instead. When they arrived at the gate, Candy stood by the iron fence and peered inside. "Wow, this place has changed so much." "It sure has," Heather agreed. "The school was renovated five years ago. They widened the playground to give students more space for activities and added a few new buildings." Heather had also attended elementary school there. It felt surreal to think about how life had taken them on such different paths. Heather was just an ordinary office worker, while Candy had beca household name.

"I lived here with my grandpa for a while when I was little," Candy said, reminiscing. "I didn't even finish elementary school here before they sentback to New York. I've always wanted to cback and visit, but I never found the time. Con, lettreat you to sbuns." Candy's wish was fulfilled. Not far from the school was a long-standing bun shop that had been in business for decades. Its longevity was proof of its quality. The two of them bought buns and sat on the roadside, reminiscing about their school days. As former classmates, they had plenty of shared memories, from the bald principal to the effeminate dean.

If Heather hadn't seen Candy walk out of the airport the day before, exuding that commanding aura of a star, she might have doubted that this was the scelebrity. Candy was far too down-to-earth for someone so famous.

"Alright, I've had my fun," Candy said finally, checking the time. "Let's head to the event now. It starts at nine, and I still need to do my makeup and get dressed." "Got it. Let's go," Heather replied.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Gemma was just waking up. She looked in the mirror and saw the red handprints on her cheeks-Heather's work from the previous day. "Damn Heather," Gemma muttered bitterly. "Who knew she had such strength? Whatever. You're about to get fired, so I won't waste my energy on you." Talking to herself in the mirror, Gemma began to plot. She imagined Heather frantically rushing Candy to the hospital, unable to make it to the press conference in time. With the event about to start, Aurora wouldn't have a replacement of Candy's caliber. Fans, furious at not seeing their idol, would cause a scene. The press conference would be a disaster, and Aurora's reputation would be in shambles. The media would hound her with questions, forcing her to flee in humiliation. Online, people would tear her apart, calling her a fraud.

As for Heather, she'd becthe target of everyone's blame. She'd be accused of ruining the event lan had worked so hard to organize Maybe Chard to e lan would even sever ties with her entirely. Heather, already insignificant at the company, would have no choice but to resign. Gemma smiled at the thought of tossing her resignation letter in Aurora's face. Just imagining it filled her with glee. The more Gemma thought about it, the happier she became. She even started humming a tune. The red marks on her face could be covered with makeup anyway. She applied an impeccable layer of foundation, followed by a flawless makeup look, and prepared to enjoy the spectacle she had orchestrated.

Before heading out, Gemma made her way to the hotel restaurant to indulge in the luxurious breakfast. C course, she had another motive as • She well. She knew Aurora would investigate, and staying at this hotel meant she wouldn't be able to stay in the company much longer. But that didn't bother her. She needed a backup plan. If she could meet a rich and handsman here, her future would be secure. She wouldn't have to worry about anything. She'd have her pick of luxuries-bracelets, cars, whatever she wanted. She scanned the room, pretending to pick out food, but her real goal was to spot eligible bachelors.

Finally, her eyes landed on a man sitting by the window. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his features sharp and striking Even his profile leaked like it belonged in a meticulously edited magazine photo. He was stunning. But what really caught her attention was the cold, distant aura he exuded. It reminded her of Julian's commanding presence. Everything he wore was high-end designer, and his demeanor screamed wealth. This man was perfect. He immediately becGemma's next target. If she could win him over, her dreams would ctrue. Smiling to herself, she picked up her plate and walked toward him.

"Excuse me, sir," she said softly, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Is this seat taken?" mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1