“Her every move, her entire aura-it’s as if Roselyn just stepped out of the novel.”
As Khloe executed the final step and stood tall with a self-assured smile, the room broke into thunderous applause. The other actresses sat frozen, rendered speechless. Even Ensley and Judith were too stunned to continue.
Khloe’s eyes locked onto Elwood, cold and sharp, gleaming like distant stars in a frigid winter sky. “Mr. Wilson, how did I do? Will I be moving on to the next round?”
Khloe was enveloped in a profound sense of calm. The spark for her novel had ignited in the lab, where she had uncovered a groundbreaking method to make the element usable in everyday household applications. After publishing her findings, the novel Peaks of Eternity was born.
She had painstakingly perfected the method over countless trials, each attempt sharpening her skill. Now, as the fantastical scene from her book seemed to come alive before her eyes, Elwood stood frozen, his usual sharp retorts gone as he watched in stunned silence.
The room erupted in applause. Tess, her eyes wide with amazement, gasped and turned to Henrik. “Oh my goodness! Khloe is incredible! No wonder you’ve been single for so long. You must have been waiting for her.”
Henrik shot Tess a rare approving glance, his usual icy demeanor softened. He didn’t bother with his usual reprimand.
“The one I choose is always exceptional,” he replied, his voice laced with pride. His cold eyes glinted with amusement, a sight so rare that Tess couldn’t help but sigh in disbelief.
Elwood’s face hardened as he struggled to mask his discomfort before finally speaking. “You’ve done an outstanding job recreating the scene. You pass the first round.”
Khloe smiled, nodding in acknowledgment, before stepping aside to await the next phase of the audition.
Not far off, Judith stood seething, her eyes filled with envy and malice as she watched Khloe with a venomous gaze. She quickly called her agent over, whispering in his ear, “This newcomer is performing far too well. Go and…” They exchanged a quiet whisper, and with a nod, the agent slipped out of the room.
Henrik, ever vigilant, surveyed the room with a practiced eye-a habit born from years of experience that had once saved his life. His attention sharpened as the agent left the room, his instincts immediately sensing something was off. After a moment’s reflection, he turned to Tess and whispered something to her.
The auditions for the other actresses wrapped up quickly, leaving only four, with Khloe among them-who had passed the first round.
The second round of auditions commenced, featuring a pivotal scene from the novel. In it, Roselyn, a rising actress, battled the industry’s corrupt forces, survived an assassination attempt, faced public humiliation from a fan, and eventually succumbed to an emotional breakdown. It was a high-stakes emotional scene, demanding intense skill and depth to pull off.
As the staff set up, the actresses took their turns, the first three completing their performances without incident.
Then, it was Khloe’s turn. Her stunning performance from the previous round had already set expectations high, and the room buzzed with anticipation.
Khloe assumed her position, ready to face the challenge. The stunt coordinator, following the novel’s plot, acted as though he was about to stab her, forcing her to react with fear, terror, and despair.
As Khloe felt the dagger’s motion, she realized something was horribly wrong.
The sound of the blade cutting through the air was unnervingly real.
This wasn’t a prop-it was real.
The gleaming edge of the dagger flashed toward her, its tip slicing through the hair beside her face before grazing her cheek with a sharp sting.
Panic surged as the dagger drew closer, but in an instant, Henrik was there. With a fluid motion, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to safety in a single, decisive move.
In a swift turn, he dodged the dagger’s deadly arc, then delivered a forceful kick that sent the stunt coordinator hurtling into the wall, where he collapsed in a heap, unconscious.
A collective gasp echoed through the room as the scene unfolded, but Henrik’s attention remained on Khloe, who was trembling in his arms.
His voice was a steady, calming presence as he reassured her, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
His deep, magnetic voice seemed to cast a calming spell, soothing the tension in her body.
As she leaned into him, her racing heart began to steady, each beat gradually finding its rhythm again.
As security rushed in and detained the stunt coordinator, the actresses, still rattled, made moves to leave the scene.
“Everyone, stay put!” Henrik’s voice cut through the chaos, ice-cold and commanding.
His gaze swept over the room, dark and implacable, a void pulling at everyone in its orbit.
“Whoever is responsible for this, step forward now, and I will spare your life. Otherwise, you will regret it.”
Henrik’s voice was unwavering and authoritative, leaving no room for opposition.
The room fell into stunned silence for a brief moment. Just as an actress was about to step inside, she paused at the door, uncertain of her next move.
It wasn’t long before someone let out a mocking laugh, and the crowd turned their disdainful eyes on Henrik and Khloe.
“Who does he think he is, some assistant trying to stop us? Acting like he’s important or something.”
“Who is this guy? Trying to impress that newbie. What a total nobody!”
Elwood’s face twisted with annoyance as he scowled at Khloe.
“Khloe Evans, get your team under control. We’ll help investigate the stunt coordinator who tried to harm you, but keeping us all here is asking too much.”
Elwood moved toward Henrik, trying to wave him off.
“Step aside!”
But Henrik remained unyielding, standing as solid as a mountain.
With slow, deliberate motion, he removed his mask, revealing a stern yet strikingly handsome face to the onlookers.
Elwood’s eyes went wide in disbelief, his legs nearly giving way as he recognized Henrik.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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