The next morning.
"Hey, Avery, it's time to get up." Avery stirred from her sleep. Su Tang, who had just arrived, looked concerned.
Avery didn't have any plans scheduled for today, but Su Tang was worried after the conversation they had last night. On top of that, Mikael's unexpected call made Su Tang question whether Avery was telling the truth or not.
It made her question things.
"Avery, wake up. We need to talk about last ni—"
Su Tang's words were interrupted when Avery, who was stirring uncomfortably in bed, suddenly sprang up and rushed to the bathroom.
The intense sensation of her gut churning continuously tormented her. Avery heaved a couple of times, trying to ease the oncoming nausea, but despite her efforts to control her breathing, the urge to empty her stomach persisted.
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes as she settled onto the cold, tiled bathroom floor. After a while, Avery emerged from the bathroom, her expression perplexed as she found her agent standing there.
"What brings you here?" Avery wiped her mouth and stood before her agent.
Su Tang, who had found a spot to perch on Avery's bed, stood up and quipped, "Just making sure you're still in the land of the living."
Avery's lips curved into a smile as she replied, "Well, as you can see, I'm doing just fine—alive and well. Why are you asking?"
At her question, Su Tang fell silent, unsure where to begin. Should she inquire about Avery's relationship with Mikael Jiang? When did it start? Why had Avery kept it a secret? Or...
"Why are you not doing anything?"
Avery tilted her head slightly, her eyes looking laid-back and leisurely as she replied, "I just woke up. I'll start exercising after breakfast."
Su Tang: "…"
She looked at Avery helplessly. "You know that's not what I meant."
"Oh, you're talking about Mikael?" Avery stretched out her body like a lazy cat. "What else can I do other than break up with him?"
The beautiful moments she had once treasured with him now tormented her, transforming into nightmares that haunted her dreams. She had thought those cherished memories would serve as a reason to forgive Mikael, something to cling to and find solace in. She had wanted to believe in him, if only for the sake of the time they had spent together.
But Avery knew her heart had grown too weary. It had become so tired that it no longer bled and beat for him.
Shockingly enough, Avery no longer felt the pain once she woke from the dreams that had been tormenting her.
But Su Tang didn't believe her. How could Avery give up so easily? Mikael Jiang was no ordinary man. The number of women vying for his attention, eager to share a bed with him, was beyond count.
"You know… you don't have to do anything. Just let him be," Su Tang started to suggesting some ideas to her. "Use him to rise up the ranks in the entertainment industry."
"Su Tang."
Avery suddenly called her agent's full name. Su Tang felt a strange shift and looked up to find Avery staring at her expressionlessly.
"If I wanted to use a man to climb up the ranks… It doesn't have to be Mikael, any man will do, right?"
Su Tang slowly nodded. Avery was right. As the one appointed as the 'visual' of the group SERA, Avery could easily attract sponsors and investors who would provide her with limitless resources.
But Avery firmly declined to use her face and body to secure a foothold in the entertainment industry, regardless of what a man might offer her.
"Sorry," Su Tang apologized, realizing her mistake, before gathering her belongings. "I spoke without thinking. I just came by to check up on you. Yena is still waiting for me inside the nanny van; I'll head out now."
Avery's face brightened at the mention of her fellow group member. She wanted to accompany Su Tang downstairs, but a sudden wave of nausea washed over her once again.
"You go on ahead. I don't feel too well. Tell Yena to swing by my apartment when she has some time."
I'll pass on the message. Make sure to visit the hospital later," Su Tang advised, looking worriedly at Avery, who then disappeared into the bathroom.
Avery's trip to the bathroom left her feeling incredibly weak. After emptying her stomach of what little she had eaten last night, this morning's attempts at vomiting proved futile. She could only dry heave and burst into tears.
But strangely, she didn't feel sad or anything like that. Her tears just ended up coming out of her eyes.
Had Su Tang been right all along? Had she lost her grip on reality?
Avery contemplated visiting the hospital later in the week. She still had one more filming session with a different production team. This time, she only had one scene to perform in front of the camera.
Rather than heeding Su Tang's advice to go to the hospital, Avery chose to read through the lines assigned for her role.
The following night, Su Tang picked up Avery.
Avery's agency was JJ Entertainment, not particularly prominent among the myriad talent agencies and film and television companies. It was merely a subsidiary of the J Jewelry Corporation. Given its association with the Jiang family, many capital companies in the film and television industry sought connections with them. Typically, artists from JJ Entertainment were assigned minor roles, low-budget commercials, and modest promotional events and parties.
Tonight's party was one of them.
"Listen, you just need to smile. You don't have to greet anyone if you don't want to." Knowing what Avery had gone through last night, Su Tang didn't want to pressure her with socializing with the people in the party. "Just stay here for an hour, and after that, you can leave."
Avery was grateful for Su Tang's understanding.
Right now, what Avery wanted the most was to be alone. The moment they stepped into the banquet hall, the mingling scents of perfumes and food assaulted her senses, triggering a renewed urge to vomit.
At this moment, all Avery yearned for was solitude. Stepping into the banquet hall, the mingling scents of perfumes and food assaulted her senses, triggering a renewed urge to vomit.
"Still not feeling well?" Su Tang handed her a glass of water. "I told you to visit the hospital earlier this morning. You didn't listen to me."
"Sister Tang… can I leave early? I don't think I can stay here for an hour," the assault of various scents was making her feel worse. Avery hadn't eaten anything today, and her appetite vanished at the sight of the food displayed on the long table for guests to indulge in.
Seeing her pale face, Su Tang paused before turning her head to look around to find the executive secretary of JJ Entertainment. When she found the latter chatting up with some of the higher ups of another big-name entertainment company, she turned to Avery.
"Alright, go quickly. I'll tell the driver to send you back."
Avery shook her head and refused, "No need to bother him. I'll just take a taxi."
Su Tang wanted to insist, but Avery remained firm in her decision to take a taxi. In the end, Avery departed from the evening party earlier than everyone else.
As Avery descended from the sixth floor to the first floor in the elevator, an unusual yet familiar wave of nausea swept over her. Her hand shot to her mouth as she quickly maneuvered past the people on the first floor, nearly colliding with those who didn't make way for her.
What was happening to her? Had she developed an incurable disease?
It seemed highly unlikely.
Avery remembered her visit to the hospital almost two months ago. Her health checkup had shown no anomalies, and the doctor even told her that she was extremely healthy.
Her forehead was sweaty, and with trembling hands, she hailed a taxi in front of the hotel.
But no taxi was in sight. No matter how long she stood on her toes to look farther ahead, there were still nothing to be seen.
Suddenly, a car with dark-tinted windows pulled up in front of the hotel, just a few feet away from where she stood.
As the uncomfortable feeling Avery was experiencing intensified to an unbearable level, someone stepped out of the car.
In a split second, Avery moved past the person who had gotten out of the car and entered.
"I... I'm really sorry, but can you please help me and take me to the hospital?" Avery blurted out, her words almost tripping over each other.
The entire space of the car was enveloped in silence.
But a second later, a cold, deep broke the silence with a commanding tone.
"Go."