As the first rays of sunlight pierce through the morning mist, a golden hue spreads across everything it touches.
In a modest apartment, Sebastian Vanderbilt slowly opens his eyes. He notices an arm so close he can see every pore, and suddenly, his sleepy eyes snap open.
His pupils dilate rapidly as fragments of his blank memory are filled with tantalizing images.
Sebastian cautiously lifts his head.
Leaning against the headboard, Victoria gazes at him with a complex expression in her beautiful eyes. "You're awake?" she asks, her voice laced with uncertainty.
Sitting up, Sebastian forces a smile and responds with a rhetorical question, "Did you sleep well?" He isn't sure how to handle Victoria.
For once, his usually sharp emotional intelligence seems to fail him. Everything has happened too suddenly, and he is utterly unprepared—both physically and mentally.
"Can you not say anything right now, please? I need a moment to calm down," Victoria says, her tone revealing she has been awake for a while, wrestling with her thoughts.
"Okay," Sebastian replies decisively. He gets out of bed, dresses in his pants and tank top, and pauses at the door. "Victoria, if you don't mind, as a man, I'll take responsibility for what happened."
Victoria looks up, but Sebastian has already closed the door behind him.
"Responsibility?" Victoria mutters bitterly as the door shuts.
Despite her outward strength, she is still a young woman who finds it hard to be truly resilient in such situations.
Victoria stares blankly out the window, where the sun shines brightly.
After a while, she ruffles her hair in frustration, then slowly, her gaze becomes resolute as if she has made a decision.
In the kitchen, Sebastian exhales deeply. Experiencing such intimacy for the first time, he feels a mix of confusion and awkwardness.
"This is really a mess," he mutters with a bitter smile. Everything had happened in a blur, leaving him with no clear feelings.
But as he had said, he intends to take responsibility. Thanks to the subtle influence of his parents, George and Caroline Vanderbilt, Sebastian values family deeply.
Otherwise, even in his previous life as a successful entrepreneur, he wouldn't have maintained such self-control.
He takes a deep breath, pushing all thoughts aside by beginning to prepare breakfast. It's a simple meal: bread, fried eggs, and milk.
Just as he is about to take off his apron, the bedroom door opens, and Victoria emerges, fully dressed.
"Vic—" Sebastian seems to have something to say but Victoria cuts him off.
"Let's just pretend none of this ever happened," she says quickly.
Sebastian's eyes flicker with emotion. "Why does it have to be this way?" he asks softly.
"My career as an artist is just beginning, and Oceanic Corporation would never allow me to marry into a wealthy family," Victoria replies, her voice clear and rational despite her earlier turmoil.
"I can support you, for as long as you need," Sebastian says earnestly. "You don't have to worry about anything else. No one can dictate my marriage, not even my grandfather."
"But I care," Victoria says, equally earnest. "If I can't succeed on this path, all those years of training will be a joke."
"No one said you can't succeed just because you are in a relationship," Sebastian tries to reason.
"Can you accept always hiding your identity as my partner?" Victoria counters quickly. "Besides, what happened was just a drunken mistake, far from love."
With that, she turns to leave. Sebastian is deeply moved, realizing she has thought it all through. While he respects her decision, he can't help but feel reluctant to let go.
As she walks past, Sebastian grabs her wrist. "I'll work hard to fall in love with you," he says.
"There's no need to rush any decision just yet," Victoria says, shaking off his hand gently. "I believe we both need some time to digest and think."
Without further explain, she pushes open the door and walks out.
"What is this?" Seb murmurs, sitting at the table, torn between laughter and frustration.
In novels, isn't it always the man who is unfeeling, and the woman who hesitates? How did it end up that he's the one hesitating, while Victoria decisively cuts through the confusion?
"Really envy those novel protagonists. Are those men heartless?" Sebastian muses, a mix of envy and regret in his thoughts. If he could easily let go of feelings, he wouldn't have had so many regrets in his past life. His thoughts drift far away.
But can Victoria really let go so easily?
Throughout the day, she messes up nine scenes, gets distracted seven times, and is scolded multiple times by the director.
"If you can't act, we'll replace you easily," the usually easygoing director snaps.
In the evening, Victoria sits in the backseat of her manager's car, lost in thought, having declined Cathy Millstone's offer to talk.
The cool evening breeze ruffles her hair, and her beautiful eyes reflect the swiftly passing scenery outside.
"Victoria, is there a problem on set?" her manager asks, noticing her unusual behavior.
"No, just reflecting on some acting experiences," Victoria replies, slightly embarrassed.
"Don't push yourself too hard; your health is most important," her manager advises sincerely.
"Thank you for the reminder," Victoria says, appreciative.
"It's what I'm here for," the manager says, then adds, "By the way, you've been visiting K&G Studio a lot lately. How's your relationship with Sebastian Vanderbilt?"
"Pretty good, I suppose?" Victoria hesitates.
The manager smiles, pleased. "That's great. K&G Studio might be known for its lingerie line, but their clothes and accessories are becoming really popular. If you could land an endorsement, it would be fantastic."
"Is K&G Studio really that influential?" Victoria asks, genuinely curious, truly considering the matter for the first time.
"Rather than saying K&G Studio is influential, it's more accurate to say Sebastian Vanderbilt is impressive. He broke into the American fashion business in just six months, a feat that takes other brands ten years. Of course, that's also due to the high quality of their products," the manager explains while driving. "And I heard CBS recently approved a proposal for a shopping channel, with K&G Studio as the first sponsor."
"If K&G Studio gets TV exposure, they'll only get bigger. If they go international, wow!" the manager adds, not noticing how Victoria's eyes shine brighter with each word.