Chapter 488
“Alright, alright. Once this party’s over, we’ll head our separate ways, back to our own beds, uh …. I mean, get some rest without bothering each other, okay?” Pearl said, pulling back a little to put some distance between herself and Richard.
Richard raised an eyebrow. “You’re really scared, aren’t you?”
“Scared? No way…” But deep down, she was. Richard just seemed so much stronger than her. If he decided to try something, she wouldn’t be able to resist…
“Hey, I’m feeling a little dizzy. I’m gonna head to the restroom.” Although Pearl was feeling a little dizzy from drinking, it was more about slipping away to the restroom to dodge the conversation.
Richard made a move to stand up. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No…” Pearl forced a smile. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Besides, you wouldn’t want people to start thinking you’re some kind of creep, right?”
Richard couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling remembering the frightened looks he had gotten from two young girls before. Did he really come off as a creep?
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own.” Pearl bid farewell to Richard and headed to the restroom alone.
The restroom’s entrance was dimly lit. Pearl scooped up some water at the sink and splashed it on her face. The cold water helped sober her up, and she finally felt more clear-headed.
While Pearl was still leaning over the sink, two people came out of the restroom, mentioning Esther’s name. She kept her head down and continued washing her face.
“Do you think Esther will get what’s coming to her for offending so many people?” asked the girl in a white dress, smiling brightly yet with a bit of a harsh look.
“Who can blame her for using her good looks to snag opportunities? There are plenty who’d like to see her downfall,” said a girl in a black dress, her demeanor seductive yet tacky.
Pearl recognized these two. They were just some minor, lesser-known actresses from ‘The Melody of the West.’
“In my opinion, Esther’s looks are just average. She’s only getting by because of her connection to Pearl. Without Pearl, she’s nothing,” the girl in the white dress continued.
Pearl glanced up, catching a reflection of the girls in the mirror. Their plain, makeup-free faces looked average, a six or seven out of ten in terms of beauty, which was quite common in the entertainment industry.
Seeing such average-looking girls criticize Esther’s appearance made Pearl think they were out of touch with reality.
“Yeah, let’s just wait for the right moment. Dealing with Esther will be a piece of cake once Pearl isn’t around to back her up.”
“Oh, so you’re planning to take her down?”
“I wouldn’t dare. There are so many people after her that I wouldn’t even get my turn.”
Wapter 482
The two of them burst into laughter together.
But to Pearl, they meant something entirely different.
2/2
Pearl’s internal alarm bells rang upon hearing their conversation. Once they left, she hurried back to her seat. By then, most people had gone, leaving only a few men drinking and Richard.
Pearl’s heart tightened. “Richard, where’s Esther?”
“Esther had a bit too much to drink and passed out. Mobius and Hanzel have taken her back to the hotel. What’s wrong? Do you need anything from her?” Richard was surprised by Pearl’s concern for Esther, as she had never shown such worry before. This left him feeling uneasy.
“It’s nothing.”
Relieved to hear that both Mobius and Hanzel had sent Esther back to her hotel, Pearl’s anxiety finally eased.
Pearl and Richard returned to the hotel room. Just as she was about to rest, she was interrupted by a phone call.
On the other end of the phone, Mobius’s voice sounded urgent and desperate… “Pea! Hanz and Esther have been forcibly taken away!”
