"It's fine." Ethan didn't seem to care at all. Though he said it was fine, she didn't dare give the dog any extra crayfish.

"Well, what about your audition today?" The silent man suddenly asks.

Kylie puts the crayfish into her mouth and says: "Well, I did it. I mean, I hadn't expected that."

Ethan raised his bottle and congratulated her. Kylie glowed with sudden congratulations. She drank the whole bottle of beer. "Thanks!"

The smile on her face was accompanied by tears in her eyes, which made Ethan feel awkward and confused.

Kylie looked at the dog and asked: "What kind is it?"

"He's a lab—we call him Pupu," he responded, after a swig of beer.

Kylie thought it was a strange name for a dog. But Pupu liked Kylie—he stepped around her, sniffing and licking her feet. This tickled her, so she lifted her feet, laughing.

Ethan got up and went to the toilet. Meanwhile, Kylie squatted and stared into the dog's eyes. The dog stared back at her. Pupu's eyes shined with seeming emotion, which Kylie couldn't quite understand. Its tail swayed back and forth in contentment.

"Pupu?" Kylie tried to communicate with him and stroked his head. But Pupu avoided her hands; he was still a little wary. But eventually, he licked her hand, just as she was about to give up.

This small act inspired Kylie. She hadn't known a large dog before, but he was so kind and gentle. He was also very quiet and just lay down on the floor. They were already like old friends.

"Pupu, have we already met?" Pupu stared back and made a small noise.

Ethan's steps approached. Kylie sat upright and pretended that nothing had happened.

Ethan looked from Pupu to Kylie, his eyes shining. She continued to eat while he sipped at his beer.

When she finished eating, she looked up at Ethan and asked him whether it was time for him to return home.

"You have two options: come home with me, or let me stay here." His answer shocked Kylie.

"Well, Lord Ethan, about the things we discussed today...it was just a joke."

Ethan's face froze. "I was serious," he replied.

Kylie sat back in her seat, stripped of all power. She didn't want to admit it. "Why me?" she asked.

"Don't you want revenge against Aiden?" Ethan asked, beginning to remove his clothes. "Marry me! That means he'll have to call you' Aunt.' Isn't that what you want?"

Kylie held her chin, and asked: "But isn't he, your nephew...you'd want to do this to him?"

Ethan answered without looking her in the face. "My own happiness matters more than him."

Kylie looked him up and down and finally nodded as if she had just realized something. "So, you want me to cooperate with you, to anger him?" Seeing him nod, Kylie continued: "That's why you brought me to the party?"

Before Ethan could respond, Kylie spoke up again: "I got it!"

She finally understood what Fannie had told her. Miss Bass had said that Ethan never touched women.

So, when he had come back from the army, he'd heard about his nephew's troubles with Kylie. In fact, he'd just needed her to hide his secret, under the illusion of helping her! Kylie thought herself so clever for figuring this out!

"You like men!"

Ethan lifted her against the wall while she laughed. "Kylie, don't try to offend me!"

He was so close that Kylie felt dizzy. She was so scared that she pushed her hand against his chest. "No, please don't do this. I just heard that you don't like women."

It wasn't her fault; Fannie had told her this secret. Her face turned red, under Ethan's shadow. She felt awkward and licked her lips.

But Ethan simply got closer and closer. His breath was like a net, encircling her face. Her back was against the wall, and she had no way to escape and no place to hide.

Jesus, she thought, he's going to kill because I know his secret! I'm only twenty-one, and just starting out my life. I don't wanna die yet!

"Wait!" she roared. "You know I'm an actress—I can't marry at such a young age."

Ethan's frozen stare was terrifying. So, Kylie felt like she had to submit a little. "Well, I can promise that I'll cooperate with you in public. And if you need a company for any parties or activities, I can be with you. Deal?"

Ethan finally agreed, and unhappily let her go. Kylie took a deep breath. She wouldn't say yes to a fuck with that dog watching, anyway.

Her apartment was just a one-bedroom. The small space drove Kylie crazy.

"Well, maybe you can stay in my room, and I can sleep on the sofa," she suggested.

"I'll sleep in the living room," the man responded, without hesitation.

Kylie looked at the sofa. She didn't think he could fit on it—he was too tall to lie straight out on it, anyway.

After showering, she finally found two quilts, and placed them on the floor, to offer him a better place to sleep.

"Goodnight, and see ya tomorrow," she said.

"Well," Ethan responded. His eyes looked over her clean body; they were shining as though he were hiding a secret power.

Kylie had long hair. Her skin shone and seemed so clear and white once all the makeup was removed. It was hot, but she still wore a lot of clothes to cover herself up in the presence of this man.

Ethan lay down on the floor and got a quilt over the lower half of his body. He had a hard time keeping calm the moment he saw her showered body.

While Kylie was lying in bed, she received a message.

"Kylie, all the treasures you lost will be paid back in another way. From Star."

Kylie knew this person on the internet. It had been a damned year: she had lost her mother, and she had had insomnia. Then, Star appeared.

A man meant a lot in her life.

Every time she was unhappy, every time she fought with others, or argued with some bitches...

Whatever emotion she felt, she would message him, and he would delight her, even though she had never met him, and didn't know his real name.

On the internet, Star's presence was just like that of the real stars in the sky, which spent many nights with her. The message he sent her today comforted her immensely.

Kylie replied: "The news never arrives until the old goes away."

Star replied: "Why don't you go to bed?"

She looked at her watch; it was two a.m. No wonder, he asked.

Kylie's eyes went soft when facing Star. She changed the topic: "When can we meet in person?"