The Schemer

Outside Terminal T2 of Rivertown International Airport, a group of young men and women holding gifts and posters surrounded a hot-figured young woman wearing sunglasses as she walked out. They cheered enthusiastically for "Claire Hart," her name, and she herself spoke warmly with them, taking photos.

 Although her assistant and agent were not entirely satisfied with this snail-like pace, neither of them said anything.

 As they approached the exit, the fans gradually quieted down. Claire Hart, able to catch her breath, lowered the brim of her hat and looked through her sunglasses at several men who had exited the airport ahead of her.

 The men, all uniformly dressed in black suit jackets, followed closely behind a tall, straight, and slender man wearing a dark blue bespoke suit jacket, talking to him with their heads bowed. His back view showed broad shoulders and a narrow waist; the well-tailored suit jacket accentuated his slim and attractive figure. As he turned his head slightly, the beautiful lines of his profile hinted at what a handsome and refined sight his full face must be.

 Perhaps sensing Claire Hart's gaze, he looked over thoughtfully. Behind the frameless glasses perched on his nose were a pair of long, beautiful phoenix eyes.

 A faint emotion resided in his eyes, clearly defined in black and white. He glanced at her only once before retracting his gaze, and after his subordinates opened the door, he left without looking back.

 Claire Hart's heart skipped a beat, and her mood dipped slightly. Based on the current situation, there were only two possibilities: either she had overestimated her own charm, or she had underestimated the depth of this man. But regardless of which possibility was true, it meant everything she had done on the plane was for naught.

 Time returned to two hours earlier, aboard the first-class cabin of the flight from New York back to Rivertown. Claire Hart sat in her seat, her eyes hidden by sunglasses, allowing her to observe the man seated next to her perfectly.

 He was drinking tea and reading the newspaper—an all-English Wall Street Journal. The lightly colored tea and his thin lips, moistened by the drink, held a lustrous sheen, and his focused, serious gaze was captivating.

 For a man of such distinguished bearing, hailing from a noble family, to actually agree to be engaged to that girl Mindy Hale—she truly couldn't fathom what he saw in her... Did he like her arrogance and high-handedness, treating others like dirt? Or did he like her profligate spending and utter lack of substance?

 Never mind, she seemed too agitated. The man was merely luckier than her, having a doting father who spoiled her since childhood, unlike her...

 Claire let out a soft laugh, preparing to get up to go to the restroom, but the fountain pen the man beside her had just pulled from his suit jacket pocket suddenly dropped onto the floor, rolling slowly to her feet.

 Red stiletto heels, beautiful fair feet, long and perfect legs, and an expensive black fountain pen—what a tempting combination...

 Without thinking, Claire bent down to pick up the pen, almost at the exact same moment as the man. Their hands brushed subtly; he glanced sideways at her, and because she was bent over, the already low-cut dress offered no coverage whatsoever, allowing him a clear, direct view of the beautiful scenery inside her dress.

 Time seemed to freeze in that moment. The man moved first: his fair, jade-like fingers with distinct knuckles gently separated her hand from his, took the fountain pen she had retrieved, and then straightened up, giving her a slight nod, perfectly mannered.

 Claire straightened up and leaned back against the chair, calmly sizing him up—this time, she was doing so openly.

 She knew this man, and he should know her too, not because she considered herself famous, but because an internet brand his company invested in was one she endorsed; as a shareholder, he surely recognized her. As for how she knew him, that was due to careful cultivation: ever since she signed with her new agency, Hale Entertainment, the daughter of her boss, Xander Hale, would talk about her fiancé almost daily at the company. Reportedly, this man was introduced by her family, and it was a good thing she had such a capable stepfather, otherwise how could she ever meet a man like this?

 Julian Voss.

 Silently repeating these three words in her heart, Claire Hart's gaze toward the man deepened. Indeed, seeing was believing; the aura of a young venture capital titan holding great power was impressive—every gesture carried intense masculine charm. That level of pheromones likely overwhelmed everyone in the first-class cabin.

 Recalling her objective and her past, Claire Hart slowly raised a hand, removed her sunglasses, and left her seat to go to the lavatory. She was beautiful, always the center of attention wherever she went, and the plane was no exception. After her short walk, though the area was not large, everyone on the plane now knew that the rising superstar Claire Hart was aboard.

 When she returned to her seat, Julian Voss was no longer reading the newspaper; he was leaning back against the headrest, his arm resting on the armrest, his fingers tapping rhythmically, as if contemplating something important.

 Sensing someone sitting down beside him, he turned his face toward her. A faint, ascetic smile played on his fair and handsome face, carrying a strong undertone of perversity.

 Claire Hart sat down calmly, greeting him with poise and grace: "Mr. Voss, it is an honor to finally meet you."

 Julian Voss raised his elegant fingers and lightly adjusted his glasses, scanning her from top to bottom, finally speaking the first word of their entire interaction.

 "Likewise," he said with a smile, the curve slight, far from warm, perhaps even a little aloof, yet this only made him appear more captivating and unpredictable.

 Claire Hart’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, causing her to pause briefly, almost in disbelief that her heart could still race for a man. However, she quickly regained her composure, returning to the poised and reserved self she usually was.

 Julian Voss did not miss the subtle shift in her expression. With his emotions deeply guarded, few people could ever discern his true thoughts, and it was the same now. He withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes to rest, as the plane was about to land.

 How could Claire Hart just let it go, after she had gone to such great lengths to orchestrate this chance encounter?

 She smiled before speaking, and the entire cabin seemed to brighten because of her laughter.

 "Mr. Voss, I apologize for disturbing your rest, but I have a rather bold request; I wonder if I should even voice it." Her voice was lovely, soft and sweet, enough to make any man’s heart flutter.

 Julian Voss opened his eyes and looked at her with an assessing gaze. Though he offered no reply, his silence carried a meaning—tacit permission.

 "Could I possibly trouble you for a business card?"

 She seemed a little shy, lowering her eyes after speaking and clasping her hands together nervously. The demure and timid sight made even him involuntarily remark that she was truly a peerless beauty, living up to her reputation.

 Julian Voss's lips remained curved upward, a faint smile holding an inscrutable shadow; he raised a hand, took out his card holder from the inner pocket of his suit jacket, gracefully flipped it open, and with two fingers holding one business card, he casually handed it to her.

 Claire Hart felt a surge of excitement inside, but showed none on her face; she took both hands to receive it, but just as she was about to take it, he moved the card slightly further away still holding it between his fingers.

 Claire Hart looked up in confusion, her alluring peach blossom eyes holding a pure, curious glimmer; Julian Voss paused for a few seconds, then suddenly took out the fountain pen that had made them look directly at each other for the first time, and wrote a string of numbers on the back of the business card.

 "Call this one."

 The business card, handed over again, still carried his faint, elegant scent; his cologne was very pleasant, possessing an enchanting power.

 Claire Hart seemed a bit nervous, blinking several times; after taking the card, she carefully placed it in her handbag.

 Julian Voss's smile deepened, as if he had seen through all her pretense; his actions just now seemed only to be a way to see what mischief she was up to.

 "I always heard people say your acting wasn't good; looking at you now, it's not bad after all," he said with a half-smile, then turned away, showing no further intention of conversation; Claire Hart was somewhat puzzled, but she lost the chance to ask for an explanation.

 What the heck? Could it be he saw through her ulterior motives? Or was she just imagining things because she had something to hide?

 For the rest of the flight until landing, the two of them never spoke again. When disembarking, they also walked one after the other, without any interaction. This finally led to the scene at the beginning: Julian Voss walked away without looking back, as if she were just a stranger.

 Claire Hart gritted her teeth silently, drawing a red line through the scene of "exchanging smiles at the airport entrance" in her mind, and then lowered her head to step into the car sent to pick her up.

 The next day, the news that she had received Julian Voss's business card on the plane immediately hit the headlines, thanks in no small part to her having walked around the cabin without any attempt to conceal it. As soon as this news broke, Mindy Hale drove straight to the foot of her apartment building early that morning, just as the reporters who came to interview her at Claire Hart's place arrived. As Julian Voss's official fiancée, she immediately expressed her outrage, stunning even the reporters.

 This girl really doesn't mind making a scene. If this shrewish, street-brawling display were broadcast, public opinion would likely side entirely with Claire Hart. On one hand, there was the beauty effect; on the other, it was merely a photo of a business card being exchanged, and even the news only called it an "accidental encounter"—a normal social interaction. If they were truly familiar, would there be a need to exchange cards? Yet, she adopted the posture of an outraged wife demanding accountability and even revealed damaging rumors about the other woman. Regardless of whether what she said was true, this over-the-top effort made even a justifiable complaint look baseless. Everything is ruined when one overdoes it.

 Claire Hart looked down from an upstairs window, then scratched her hair and returned to bed to continue sleeping.

 Meanwhile, in the top-floor office of the high-rise building, Julian Voss read the newspaper. The photo must have been taken by another passenger in first class; the angle was from a corner behind him. He gave an instruction to his assistant, Hugh Voss, standing beside him, and then put the paper aside to look at another document.

 The cover page of the document was a large promotional photo of Claire Hart. A beautiful woman is rarely disliked, no matter how one looks at her. It was just that this rising star’s career path was rather complicated, with quite a few damaging rumors surrounding her. Besides her poor acting skills as someone not professionally trained, there were accusations of using casting couch tactics to secure roles. The last page of the document contained rumors linking Claire Hart with the famous actor Eliot Thorne. They had filmed her first project together while she was still in university.

 Julian Voss raised an eyebrow slightly, set the document aside, and said to the subordinate standing beside him, "Go make a call to invite Miss Hale to dinner. She should be finished exposing things to the reporters by now."

 Upon hearing this, Hugh Voss immediately went to make the call, failing to hear the three words his Boss used afterward to describe Mindy Hale: "Pig-headed idiot."

 When Claire Hart woke up after sleeping, both Mindy Hale and the reporters were gone. She received a text message from her agent saying the interview time had been postponed—this explained the absence of the reporters. But where was Mindy Hale? Had she left too? This was unlike her style; she should have at least come up to fight her. Could it be that Xander Hale had someone escort her back?

 This was not impossible; her new Boss, Xander Hale, the head of Hale Entertainment and Mindy Hale's stepfather, cherished this stepdaughter even more than his biological daughter, which was precisely what had spoiled her into this arrogant manner.

 Claire Hart bit her lower lip, clenching her hands into fists. It was fine; take it slow, if one time doesn't work, there's always next time. It was just one more stepfather, right?

 She couldn't win back a father, but she could steal her fiancé!

The day after the incident at the door blockade, Claire Hart was interviewed by the media at her own home. Her purpose in returning to Rivertown, besides that man, was to record the second season of a very popular large-scale celebrity romance reality show, *Pretend Lovers*.

 For the sake of buzz and watchability, the production team had not finalized who would truly participate before filming began; they only provided a list of male and female names from which participants would be selected. Claire Hart felt confident about this, but when reporters asked if she would really appear, she didn't speak too definitively. Swedish people value modesty, and appearing too assertive is generally not well-received.

 After finishing the interview, she had a free day. She slept until she woke up naturally, and by the time she got up, it was nearly noon. After applying light makeup, putting on sunglasses, a hat, and a mask, wearing a long blue dress, and taking her parasol, she headed out.

 Today she planned to go shopping and eat out. Although she was often recognized on the streets after becoming famous, she hadn't reached the point where she couldn't live normally.

 Rivertown was her hometown, and she was very familiar with it, but it had indeed been a long time since she had returned. After years of striving and working hard for her goal, by the time she could stand calmly in this city, it had already changed drastically.

 Rivertown is a historic city, famous for its alley. Although the city is highly developed now, many specialty shops are located within these alleys.

 For lunch today, she intended to eat some authentic local cuisine, so she parked her car a bit farther away and walked into one of the alleys, weaving her way through, searching for the shop from her memory.

 As she walked, her phone suddenly rang. Taking it out, she saw it was her agent, Grace Bennett. She glanced up, entered another alley, tucked one arm across her chest, and answered the call casually.

 "Sister Grace," she said softly. "Something wrong? I'm off today."

 Grace Bennett replied coolly, "So I can't call you when you're off?"

 "Of course you can. What are your instructions?" she asked very gently.

 "Didn't you ask me to inquire with the production team about which male guests they've confirmed?" Grace Bennett said, "I asked around, but they are extremely tight-lipped; I didn't get any valuable results. However, I think you can completely relax; with Eliot Thorne's status, he would absolutely never join this kind of reality show."

 "I think so too; it's best if he doesn't come."

 It made sense: how could a Film Emperor who had won countless international awards stoop so low as to participate in a TV program? In all his years since debuting, Eliot Thorne had never participated in any TV show, no matter how much film promotion required it. Even if his name was on the list this time, it was likely just to attract attention and exposure; otherwise, wouldn't it be incredibly expensive?

 "Now that I feel relieved," Claire Hart's tone carried a hint of a smile, "Thank you, Sister Grace, I'll treat you to a good meal another day."

 Grace Bennett said sternly, "If you could cause me a little less trouble, I'd be grateful beyond measure. Remember to be moderate at lunch; you'll be on camera tomorrow, don't swell up your face!"

 Claire Hart quickly agreed to everything.

 "By the way, what were you trying to do on the plane yesterday? Didn't Marty Doyle stop you? I was only back a day early, and you managed to cause trouble."

 Marty Doyle was Claire Hart's male assistant. Recalling the scene on the plane slightly soured her good mood. She subtly changed the subject, saying, "It was nothing. It's lunchtime; you eat first. I'm going to eat now too."

 Grace Bennett didn't buy it. "Let me tell you something, Claire Hart, don't think you're so great. You better not mess with Julian Voss; you can't afford to play with him, understand?"

 "I don't think I'm great, and I wasn't planning on playing," Claire Hart said patiently. Feeling a car approaching from behind, she thought about letting it pass, but the alley was too narrow. If she made way, she'd have to press herself against the wall, which felt too uncivilized.

Grace Bennett didn't know the situation there and said bluntly, "If you don't think you're great, why did you ask for his business card? Even if you caused another incident like the one with Eliot Thorne, I'd accept it, as long as you don't provoke that ancestor."

Last time, because of the scandal with Eliot Thorne, Claire Hart was viciously attacked by his male fans. Not only was she cursed for seeking publicity and having bad acting skills, but they even claimed she was selected through the director's casting couch.

It felt rather futile when she thought about it, but it wasn't entirely a bad thing either. At least she truly became famous because of Eliot Thorne—a blessing in disguise, so to speak.

 "I know, why bring up Eliot Thorne?" Claire Hart said, pulling at the corner of her mouth. "Besides, why can't I approach Julian Voss? He's unmarried and she's single; can't I approach him?"

 "Are you awake?" Grace Bennett asked strangely. "Julian Voss is engaged. Don't you know he's the fiancé of your new boss's daughter? Besides, I told you a long time ago, no dating without my permission."

 "So what should I do?" Claire Hart felt angry hearing Mindy Hale mentioned. She stopped right where she was and said to Grace Benn