Devilish secretary-Chapter 404 - 403 Unexpected

"Miss Lilith, this is unexpected! Is there a new project you and Ethan are doing together?" one asked eagerly, eyes darting between them.

Ethan just chuckled, his grin boyish and lazy, not giving anything away. He didn’t look nervous at all — if anything, he seemed to be enjoying the attention. "Don’t look so shocked. She needed someone reliable to walk with her tonight, so here I am," he said lightly, his voice full of mischief.

Lilith turned her face just enough to look at him, a small amused smile tugging at her lips, her expression looked warm, but her eyes stayed sharp, ice beneath the fire. "He wasn’t busy for once," she said, her tone so casual it made some people laugh.

Ethan tilted his head closer, the grin still playing on his lips. "Don’t make it sound like I’m always free, Lilith. I had to clear my whole night for you, you know."

It was harmless teasing to everyone listening but for those with sharper eyes, there was something different in the way Ethan hovered just slightly behind her, the way his eyes flicked to every corner as if checking for any threat.

Cameras kept flashing, reporters kept throwing harmless questions, and Ethan kept his answers light, funny, and safe.

And the whole time, Lilith’s smile never slipped. Not once.

***

When Lilith finally took her seat in the large, beautifully decorated auditorium, she crossed her legs neatly, her red gown falling like a soft curtain over her knees. Ethan sat down right next to her on the second row, making himself comfortable as if he owned the place — he kept his arm rested on the back of her chair like a lazy cat guarding its territory.

From where she sat, Lilith could see the first row clearly it was lined with the biggest stars. Krystal, looking effortlessly elegant with her soft curls and diamond earrings, gave Lilith a polite nod when their eyes met. Nina, sitting a few seats down, winked and even blew Lilith a quick hidden kiss, which made Lilith’s lips twitch in amusement.

Soon the program began. The stage lights came on, music started playing, and the host made everyone laugh with silly jokes and funny stories about actors behind the scenes. The audience clapped, the mood felt easy, but beside Lilith...

On her other side, a male actor — someone young and up-and-coming who clearly thought too much of himself leaned in a bit too close every chance he got. He kept trying to talk to Lilith in a low voice, asking nosey questions about her ESE project, her future work, and pretending to compliment her acting. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Lilith gave him short answers, her eyes fixed straight ahead on the stage. She didn’t bother to hide her annoyed expression, but the man didn’t get the hint, he seemed to think he was charming.

But Ethan did.

Ethan’s sharp eyes narrowed as he glanced past Lilith to the persistent actor. He didn’t say anything — instead, he simply turned his head slightly, his lazy grin gone, replaced by a cold look that could slice through steel. He stared at the man for a good few seconds, his jaw tight.

The actor looked at Ethan, saw that glare and it was like a bucket of ice water. He shrank back into his seat so fast Lilith felt the air clear up immediately.

Satisfied, Ethan leaned back, dropping his grin again as if nothing had happened. He turned to Lilith, his voice soft only for her. "Don’t waste your energy on fleas," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.

Lilith didn’t respond with words. She just smirked.

The lights on stage changed color, the next performance began, and Lilith finally let herself relax against her seat.

When the nominations for Best Newcomer Actress finally appeared on the big screen, the whole room fell into a hush. Spotlights swung gently across the audience, catching hopeful, glittering eyes.

Lilith sat perfectly still, her lips painted red, her back straight as ever but Ethan, seated beside her, could barely sit still. He leaned forward on the edge of his seat, his knee bouncing slightly, that signature grin flickering back and forth on his lips like he was the one waiting for his own name to be called.

And when Lilith Parker flashed up on the giant display behind the host, the camera lights exploded.

Ethan clapped first, louder than anyone else. He whistled too, ignoring the polite claps of the other celebrities. His eyes sparkled, his grin was so wide it almost looked boyish, and for one fleeting second... so many people sitting near them turned to look at him.

Some whispered, some raised their brows, some even snapped quick photos on their phones. A few reporters sitting in the corner scribbled something in their notepads and the man from the entertainment blog section leaned forward, eyes narrowing as if he’d just seen a new headline being born.

But Lilith didn’t react much. She only tilted her head, just enough to glance at Ethan, her eyes calm, almost too calm, while the man beside her sat there like her biggest fan.

The host, a cheerful woman in a sparkling silver dress, stepped closer to the front of the stage, her microphone catching every excited breath of the audience. The big screen behind her still glowed with the names of all the nominated actresses — six in total, including Lilith’s.

"So!" she said, her bright voice echoing through the huge hall. "What do you all think? This year’s Best Newcomer Actress is going to be a tough choice, isn’t it?"

The audience murmured, clapping politely. The camera panned across each nominee, catching their reactions one by one. Some of the young actresses smiled sweetly, pretending not to be nervous. One covered her face, her friends beside her giggling softly to calm her down.

When the camera stopped at Lilith, she gave a small, polite smile that cold but beautiful kind of smile that made her stand out even more under the bright lights. But anyone sitting close enough would see how her fingers tapped lightly on her knee, the only sign of her hidden nerves.

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