Possessed No More: The True Star Returns to Claim Her Throne-Chapter 34: Being Harassed

After observing him all morning, Riley concluded that Samuel Hughes didn’t have any damn misogynistic tendencies. He was probably just tired of being hounded by women, which was why his team had started that rumor.

Besides, after what happened in the dressing room this morning, she was lucky Samuel Hughes hadn’t strangled her. ’How could I possibly dare to ask him for acting lessons?’

’Keeping my distance is the only smart move.’

She took an appreciative bite of pork belly. The food might not have been catered by a five-star hotel, but the production had hired a high-end chef. The dishes were all quite delicious. The savory, tender flavor made her close her eyes in enjoyment. ’Being an extra on this set isn’t so bad. The food is amazing!’

As Flora watched Riley smiling with her eyes half-closed, she wondered if they were even eating the same food.

Oh, wait, they weren’t. Flora had to watch her weight, so her assistant had only brought her vegetarian dishes.

Meanwhile, Riley’s lunch box was filled with four different meat dishes.

"Riley, is the pork belly really that delicious?"

Riley nodded emphatically, even holding up a piece for Flora to see. "It’s amazing! Our crew’s chef is seriously skilled. Look how this meat is braised—it’s glistening red, tender yet firm, and perfectly seasoned. If I wasn’t afraid of what people would say, I could eat four of these myself." Her description made Flora want to try it.

As if reading her mind, Riley pushed the dish toward her. "Flora, why don’t you try a piece? I’m very neat when I eat. I haven’t touched this side at all."

Flora had already noticed. Riley was very proper when she ate; the side facing her was picked clean, while the rest of the dish looked completely untouched, just as it had been served.

She actually did take a piece to try.

"You’re right, this is really good."

Hearing that, Riley’s eyes curved into a smile again. "See? I was just thinking, if I ever find myself out of work, I’ll just come here and be an extra. I don’t need anything else; getting a lunch box like this every day would make it all worthwhile."

Flora chuckled, amused. ’This girl isn’t just money-hungry, she’s a total foodie too. It’s strangely adorable.’

The lunch break was only a little over half an hour. Riley didn’t waste it, taking out her script to carefully review the scenes for the afternoon. Whenever she was unsure about something, she would ask Director Miles, and the old man would patiently explain the scene to her. Samuel Hughes glanced her way several times, but Riley ignored him completely.

Samuel Hughes was... so irritated. But he had no idea what he was even irritated about.

For the next few days, Riley focused on filming. She hadn’t bothered with Cole Sinclair since he’d left her last message unanswered; she really didn’t have the mental energy for it.

The next day, the second male lead arrived: Miles Ford, an A-list martial arts actor who would be playing the Demon Lord. Miles Ford had started as a Martial Arts Director and was an incredible fighter. Despite being thirty-four or thirty-five, he kept his body in peak condition. In this film, his character was the only one in the Cultivation Realm whose power level could match that of Immortal Lord Caelus, so he had a great number of fight scenes.

The first scene of the day was the one where Riley’s character, using the alias Jade Sullivan, is in disguise meeting with people from the Nether Palace. She gets accidentally discovered by the female lead, is injured, and flees back to the Nether Palace, where the Demon Lord tends to her wounds.

It was a fairly simple scene, but Riley never expected she would be sexually harassed during it.

The scene involved an action where Miles Ford was supposed to support her arm with one hand and her palm with the other as they walked. But just as he was letting go, he deliberately brushed his finger across her palm.

The gesture made Riley’s skin crawl, and the hair on her arms stood on end. She snapped her head up to look at Miles Ford, who, hidden from the camera, actually winked at her. Almost without thinking, she channeled a sliver of Spiritual Power and sent it surging into his body.

’If there weren’t so many cameras on them, I would have chopped his hand right off!’

"Cut! Riley, what’s wrong? Why did you suddenly look up?" Director Miles’s tone was gentle enough. It was Riley’s first mistake, after all, so he was more surprised than anything.

Riley suppressed the rage simmering in her heart and turned to Director Miles. "Director, I think there’s a problem with this scene..."

She had already walked over to the director as she spoke. "The Demon Lord is the most powerful being in the Netherworld—arrogant, cold, ruthless, and bloodthirsty. Even if his own daughter were injured, would he really stoop to personally helping her up? Doesn’t that seem a little out of character?"

Director Miles nodded. "You know, you’ve got a point. Go take a break for a bit. I’ll discuss a rewrite with the screenwriter."

Miles Ford, who had been left standing there, had a dark expression on his face. ’Just some no-name, eighteenth-tier actress. If it weren’t for her pretty face, who the hell would even give her the time of day?’

’To think she’d dare to snub me and even demand a script change!’ He was so furious that he failed to notice the strange sensation stirring within his body.

Flora and Samuel Hughes, who had been watching the whole time, exchanged a look. Flora’s expression was grim.

’With Riley’s acting ability, there’s no way she’d make a mistake like that. That bastard Ford must have done something. After all, he has a reputation for it.’

’That’s just how this industry is. You can’t get famous without the looks, but if you are good-looking, you have to worry about the casting couch!’

’Young artists with no connections are just waiting to be taken advantage of.’

Samuel Hughes looked up from his phone. On the screen, unseen by anyone else, was a file containing all of Riley Perry’s information. "Sharon, don’t worry," he said. "I think she can handle herself."

’She was quick enough to use a plot hole to cover her reaction and get the physical contact written out of the scene entirely. Just what you’d expect from someone who got into Kingsbridge University as the top scholar in her province. Her mind works fast.’

’He was just puzzled. If she’s this smart, why was her reputation so terrible before?’

When he saw Miles Ford’s infuriated, sullen face, he instantly found his answer. ’It’s probably just like what happened today. She offended him without even doing anything, didn’t she?’

’Who knows how that pervert will try to ruin her reputation now.’

The screenwriter quickly revised the scene. The Demon Lord was a being who stood high above all others; not even his own daughter could make him bow his head. Furthermore, the Demon Princess was just one of his several daughters and wasn’t particularly favored. Upon hearing a subordinate report that her identity had been exposed and she had returned to the palace, he would simply curse, "Useless!"

Then he would just toss her a medicinal pill and pay her no further mind.

This change made the scene simpler, but also more logical. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

There was no such thing as familial love among the Demons. The Demon Princess hadn’t gone to the Empyrean Sect out of any sense of kinship, but for personal gain. She had to please the Demon Lord to obtain the resources she desired, with the ultimate goal of one day ruling the entire Netherworld.

It was precisely because of this lack of affection that she would eventually develop genuine feelings for Immortal Lord Caelus. This led to the moment when they stood on opposing sides and, facing his sword strike, she abandoned all defense and willingly met her death.

So, the character of the Demon Princess was a complicated one. In the beginning, she had to dress innocently while conveying an inherent wickedness. Later, her appearance would become more seductive and bewitching, yet she had to portray a deep, genuine love for Immortal Lord Caelus. All in all, it was a very complex and difficult role to play.

After the scene was over, Miles Ford’s face instantly darkened. He shot a glare at Riley before striding back to his dressing room. Once the assistant had closed the door, he quietly reminded him, "Miles, this film is a major box-office contender. If you want to deal with Riley, there’s no need to rush..."