Chosen Mate of the Beastmen Empire by Lewis Reed

Chapter 426

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Nyx quietly looked away. The taunt didn’t get the reaction she wanted, and Joanna got all huffy about it. The man next to her noticed something off and frowned, “What’s up?”

“Terry.” Joanna said, softening her tone and flashing a smile, “nothing much, just saw someone I can’t stand.”

She had plenty of people she didn’t like, and Terry gave a vague chuckle, “Alright, got it. What’s her name?”

Truth was, he wasn’t clueless–his little starlet had a nasty temper, always starting trouble, looking down on this one, sneering at that one. Her reputation was trash.

But he didn’t care who was right or wrong–he wasn’t some judge. As long as she stayed pretty and kept him happy, he’d back her up, let her strut around the industry like she owned it.

Joanna leaned into his shoulder, pleased as punch. “Terry, you’re so good to me.”

She pointed at Nyx. “That’s the one–Nyx. She stole the role I had my eye on!”

Someone nearby overheard, frowned, and looked like they wanted to say something but held back. Joanna didn’t care who heard–she had her sugar daddy right there, so she glared at them one by one.

Terry followed her finger and caught just a glimpse of a figure from behind. That graceful silhouette looked like a one–in–a- million beauty. Dressed in a plain white skirt, she had an extra touch of innocence.

Terry lingered on that back view a little too long, suddenly recalling the “world’s greatest beauty” role that got snatched–he started feeling a spark of interest.

Joanna didn’t notice, still whispering in his ear, “She’s basically done filming–just cut her scene today, that’s all.”

It wasn’t out of kindness that she didn’t want Nyx totally crushed–if she asked to chop all of Nyx’s parts, the director, writer, and editor would flip, and it’d get messy.

Just axing today’s scene would be easy enough and still kill Nyx’s big moment. In the other scenes, she’d been swinging around in that ugly bronze mask–no way she’d blow up from that once the show aired.

“Please, Terry?” she cooed, nudging him.

Terry nodded absently, not bothering to head for the director. After a few more rounds of her wheedling, he yanked his arm free, annoyed, “Enough!”

Seeing her teary, panicked eyes, he softened a bit and said, “Hold on a sec. Let her shoot it first, then get the director to cut it.”

Zachary was a professional–getting a scene perfect meant tons of retakes, and Nyx’s bit involved wirework, falling from a tower. It wouldn’t be a breeze,

Letting Nyx go through all that hassle, only to trash the footage later, would really twist the knife. Joanna thought it over, wiped her tears, and broke into a grin.

The crew had already set up the outdoor tower to look war–ravaged–charred beams, crumbling tiles hanging by a thread. When Nyx’s turn came, it was dusk, the setting sun bleeding red across the tower’s weathered bricks. Everything was ready, and the camera locked on Nyx.

The vermilion palace gates hung crooked and wide open, rare flowers trampled into the mud, screams and shout from every direction as servants grabbed gold, silver, jewels, and silks, fleeing with whatever they could carry.

oing

Nyx wore a lavish cloak, its hem dusted with dirt but still elegant, her hair neatly pinned, a floral mark glowing between her brows–she held onto the dignity of royalty.

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“Hurry, Princess! Get to the carriage!” a loyal guard urged, “The gates are breached–there’s no time!”

into the distance, her eyes drifting from the grand hall to the concubines‘ quarters, then she moved–not toward

fallen, her people

jangling loose—a guard lunged to grab her robe, but she unfastened it, flung the cloak off, and left their pleas behind with

rebel king’s banners galloped through the streets, charging straight for the palace.

be a hell of a prize. The riders whooped,

miles, one mile. Closing in. They could already make out her pale cheeks, her delicate skin–their eyes glued to that slender figure as she bent to

clouds or a waterfall–she yanked out the pin and drove it into her throat!

spun and plummeted from the tower, her robes fluttering in tragic red

it, laughing and clapping, “Perfect!”

a redo. Nyx had pulled off something even he hadn’t

ancient times,”

unhooked the wires, peeled off the busted fake

in the past for a few years,‘ he

folks still caught up in Nyx’s performance,

perfectly–no stiffness in her limbs

were industry pros–they knew how tough

clutched Terry’s sleeve. “You don’t

an admiration and fascination he’d never shown her. Forget dealing with

his wrinkled sleeve, “You’ve been with me this

his sweet spot–he wanted her in his pocket, too. Keeping two lovers at once was no big deal–with enough cash, he

trouble for me, got it?” he warned, patting Joanna’s

all she wanted, but not on his turf. He wasn’t about to let his backyard

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Chapter 426

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the new and tossed the old–Nyx was younger,

she swallowed it and stopped stirring the pot, if Nyx hooked up with Terry, she probably wouldn’t let her off easy.

go after Nyx—Zachary and the writer really like

during filming, Zachary seemed extra fond of Nyx, looking out for

they like her? She’s still just a no–name sidekick, isn’t she? Besides, who I sleep with

sure, but at best they were equals–no way he’d stick his neck out for some

might protect her?” Terry sneered, shaking her off. A lover could have

dare poke at her so boldly. Dragging out the director and

lost–don’t ruin my plans.” With

artist who’d done her look had gone out to watch her shoot, too, and now her already chatty mouth was in overdrive, rapid–firing praise until Nyx’s ears ached

and the whole room went

of her sugar daddy Terry visiting had been everywhere. His face was no secret. Everyone even

Joanna? Why’d he show up here all of a sudden?‘ she thought. The

faded, but she stayed put, expression blank. She hadn’t clashed with Joanna herself—if that

tie and holding out a hand,

pulled it back, not showing his

might’ve been rude to you. But

maybe even become a best actress,” he said, raising a brow, hinting, “I’ve been

grab dinner later, talk it over privately,” he added, handing her

dead silent–everyone was stunned.

dropped–she hadn’t seen this coming at all. She’d thought he was there to hassle Nyx

exactly good news, though–if Nyx didn’t play the casting couch game. The artist glanced at

anna,

Tue, 18 Mar