Under His Rule ✔

Chapter 3 POV Elsie

After hanging up the phone, I sit on the bed for a while. I repeatedly check the call records three times, clutching my phone to confirm I'm not dreaming.

Since Vincent has already left, staying here alone seems pointless. I decide to pack up and go home early.

When I get back home, I lie on the bed but can't fall asleep.

Vincent's face keeps wandering in my mind until around five in the morning. The birds in the neighborhood gradually start chirping, and I slowly close my eyes.

A few hours later, a loud knocking at the door wakes me up.

I scratch my head and go to open the door.

No need to look; I know it's Bryan outside.

He's here to scold me. I open the door and then go back to bed.

Bryan angrily follows me, raising his voice, "I was just about to have lunch! I finally squeezed out some time today to go to a Michelin restaurant. Just as I picked up the fork, Mr. Vincent's assistant called me!"

Bryan stands hands on hips by the bed, getting more upset as he speaks, "Have you lost your mind? With your current status, what resources can't you get? Even scripts are queued up for two years! What do you lack that you have to be with Vincent? If you're dissatisfied with the work I arranged for you, we can talk. Are you trying to push yourself off a cliff?"

"Bryan, I'm sorry," my voice is a bit hoarse from just waking up.

"I really shouldn't have let you go!" he pauses and says, "Are you apologizing to me? You should apologize to yourself! What are you doing now? How many times have you been injured filming? After working so hard to get to where you are today, what are you doing now?"

I remain quiet for a while, sit up, and say, "My next job is in London, right?"

Bryan is shocked, "What?"

I purse my lips, "I hope there won't be too many night shots."

"What? Are you already planning how to meet him frequently?"

Bryan laughs in exasperation, "Remember, every move you make is under the spotlight. If you're exposed as an investor's lover, your reputation will plummet, and you'll lose your job!"

I say, "I haven't thought that far ahead."

"No, I won't stand for it. Whether as your agent or your friend—" Bryan's words trail off, and he says with a dry mouth, "In any case, you can't continue this inappropriate relationship with Mr. Vincent."

Hearing this, I defend, "I like him; it has nothing to do with him."

"..."

"God. You're really unbelievable!" After a long silence, Bryan suddenly screams.

"Bryan, I've thought it through. I have experience; I'll hide it well and won't be discovered. In the unlikely event that it happens, I'll take all responsibility and compensation, ensuring it won't affect you and the company. My contract with the company is also about to expire, and you can decide whether to renew it then."

He stares at me, mouth opening and closing.

"I know what you want to say," I add, "But I really like Vincent. This is my own decision, and I want... to give it a try. Please."

Today is an overcast day, and even though it's the middle of the day, the indoors seem dreary.

I turn on the light and lock eyes with Bryan for a moment.

"You swear, this is the first time, and the last time." he says.

"Okay," I decisively raise three fingers.

"..."

"Thank you."

Finally, this conversation ends with his long sigh. When he leaves, I remember something and say after him, "I won't take annual leave anymore. You can arrange any work for me in this period."

"..."

Bryan turns around, grabs a pillow from the sofa, and hurls it at me. "Are you crazy? Just rest!"

My vision darkens, followed by the sound of a slamming door.

The annual leave officially begins.

Accustomed to busyness, suddenly having free time leaves me uncertain about what to do. I lie on the sofa for most of the day, mindlessly scrolling through TikTok on my secondary account.

When my eyes start to sting, I'm suddenly drawn to a video showcasing ceramic craftsmanship. The account is called Jingdezhen Grandma, and the creator is an old lady from Jingdezhen, a small town in southern China. I find it interesting and decide to follow the account.

Time for dinner.

I order takeout, then sit at the dining table, casually opening a movie on my computer while eating.

It's a dull campus romance film. The main characters meet at a street corner, discovering they attend the same university.

At the campus party, the male lead's eyes light up when he sees the female lead in a gown at the entrance. Subsequently, they kiss in an empty dressing room.

The alarm bells in my mind ring at this moment.

I abruptly put down my fork and knife, typing a URL.

Pornhub.

The chance to be with Vincent is not easy to come by, and to please him, I must watch and learn from some adult videos.

There's a five-second mandatory ad in the video; after skipping it, a naked couple suddenly appears.

Their expressions are exaggerated, and the scene is filled with high-definition details.

That's not an issue; I'm watching it with a learning attitude.

However, as I chew a piece of potato while watching, why does the texture of the potato suddenly become a bit nauseating?

I pause and decide to watch it tomorrow; I'll focus on eating first.

After dinner, I go out to throw the garbage, take a stroll, and then return home to take a shower.

After applying a face mask, I light a sleep-inducing aromatherapy and turn off the lights to sleep.

But in the middle of the night, I abruptly wake up.

I had an indescribable dream.

It was the adult video I watched during dinner, but the main characters had changed. The male lead became Vincent, and the female lead was me.

I sit up suddenly, feeling parched.

On the second day of the holiday, I continue watching adult videos, ranging from mature, teenager 18+, to MILK.

Just when I feel like I've learned most of the adult science, a title in the recommended section catches my eye:

"This video will definitely shock your eyeballs."

I dismissively open it.

And quickly close it, full of awe.