Chapter 48

I hurried to soothe Grandma Pritcher. “It’s okay. I really don’t mind.”

Then she asked, “I heard you found work? Quilting for Ann?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“That’s good. Moon Goddess blesses you. You can finally settle down. It’s my granddaughter who doesn’t have that kind of luck.”

When she sighed, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened.

Her dislike for Jevon and Lilith. And her fondness for me was completely undisguised.

The atmosphere turned awkward fast.

I caught the director beside us blinking at me repeatedly, signaling me to cut the topic before the internet tore Grandma apart during the replay.

So, I smiled and smoothed it over.

“It’s late, Grandma Pritcher. You should go home. Tomorrow, when I have time, I’ll come chat with you again.”

“Ok, ok.” She listened to me easily.

I personally escorted her downstairs.

When I came back up, the mood on the rooftop had eased.

The director must’ve quietly said something while I was gone.

Goselle and Jezin weren’t bickering anymore. They just sat there chewing snacks in silence.

I poured the fresh plums into the middle and smiled.

“Grandma Pritcher brought these for everyone. Eat together.”

Yvonne immediately opened her pickled cucumbers and a little bag of chili powder, grinning.

“Perfect! Pickles with plums, dip it in chili powder and it’s even better!”

She moved quickly, talking as she worked, naturally making the whole scene lively again.

I couldn’t help thinking—Yvonne’s EQ really was high.

No wonder in my last life, she blew up from this show.

Too bad she refused to bow to capital. That’s why she got shelved, even though she could’ve gone farther.

Dwyn clapped his hands. “Eat, eat! Let’s eat and play cards!”

He snapped open the deck like he’d done it a thousand times.

“Blackjack?”

“Blackjack? That’s an old‑people game,” Goselle said with a wicked grin.

“We’re playing King’s Game.”

Dwyn played dumb. “King’s Game?”

He wasn’t totally clueless, but the curiosity in his voice sounded sincere.

Goselle pulled out the King card, mischief flashing in her eyes.

Even her pupils glimmered faintly red—wolf blood leaking when she got excited.

She explained with a smile.

“It’s basically truth or dare. Whoever draws the King can command other people.”

“The chosen person either tells the truth… or does the dare.”

Jezin shivered visibly and shrank back, probably afraid she’d use it to take revenge.

He tried to escape.

“I just drank medicine. I don’t feel great. maybe I won’t play.”

“No way,” Dwyn coaxed. “Everyone plays. If you don’t, it’s boring.”

Then the director’s low command came through the earpiece:

“Everyone plays. The livestream audience is watching.”

Jezin had no choice. He forced a helpless smile.

“Fine, but don’t go too far. My idol image is heavy!”

He was reminding us—everyone here is a celebrity. Don’t make him crash on camera.

Lilith’s eyes lit up like fireworks.

“Hurry up! If I draw the King, can I make everyone give me money?”

“No,” Dwyn said immediately. “That turns into gambling. We’re a genuine show.”

Lilith stuck her tongue out.

“I’m kidding! I want to be King! I want Jevon to sing for everyone!”

I laughed inwardly.

Sing?

The director and the fans were about to be disappointed.

Jevon could act… sort of.

But singing? He was a complete disaster.

Wolf voices could be naturally enchanting, but he didn’t inherit that gift.

In my last life, the only time he ever opened his mouth on stage, it was lip‑syncing.

A sound engineer had spent a month polishing that audio into something passable.

Sure enough, the director hurried in my earpiece:

“Later, whoever gets the King must make Jevon sing.”

They’d probably seen “Jevon singing” trending and wanted to push it.

They had no idea Jevon couldn’t sing.

If they forced it, he would collapse on camera.

My chest tightened.

In my last life, Lilith never suggested Jevon sing on the show.

This tiny change meant fate was already drifting off its original track.

Unease slid through me.

Jevon was reborn.

If other people were reborn too. If someone knew my revenge plan would I still have time?

No.

I had to move faster.

Dwyn finished dealing.

I drew a card. Not the King.

Then everyone flipped.

The King was…

Jevon.

Lilith’s eyes practically glowed. She thought her brother would finally give her a chance to shine.

But Jevon turned and stared straight at me.

He spoke slowly, voice suppressed with probing curiosity.

“How did you hook up with Gill?”

The rooftop went dead silent.

It had haunted him for a long time.

In my last life, he’d tried again and again to get Gill as his agent and never even got to meet her.

Yet I, a “nobody,” had been signed easily. I’d even been inside Gill’s villa.

I lifted a brow, tone casual like it was nothing.

“She insisted on signing me. Said if I didn’t agree, she’d kill me.”

Everyone froze.

Goselle whispered, “Mia… you have to tell the truth. You can’t lie.”

“I am telling the truth.” I spread my hands, light as air.

Jevon’s brows furrowed harder. He clearly didn’t believe me.

He pressed, “When did you meet?”

“Second question.” I cut him off coldly, my eyes not yielding an inch.

Jevon choked on it.

He could only throw the King card back down furiously.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lilith’s fingers clamp around her cards until her knuckles turned white.

Her nails nearly pierced the paper.

Anger rolled in her eyes.