Chapter 3

On the seventh day after becoming Winter, I received my first phone call.

It was from Winter herself.

"Come to Marina One Hotel, Suite 2801."

Her voice sounded even softer than it did on television, tinged with a hint of exhaustion. "Don't let anyone see your face."

I put on a mask and a baseball cap, wrapping myself up so thoroughly that no one could recognize me.

In the elevator, I stared at my reflection in the polished metal doors. The face looking back at me felt both unfamiliar and mesmerizing.

So, this was the world Winter saw every day.

So, this was the privilege that came with being beautiful.

When the door opened, Winter was standing in the foyer.

She wore a silk robe with no makeup on, her hair tied up in a messy bun.

We stood face to face, and it felt as though I were looking into a mirror.

She stepped closer and studied my face carefully, her fingertips tracing my brow bone, the bridge of my nose, and the line of my jaw.

"It's even closer than I expected," she said. "They didn't lie to me."

"Why did you ask me to come?"

She turned and walked into the living room, picking up a cigarette from the coffee table.

I noticed her hand was trembling.

"I'm seeing someone," she said.

"He's not in the entertainment industry, so our relationship can't go public. But next week I have a brand event and three scenes that still need to be filmed. I can't get away."

She exhaled a stream of smoke and looked at me.

"I want you to do them for me."

I froze.

"I... I don't know how to act."

"You don't need to." Winter smiled.

It was the exact same sweet, flawless smile she'd worn in all those romantic dramas—beautifully fake.

"You just have to stand there, smile, and say a few lines. Post-production and the stunt doubles will handle the rest."

"Why me?"

"Because you look enough like me."

She stubbed out her cigarette. "And because you've signed a confidentiality agreement, so you won't dare say anything. More importantly..."

She walked over until she was standing right in front of me. The scent of her expensive perfume mingled with cigarette smoke.

"You're broke. Poor people are the easiest to control."

I clenched my fists.

But I didn't refuse because she was right.

I really had no money.

I only had twenty-three days left before my trial period expired.

I'd already grown used to seeing that beautiful face in the mirror.

I couldn't bear to become the ordinary Mabel Shaw again.

"And the pay?"

"The appearance fee for the event is half a million dollars. That's yours. The three-million-dollar acting fee is mine," she said.

"I can also pay for your membership."

I looked at the face that was identical to mine.

"Deal."

…

The day I attended the event in Winter's place, I wore the custom couture gown she lent me.

It was champagne-colored, covered in countless tiny crystals that shimmered like I'd wrapped the Milky Way around myself.

As the makeup artist worked on my hair and makeup, she kept complimenting my flawless skin and asking what skincare products I used.

I laughed it off, but inside I knew the truth.

This skin wasn't real.

It was the product of bio-synthetic materials and algorithms.

It was rented.

The red carpet was only twenty meters long.

But it felt as though I walked it forever.

Camera flashes exploded from both sides as reporters shouted my name—

No.

They were shouting Winter's name.

They asked whether the dating rumors with my co-star were true, whether I was satisfied with the ratings of my latest drama, and what projects I had lined up next.

Just as Winter taught me, I smiled, nodded, and replied, "Thank you all for your support. Please continue supporting my work."

The words flowed effortlessly from my lips.

In that moment, I finally understood why Winter became such a superstar.

There was something almost magical about that face. It made people want to believe every word she said, no matter how empty those words really were.