A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 262

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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‘My debut role…’
I couldn’t begin to describe the joy I felt when I first heard that I’d been cast in a drama.
The fact that it would star alongside Sia and Choi Sihyun—seniors I admired and adored so deeply—left me sleepless for days.
But the moment I stepped into the script reading on the first day of filming, that anticipation and joy shattered mercilessly.
‘I’m the one who got you this role, Seo Yumi.’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘What, you didn’t know? Without me, how could someone like you ever land a drama like this? You’re not even in the same league.’
Learning that I’d been cast not through my own talent, but through someone else’s influence—and that someone being Lee Dou of all people—shattered my pride as an actress into countless pieces.
The nightmare continued long after that day.
“Why are you so stiff? You’re boring.”
“…”
Seo Yumi’s head bowed lower still.
A thin, sinister smile flickered across Lee Dou’s lips as he watched, then vanished just as quickly. His hand settled onto Seo Yumi’s shoulder with practiced ease.
“So you’d better treat me well.”
Even without meeting his gaze, Seo Yumi felt the weight of his sticky stare, and she bit her lip harder.
She wanted nothing more than to brush his hand away and run.
‘But if I do…’
Then another hell would begin. Not only would I be cut from the drama, but I might be expelled from the Agency entirely.
“You’ve only stayed at our Agency this long because of me, you know. Your acting coaches came to me complaining. They asked if we should really keep you around. The President wanted to drop you, but I talked him out of it.”
“I…”
“The director even mentioned it. He said you’re so bad that I need to teach you proper acting. Without me, you’d have been cut long ago. Aren’t you grateful to me?”
“No, I… thank you, sen—”
“Wow, seriously? Is it really that hard to call me oppa?”
“…”
With Lee Dou’s words hammered into me multiple times a day, my confidence eroded steadily, and I found myself shrinking whenever I encountered anyone—their eyes seemed to curse me silently.
“Ugh, forget it. Time will tell. Don’t worry too much. Just trust me.”
The hand resting on my shoulder began to slide downward, caressing my arm.
As his touch grew more brazen, Seo Yumi bit down on her lip.
Clang!
“Ow! What—what is this!”
Lee Dou suddenly staggered, crying out in pain.
Feeling something strike his head, Lee Dou quickly looked down. A dented can lay at his feet.
“Oops.”
“…!”
Confused, Lee Dou looked up to see a woman waving her hand at him with a bright smile.
“Sia?”
Instead of answering, she strode toward them and casually picked up the can lying near Lee Dou.
“I heard such a hollow, empty sound coming from over here that I thought this must be where the recycling bin was.”
“…What did you just say?”
Understanding her implication, Lee Dou’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
Sia and Lee Dou were similar in age and debuted in the same year. Of course, there was a massive gap between them in terms of popularity and recognition.
“You… what did you just say?”
Lee Dou ground his teeth at Camilla, who had treated him like nothing.
“Can you take responsibility for what you just said?”
“Take responsibility? For what?”
“You said you pushed Seo Yumi into this drama.”
“That…!”
Bewilderment flashed across Lee Dou’s face before vanishing just as quickly. Still, true to his profession as an actor, he swiftly composed himself with a mask of calm.
“What about it?”
“I’m curious if you’d be this confident in front of the director.”
“W-what?”
But that mask shattered in an instant.
Seeing Camilla pull out her phone as if she were about to call the director right then and there, Lee Dou rushed to speak.
“L-look! What does this have to do with you anyway! Whether I pushed her into the drama or not, why does it concern you?”
“It concerns me.”
Camilla stepped closer to him, her lips curling into a smile while her eyes turned cold and piercing.
“I have great respect for Director Gil Sangyeop.”
This wasn’t a lie at all. Director Gil Sangyeop had excellent directing skills and a keen eye for talent.
He knew how to draw out the maximum potential from an actor’s abilities, and with his quiet yet resolute nature, he had many devoted followers.
“I simply can’t believe that such a director would cast an actor pushed by someone like you.”
“Someone like me? Hey!”
“So I’m going to verify it, and if your claim is true, I’m dropping out.”
“What?”
Camilla deliberately waved her phone in front of Lee Dou’s eyes.
“If the director would cast an actor recommended by someone like you, then this drama is already doomed anyway, isn’t it? There’s no reason for me to be in it.”
“Ha! You think the media will just sit back if you quit so irresponsibly?”
Lee Dou tried to hide his panic as he mocked her.
Even someone as talented as Sia couldn’t afford to underestimate the media.
“Of course they won’t. Everyone will be curious about why I dropped out.”
But contrary to Lee Dou’s expectations, Camilla maintained her composure and even smiled with amusement.
“Then I’ll just tell them the truth. That I quit because I found it hilarious watching the director get manipulated by some hollow-headed actor.”
“…What?”
“So you need to verify first. Can you say what you just said in front of the director too? Are you absolutely certain that she got into this drama because of you?”
“….”
Lee Dou couldn’t speak, his eyes trembling as he stared at Camilla’s phone. He looked terrified that she might call right then and there.
Seeing this, Camilla clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
“At least tin cans can be recycled. What’s your excuse for being useless?”
“You…!”
Only then did Lee Dou realize that she had seen through everything and was mocking him, his face flushing with embarrassment.
“If you can’t act, at least get better at lying. Stop spouting nonsense trying to fool people. Do you think a rookie is easy prey?”
“Tch!”
Lee Dou’s face flushed crimson as he ground his teeth, finally unable to contain his fury and raised his hand.
“I’d heard rumors about your poor manners, but I never thought I’d witness it firsthand.”
Camilla merely smirked in response, then thrust her face even closer to his.
“Go ahead, hit me. It’s been a while since I’ve made the search trends.”
“Ugh…!”
“What? Don’t have the guts?”
Lee Dou’s hand trembled as he held it aloft, but ultimately he took a step backward, letting his fist drop limply to his side.
No matter how reckless he was, he couldn’t bear the consequences of laying hands on Sia.
Crack!
In that instant, Lee Dou’s head snapped sharply to the side.
Unable to immediately comprehend what had just transpired, Lee Dou’s eyes glazed over in shock.
Seo Yumi, who had been watching the entire scene unfold from beside him with trembling eyes, gasped in astonishment, her mouth falling open.
“Damn, that stings like hell.”
Camilla lightly shook out her tingling hand, flashing a smile at Lee Dou, who still wore that vacant expression.
“What? Upset? Then report me.”
“You… you…!”
Finally snapping back to his senses, Lee Dou cradled the cheek she’d struck, his eyes blazing with the urge to lunge at her.
“Go ahead and leak that I hit you. Or should I introduce you to a journalist I know?”
“Y… you… hey!”
“You might’ve heard the rumors—I’ve got some experience handling the media.”
“Why… why are you doing this to me?! What did I ever do to you?!”
He had a brain. He didn’t mess with just anyone. He carefully avoided those above his station—what would he gain by provoking them?
He swore he’d never given Sia any reason for displeasure. In fact, knowing her reckless nature all too well, he’d made a point of staying out of her way.
‘Then why?!’
Why was she doing this to him?
As Lee Dou’s expression shifted to one of grievance, the smile faded from Camilla’s lips.
Footstep.
“…!”
Though she merely took a single step closer without a word, Lee Dou instinctively flinched.
“How dare you…”
Goosebumps erupted across his entire body. Her voice was glacial.
“How dare someone like you taint the sanctity of the Film Set.”
“That…!”
Lee Dou trembled violently, unable to mount any proper rebuttal.
Overwhelmed by her presence, he stood there stammering uselessly before fleeing the scene like a coward.
“Tsk.”
Camilla watched his pathetic retreat with disdain, clicking her tongue briefly, then turned her gaze to Seo Yumi, who still stood frozen in shock.
“Seo Yumi.”
“Y… yes, yes!”
Seo Yumi seemed to snap back to her senses at that moment.
She gazed after Lee Dou, who had already vanished into the distance, and habitually bit her lip.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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