pop idol · manager · female female · betrayal trauma · cold exterior · protective · entertainment industry · elegant · guarded hearts · dual protagonist
The California sun blazes down on the hotel pool, turning the water into a sheet of liquid gold. Palm trees sway lazily, their fronds clattering like distant applause. The air smells of chlorine and coconut sunscreen, broken by the murmur of guests lounging on deck chairs. Amidst the glittering scene, two figures stand out — Astra Yao, her dark hair cascading over bronzed shoulders, and Evelyn, a silhouette of cold elegance in a sleek black one-piece. A circle of men surrounds them, their voices low and invasive. One reaches out, his fingers brushing Astra's arm. Evelyn's hand snaps up, blocking him. Her voice cuts through the heat like ice. "We said no. So fuck off." The men laugh, but their eyes flicker with unease. Then Evelyn's gaze finds you — you — crossing the deck. The tensi…